How to Escape from a Leper Colony (Literary Feline)
It is the night of Easter Sunday. I’ve already been to chapel and received God on my tongue. I sit in my cell with the lights off. Everyone’s light is off. I wait for the man with the cross to begin his walk. He’s been doing it once a year for the whole twelve years I’ve been in here. Carnival is coming in a few weeks. The queens have already had their pageants. The steel bands are practicing every night–until late in the morning. But this man. He will come, I believe. He always comes. I wait for him. And I think about why he is doing his penance. And I think about why I am doing mine. [opening paragraph of "Kill the Rabbits"]
How to Escape From a Leper Colony: A Novella and Stories by Tiphanie Yanique
Graywolf Press, 2010
Fiction; 184 pgs
Graywolf Press, 2010
Fiction; 184 pgs
There is beauty in words. Beauty in a story. And beauty in the characters that fill those stories. Tiphanie Yanique captures all of that in this collection of stories and a novella, steeped in culture and life.
The characters are the main thrust of each of Tiphanie Yanique’s stories. And with many of them, the endings gave me pause. The stories may not be wrapped up with a neat little ribbon at the end, but they certainly offer one food for thought. Yanique’s writing style is lyrical, and, while several of the stories are straight forward, with others she takes creative license. I was reminded of how much of an art writing can be. I found myself wanting to take my time with each story, lingering over the words and taking in the experience. For each story truly is its own experience.
There was not one story in the collection I did not like. In fact, I’d come across one story, decide it was a favorite and then claim the next was a favorite too. This happened over and over again.
One of my favorites was “Street Man”, about a drug dealer who falls for a straight girl. He is so focused on his own life and his own perception of their relationship, keeping the street out of his relationship with her, that he misses the fact that she may have a life and ideas of her own. There is also the story about a young woman who is sent to live in a leper colony, isolated from the rest of the world. She befriends a young man whose entire world is the island, and they both long to be free. I was moved by “The Bridge Stories: A Short Collection” which is a series of stories seemingly independent of one another but interconnected at their core. Another of my favorites was the novella, “The International Shop of Coffins”, covering moments in the lives of three very different characters. The story begins the same in each case, and yet each story is unique but equally sad.
The collection is made up of eight stories all together. The stories are about love, despair, regret and longing. They are about dreams, both lost and hoped for. They are set mostly in the U.S. Virgin Islands, touching on several different cultures and lifestyles. This is one of those books that would make a great book club selection, if the group is willing to take a chance on a collection of stories.
Ratings: 
(Very Good)
Book Source: I bought the book myself.
Printed with permission by Wendy Runyon (aka Literary Feline); © 2010, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
31 Bond Street (Literary Feline)
She tried to summon her best composure but her expression changed like a cloud movement: flashes of red emerged in sudden streaks across her face, and tears began coursing along her cheeks. her countenance betrayed such anxiety that Connery eyed her closely. His instinct told him to remain still–emotional moments like these were often followed by a confession. [pg. 15]
31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan
Harper Collins, 2010
Crime Fiction; 352 pgs
Harper Collins, 2010
Crime Fiction; 352 pgs
When Dr. Harvey Burdell, a New York dentist, is found brutally murdered in his own home, behind locked doors, suspicion immediately falls on those in the household, particularly Emma Cunningham whose sudden production of a secret marriage certificate between her and the doctor two weeks before the murder raises eyebrows and puts her innocence in doubt. Emma is a woman who is desperate to hang onto the last vestige of her social status, both for her daughters’ sake as well as her own. She is near broke and facing eviction when she first meets Dr. Burdell. Dr. Burdell seems like a gentleman through and through. Only, he isn’t nearly as perfect as he seems. As the investigation into his murder unfolds, it becomes clear that Dr. Burdell had many secrets and just as many enemies.
With the media, public opinion, and the ambitious district attorney, Abraham Oakley Hall, already poised to hang Emma, Henry Clinton steps in to defend her. He puts his own career on the line to do so.
Ellen Horan’s novel, 31 Bond Street, is lush with detail. The mystery is tightly woven, at times intense, and always interesting. The story went in several unexpected directions. I had my theories, but nothing was quite as simple as it seemed. The narrative follows events as they unfold from the moment the body is discovered and is interspersed with flashbacks to the months before the murder, offering insight into the characters lives and motivations. New York was a character of its own: the bustling streets, the spreading out of a city, the back alleys and the upper class neighborhoods. I felt as if I was right there in the middle of the events as they transpired.
I hadn’t realized when I first began reading 31 Bond Street that it was based on a true crime that took place in 1875 New York. In a way, I’m glad I didn’t know as I might have been tempted to run and look up the story before finishing the novel. While that isn’t always a bad thing, I’ve found, this is one book I preferred to go into blind. I look forward to reading more by Ellen Horan in the future.
Ratings: (Very Good)
You can learn more about Ellen Horan and her book on the author’s website.
Source: Book provided by publisher for review.
Printed with permission by author, Wendy Runyon (aka Literary Feline) ; © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
The Devil and Sherlock Holmes (Nicola)
The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession by David Grann
Pages: 334 pages
First Published: Mar. 9, 2010
Publisher: Doubleday
Rating: 4.5/5
First sentence:
Reporting, like detective work, is a process of elimination.
Reason for Reading: I loved David Grann’s debut book “The Lost City of Z” and really wanted to read this when I heard about it.
An extremely interesting book on a variety of different topics. A collection of previously published articles mainly from “The New Yorker” magazine, with three being from other magazines. These are investigative journalism where the author goes out to meet the people involved, shadow them as they go about their business, and interviews criminals in jail, in search of the truth behind a mystery that has never been solved or never quite to satisfaction or just why somebody would do what they do. It makes very fascinating reading. Each article gives a small one liner to let you know the topic of the article and to me personally, some of them I was eager to read, while others didn’t seem like they’d be my cup of tea.
However, out of the twelve stories there was only one I didn’t enjoy and that was one that was about a baseball player and the game. I don’t like sports and that story just had nothing else to offer so for me it was a dud. Otherwise, whether I initially thought the subject would interest me or not, I was fascinated with the remaining eleven articles. Even one which is about the old water tunnel system below New York City and the building of the third tunnel. Sounds like something engineering folks might like but I was fascinated with the history of the building of the tunnels which have been worked on since the early 1900s, the dangers, and the personal stories of the men who work down there, often generations of the same family. Other stories include the mysterious murder of a famous Sherlock Holmes scholar, a Frenchman who serially poses as orphaned teenage boys, trying to track down the truth of a man about to be executed for murdering his children who swears he is innocent, a man who was obsessed with capturing the first live giant squid, and the life story of a stick-up man who committed his last robbery at age 79 but who enjoyed escaping from prison more than committing the crimes, and so on.
The mysteries and murders I was immediately pulled into, knowing I’d enjoyed those stories. But even the first couple that made me wonder whether they’d be my thing also pulled me in quickly as David Grann is a wonderful writer. From that point on I was eager to read each and every story. He gets up close and personal with his subject; he follows the people he is writing about and he gets in there with them doing the things they do (or standing beside them, watching) and explaining how he feels. He’s been in more than one situation where he’s admitted that he was scared. He can also pick up on all the different angles of a story so that no matter where a reader’s interests lie they will find an angle that interests them. Most of the stories were riveting, the rest were very interesting, and, for me, I struck out with the baseball story. (There just was nowhere else Grann could go with that one and I realise that.)
I read the book slowly. Reading one story a night, taking the time to savour and appreciate each story. David Grann is certainly a talented writer who has a way with engaging his reader, and I do hope he is currently working on another book length story for us.
Stink: Solar System Superhero (Nicola)
Stink: Solar System Superhero by Megan McDonald. illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Stink Moody, Book 5
Pages: 119 pages
Ages: 6+
First Published: Mar. 9, 2010
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:
Flub! Flop! Flunk! Stink Moody had to take a test.
Reason for Reading: My son enjoys these books, his dad reads them to him at bedtime and I thought it was time I saw what they liked about these books so much.
A totally enjoyable experience from start to finish! Stink is a regular kid, with regular kid problems and fears but when he gets an idea he becomes determined and full of spunk. Stink is flabbergasted when he gets his science test back and is told Pluto is no longer a planet, even Judy, his older sister, can’t believe it. Stink gets his facts straight and insists that even if it is a “dwarf” planet then it still is a planet. When the resident Space expert in his class teases him and regales him with all the reasons why Pluto is not a planet, the teacher breaks in and explains that they both are right. Scientists took a vote to send Pluto packing, but some scientists still believe Pluto should counted as a planet. She then assigns Stink and “Space Camp” Riley to a debate the next week and their class will have their own vote on whether Pluto is a planet.
A truly delightful book. As my first introduction to Stink, I was taken with him right away and can understand why my son enjoys his books so much. At the end of each chapter was a comic page with information about each of the planets in order based on the mnemonic saying “My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas” which was very interesting and extremely humorous. I have to say I particularly liked the stance the author took on Pluto, acknowledging the ongoing debate, showing both sides equally. (I wish all books on science topics did the same!). An amusing and entertaining first chapter book, that could be read aloud to younger children and will hold the interest of older reluctant readers. I’ll have to make sure I get books 1-4 read before another new one comes out as I won’t be missing out on Stink’s adventures any more!
Nicola @ Back to Books
The Remnant (Nicola)
The Remnant by Stephen Baldwin and Andrew Cosby. Art by Julian Totino Tedesco
Pages: 128 pages
Ages: 14+
First Published: Mar. 23, 2010
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Rating: 4.5/5
First sentence:
Hi, I’ve just gotten re-married and I need to add my wife to my insurance.
Reason for Reading: Stephen Baldwin’s name first caught my eye. I’ll admit I like the guy. But the plot’s “24″ comparison intrigued me and I wanted to see how (or if) Baldwin’s Christian influence showed up in the book.
Former CIA agent David Stacker has just been married and is looking forward to his honeymoon. As he leaves the Federal Building, it suddenly explodes into a million pieces. Stacker is in hospital briefly with minor injuries. But then the bodies keep piling up as natural disasters around the world become more frequent, he finds a bomb in his kitchen and then people start to vanish into thin air. With a mysterious man telling David he will help him and the police on his trail as a suspect in the Federal House bombing, David finds himself being asked to come back to work for the CIA.
I really enjoyed this book! It is very fast-paced and compelling. The art is gorgeous. The opening scenes start with Hurricane Katrina and a supernatural element that is carried throughout the book. There is a mysterious man who looks very much like an older days preacher: black suit, white shirt and very narrow black tie. The plot starts off (not quietly) but at a beginning point then continues to pick up pace like a rolling stone until the final, shocking, abrupt ending. The story holds a very deep Christian theme throughout which is easily seen if one is looking for it. There is no God or Jesus talk, it’s not Christian in that sense, but in the underlying themes. The ending is very abrupt and makes one think more is to come in future volumes but the ending is the true ending and from a certain Christian point of view makes perfect sense. Now, don’t get me wrong as this is not a Bible-thumping graphic novel. The story is full of excitement, spies, and actually reads like a TV show, thus being compared to “24″ in it’s summary.
As to suitability for teens, the book states recommended for young teens and up. The only thing that would concern me as a parent is the violence, which there is plenty of including blood, though it is not extreme. As to swearing, the word d*mn is used and there is one short sensuous scene with underclothes on which clearly emphasizes it is a married couple “making out”.
I thought the story was exciting and well-done. I enjoyed some of the Christian themes though ultimately it was in conflict with my own Christian beliefs but that didn’t stop me from having a fun ride with this one.
Impatient with Desire (Nicola)
Impatient with Desire by Gabrielle Burton
Pages: 248 pages
Ages: 18+
First Published: Mar. 9, 2010
Publisher: Voice
Rating: 5/5
First sentence:
Imagine all the roads a woman and a man walk until they reach the road they’ll walk together.
Reason for Reading: The Donner Party has always intrigued me, as it does so many others.
The majority of this book focuses on the The Donner Party’s journey, told through the eyes of Tamsen Donner in a journal format and a collection of letters to her sister; eventually the letters stop and the journal begins to be written to the sister. The story starts as the pioneers are hunkered down for the winter in the mountains but does not run in a linear format. Tamsen goes back to the days of her and George Donner’s meeting, she also tells her biography before she met George and does likewise for him. The story flips from the present winter conditions where they are trapped back to the day they decided to start their journey and the majority of the book is devoted to telling the tale of these pioneer’s voyage along the trail, how they got off the usual path and ended up trapped in the mountains for winter.
Being told from Tamsen’s point of view is unique; presenting a hardy, robust, adventurous female pioneer who often has more gumption than some of the men. One becomes attached to Tamsen right from the start. The author has done a wonderful job of creating a character that the reader is invested in and actually hopes for even when historically we know the terrible facts. It isn’t until the very end that the cannibalism is dealt with and the author doesn’t make a big deal out of it either. She shows how it may have come about. She also shows how three different families, in their own huts, may have handled and been affected by the terrible but life-saving, gruesome act. This part of the story is not sensationalized, it is only described in a few short pages, leaving much to the imagination.
This was a page-turner for me. A quick read, with short journal entries and letters it is so easy to just keep turning the pages! An eye-opening story which I think does the Donner Party a service in the eyes of history. With Tamsen Donner’s real journal never having been found this is a story we will always wish we could have a glimpse of her eye-witness accounts and this book satisfies, bringing Tamsen Donner alive again as a brave and determined pioneer woman.
Beautiful Assassin (Literary Feline)
Imagine, a woman in a tree, a silly, foolish young woman holding a gun and preparing to kill a man she does not even know. [excerpt from Beautiful Assassin]
Beautiful Assassin by Michael C. White
William Morrow, 2010
Fiction; 464 pgs
For all the books I have read over the years set around or during World War II, I have yet to explore every facet of it. The Soviet Union’s involvement is one such area I am still relatively new to. And so, when the opportunity arose to read and review Michael C. White’s novel, Beautiful Assassin, I was quick to volunteer. The novel opens with an American journalist on her way to meet who she believes is the namesake of the novel, a woman she has long been searching for. The two women talk long into the night as Tat’yana tells the story of her life all those years ago.
Tat’yana was once a Soviet Hero, having killed over 300 soldiers. She had come to the United States as a guest of Eleanor Roosevelt, but under the watchful eye of the Soviets who dictated just about every word she spoke and every move she made. She had been told her purpose was to draw support from the Americans and to encourage the U.S. to become more active in the war, to fight the Germans alongside the Soviets. Only, she soon learned that she was to also glean as much information as she could from her new friends. Tat’yana did not want to be a spy as it went against her very nature. She was loyal to her country, but she also knew the faults of her government. She was put in a difficult situation, having to choose between her country and a new one.
Tat’yana is not someone anyone would expect to become a soldier. She was an academic, a poet. When tragedy befell her family, however, she was desperate and full of rage. The only thing she wanted to do wass strike out at the enemy. Her skills in marksmanship proved an asset in the war.
Although women fought alongside men in the Soviet Union, Tat’yana and other female soldiers did not have it easy. There were those who did not believe a woman’s place should be on the battlefield and they made life difficult. As Tat’yana tried to prove herself in a man’s world, she quickly learned that it would be an ongoing battle. While others sought to keep her in her place, Eleanor Roosevelt had other ideas. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt instantly takes a liking to Tat’yana, a capable, strong woman, as does Tat’yana to Mrs. Roosevelt.
There was so much I liked about this book. Tat’yana is an interesting character who evolves as a person over the course of the novel. Because Tat’yana is telling her story in hindsight, she has insight into the events that took place all those years ago, and so she comes at it from a place of maturity we might not have seen from her younger self. Tat’yana is by no means perfect. She is strong and yet vulnerable. She did not always make the best or even the most heroic choices.
At 464 pages, this novel has a lot packed into it; it is at once a war story, a political thriller, and a historical novel with a touch of romance. Although I enjoyed nearly every aspect of the novel, my favorite time was spent when Tat’yana was in the Soviet Union. I felt like I got to know Tat’yana best during that time as well as her family, including her husband and her relationship with him.
Once Tat’yana arrived in the United States, I felt as if the plot began to overshadow the characters. I found the later romance portion of the novel difficult to buy into if only because Captain Taylor was not as well-developed a character as I would have liked. He is charming and mysterious, and while I could understand the attraction between Tat’yana and him, I never felt like I got to know him as well as I did her character. I never lost my fascination and interest in the story and of Tat’yana, however, and I was anxious to see how it all turned out in the end.
Beautiful Assassin was a satisfying read overall. I enjoyed the time I spent with Tat’yana and look forward to exploring the author’s other novels.
Rating: 
(Good +)
For more information about the author and his books, visit his website.
Source: Received book through BookBrowse First Impressions Program.
Printed with permission by author, © 2010, Wendy Runyon (aka Literary Feline) of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
Pearl of China (Nicola)
Pearl of China by Anchee Min
Pages: 278 pages
First Published: Mar. 30, 2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 3.5/5
First sentence:
Before I was Willow, I was Weed.
Reason for Reading: I am a huge fan of Pearl S. Buck, having read almost all of her books.
The book purports to be the fictionalized story of Pearl Buck’s life in China told through the eyes of a lifetime Chinese friend. Pearl’s mother went to the US to give birth to Pearl after losing several babies but soon came back to China with the babe in arms and Pearl was to remain there well into her thirties, except for brief periods away while she sought higher eduction in the US. She even married and came back a missionary herself. Willow, her fictional friend, tells the story of her own life and how it intermingled with Pearl’s and through this the reader gets glimpses into the great writer’s life, who though she was white on the outside was Chinese on the inside.
The book is enjoyable and we are given a touching look inside the day-to-day life of a small Chinese village, Chin-kiang, from the early 1900s through the end of Mao’s Cultural Revolution. The villagers themselves are eccentric and lovable and the reader falls in love with the people and way of life, though one must watch out for the war lords, in Chin-kiang before the terrible atrocities of the revolutions started.
I’m not sure I completely agree with the author’s portrayal of Pearl’s mother and father. She does have the personalities correct but it somehow feels overboard. It has been a long time since I read Buck’s two biographies, that each tell the same story, one through her father’s eyes, The Fighting Angel, the other through her mother’s, The Exile, so I can’t say anything concrete but I am left with an odd feeling here.
The same goes for Pearl actually. Since the author chose the rather strange narrative of telling Pearl’s life through the eyes of a (non-existant) Chinese best friend from childhood, the reader can only experience those parts of Buck’s life in which the friend is involved. Thus creating long passages of time where Pearl Buck is not present. I have only read Buck’s first biography, My Several Worlds, but there is a large amount of information missing on Pearl’s life and the topics that were close to heart. I’m rather dismayed that Anchee Min glosses over the atrocities of the Nanking Massacre so quickly, as it is a subject that Pearl writes about in much detail.
Now, rather than being the story of Pearl Buck, this novel is more the story of Willow a Chinese peasant who happened to know Pearl Buck. We are shown how her childhood is influenced as she becomes like a sister to Pearl and Carie (Pearl’s mother) becomes like a mother to her for her entire life, as her own mother died when she was very young. Her father is converted to Christianity, fake on his part to start with, but eventually a true convert and the reader sees how being a Christian in Mao’s China affects ones life. Actually, the most riveting part of this novel is the Mao years. I always find reading about the Cultural Revolution almost unbelievable and then terrifying when the reality sets in my mind.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I think it is a mistake to assume this is a book about Pearl Buck and will be better enjoyed with the understanding that it is the story of a peasant girl who knew Pearl for thirty-odd years. I certainly enjoyed the writing style and if I had known nothing about Pearl S. Buck to begin with, it would be a teaser of an introduction to this great woman and perhaps may make readers look up some of her lesser known work. This is the first Anchee Min book I’ve read and I see she has written several others; I will definitely be reading her backlist.
The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag (Nicola)
The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag by Alan BradleyFlavia de Luce Mysteries, #2
Pages: 348 pages
First Published: Match 9, 2010
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:
I was lying dead in the churchyard.
Reason for Reading: Next in the series.
Flavia’s second case follows the traditional set up of the golden-age of classic British mysteries. A travelling puppet show comes to town, but not just anyone; this is Ruper Porson famous for his television puppet show. He agrees to put a show on for the village. At this point the reader is completely immersed in the story, introduced to all the characters, in the village, and the newcomers, along with bits and pieces of backstories but never enough to let us know who is going to commit a murder. And a murder there will be, just like the classic Agatha Christie we know this is all building up to the right moment and we’ve figured out who will get murdered and probably when but not how.
Once the murder has been committed the rest of the book follows through keeping the pacing and formatting similar to the classic British mystery. Of course there are a few modern twists, our protagonist is an 11-year old girl, who is fascinated with poisons and completely knowledgeable in chemistry and herbs to be able to make an unlimited amount of poisons and their remedies. Flavia is a very interesting character. She is bright and knows it but is never smarmy or ignorant to adults. She knows when to use the child side of her to get more answers for certain witnesses. Flavia starts out by totally expecting the police to take her on as a deductive member of the team from her experiences showing them her skills last time but when she is questioned and then sent along she is feels indignant that they would dismiss her so easily. So Flavia takes on the case by herself, sneaking around, traveling by bicycle (just like the old-time female British sleuths!) and getting interviews that the police couldn’t possibly succeed in as well as she, beloved child and fellow villager, is able. The author seems to have a good hold on her character by this point, as she is now entirely believable as a child, which I had problems with in the first book. It is good to see the character more realistic and fleshed out.
I will say though, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. I think the original uniqueness of the situation has worn off a bit and while the book is so comparable to a typical Agatha Christie or Ngaio Marsh, I do prefer my mysteries nowadays to start right off the bat with the murder. O course that’s just me. Flavia de Luce is going to be a winner with all lovers of British cozies, one you’ll surely not want to miss.
The Snowman (Nicola)
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo. Translated from the Norwegian by Don Bartlett
Harry Hole Mystery, #7
Pages: 454 pages
First Published: 2007 (English translation Mar. 2010 (UK/Can))
Genre: Thriller, mystery
Rating: 5/5
First sentence:
It was the day the snow came.
Reason for Reading: Next published in the series (in English).
A woman disappears and a few months earlier Inspector Harry Hole had received a threatening note. He is convinced that their is a connection. Then a second woman disappears. Harry and his detectives soon discover a disturbing tale of women, married with children, who have gone missing without a trace over a chillingly large number of years. The clues will take him down so many false roads that his job is on the line not once, but twice.
This is a thriller that takes off on new twists with the speediness of a whip crack. What’s up for one chapter is down the next with reveal after reveal sending the police on the chase of a clever, determined serial killer who is skillfully directing the police to play into the unsub’s own mad theatre of his mind.
I’ve read three of the books in this series so far and this is the most excellent. The red herrings, the false roads which all do connect, in a way, just not the way the police want them to, are an amazing road to follow. Twist after turn will have you gasping as they go after who they think is the killer only to find they have suspicions of someone else … more than once. I really can’t convey how amazingly clever this plot was woven together, with a myriad of clues, characters and evidence Nesbo doesn’t miss a step in seamlessly creating an airtight thriller.
Funny thing for me is that I guessed who the killer was as soon as the character was introduced, for no particular reason than I thought it would make perfect sense in the end. (Perhaps I read so many thrillers I’m beginning to think like a thriller writer, either that or a serial killer, AAH!). Anyway, it gave me a unique perspective reading this book as I watched my chosen killer and applied all evidence and clues to them and convinced myself I’d picked correctly not that far into the book; that I was actually rather stunned, even though I’d been right, when the narrator out-of-the-blue starts writing from the killer’s point of view letting the reader know who is the killer.
An extremely intelligent, clever, roller-coaster of a thriller. Jo Nesbo is up there at the top with the best thriller writers of today.
Potter’s Field (Nicola)
Potter’s Field by Mark Waid. Art by Paul Azaceta. Introduction by Greg Rucka
Pages: 112 pages
Ages: 15+
First Published: Mar. 9, 2010
Genre: graphic novel, crime noir
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:
Marker 36905 belongs to a drug mule who wanted out.
Reason for Reading: I’ve become a fan of Mark Waid.
John Doe is a mysterious vigilante who fights to name the unnamed in Potter’s Field, a graveyard in New York City where the unidentified bodies are buried. He has an underground network of agents working for him from coroners to street people and he’ll never give up until he’s chiseled a name on a gravestone. John himself is just as mysterious as those he tries to help. No one knows his real name, where he comes from, his background or why he does this; the man doesn’t even have any fingerprints!
This bind-up consists of the original three-volume mini series and a one shot issue plus a script & sketches for an unpublished story. The book also begins with an introduction by Greg Rucka and ends with a few pages of character sketches of John Doe by the artist. This is also a very attractive hardcover book with a matte finish dust jacket and an attached ribbon bookmark; when the jacket is removed the plain black boards reveals “JOHN DOE” etched on the front as if on a cemetery plaque.
A fabulous read! Compared in the introduction to Raymond Chandler this is classic crime noir set in the modern world. All together from the four issues we get three separate episodic stories. These are dark, gritty, nighttime tales of a guy walking into a bar looking for someone and creeping into dark hallways with a flashlight. Quite a lot of violence, but though everyone carries guns they are more likely to hit someone across the head with it than shoot them. The violence is more physical, punching, clobbering with foreign objects, heads in toilets, face on a hot grill, and so on. I really enjoyed the stories which each was very different from the other; the first involved a missing girl, the next was mob related and the last was cops gone bad. Great action-packed story telling. The artwork is also suitably matched, very dark and urban. I really enjoyed this and will be looking for further crime graphic novels as well as continuing to read Mark Waid.
Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead (Literary Feline)
Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead: The Frank Meeink Story as Told by Jody M. Roy, Ph.D.
Hawthorne Books & Literary Arts, 2010
Nonfiction; 350 pgs
In June of 2001, I had the opportunity to join my mother and a contingent from her school on a tour of the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, California. Although I am not an educator, my mom thought I might be interested in going along (not to mention spending a little time with her since we live over 400 miles apart). The experience made a huge impression on me. The museum was so much more than I expected, covering a wide range of topics. It was an eye opener to say the least. Along with the usual museum displays and recorded presentations, there were also live presentations, one a Holocaust survivor whose story was heartbreaking and another was a former neo-Nazi, whose story was not only sad but very frightening. Especially frightening because of their growing numbers and with just how organized groups like the neo-Nazis had become. They are breeding grounds for home grown terrorists. A different variety than the fundamental islamists we hear about on the news today, but similar in their violent, passionate anger and self-righteousness.
This past year I read about a small protest in my own city, a gathering of neo-Nazis protesting illegal immigration. The anti-protesters far outnumbered the skinheads. There were many jokes made at the expense of the skinheads. I read a few of the comments on the newspaper’s website and decided to do a little research. I visited a random white supremacist website. I confess I was embarrassed to be doing so. It felt wrong as it goes against just about everything I believe. I watched a recruitment video, which I found more humorous than factual–in an angry making sort of way. I read the tenets of the organization, and while most made me cringe, I also could see the draw. They spoke to a person’s sense of self-worth, to the parent who is struggling to raise a child, to a person’s need to feel secure and safe, and to building a cohesive community. There was also something about drug use, how it hurts a person and community more than it helps. That one really surprised me, I have to say, as I tend to associate drug abuse with groups like that. I can see why someone might be attracted to an organization like that even as I sat there feeling a little sick to my stomach. In fact, I think that’s part of what made me feel sick–how easy it would be to sway someone to that way of thinking, depending on a person’s state of mind and situation in life. Groups, gangs and organizations like this prey on people who feel disenfranchised and are not happy with society or their lives. Maybe that person is feeling all alone in the world, battered and bullied. Groups like this, at least on some level, offer young people a family of sorts and a sense of security. That’s exactly what the neo-Nazi skinheads offered Frank Meeink and he his own recruits.
In the introduction, Elizabeth Wrutzel writes:
This is the truth: I read Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead with my mouth either actually or metaphorically agape, because I just could not believe anyone could be this much of an idiot and live to tell the story so clearly and cleanly. I don’t know what the worst of it is: the racism, the anti-Semitism, the sexism, the alcoholism, the addiction, the depression, the abuse, the violence, the homicide, the suicide - or just the way all these maladies co-exist. Frank Meeink’s story is upsetting and crazy, but it is above all a strangely absurdist drama that forces us to ask a troubling question about American life: Why, in a land with so much opportunity, is a critical mass of young people choosing hatred over possibility?
It was with that very question in mind that I decided to read this book, why I visited that website, and why that presentation years ago interested me so much. I do not think I will ever be able to truly understand the whys in answer to questions like this, but perhaps I can gain a little insight. I’m a true believer that armed with knowledge, we can work toward change–of course, it takes more than that, but it’s a start.
This is not a pretty book to read. It is raw and straight forward. I could definitely hear Frank’s voice, however, in the words I read on the page. Frank is very matter of fact about his experiences, and with good reason. His story is what it is. He did not sugarcoat anything or try to make himself look better. And that’s what makes this such a difficult read. Yet, I couldn’t stop reading once I started. I knew going in that this book would make me angry–and it did. It also provided me with a perspective into why a person would turn to the neo-Nazi skinhead movement. There were moments when I could not help but to feel for Frank and admire his strength and ability to overcome his anger and hate and turn his life around.
Frank is not so different from any one of us. My heart broke for that little boy who was severely beaten by his stepfather and repeatedly rejected by his mother. He was the son of drug addicts. He was lost and alone, searching anywhere and everywhere for approval and guidance. He got it where he could. Frank was fourteen when he was introduced to his first neo-Nazi skinheads, his cousin and his cousin’s friends. They took him under their wing and made him feel a part of something. Frank would go on to start his own crew of skinheads back in South Philly, where he was from, and he earned a reputation for being one of the most brutal and violent skinheads out there. He was cruel and vicious in a fight, but on the inside, he was still that little boy craving approval and attention.
Frank, at age 17, landed in an adult prison after kidnapping and nearly murdering a young man. It was a wake up call for him and one that sparked the beginning of a change in his way of thinking. During his teen years, he turned much of his anger and frustration towards other races, gays, homeless people, and Jewish people. As an adult, however, as his hatred for these groups diminished, he became more involved with drugs and his alcoholism worsened. Frank made several attempts to clean up his life and remain sober, but it proved to be too daunting of a task. Time and time again, he failed. What makes it all the more heartbreaking is that he had so much going for him, and yet he had yet to deal with the underlying causes that lead him addiction and, initially, the skinhead movement. Until he dealt with those issues, he wouldn’t be able to get a better handle on his addiction, much less move on with his life.
Frank was fortunate to have family and friends who stood by him through all of his transgressions. Even when he was at his worst, they were in the background, helpless to help, but willing to catch him when he fell nonetheless. Strangers, those he once would have sooner kicked with his Doc Martens than turned to for help, reached out to offer him support. One of my favorite moments in the book is when Frank is invited to join a Bible study session in jail. He is the only white person there. Despite his reputation and swastika tattoo, the black inmates still made room for him.
This is not a book about white supremacy. Ultimately, Frank’s story is a coming of age story, one about child abuse, gangs and drug dependency. It is a story of tragedy as well as one of hope. Frank’s violence and hatred against others is in no way acceptable nor is this book meant to excuse anything he has done–it is simply a look into one man’s life and how he ended up on the path that he did. Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead is an important book that is as relevant today as it would have been when Frank Meeink was growing up.
Rating: (Very Good)
Source: Review book provided by the publisher, Hawthorne Books.
The Lotus Eaters (Literary Feline)
Helen picked her way back home using the less traveled streets and alleys, avoiding the larger thoroughfares such as Nguyen Hue, where trouble was likely. When she first came to Saigon, full of the country’s history from books, it had struck her out little any of the Americans knew or cared about the country, how they traveled the same streets day after day - Nguyen Huge, Hai Ba Trung, Le Loi - with no idea that these were the names of Vietnamese war heroes who rose up against foreign invaders. That was the experience of Vietnam: things in plain view, their meaning visible only to the initiated. [pg 7]
The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli
St. Martin’s Press, April 2010
Fiction; 400 pgs
I watched the film The Hurt Locker recently. I have had difficulty putting my thoughts onto paper about it and so you haven’t seen a review. One thing in particular that stood out for me, however, was the scene where Staff Sergeant James is grocery shopping, followed by a scene of him trying to talk to his wife about his experiences in the Iraq War as she prepares a meal. These are very revealing scenes. The soldier goes from intense and life threatening situations in Iraq to the every day monotony of life back home. His wife is not able to understand what he has been through, everything he has seen.
The violence and shared horrors, the adrenalin rush, the camaraderie and strong bonds that form between the soldiers, and the sense of duty and honor . . . War can change a person. It can make adjusting to home life upon return difficult. It is not uncommon for soldiers to return to battle even when they don’t have to. Some feel most comfortable there in a way many of us who haven’t experienced it can’t even begin to understand. I thought of this as I read The Lotus Eaters. A different war, a different time period. A novel about photojournalists rather than a movie about soldiers. The pull of war, of danger, seduces some almost like a drug. It makes the title of Tatjana Soli’s novel all the more fitting.
I was drawn to Soli’s The Lotus Eaters because of the setting. The novel is set in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It is the story of an American female photojournalist, Helen Adams, who is set on following in her father and brother’s footsteps, wanting to know how her brother died and to experience some of what he must have as a soldier in the Vietnam War. It is also the story of Linh, a Vietnamese man who has lost everything and who is doing what he can to survive. And then there is Sam Darrow, an American photojournalist whose entire life is wrapped up in shooting wars.
The novel opens as Helen is making her way home to her apartment in Saigon where Linh, bedridden and in need of medical care, is waiting. The Americans are fleeing the city as the Communists take over, the final sign of a war lost. Helen struggles with whether to leave with Linh or stay to see the changeover first hand, capturing it on film. Her decision made, the novel, and her thoughts, shift to the past and the reader is taken to the moment she first arrived in Saigon and from there her story and that of Linh’s and Darrow’s unfold.
I fell in love with this novel from the very first word. My biggest regret is that I read the novel without my reading journal handy and so my notes are few, and I don’t have a record of the many quotations that especially moved me. The author’s writing is beautiful. There was a melancholy and underlying tension about it which helped to create the tone of the novel. None of the characters in the novel are perfect, each one flawed and multi-faceted. They are tormented but driven, eager but at times reluctant.
Helen changes quite a bit during her time in Vietnam. She arrives as a naive young woman, eager to make a name for herself and prove she can hold her own in a man’s world. She has her work cut out for her and, even at her most fearful, she is courageous. As the novel progresses, Helen grows stronger and wiser but there is a recklessness there too, much like that of veteran photographer, Darrow, who finds comfort and meaning in war. He sees something in Helen, a hint himself in his younger years, but also someone who may finally be his match.
Linh’s story intrigued me. He is Darrow’s assistant and proves to be an invaluable companion. He is the biggest mystery of all throughout the novel, but as his personal story unfolds, I was even more drawn to him, and I couldn’t help but wish I had known him in real life.
Through the author’s words and the characters’ eyes, I could understand their love/hate relationship with Vietnam. It is a beautiful country. The Vietnamese people were tenacious and adaptable. They had to be given the circumstances of the country’s history. The author’s knowledge and interest in Vietnam shined through on every page. She included a bibliography at the end of the book for those interested in reading more about the country. While her story is fiction, there is truth woven in. Soli did not take sides but presented a realistic and complicated picture of events in Vietnam at the time.
The Lotus Eaters is beautiful, dark, and thought provoking. War is cruel and Soli does not hold back from sharing the ugly side of it. Within it too, however, are sparks of humanity and compassion. The author does not leave that out either. In fact, it is often those moments, that help Helen through the darker moments. The Lotus Eaters is an amazing novel: a love story just as much as it is about the Vietnam War and the impact war can have on those touched by it. After having just finished it, I am still hesitant to pick up another book, still caught in its spell.
Rating: (Outstanding)
Source: Book for review provided by the publisher.
Pretty in Ink (Literary Feline)
If your name is Britney Brassieres, being taken down by a tsunami of champagne might seem only fitting.
One minute she was belting out “Oops! . . . I Did It Again,” the next she was on the floor, her arms flailing as the Moët - not the really expensive kind, but that White Star you can get at discount if you look hard enough - showered her. [pg 1]
Pretty in Ink by Karen E. Olson
Obsidian Mystery, 2010
Crime Fiction; 299 pgs
I did a little happy dance when I received Karen E. Olson’s second book of the Tattoo Shop mystery series in the mail last month. I loved the first book in the series, The Missing Ink, and was excited to see what Brett and friends were up to now.
In this particular novel, readers step into the Las Vegas drag queen scene where one such drag queen, Britney Brassieres, is struck by a champagne cork–on purpose–at the premiere of the Nylons and Tattoos show. Brett Kavanaugh, owner and tattoo artist at the Painted Lady, and her staff had drawn the tattoos that the drag queens are sporting and were invited to the big event. Brett is the only one who sees the cork shooter, and, while she is unable to identify him by his face, she does get a good look at the tattoo on his arm. When the queen dies mysteriously a few days later, the situation grows all the more suspicious–and complicated. One of Brett’s own employees is missing and seemingly in trouble. Brett is determined to do her own investigating both to help her friend and to solve a murder, placing herself in the path of danger.
I had a lot of fun reading Pretty in Ink. I fell into the rhythm of the novel almost immediately. The book is fast-paced both in tone and action. There were comic moments, as can be expected. I love Brett’s dry sense of humor. And her friends are a real hoot. Joel is one of my favorite characters. He reminds me a lot of a former coworker who was large and imposing size-wise, but was really a big teddy bear, cuddly and kind-hearted. He also loved to eat. Jeff Coleman, owner and tattoo artist of a competing tattoo business, is ever present. I wasn’t sure what to think of him in the first book of the series, but he’s growing on me. There’s certainly more to him than meets the eye. And that Bitsy is a spitfire. She may be small, but like many of us who are short know, you shouldn’t be quick to underestimate us.
This series is fast becoming a comfort read for me. It is not a series that should be taken too seriously. It has just the right amount of suspense and comedy to keep me entertained while I am reading. I cannot really think of anything I did not like about the novel. Readers interested in getting to know Brett would probably be better off starting with the first book in the series as her character is more fully developed there, although the mystery in Pretty in Ink stands on its own.
Upon completion of the book, I actually read the excerpt for the upcoming book, Driven to Ink, something I never do. I read introductions, acknowledgments, glossaries, appendices, and the dedication, but never the excerpt to the next book. And yet I did with this one. I wasn’t quite ready to let go of Brett just yet come the end of the book.
Rating: (Very Good)
Source: My copy of Pretty in Ink was provided by the author for review.
Grey Matters (Literary Feline)
Professor Bullock’s office was an academic’s hideaway, a throwback to an earlier era. Bookshelves ran up every wall, which between the dim lighting and the constant fog of tobacco seemed to be even taller than they probably were, reaching to an unseen - doubtless smoke stained - ceiling. A series of lamps, some precariously perched on piles of books, shed strategic shafts of light on the professor’s stained blotter and one shabby reading chair, its armrests pockmarked with small burns. No computers had infiltrated this bookish retreat, nor any other signs of the last century really. [pg 3]
Grey Matters by Clea Simon
Severn House, 2010
Crime Fiction; 232 pgs
A mystery with Gothic undertones seems a fitting book to read on a rainy day; at least I think so. I enjoyed my introduction to author Clea Simon’s latest series in Shades of Grey, and looked forward to revisiting Dulcie and friends in the second novel, Grey Matters. A murder, dark secrets, a ghostly cat, and a dash of romance make for an entertaining read.
Dulcie Schwartz hasn’t had a particularly good week. Her roommate Suze is busy with her final year of law school and a new boyfriend. Dulcie’s own boyfriend, Chris, seems distracted, always working with hardly any time for her these days. The new kitten in her life is no substitute for her beloved Mr. Grey, who seems to only appear to her in ghostly form when she needs a little nudge or to be comforted. Her thesis adviser isn’t on the same page in terms of her research, and Dulcie feels at a loose ends as a result. After a meeting with her adviser, she nearly stumbles over the dead body of a fellow graduate student right outside her adviser’s house. As she looks at those around her as possible clues as to why he was murdered, she discovers that quite a few people around her are holding secrets of their own. Dulcie does not like to think the worst of her friends and colleagues, but she cannot ignore that something is going on, and one of them just might be involved in the murder.
The kinship I felt with the main protagonist in the first book was renewed in the second as I stepped into Dulcie’s life again. I cannot help but think just how much she and I are alike personality wise. We both have a penchant for letting our minds wander–and analyzing just about everything we hear and see. She is rather soft-spoken and kindhearted. Dulcie may not always say what is on her mind immediately, but she is not afraid to take risks or do what must be done. She is ever curious, a trait that occasionally puts her in the middle of danger, however unintentional.
Throughout the novel, Dulcie continues to struggle with her graduate thesis. Her recent research threatens to derail all the progress she has made. My own graduate school experience was quite different from Dulcie’s, but then, so was my discipline. The self-doubt and challenges that come with research and juggling other academic responsibilities is something I remember all too well.
As a book lover, I really like the bookish side of Dulcie and her love for books. Her interest in 18th century Gothic literature seemed particularly intriguing to me this round, having just read a historical fiction book set in that time. A book had been alluded to in that particular novel that stirred my interest and I found myself researching novels written during that time. Even though I hadn’t yet begun reading Grey Matters, I had, in fact, thought about Dulcie and Clea Simon, wondering if they had come across the same titles in their own research.
The cats are as delightful as ever, and not at all overbearing to the story. I couldn’t help but see my Anya in the kitten Dulcie had taken in and Parker in Mr. Grey. While Mr. Grey occasionally offers Dulcie cryptic advice, his appearances are more often than not rather vague–did Dulcie really see a swish of a tail or feel a presence rub against her leg? While it’s clear that Dulcie believes so, others around her aren’t so sure.
All of this is wrapped around the murder mystery in such a way that made it all the more intriguing. I was never quite sure who to suspect of what, but I knew something was up just as Dulcie did. Although I have enjoyed each of the books author Clea Simon has written that I have read, both in her Theda Krakow series and in this one, I must say that Grey Matters is her best book yet.
Rating: (Very Good)
Source: My copy of Grey Matters was provided by the author for review.
The Lotus Eaters (Jill)
The Lotus Eaters
By Tatjana Soli
Completed March 29, 2010
The Vietnam War. The very term means “conflict” in every context. From the battles in the jungle to the peace movement at home, the American involvement in Vietnam was a conflict for many. It’s this part of American history that serves as a backdrop for Tatjana Soli’s debut novel, The Lotus Eaters. Told primarily from the perspective of young Helen Adams, a freelance photographer, the reader learns about the war through Helen’s eyes and lenses.
As a female photographer, Helen was cast aside for more humanitarian assignments, but through her nerve and charm, she managed to attach herself to a company going on patrol. During this patrol, Helen established herself as a combat photographer, capturing images of a Southern Vietnamese captain executing a civilian before trying to turn the gun on Helen. With a near-death experience under her belt, Helen became more fearless and addicted to the adrenaline of war. Her work improved, landing her covers and bylines and more respect from her fellow journalists.
While Helen’s professional life was taking off, she met her match with fellow photojournalist, Sam Darrow, who she would eventually have an affair with. Helen also forged a friendship with Sam’s Vietnamese assistant, Linh. Through Linh, we see the war through a Vietnamese man’s eye – a war without victories.
Soli begins The Lotus Eaters at the end of her story, when Americans were trying to get out of Saigon before the arrival of the North Vietnamese. Soli unveils that Sam was killed, and Helen and Linh were now lovers. Starting with the ending was an unusual move, but Soli’s deft writing style leads the readers through each scene with precision. When the reader catches back up with Helen and Linh in the last chapter, you’ve learned about Helen’s personal journey and how she turns into the woman she becomes.
The Lotus Eaters is a multi-layered story that shows many facets to the Vietnam War – the American soldiers and the Vietnamese people; the journalists and the peace activists; and the opportunists and the deceived. Highly recommended for lovers of historical fiction, The Lotus Eaters is a tale worth reading and a story never to forget. ( 
)
Solar (Jill)
Solar
By Ian McEwan
Completed April 4, 2010
Lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride. These are the seven deadly sins, and Michael Beard, the main character of Ian McEwan’s latest book, Solar, possesses every single one of them.
Michael peaked early in his career as a physicist, winning the Nobel Prize in his twenties. Nearly three decades later, he has five failed marriages, a lackluster career and a growing waistline. As his fifth wife began to end their marriage, it was a wake-up call that Michael was squandering his talents.Through less-than-ethical means, he became inspired to save the world from its energy crisis, creating an artificial photosynthesis process that would forever put his name in the annals of great physicists.
What happens when such deeply flawed characters try to do great things? Many rise to the occasion, learn how to be a better person and cherish all that life has to offer. Others, like Michael, drown in their flaws. Michael was always one step away from total destruction, and it was taking its toll on his health, love life and intellect. By the novel’s end, Michael’s world was imploding, leaving the reader shaking her head and contemplating why Michael did not rise above his vices.
Solar, at its heart, was a satirical novel, full of deeply humorous scenes. For certain, Michael was all human, bumbling through life and entrenched in situations that will make most readers laugh out loud. However, his deep flaws (adultery, framing someone for murder, stealing from another scientist, lying, overeating, drinking too much) make it hard to like Michael. In the end, he got what was coming to him.
Fans of Ian McEwan may be surprised with his latest book. Solar resembles Amsterdam more than Atonement. Like all of McEwan’s books, the writing was superb and the characterization was spot on. The plot did bog down with the scientific tangents (especially if you have a hard time following science), but through Michael’s antics, McEwan lifts you back into the plot – and into the life of the energy crisis’s greatest anti-hero, Michael Beard. ( 
)
The Dead-Tossed Waves (Nicola)
The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan
Forest of Hands & Teeth, Book 2
Pages: 407 pages
Ages: 14+
First Published: Mar. 9, 2010
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Rating: 5/5
First sentence:
The story goes that even after the Return they tried to keep the roller coasters going.
Reason for Reading: Next in the series.
Summary: Gabry lives a safe, secure life in a village beside the ocean and behind a Barrier to protect them from the Mudo (zombies). She lives in the lighthouse with her mother who is the lighthouse keeper whose main job is to kill the occasional Mudo who washes ashore each morning. Gabry loves her life and has no wish to ever leave the safety, as from what she has learned in school, the stories her mother has told her and what she can see with her own eyes from the top of the lighthouse the world beyond is anything but safe. But one night a group of her friends bring her along with them as they breach the Barrier and go to the old amusement park. It is there that all there lives will forever change and Gabry will ultimately leave the village never to return.
Comments: I loved this book! Contrary to early reports that Carrie Ryan was writing a parallel novel and the misleading “a companion novel” printed on the front cover of the book this is indeed a direct sequel to the first book, The Forest of Hands and Teeth. The book takes place many years later, with a new generation of teens, in a different village but there are a couple of return characters from book one. It’s difficult to review without giving away anything from either book but the main character, Gabry, in Dead-Tossed Waves is a complete contrast to the first books’ main character, Mary. In fact, I’d say that the two books themselves are contrasts.
Gabry’s village is part of the Protectorate: the group of surviving villages. Gabry’s world is real; she knows what is out there beyond the barrier; she knows how likely it would be to become infected by the Mudo and become one herself. Gabry’s mother has knowledge of the outside world and she helps Gabry feel safe in her village by reinforcing in her how deadly it is out there. This turns Gabry into a scared, weak character that must grow as the book progresses as she is thrown into that world and must deal with the challenges she faces. From one who has read the first book, we can see this is all in contrast to the circumstances and the personal character of that book’s main protagonist, Mary.
I must say I deeply felt for Gabry as a character. Her whole world is turned upside down and it is a pleasure to watch her grow from the reluctant, scared girl to a worthy, decision-making, fighting member of her group. There are some twists which were fun as I did not guess them. In fact from early on, I had figured one thing out in my mind as being so obvious I wished the book would hurry up and reveal it, but when it finally did I was sooo wrong! Ha on me! I love it when that happens! Great book, I loved it just as much as the first one. Lots of zombie action, though not as violent as the first book, but certainly a very dark plot, characters die and characters do bad things. Don’t expect any happy endings for anyone. The next book, which I’m presuming will be the last, trilogy anyone?, should prove to be very intriguing in whether the author gets the characters together for the best and one wonders how it will all finish in the end. Eagerly awaiting the next volume!
Bite Me (Nicola)
Bite Me by Christopher Moore
A Love Story, Book 3
Pages: 309 pages
First Published: Mar. 23, 2010
Publisher: William Morrow
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:
The City of San Francisco is being stalked by a huge, shaved vampyre cat named Chet, and only I, Abby Normal, emergency backup mistress of the Greater Bay area night, and my manga-haired love monkey, Foo Dog, stand between the ravenous monster and a bloody massacre of the general public.
Reason for Reading: Next in the series and I read every new book Moore publishes.
Summary: The first sentence pretty much covers the plot.
Comments: Christopher Moore manages to bring back everybody (that isn’t really dead) from the previous books, adding a new character, and inserting a couple of characters from previous books for extra measure. Abby, Foo Dog and Jared have much bigger parts this time around leaving some of my favourite characters from the previous books with much lesser page time. The Animals don’t even go turkey bowling once! That said the story is hugely comical with plenty of typical Moore laugh out loud moments. I love all the characters in this series and really enjoyed the Emperor and the two cops having bigger roles in this book. As to Jody and Tommy, I won’t say much but I will say the ending is surprising and I didn’t like it very much as someone who really cares about these characters. One thing I love about Moore’s books is that he manages to reward his constant readers by bringing in past characters for cameos and this time Lily the Goth girl from A Dirty Job shows up and there is a certain white Rastaman Kona who pilots a ship who has got to be Rastaman Kona from Fluke (especially with the “Bite Me” connection). I love his character! In all, a whole lot of insane hilarity with vampyre cats, an old samurai Japanese guy, and the usual main crowd of eccentric characters. A definite read for Moore fans. If you haven’t read the other books in the series I suggest you start at the beginning with Bloodsucking Fiends for the most enjoyment.
House Rules (Nicola)
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Pages: 532 pages
First Published: Mar. 2, 2010
Publisher: Atria Books
Rating: 2/5
First sentence:
Everywhere I look, there are signs of a struggle.
Reason for Reading: I have Asperger’s. My son is autistic. I have never read a Jodi Picoult book before as they have never interested me but when I heard the topic of this one was Asperger’s I obviously just had to read it.
Comments: As a person with Asperger’s I am dismayed with Picoult’s portrayal of an adult with Asperger’s Syndrome. Picoult starts off by showing us all the sources she has used for her research but once one starts reading it is obvious she is so full of research she doesn’t know what to do with it. She has taken every possible symptom of both Asperger’s and autism (which are two different diagnoses) and put them all into the character of Jacob. Not only is Jacob loaded down with every single symptom of both diagnoses, each of his symptoms are of the most extreme variety. A real-life ‘aspie’ (as we call ourselves) will have some, perhaps even many, but certainly not all textbook examples, of the symptoms and then they are at varying degrees at that. What Picoult has done here is a disservice to the Asperger’s community.
From the mother: “Since there’s no cure yet for Asperger’s, we treat the symptoms …“. Asperger’s is not a disease or an illness! There is no cure because one is not needed. Just from reading the positive reviews of this book I see the word “illness” being used over and over to describe Asperger’s! Simply because the book has left readers unfamiliar with AS with that impression. I could sit here and write an essay refuting all the quotes on the dog-eared pages I created while reading, but I won’t. If you want a realistic view of a young man with Asperger’s I urge you to read the book “Marcelo in the Real World” by Francisco X. Stork. The main character is 17 years old and is very comparable to Jacob only the author has done an excellent job in portraying Asperger’s, showing the struggles we face but also shows that we do indeed function and do not need anyone’s sympathy.
BTW, I did give the book 2 stars because if I removed the whole Asperger’s element I thought the mystery was quite interesting with a fun little twist to the solution.