19.
Author: Lorna Barrett
Title: Murder is Binding
Publication: Berkley, 2008
Pages: 288 pages
Genre: mystery
Acquisition: Purchased February 18, 2010, suggested by LT member alcottacre
Date Completed: February 28, 2010
Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Murder is Binding is the first book of a cozy mystery series by Lorna Barrett. I found the book to be charming, but fairly slow-paced; it could not hold my interest for long periods of time, and so it often got lost in the day-to-day bustle. I'm not sure if I'll continue the series, but I enjoyed the book for what it is.

Challenges
75-Book Challenge: Book 19
1010 Challenge: Suggested by Others Book 3
Off-the-shelf:

The Washington Ballet's "The Great Gatsby"

The Washington Ballet’s premier of The Great Gatsby was just right. By successfully blending ballet, careful narrations, and a musical feast, directors Septime Webre and Russell P. Allen have created an artistic event that will appeal to a very wide audience. Fitzgerald’s original characters can be immediately identified, and fans of the original novel are sure to be pleased with the physical translation. The costumes are a visual delight, and the blend of contemporary and modern choreography speaks to the history of dance and entertainment while presenting a strong narrative in movement.

The artistic directors have made a number of choices regarding the presentation of The Great Gatsby, and each adds to the brilliance of the performance. The first is the use of a narrator – played by Will Gartshore – to introduce the story and a number of scenes. Will Gartshore, charismatically portraying Nick Caraway, is a useful yet unobtrusive presence who blends well with his dancing counterpart, and eases transitions that would have otherwise become cloudy. The live music, performed by Bill Novick’s Blue Syncopators, heightens the energy and adds to the atmosphere that is so beautifully captured in the original novel. Likewise, the inclusion of artists such as E. Faye Butler (whose performance of “Put Some Sugar in My Bowl” steals a scene) and Ryan Johnson (a talented tap dancer) help the Washington Ballet transcend traditional boundaries and present a fantastic interpretation of their subject material.

The one weakness I recognized was a problem of timing for the male chorus members; a few scenes were spoiled by one or two dancers lagging behind in what would have otherwise been a tight piece. However, this is a minor flaw in an otherwise breathtaking performance. If you have the chance to attend the show, don’t hesitate – you won’t be disappointed.

(Photos from www.http://kennedy-center.org)

18.
Author: Charlaine Harris
Title: Grave Secret
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages: 320 pages
Genre: mystery
Acquisition: Purchased February 14, 2010
Date Completed: February 17, 2010
Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Grave Secret is a careless end to Charlaine Harris' Harper Connelly series. Though the novel offers resolutions to previous questions and uncertainties, the presentation of these resolutions is lackluster and rushed. The plot is poorly paced and often convoluted. and characters are inconsistent and tedious. If this were a debut novel I could be more forgiving of its faults, but as one of dozens (and the fourth in this particular series) it smacks of deadlines and a lack of professionalism.

Challenges
75-Book Challenge: Book 18
1010 Challenge: New Fiction Book 2
Off-the-shelf:

17.
Author: Mark Twain
Title: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Publication: Barnes and Noble
Pages: 218 pages
Genre: Classic
Acquisition: Purchased for Brooks, Christmas 2009
Date Completed: February 16, 2010
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Somewhere along the way I came up with the notion that I hated Mark Twain's novels. I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for school at some point and, like so many other wonderful works assigned throughout the years, I instantly hated it.

However, not wanting my own prejudices influence the boys, I decided to pick up Tom Sawyer for Brooks for Christmas (and Huck Finn for Max). Tonight Brooks and I finished reading the novel, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Tom Sawyer is a fascinating look at nineteenth-century American boyhood. I found the characters compelling, and the narrative is perfect for bedtime reading (thanks to careful timing and purposeful chapter breaks). I thoroughly enjoyed the work, and look forward to picking up Huck Finn in the future.

Challenges
75-Book Challenge: Book 17
1010 Challenge: YA/Read to the boys Book 2
Off-the-shelf:

16.
Author: Sophocles
Title: Oedipus the King
Publication: included in Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama and Writing.
Pages: 37 pages
Genre: Classical
Acquisition: Work text
Date Completed: February 14, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

In a play originally written for the Great Dionysia, Sophocles presents the tragedy that occurs when a man attempts to flee his fate, only to run into it head-first.

The original audience, like the modern audience, knew the conclusion before the production itself ever began. What makes Sophocles' drama so compelling isn't the narrative, but how he chooses to tell the story. Sophocles' Oedipus is at once a loving, paternal king and an insecure man with a violent temper. In Oedipus the King his character is carefully developed so that readers can understand how much a dedicated ruler is capable of slaughtering an old man and his company for a slight on the highway. While the citizens of Thebes raised Oedipus to godlike stature after the defeat of the sphinx, Sophocles reveals that Oedipus is just a man, and a greatly flawed one at that.

One of the aspects I personally find most interesting is the hierarchy of sin as presented in Oedipus the King. From the beginning the crime of murder seems to control the dramatic flow, as the oracle's proclamation points to the unavenged murder of King Laios as the motivation for Apollo's curse. However, as knowledge spreads throughout the principle cast it is revealed that incest is the greatest sin that can be laid at Oedipus' feet. His relationship with Jocasta takes center stage, and causes the greatest repugnance in the cast. In a twisting moment the Chorus shifts from condemning Oedipus to cursing Jocasta, and the tragic events of the play flow from mother to son.

Oedipus the King, as translated by Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald, is an elegant work of literature that treats audiences to the humanizing of myth, and the chance to witness a true fall from grace.

Challenges
75-Book Challenge: Book 16
1010 Challenge: Field-Related Book 2
Off-the-shelf:

15.
Author: Gail Carriger
Title: Soulless
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages: 384 pages
Genre: Fantasy/Steampunk
Acquisition: Purchased February 9, 2010 after watching it sweep the 75-er reading lists
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

I believe it was Richard who described the novel as "steampunk light". Soulless was my first introduction into the genre, and I'm still not altogether sure what steampunk really is. I found the plot, setting, and overall premise of the novel to be fairly ridiculous, but in a cute and endearing way. Soulless is good for a chuckle and a smile, and I'm glad I finally picked it up.

Challenges
75-Book Challenge: Book 15
1010 Challenge: Suggested by others book 2
Off-the-shelf:

14.
Author: Terry Pratchett
Title: Moving Pictures
Publication: New York: HarperTorch, 2002.
Pages: 337 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Acquisition: Purchased sometime between 2002 and January 2007
Date Completed: February 10, 2010
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Not my favorite Discworld book, but an enjoyable read nonetheless.


Challenges
75-Book Challenge: Book 14
1010 Challenge: Re-read Book 1
Off-the-shelf: Book 9 of 25

13.
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Title: Flirt
Publication: Berkley, 2010
Pages: 158 pages
Genre: Horror
Acquisition: Purchased February 4, 2010
Date Completed: February 5, 2010
Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

In the afterward that follows the main narrative Laurell K. Hamilton writes that Flirt is her 29th novel. Calling the story a novel is overly generous; if judged by length, I would suggest the publication be referred to as a novella. But judging the story by its content I would call Flirt a short story - something better suited to a collections such as Strange Candy than its novel-esque hardback printing.

The inspiration to publish two Anita Blake "novels" in a year may work in favor of Hamilton's bank account (as another reader has suggested), but the pace has greatly diminished the quality of her writing. While I felt Hamilton gained ground with the publication of Skin Trade, Flirt takes two steps back and one step to the left. The premise of the novel is shallow, the action ridiculous, and the development careless. What would ordinarily be presented as a parallel plot in a novel has been given center stage, and has left me (despite my frequent defense of Hamilton's later novels) rolling my eyes.

Flirt is an excuse of a publication to take advantage of the current fandom and introduce yet another supporting sex toy, er, character.

On her Twitter account Hamilton has hinted that Bullet holds a world of tragedy for Anita in the deaths of people she loves. I only hope that the novel as a whole is meatier, more developed, and cuts back on the throng that swarms around the "vampire hunter".

Challenges
75-Book Challenge: Book 13
1010 Challenge: New Publication Book 1
Off-the-shelf:

12.
Author: Donna Andrews
Title: Six Geese A-Slaying
Publication: New York: St. Martin's Press, 2008
Pages: 316 pages
Genre: Mystery
Acquisition: Purchased January 29, 2010
Date Completed: February 1, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Meg's chronic case of "yes" promises a long series of murder-filled (but well organized!) social events that go above and beyond normal expectations. This holiday-themed murder mystery is no exception, as she runs around organizing a large parade, trying to find who murdered Santa, and playing hostess to anyone who finds themselves stranded in the snow. I was worried that the holiday theme would make the novel a little too ridiculous, but Andrews balances things quite nicely, and presents another entertaining trip to Caerphilly Virginia.

Challenges
75-Book Challenge: Book 12
1010 Challenge: American Authors 6