42. Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot. 109 pages. 4.28.09.
Waiting for Godot is one of my favorite plays. The last time I read Samuel Beckett's monumental work I followed my reading with a 20+ page term paper on theatrical duality and the necessity of pairing for the formation of identity, so I think I'll spare myself (and others) an actual review of the play. It once again proves itself, and I am very glad I had the opportunity to return to it.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
41. Twain, Mark. Pudd'nhead Wilson. 196 pages. 4.22.09.
Anyone familiar with American slave narratives will quickly find that they have read the first 18 chapters of Twain's book, even if they have never before heard of the novel itself. While I am unsure where Pudd'nhead Wilson falls on a time line of slave narratives and African American literature, from a contemporary reader's point of view Twain's narrative is tired and uninspired. The story itself is without passion, and the narrator is largely detached from the events. Twain fails to establish an emotional base for his readers, and as such this novel comes across as a pale imitation of other accounts.
However, the final four chapters are outstanding. From chapter nineteen the "real point" of the novel comes to light, and the connection between a seemingly secondary character and the title is finally made clear. The events are widely dramatic, yet believable, and the sentiments largely missing from the rest of the book are present. While Pudd'nhead Wilson merely whimpers for the first 157 pages, it really goes out with a satisfying bang.
Anyone familiar with American slave narratives will quickly find that they have read the first 18 chapters of Twain's book, even if they have never before heard of the novel itself. While I am unsure where Pudd'nhead Wilson falls on a time line of slave narratives and African American literature, from a contemporary reader's point of view Twain's narrative is tired and uninspired. The story itself is without passion, and the narrator is largely detached from the events. Twain fails to establish an emotional base for his readers, and as such this novel comes across as a pale imitation of other accounts.
However, the final four chapters are outstanding. From chapter nineteen the "real point" of the novel comes to light, and the connection between a seemingly secondary character and the title is finally made clear. The events are widely dramatic, yet believable, and the sentiments largely missing from the rest of the book are present. While Pudd'nhead Wilson merely whimpers for the first 157 pages, it really goes out with a satisfying bang.
Monday, April 20, 2009
40. Moore, Christopher. You Suck: A Love Story. 328 pages. 4.20.09.
The sequel to Bloodsucking Fiends, You Suck has none of the novelty - and very little of the charm - of the original book. While a lot of the same humor is present, the characters lack the development of the first novel, and the plot itself seems redundant. You Suck is an amusing read, but don't expect it to be as delightful as the first.
The sequel to Bloodsucking Fiends, You Suck has none of the novelty - and very little of the charm - of the original book. While a lot of the same humor is present, the characters lack the development of the first novel, and the plot itself seems redundant. You Suck is an amusing read, but don't expect it to be as delightful as the first.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
37. Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little House on the Prairie. 331 pages. 4.15.09.
Yes, Little House on the Prairie is very obviously a YA novel, but I'm calling it a classic. Really, I think it qualifies.
I have had a box set of the Little House books since I was a child, although I don't know that I ever got through the house series. Lately my son has been stealing Little House on the Prairie off the shelf, so I took it as a sign that I should revisit the books. The second book in the series, LHotP is just as charming as I remembered it. I couldn't help but shake my head and laugh at some of the cultural difference (for example, the emphasis placed on the fact that children are not allowed to speak at the dinner table), and was delighted by the care Wilder takes to explain basic construction, chores (etc) to an audience she knew might not be familiar with how settlers lived their lives. I will definitely have to add the series to the list of books I want to read to my children - I'm sure one day they will find these simple little stories as endearing as I do.
Yes, Little House on the Prairie is very obviously a YA novel, but I'm calling it a classic. Really, I think it qualifies.
I have had a box set of the Little House books since I was a child, although I don't know that I ever got through the house series. Lately my son has been stealing Little House on the Prairie off the shelf, so I took it as a sign that I should revisit the books. The second book in the series, LHotP is just as charming as I remembered it. I couldn't help but shake my head and laugh at some of the cultural difference (for example, the emphasis placed on the fact that children are not allowed to speak at the dinner table), and was delighted by the care Wilder takes to explain basic construction, chores (etc) to an audience she knew might not be familiar with how settlers lived their lives. I will definitely have to add the series to the list of books I want to read to my children - I'm sure one day they will find these simple little stories as endearing as I do.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
35. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Night Embrace. 416 pages. 4.12.09.
36. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Dance with the Devil. 368 pages. 4.14.09.
Dance with the Devil is my favorite of Kenyon's "Dark-Hunter" series so far. A large part of the novel is dedicated to character development, and the characters themselves are much more complex than previous novels. It was very interesting to watch Zarek develop as a character, making the (albeit, inevitable) conclusion very satisfying.
36. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Dance with the Devil. 368 pages. 4.14.09.
Dance with the Devil is my favorite of Kenyon's "Dark-Hunter" series so far. A large part of the novel is dedicated to character development, and the characters themselves are much more complex than previous novels. It was very interesting to watch Zarek develop as a character, making the (albeit, inevitable) conclusion very satisfying.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Oh, the romances!
34. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Night Pleasures. 336 pages. 4.6.09.
The "quality" of the Kindle version is extremely poor, and certainly not worth the $8 they charge. Punctuation and words are missing, lines are printed at irregular intervals, and sometimes they're so smashed together you can't make out what belongs on what line. I am really disappointed, and I hope these errors are related to this series and not others.
While still entertaining, I didn't find Night Pleasures to be nearly as engaging as the first Dark-Hunter book. The characters are more 2-dimensional, the plot is a bit static and underdeveloped, and there is just a feeling of "less" all around.
I find the reviews calling this a vampire novel rather amusing. While Kenyon calls a certain group of characters vampires, that is where the genre ends. It is an inconsequential detail in the novel, and you could replace the word "vampire" with any other supernatural class and it would not change the plot at all. So for readers looking for an actual vampire novel, I would recommend looking elsewhere.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
32. Kenyon, Sherrilyn. Fantasy Lover. 352 pages. 4.4.09.
This novel is about what you'd expect, given the title, but it is also surprisingly endearing. Romance novel meets a host of psychological complexes with a few Greek gods mixed in for good measure, Fantasy Lover proves very entertaining for occult/mythology enthusiasts looking for a more traditional romance novel.
The Kindle version is in desperate need of a good grammatical editor!
33. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. 99 pages. 4.5.09.
Shakespeare's Othello is a captivating examination of jealousy, human inconsistency, gender relations, marriage, and so much more. Critical of nearly all of his characters - and leaving very few completely blameless - Shakespeare's depiction of human nature is far darker than the actions of his play. Othello will provide audiences with a twisted pleasure that is sure to leave a long-lasting impression. A masterpiece.
This novel is about what you'd expect, given the title, but it is also surprisingly endearing. Romance novel meets a host of psychological complexes with a few Greek gods mixed in for good measure, Fantasy Lover proves very entertaining for occult/mythology enthusiasts looking for a more traditional romance novel.
The Kindle version is in desperate need of a good grammatical editor!
33. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. 99 pages. 4.5.09.
Shakespeare's Othello is a captivating examination of jealousy, human inconsistency, gender relations, marriage, and so much more. Critical of nearly all of his characters - and leaving very few completely blameless - Shakespeare's depiction of human nature is far darker than the actions of his play. Othello will provide audiences with a twisted pleasure that is sure to leave a long-lasting impression. A masterpiece.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
30. Lockwood, Cara. Wuthering High. 272 pages. 3.28.09.
31. Arthur, Keri. Dangerous Games. 384 pages. 4.2.09.
The Riley Jensen books are usually something I turn to when I have absolutely nothing else to read. However, Dangerous Games turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. After book 3 (which was almost too ridiculous for words), I had extremely low expectations for book 4, and wasn't even sure I could make it through. However, Arthur really came through. The storyline itself was much more meaty, which made the novel more interesting and satisfying to follow. I felt like Arthur found a nice balance between plot and "romance," and Dangerous Games really held my interest until the end.
31. Arthur, Keri. Dangerous Games. 384 pages. 4.2.09.
The Riley Jensen books are usually something I turn to when I have absolutely nothing else to read. However, Dangerous Games turned out to be a very pleasant surprise. After book 3 (which was almost too ridiculous for words), I had extremely low expectations for book 4, and wasn't even sure I could make it through. However, Arthur really came through. The storyline itself was much more meaty, which made the novel more interesting and satisfying to follow. I felt like Arthur found a nice balance between plot and "romance," and Dangerous Games really held my interest until the end.
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