43.
Author: Sara Poole
Title: Poison
Publication: St. Martin's, August 2010
Pages: 388 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Acquisition: Advanced Readers' Edition, May 10, 2010
Date Completed: May 29, 2010
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

I do not usually seek out historical fiction, but I believe I am an ideal candidate for Poole's novel, Poison; I know enough about the Borgias and the Italian Renaissance to follow the allusions presented in the novel, but not enough to pick up on any inconsistencies. As such, I really enjoyed Poole's depiction of a young female poisoner working in the Borgia household as the Cardinal works towards the papacy.

The history that inspires Poole is rich in glamor and intrigue, and the author takes advantage of the raw material to present an equally contentious story. The novel is not lacking in action and development.

Poison is not a perfect novel. My primary complaint is that Poole (and Francesca, through her creator) has a tendency to slip into lectures that do not flow with the narrative itself. While I am sure that incorporating realistic facts in a work of fiction can be extremely difficult, I did not find Poole's present attempts successful. I appreciated the effort to include concerns over birth control and the brewing of poisons, but the information itself disrupts the story, and it can take the reader a few paragraphs to actually warm up to the narrative. And I was more than a little disappointed when Francesca interrupted her own narratives by deciding that her knowledge of poisons was too tempting for her audience.

Recommended for fans of historical fiction, the Italian Renaissance, and/or the Borgia family.

42.
Author: Kim Harrison
Title: Black Magic Sanction
Publication: Hard back
Pages: 487 pages
Genre: Horror
Acquisition: Purchased February 23, 2010
Date Completed: May 22, 2010
Rating: 3 stars out of 5

I found it very difficult to invest myself in the latest Hollows book, Black Magic Sanction; although I purchased (and began reading) the book when it was first published in February, it has taken me until late May to finish my reading. Why? Because I found the first three hundred (plus) pages exhausting.

The narrative runs readers in circles. Rachel is dealing with the same problems time and time again, and never gains any grounds. The story itself jerks the reader from one place to another to another, and very little is actually accomplished or developed. Characters pop in and out seemingly at random, with very little rhyme or reason.

The most irritating aspect of this book is that Rachel herself has become stagnant. She's swamped by the same emotional and social difficulties that are introduced early in the series, and her inability to progress is the most exhausting aspect of the narrative.

However, a major character shift takes place around page 330 or so, and development truly begins. The final 160 pages move quickly, and Rachel herself seems to come alive again. Progress takes place in typical Harrison fashion, and the conclusion of the story is as successful as the beginning is tedious.

"To tell people what to read is, as a rule, either useless or harmful; for the appreciation of literature is a question of temperament not of teaching [...]. But to tell people what not to read is a very different matter, and I venture to recommend it as a mission..." - Oscar Wilde, "Letter to the Pall Mall Gazette on the Subject of 'The Best Hundred Books'" (qtd. Wright, Built of Books, 317).

41.
Author: Alexander Roberts
Title: A Treatise of Witchcraft
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages: 52 pages
Genre: Historical document
Acquisition: Free download May 17, 2010
Date Completed: May 18, 2010
Rating:

I find the idea of rating an historical publication like Alexandr Roberts' A Treatise of Witchcraft difficult, so I have opted not to do so. However, the content itself is very interesting. In his 1620 writing Roberts moves through a series of topics related to witchcraft: he begins by insisting that witches are real (and references historical sources like The Odyssey and the Bible as support), and then outlines exactly why witchcraft is to be abhorred by the Christian community. Roberts speaks of the spiritual salvation of witches (which would ideally come just before their execution), defends the sentencing of witches, and details a specific example of witchcraft that occasioned the writing of his Treatise. The discussion of the contemporary case was intriguing, but I found Roberts' focus on gender roles particularly interesting. Throughout the text he assures his readers that not all witches are women, but he then goes on to explain why women are more susceptible to the Devil, and why the majority of magic practitioners are therefore women. As you can imagine, Roberts references everything from Eve to physical differences to an inclination towards the passionate as reasons why women are more likely to fall into Satan's grasp.

While the ideas presented would be familiar to anyone with even a passing knowledge of witchcraft trials, Roberts' treatise makes for a clear and forward primary source for the discussion of the occult.

40.
Author: Charlaine Harris
Title: Dead in the Family
Publication: Hardback, Ace
Pages: 311 pages
Genre: Vampire/Romance
Acquisition: Purchased May 11, 2010
Date Completed: May 14, 2010
Rating: 2 stars out of 5

I have always had a difficult relationship with the Sookie Stackhouse series. When I read the first few novels I couldn't help but think that some of the subtleties were lost on me due to my own ignorance of Southern culture, but as the series progressed I found myself drawn in. The last three novels have evoked very strong responses from me: I thought book eight was horrible, I devoured book nine, and I found the latest novel to be downright dull.

Harris' narrative style is a mix of action and everyday; readers are as likely to sunbathe with Sookie as they are to fight off evil vampires or face down a maenad. However, this changes in Dead in the Family: almost everything presented is, well, mundane. Sookie ... sunbathes. And babysits. And recovers from the trauma of the previous story. Harris attempts to fill in plots and tie up loose ends, but nothing is truly captivating. There is some consideration of supernatural politics following the developments of earlier books, but even that is rather blase.

In the end, I would say that Dead in the Family reads like Harris is attempting to answer fan mail. What is Eric's maker like? Will Bill ever get over Sookie? Will Jason ever find peace? Who fathered Claudine's baby? These questions are answered in an interview-like fashion, with very little action in between. It feels like the show has taken its toll on the series, and it may be time for me to write off the series once and for all.


And as a side note: I cannot express how much I loathe the cover art for this series. I really hope there is a sentimental or personal reason for the artist selection; otherwise, it's an exercise in ridiculously bad taste. Without fail, the covers are downright hideous and juvenile.

39.
Author: Oscar Wilde
Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray
Publication: Paperback, Norton
Pages: 184 pages
Genre: Gothic
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: May 13, 2010
Rating: 7 stars out of 5

It is difficult for me to review The Picture of Dorian Gray because of my shifting, yet everlasting, love for the novel. I first fell into infatuation with Lord Henry's wit, grew irrevocably attached to the horror that is Dorian Gray himself, wept over Basil and sympathized with his greatest needs, and shifted through a series of fascinations as I read the novel year after year.

This year I have chosen to focus on the parallel narratives of Dorian Gray, introducing both the primary Gothic tale and the secondary satire of Victorian London society. Alas, I will be abandoning Mr. Wilde next semester, as I feel that we just don't have as much time as I would like to devote to the novel.

Starting next semester I will be "auditioning" replacements, starting with We Have Always Lived in the Castle. But my devotion to Wilde remains: my children are Brooks DORIAN and Maxwell HENRY, and my right foot will be forever tagged by Wilde's penmanship. And that's just the way I like it.

38.
Author: Janet Evanovich
Title: Two for the Dough
Publication: Paperback, St. Martin's
Pages: 325 pages
Genre: Mystery
Acquisition: Couldn't resist May 8, 2010
Date Completed: May 12, 2010
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

I have a tower of books, and a total of 38 purchased this year, but I couldn't resist picking up Two for the Dough last Saturday. As the semester is winding down and I'm emerging from the avalanche of research papers it was great to kick back and watch Stephanie bumble her way through another tough case. Two in, and the series seems like a lot of fun.

37.
Author: Roald Dahl
Title: Boy: Tales of Childhood
Publication: Paperback, Penguin Books
Pages: 176 pages
Genre: Biography
Acquisition: Recommended by Whisper1 (I think)
Date Completed: May 7, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

On the first page Dahl proclaims, "This is not an autobiography. I would never write a history of myself." And, indeed, Boy does not fit the definition of an autobiography, as he describes it in his introduction. Free from "boring details," Boy is a collection of memories that remained significant to Dahl in his adulthood. From houses, to vacations, to dead mice and even canings, Dahl paints a vivid picture of his life at home and school, until his life lead him to be a pilot in WWII. Occasionally heartbreaking, often funny, and consistently charming, Boy is a wonderful exercise in non-autobiographical writing.

36.
Author: Justin Halpern
Title: Sh*t My Dad Says
Publication: Hardback, it books
Pages: 158 pages
Genre: Humor
Acquisition: Mother's Day Gift from my boys
Date Completed: May 7, 2010
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

If you're familiar with Twitter, then chances are you've come across Justin Halpern and his brutally brilliant father. Following the current trend of "viral blog = published book", Halpern now offers his father's witticism in the archaic format we all love and cherish. However, in Sh*t my Dad Says Justin Halpern takes a step beyond the quips and develops a story as he shares his experiences with his father. The volume includes not only the quotes we have come to know and love, but developed recollections of poignant events in their relationship. Sam Halpern becomes for the reader the flesh and blood man that Justin Halpern so obviously adores, and both will leave you with a smile on your face.

35.
Author: Samuel Beckett
Title: Waiting for Godot
Publication: Paperback, Grove Press
Pages: 109 pages
Genre: Drama
Acquisition: Work text
Date Completed: May 4, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

"Nothing happens. Twice," said Beckett scholar Thomas Cousineau. Samuel Beckett called Waiting for Godot "that mess of a play", and referred to it as a minor, "left hand" work. I could very easily call Waiting for Godot my favorite play. In Beckett's work nothing can be taken for granted, and nothing is presented without motive. Beckett attempts to break down the distinctions between his characters and the audience, and challenges conventional dramatic presentation with his focus on the Theatre of the Absurd. My favorite theme for analysis and discussion is Beckett's portrayal of identity and the requirements for existence, but the copious themes and motifs at work within the short play make Waiting for Godot a fantastic piece to work with in the classroom. I teach Beckett's famous tragicomedy every semester, and I look forward to the experience time and again.

34.
Author: Gail Carriger
Title: Changeless
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages: 400 pages
Genre: Steampunk
Acquisition: Purchased April 22, 2010
Date Completed: May 2, 2010
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Changeless is a highly-enjoyable squeal to Soulless, the steampunk novel that introduces the parasol-wielding preternatural Alexia. Much like the previous novel, it seems that nothing can be truly peaceful for Alexia, but she is tenacious and stubborn enough to handle anything that comes her way. While several of the "mysteries" involved are evident early on, the emotional turn that takes place at the novel's conclusion caught me completely by surprised. Carriger has me hooked, and I am already looking forward to a third installment.