This is an archive of my shorter book reviews and notes, which historically have been posted over at the 50 Book Challenge on LiveJournal, but which I’m starting to move over here. I’m posting them with altered date-stamps, but they might show up in my LiveJournal cross-post anyway. Bear with me, please.
Note: Many of these books also have full reviews available in the book review podcast (RSS).
#56:
I wish I could have liked this one, honestly. It was certainly emotionally provocative, and I had a lot of emotional responses to its contents. But.
But.
Later, when describing it to my husband, I put my finger on what bugged me about it. It was the literary equivalent of a snuff film, with no real point to the relentless “my life is sh*t” chapters and anecdotes. If this hadn’t been non-fiction, it would have been obscenity. As it was, it wasn’t far off from being a good example of wretched excess.
I understand the need to write out one’s experiences for the sake of therapy. And I understand the need for books that accurately depict an abusive situation, to educate people and also to give abused children something to hold onto.
However, I don’t think that this book manages to put those experiences out and convey them in a way that is meaningful for readers. It left too many questions. I realize that the sequels are supposed to answer the questions, but having read this pointless pity-party, I don’t have a whole lot of motivation to read more.
#57:
If you take their “what to wear” suggestions and put them in the “What not to ever, ever, ever do to clothing or your body” category, this is a good book. Apparently, “what to wear” means wearing sun dresses with jeans (a look that is only in fashion one year out of every thirty), not coordinating your camo bag and shoes for a job interview (where do they get the idea anyone dresses like that?) and taking off your shirt and bra and wearing just your blaser when you’re going to have a work party after a day at the office.
#58:
Figure It Out! The Real Woman’s Guide to Great Style, by Geri Brin, Tish Jett
Fashion for fat chicks. But, hey, it’s actually full of useful advice for people who have actual difficulty looking good (unlike the rail-thin models in What not to wear. Terrific tips that don’t talk about how to “hide” everything, but rather how to emphasise the great parts and make yourself look really good, instead of like you’re hiding. I’ll be getting rid of What not to wear, but Figure it out is a definite keeper.
#59:
I’m giving books as Christmas gifts this year. Which is awesome, because I get to read the books before I give them out! Anyway, my mom told me this was the book she hopes I’ll give her, so I hastily took the book I’d been thinking of giving her and re-wrapped it for someone else! (heh heh heh). It’s a good book if you’re a liberal or moderate. It’ll make your blood boil if you’re a right-wing conservative. What it should do is make anyone’s blood boil because if even half the things Franken says are true in The Truth, we all should be at the White House steps screaming for Karl Rove’s head on a wooden stake.
#60:
This was a very endearing novel about walking, talking mice, badgers, and sparrows, confronting an enemy invasion of rats, weasels, and ferrets. Even though ferrets get a bad rap in this story (as do the rats), it was a great little story that did a nice job of slotting into the Campbell Heroic Journey, combined with elements of a broader epic. There were nice allusions to the real-world St. Martin, a soldier saint who is patron of beggars and hospitality. The only thing I would say is that the Redwall defenders seemed to have things just a little too easy through most of the novel, which meant the story lacked real “do or die” tension. But it’s targeted towards a youth/YA audience, so that flaw is definitely forgiveable– I wouldn’t give this book to my 7 year old nephew, but at 9 or so, he’d be ready for it, and a less tense plot will be appropriate.
#61:
I made a mistake in selecting this as one of my audible downloads– I thought for some reason that it was the sequel to Sabriel (don’t laugh– I couldn’t remember the actual title). I got about an hour into it before looking it up on the internet and realizing my mistake, but for that hour I was a little confused, even though I quickly realized the tone of the work was completely different. Anyway, I found it an enjoyable listen, and will likely get the sequel later.
#62:
It’s a re-read of a favorite mystery novel, the sequel to Bimbos of the Death Sun.