Book List for 2012

List of Books Read in 2012

1.  Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.  1.1.12.  *****
2.  English After the Fall by Robert E. Scholes.  1.1.12.  ***
3.  "Rules for Virgins" by Amy Tan.  1.2.12. ****
4.  Green River Killer by Jeff Jensen.  1.3.12.  ****
5.  The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.  1.5.12. *****
6.  "The Crazy Old Lady in the Attic" by Kathleen Valentine.  1.6.12.  ***
7.  Stitches: A Memoir by David Small.  1.8.12.  *****
8.  Feynman by Ottaviani and Myrick.  1.9.12.  *****
9.  The Last Vampire by Christopher Pike.  1.11.12.  ***
10.  Inside the Victorian Home by Judith Flanders.  1.16.12.  ***
11.  Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud. 1.17.12.  **1/2
12.  Black Blood by Christopher Pike.  1.17.12.  ***
13.  The Mill River Recluse by Darcie Chan.  1.17.12.  ***1/2
14.  The Terrible Axe-Man of New Orleans by Rick Geary.  1.24.12.  ***1/2
15.  A Taste of Midnight by Lara Adrian.  1.27.12.  ***1/2
16.  Darker After Midnight by Lara Adrian.  1.28.12.  ****

17.  Lothaire by Kresley Cole.  2.3.13.  *
18.  Oedipus the King by Sophocles.  2.7.12. 
19.  Ex Libris: Confessions of an Common Reader by Anne Fadiman.  2.10.12.  ****
20.  Cinder by Marissa Meyer.  2.11.12.  ****1/2
21.  Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood.  2.14.12.  ***
22.  Wither by Lauren DeStefano.  2.21.12.  ****
23.  One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey.  2.21.12.
24.  Timeless by Gail Carriger.  2.24.12.  ****

25. A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison.  3.1.12.  ****1/2
26.  Torso by Brian Michael Bendis and Marc Andreyko.  3.4.12.  **1/2
27.  Fair Game by Patricia Briggs.  3.10.12.  *****
28.  Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie She's Dead by Christina Miller.  3.14.12.  ****
29.  Habibi by Craig Thompson.  3.15.12.  *****
30.  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  3.24.12.  ***
31. Return of the Rose by  Theresa Ragan.  3.31.12.  ****
32.   Othello by Shakespeare.  3.31.12

33.  Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu.  4.5.12.  ****
34.  Hexed by  Ilona Andrews and others.  4.5.12.  ***
35.  At Home by Bill Bryson.  4.21.12.  ***
36.  Simon Said by Sarah R. Shaber.  4.27.12.  ***
37.  Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett.  4.27.12. 

38. Broadmoor Revealed by  Mark Stevens.  5.3.12.  *** 
39.Death Comes to Pemberly by  P. D. James.  5.4.12.  *
40.  The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by  Mark Haddon.  5.4.12.  ****
41.  "Beauty: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Outtake" by Laurell K. Hamilon.  5.9.12.  ***
42. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by  Alan Bradley.  5.13.12.  ***
43. Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.  5.15.12.  ****
44.  Chime by Franny Billingsley.  5.17.12.  ***1/2
45. Charlotte Collins by Jennifer Whiteley Becton.  5.19.12.  *****
46.  Baby Shark by  Robert Fate.  5.19.12.  ****1/2
47.  A Tale of 3 Witches by Christiana Miller and Barbra Annino.  5.30.12.  **

48.  Avalon High by Meg Cabot.  6.6.12.  **1/2
49.  Kiss the Dead by  Laurell K. Hamilton.  6.7.12.  ***1/2
50.  Baby Shark's Beaumont Blues by Robert Fate.  6.9.12.  ***1/2
51. Witch Way to Murder by Shirley Damsgard.  6.26.12.  **1/2
52.  The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot.  6.?.12.  ***
53.  Insatiable by Meg Cabit.  Incomplete. 

54.  Persuasion by Jane Austen.  7.7.12.  ****
55.  Some Like it Hawk by Donna Andrews.  7.20.12.  ***
56. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen.  7.28.12.  ***
57.  Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong.  7.29.12.  *****

58.  Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.  8.4.12.  *****
59.  The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing.  8.24.12.  *****
60.  Never Buried by Edie Claire.  8.28.12.  ***
61.  Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn.  8.31.12.  ***

62.  Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths.  9.23.12.  ***

63.  The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson.  10.7.12.  ***
64. Feed by M.T. Anderson.  10.14.12.  **
65.  Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown.  10.17.12.  ***1/2
66.  Othello by William Shakespeare.  10.20.12.  *****

67.  The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary e. Pearson.  11.1.12.  ***1/2
68.  Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare. 11.1.12.  *****
69.  The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny.  11.2.12.  ***
70.  The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross.  11.11.12.  ***
71.  We Sinners by Hanna Pylväinen.  11.20.12.  ****
72.  The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross.  11.22.12.  ***

73.  God Save the Queen by Kate Locke.  12.5.12.  ***
74.  Deep Kiss of Winter by Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter. 12.11.12. **1/2
75.  Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake.  12.12.12.  ****
76. Penelope by Rebecca Harrington.  **
77.  The Darkest Prison by Gena Showalter.  12.13.12.  ***
78.  Amityville Horrible by Kelley Armstrong.  12.13.12.  ****
79.  Delirium by Lauren Oliver.  12.17.12.  **
80.  Nightshifted by Cassie Alexander.  12.29.12.  **1/2
81.  Divergent by Veronica Roth.  12.30.12.  ***

80.
Title: Nightshifted
Author: Cassie Alexander
Pages: 352
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 29, 2012
Rating: **1/2

Another reviewer on LibraryThing comments that a female protagonist is rare in urban fantasy; apparently we have entirely different reading habits, because I find the genre to be saturated with strong-yet-annoyingly-vulnerable female protagonists with cozy-like occupations (shop clerk, DJ, nurse).  And Nightshifted is just such a novel.  The protagonist, Edie, is a nurse who takes a job on a secret supernatural ward in exchange for mysteries powers-that-be promising to keep her junkie brother clean.  Initially, this is an interesting plot device, but the novel proves to be more niche-focused than generally appealing; Nightshifted relies largely on genre fans with some personal attachment to nursing/hospitals, and falls flat for a reader like me. 

81.
Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Pages: 576
Genre: YA Dystopian
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Borrowed from the library
Date Completed: December 30, 2012
Rating: ***

If you're read more than one young adult dystopian novel, then you've read this before. 

In a genre that essentially lacks originality, what I find important is character development and pacing.  In Divergent, the reader follows Tris as she (predictably) leaves the faction of her birth to join the (predictably) violent faction in charge of "security," where she (predictably) makes enemies, proves to be "different," and finds a teenage love interest.  Ultimately, Tris is not an unlikeable protagonist, but the pacing of the novel shifts from tedious to absurdly rushed. The shift is jolting, and disrupts any suspension of disbelief.  Ultimately, Divergent is stronger than novels like Delirium, but is not the best example of the genre that has been published in recent years. 

74.
Title: [Deep Kiss of Winter]
Author: Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter
Pages: 436
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 11, 2012
Rating: **1/2

I've encountered both of these authors with varying success before, and as I approach a paper on paranormal romance I thought jumping into this pairing would be a good step back into the genre.  Both works, as this marketing scheme requires, are loosely related to a single idea used to bind the two stories together, with a bit of fan-girl-fawning over each other in the acknowledgements.  Cole's is certainly the stronger story, although neither is particularly captivating. Fans of either should stick with solo publications.  

75.
Title: [Anna Dressed in Blood]
Author: Kendare Blake
Pages: 320
Genre: YA Horror
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: December 12, 2012
Rating: ****

Anna Dressed in Blood is a true ghost story, of the kind that so often mark a horror enthusiast's early introduction to the genre.  This begins as the kind of story I would "sneak" out of the library and read under the covers, a la Scary Stories to Read in the Dark.  Cas is a ghost-hunter who, like his father, is dedicating his life to sending back murderous spirits.  He takes up the athame after his father ultimately lost who own battle with such a spirit, and with his witch mother travels the country, trying to keep the living safe from the dead.  As has to happen in YA novels, something is different about this ghost - Anna Dressed in Blood - and Cas finds himself with unlikely accomplices, despite his years of solo work. 

Blake wonderfully weaves in traditional ghost stories into this plot, giving audiences the hitchhiker and the haunted house that are so often abandoned after summer camps are a thing of the past.  Anna Dressed in Blood favorably reminds me of I Am Not a Serial Killer, and like the latter has what I'll call an "unnecessary element" that detracts from narrative.  Overall, the book is highly successful, and highly enjoyable. 

76.
Title: [Penelope]
Author: Rebecca Harrington
Pages: 120 read before giving up
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed:
Rating: **

I can understand why people would find this book entertaining, and even why people would like Penelope, the socially awkward and completely human Harvard freshman trying to find her way.  Personally, I found Penelope overly immature and dull, and found the social interactions even less interesting than when I myself was in college.  Penelope is not for me. 

77.
Title: [The Darkest Prison]
Author: Gena Showalter
Pages: ?  LT says 448, but there's no way
Genre: Supernatural Romance
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 13, 2012
Rating: ***

Standard fare. 

78.
Title: [Amittyville Horrible]
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Pages:
Genre:
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 13, 2012
Rating: ****

When Armstrong concluded her Otherwood series with Thirteen she promised fans that this wouldn't be the last they'd see of the characters they'd come to love, and with the novella/short story "Amittyville Horrible" she keeps that promise.  This one follows Jamie, necromancer, as she's roped into another reality special - "for charity."  Like always, Armstrong is consistent with her characters, paces the stories well, and offers a twist I didn't expect.  "Amittyville Horrible" is a very fun read. 

79.
Title: [Delirium]
Author: Lauren Oliver
Pages: 480
Genre: YA Dystopian
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Borrowed from the library
Date Completed: December 17, 2012
Rating: **

Love is identified as a fatal disease, a "cure" is found, and the US closes its borders as it pushes to eradicate human connection in pursuit of "happiness."  Yes, you've stumbled upon a YA dystopian.  And, of course, this means that a rebellion is brewing, and our perfectly plain and unassuming protagonist is in for dangerous romance, rebellion, and chaos. 

Delirium was listed by a colleague as being one of "the best" of the genre, and if this is true then I would have to identify the genre as one that is inherently weak.  The story is trite and the plot devices are shallow; that an author would actually say that love is a disease is sophomoric and uninteresting, overshadowing all that could be redeemable in the narrative. 

73.
Title: God Save the Queen
Author: Kate Locke
Pages: 
Genre: Steampunk-scifi-esque
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: December 5, 2012
Rating: ***

 God Save the Queen: a perhaps-antisocial young woman living in a supernaturally-drenched world discovers that things aren't what they seem, and neither is she (do I even need to mention the inevitable love interest of standard characteristics and loyalty?). While not wholly original, this formula is one I enjoy, and pursue knowingly.

 Kate Locke's God Save the Queen is a fun little romp that could have been so much more, if Locke wasn't so concerned with the current trend in the supernatural genres. As opposed to focusing on her own story and creative endeavors, she seeks to write against other popular stories, which only works as a disservice to her own book. It's all well and good to offer alternative mythologies, and (as I've said just recently), tastes will vary even among loyal genre-fans, but the drive to be-or-not-be can overshadow a text. After the anti-Twilight barb in her introduction (which itself unnecessarily defends her own mythology - probably because she fears the same kind of backlash Meyers faces), quotes such as this: "Now, they write romances and make foolish teen films about {vampires and werewolves}" not-so-subtlely allude to the same text. What this does, however, is not separate Locke from Meyers by adopting a popular criticism of the series, but rather illustrates her own ignorance of the tradition and evolution of the genre in which she is publishing by arguing against vampires and werewolves as romantic figures. Not only is Dracula (1897) romantic, but so are "Carmilla" (1872) and "Christabel," (1797) to name just three of many examples. I won't argue that in-depth knowledge of the genre is necessary to write successfully within that genre, but I will argue that one should conduct better research before publishing such barbs, in order not to be mocked herself.

 I will be reading the second in the series, with the hope that another book will bring greater confidence on the part of the narrative as its own creation.

71. Title: [We Sinners] Author: Hanna Pylväinen Pages: 208 Genre: Fiction Medium: Hardcover Acquisition: LT rec from Padre, library book Date Completed: November 20, 2012 Rating: **** We Sinners follows a family of eleven who belong to a claustrophobicly-conservative Lutheran sect that bans everything from television to "music with a beat." Though their religion seems surreal from an outside perspective, the members of the family prove to be all too human. The father struggles with anger, stress, and anxiety, the mother struggles with making the right choices for her nine children, and the children find themselves split as they find their way through contemporary America. The characters are sympathetic and horrifying - and sometimes both. The story is compelling, and the narrative is clear and engaging. 72. Title: [The Girl in the Clockwork Collar] Author: Kady Cross Pages: 416 Genre: Steampunk Teen Medium: Hardcover Acquisition: Library book Date Completed: November 22, 2012 Rating: *** Highly predictable and self-indulgent, but distracting. I find that I can appreciate books of this sort more when they're borrowed rather than purchased.

Ballet Review: Dracula

On November 3 I had the very real pleasure of attending The Washington Ballet's production of "Dracula."  As a fan of both ballet and the original source, I had high expectations, but higher still were the expectations of the two "ballet virgins" who accompanied me.

The ballet is atmospheric and enthralling.  while the company's production of "Alice in Wonderland" fell flat due to awkward aerial equipment changes and hoaxes effects, "Dracula," is just lavish enough to keep with the tradition of depictions of Stoker's novel.  The dancers were well-cast, and Hyun-Woong Kim as Dracula was simply spell-binding. 

Lucy and Dracula, dancing passionately to her death.


As a whole, the production was not always well-paced; there were overly-long scenes that seemed placed just to emphasize the ballet in an otherwise very theatrical production.  The lowest point in the ballet was actually the conclusion, at which point a horde of undead craws from the scenery to dance in celebration of Dracula's acquisition of Mina.  The dancers looked like they were ready for, as I thought in the moment, a Hot Topic Prom, and I expected them to break out into "Thriller" at any moment.  In an otherwise carefully costumed and directed production, this dance was simply hokey. 


However, this weak scene can be forgiven for the beauty that came before: an amazing pas de deux between Dracula and Harker at Dracula's castle.  Well-choreographed, phenomenally preformed, and perfectly breathtaking, the feats of strength and grace presented by the dancers took away our collective breath.  It was a perfect struggle between the two, capturing both the energy of the medium and the characterization presented in the primary source. 
The pas de dux of Dracula and Harker. 
Here you can see a preview of the ballet, and here you can see a great dress rehearsal video.

70.
Title: The Girl in the Steel Corset
Author: Kady Cross
Pages: 480
Genre: Steampunk - just ask Cross
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: LT rec
Date Completed: November 11, 2012
Rating: ***

Everything about The Girl in the Steel Corset is, well, typical.  This is typical YA (poor estranged girl finds that she's special), typical romance (two handsome boys fight over the seemingly-plain girl), and typical steampunk.  The later is both the draw and downfall of the book; Cross attempts to include all elements that have been established as core features of the genre (clockwork, steam-powered technology, goggles, dirigibles), but many of the allusions are extraneous to the actual storyline - most of the references literally serve no purpose other than to shout "THIS IS STEAMPUNK!"  But despite these narrative faux pas, the book has some fun moments, and is worth a quick blustery-day look. 

66.
Title: [Othello]
Author: Shakespeare
Pages: 100
Genre: drama
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: work text
Date Completed: October 20, 2012
Rating: *****

This semester I assigned a "defense of villainy" essay for our reading of Othello: students had to either defend Iago, or Othello's murder of Desdemona.  I'm about to dive into those essays now...

67. 
Title: [The Adoration of Jenna Fox]
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Pages: 288
Genre: YA Dystopian
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Purchased used
Date Completed: November 1, 2012
Rating: ***1/2

The Adoration of Jenna Fox was included on a list of superior YA dystopian fiction I received at a conference, and though the first suggestion was a major flop ([Feed]), I decided to give this a try.  I'm glad I did.  While I'm not certain I agree with the labeling of this text as dystopian, the narrative is interesting and really calls one to question our current medical and political systems.  It's not perfect, and some questions are left unanswered, but overall the novel is satisfying. 

68. 
Title: [Titus Andronicus]
Author: Shakespeare
Pages: 100
Genre: drama
Medium: paperback
Acquisition: Work text
Date Completed: November 1, 2012
Rating: *****

Presented somewhere between 1592-1595, Shakespeare's earliest tragedy is a product of its time; revenge tragedies and the translated works of Seneca are widely popular, each characterized by violence and bizarre events.  Although the content of the play - including mutilation, rape, and cannibalism - may seem shocking, even these elements are not singular to Shakespeare's text, as much of the inspiration for characterization and events comes from Ovid's Metamorphosis.

Using Titus in the classroom for the first time is very interesting, as student reactions vary widely - one student has even requested to step out momentarily when we discuss the rape of Lavinia.  The students recognize the sins of Titus, and yet still we wrestle with our desire to prefer him to Tamora.  Discussions are lively, and the questions are very smart.  At the end of it all I am asking them to write a paper of definition defining "tyrant" or "tyranny," using both (or either) Othello and Titus as support. 

The school's drama department is producing Titus now, and many students have said that being asked to see the play has actually improved their readings.  I'll go see it myself tomorrow. 

69. 
Title: [The Beautiful Mystery]
Author: Louise Penny
Pages: 384
Genre: Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Preordered
Date Completed: November 2, 2012
Rating: ***

Never before have I been able to step away from a Louise Penny novel before full consumption, but I had no problem putting down The Beautiful Mystery for long periods of time; despite preordering the book and receiving it on its release date, I'm only just finishing the novel.  Much is poetic, as usual, but I didn't find the story nearly as compelling as others.  As for the conclusion, my one thought is good riddance to bad rubbish. 

63. 
Title: [The Family Fang]
Author: Kevin Wilson
Pages: 336
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: October 7, 2012
Rating: ***

Not so long ago, an "artist" "preformed" the birth of her son in a gallery, and announced that his poor life would from that moment become her art.  I still find every aspect of this repugnant, so my reading of The Family Fang leads me to see the novel as far too pertinent.  Following the present and past "works" of the "artists" known as the Fang Family, the novel focuses on the self-absorption of the parents, and the deep psychological damage done to children who are used by their parents. (I would argue that Annie and Buster would be just as fragile if their parents pushed them in other occupations as strongly as they do their performance art.)  Why just three stars?  A lack of sympathy; the characters are too flawed for me to connect, leaving the narrative feeling dry and distant.  In my reading, there is only one character worth saving, and her  partial redemption is my only comfort in reading this novel. 

64.  
Title: [Feed]
Author: M.T. Anderson
Pages: 320
Genre: YA Dystopian
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: October 14, 2012
Rating: **

At a panel on Dystopian YA at the MWPCA Conference, one of speakers heralded Feed as one of the classics of dystopian fiction - specifically dystopian YA - that will stand the test of time, even when the current trend fades.  As a fan of the genre, I rushed to buy this supposedly genius work (of which I had previously heard nothing). 

The kindest thing I can say about this novel is that it is annoying.  Attempting Burgess-like dialect and slang, Anderson's text, while demonstrating the deterioration of intellect caused by the use of the Feed and the impossibility of full communication in the present society, grows stale within just a few pages, and serves as nothing more than a hindrance to the story as a whole.  The ideas are themselves unoriginal; or, if Anderson is the original creator, then his novel has not stood the test of time in keeping his original ideas fresh and interesting.  I would argue that this novel is not a "classic" to remain current throughout time; this is certainly no Fahrenheit 451.

65.
Title: [Lies Beneath]
Author: Anne Greenwood Brown
Pages: 320
Genre: YA
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Borrowed from Library
Date Completed: October 17, 2012
Rating: ***1/2

The folkloric history of mermaids is far more sinister than Disney allows, and Brown's mermaids are more of a traditional cast than the animated re-imagining.   I appreciate any text that continues to portray monsters as monsters, as the current trend is to romanticize anything that would really like to eat you. Brown's novel is engaging, if somewhat shallow and predictable, and manages well the expectations of the genre. 

62.
Title: [The Crossing Places]
Author: Elly Griffiths
Pages: 320
Genre: Cozy mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: September 23, 2012
Rating: ***

There is nothing sensational about The Crossing Places, other than its slightly-odd sensationalizing of archeology (although this isn't that odd, as shows like "Bones" have already done exactly this).  The mysteries are painfully obvious from the first, and so the book offers little in the way of surprise or suspense.  Instead, this becomes a novel about characters, many of whom are shallow, two-dimensional, and downright dull. 

However, despite her many many (human) failings, I found myself sympathetic to Dr. Ruth Galloway; she is a character who is insecure and truly doesn't know her own worth (which can be irritating), but this is tempered by her confidence in her academic field.  This confidence is what saves Ruth for me as a character. 

There is one plot twist that I actually didn't expect, and for this reason I am actually likely to pick up the second book.  Eventually. 

60.
Title: Never Buried
Author: Edie Claire
Pages: 198
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: August 28, 2012
Rating: ***

Never Buried is a formulaic cozy mystery whose most distinguishing narrative technique is the opening scene which describes a cat vomiting.  This features in the Amazon reviews of the book for readers' disapproval, and while I don't share the strength of feeling shared in these reviews, I can agree that the scene adds nothing to the narrative, and will likely only serve to repel readers.  The story itself is a bit clumsy, bogged down by details that are ultimately insignificant, but the mystery itself is decent enough.  I will not run off to buy the next Leigh Koslow novel, but Claire's series is probably a good go-to when desperate for fluff. 

61.
Title: Kitty Steals the Show
Author: Carrie Vaughn
Pages: 352
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: August 31, 2012
Rating: ***

My partner came across a blurb about this book, and recommended it on the basis that it is set in London at an academic conference on supernaturals ("this book couldn't be more you").  The premise is certainly one that seems promising, but I did not initially realize that I was stepping into the tenth book in a running series, which complicated my reading.  Kitty is a standard protagonist in urban fantasy, which actually makes her feel two-dimensional; what I didn't know initially I could suppose, based not on the novel in hand but rather my reading of the genre at large.  As a whole, the novel feels like a transition - a shift in focus for an established series - and for that reason is less interesting for a new reader.  However, my interest has been piqued, so I may be looking to see how Kitty comes to speak at a conference in London in the first place. 

58.
Title: Memories of my Melancholy Whores
Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Pages: 128
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition:
Date Completed: August 4, 2012
Rating: *****

"The Professor" is an old man, and to celebrate the luck of reaching longevity he decides to celebrate his old age in the ordinary sort of way: he will deflower a very young virgin (the younger the better). 

Having never had sex that he didn't pay for (he claims), the Professor calls a madam whom he has known for much of his extended life, and she proclaims that it is impossible, that he is asking far too much, and that she will call him back within an hour. 

As he waits - both for the call, and then for his selected companion to wake from her sleep of utter exhaustion - the reader is treated to an account of some of his escapades, and his reflection on what it means to be old.  The protagonist demonstrates the conceit of the elderly, comfortable that his audience must be interested in his story simply because it is a story he wishes to tell.  The Professor is not an extraordinary man, nor is he even an interesting man, and yet there is charm in his narrative style, and it is this charm that captivates the reader and tricks the audience into believing he may actually be interesting.  

The rising action of the novel is minimal, as most is spent in past reflection of perhaps unusual convictions related to the evolving sexuality of a man, and the few relationships he has had with women (from his mother to a failed fiance to the few prostitutes whom he speaks of as people).  His frustration provides satisfaction for the audience, and the hard-won resolution is perfectly balanced.

Memories of my Melancholy Whores is fascinating and lyrical, and recommended. 

59. 
Title: The Fifth Child
Author: Dorris Lessing
Pages: 144
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Recommend by Linda
Date Completed: August 24, 2012
Rating: *****

Before his birth, Harriett decides that her fifth child is a monster.  As he kicks and struggles in her womb - far too unlike the butterflies of her previous four children - she imagines herself in a struggle with the developing fetus, and wages war with sedatives and physical exertion.  This child is the unwanted child - the child who is conceived far too soon, the child who cannot be welcomed even before his birth, the child who is so different from his four fair older siblings. 

Although occasionally "Poor Ben," the fifth child is more often referred to as "the brute" or "the monster," and his family - Harriett most often - ponders from where this deformed and depraved being could have come - what goblin city or alien world could spawn such a creature.  He is the home-wrecker, the psychopath who seeks to harm his older, cherished siblings even in infancy, the freak of physical development whose strength marks him as something to be feared as opposed to a child to be loved. 

The Fifth Child is a horror story, but the true monsters aren't those identified by the protagonists.  Lessing's novel is a chilling tale of selfishness and cruelty which can leave the reader fearing of the monsters she shares, and those still to come. 

57. 
Title: Thirteen
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Pages: 464
Genre: Supernatural
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Preordered
Date Completed: July 29, 2012
Rating: *****

Kelley Armstrong is one of the stronger urban fantasy authors I have had the pleasure to read.  Unlike some authors, who find themselves laden with too many characters and too little plot as a series continues, Armstrong has no difficulty picking and choosing protagonists for individual novels, and leaving others behind.  For this reason, the series never really becomes stale, and while I prefer certain character sets as a reader, I can appreciate Armstrong's efforts with the series as a whole.

Armstrong has said on Twitter that she always intended the Otherworld series to finish with thirteen books, and so presents Thirteen as the conclusion.  In this installment a great deal of resolution is offered, in largely satisfactory ways.  The conflicts are consistent with the rest of the series, and the characters remain consistent, so the development of the novel will likely appease longtime fans of the series.

As an added bonus, Armstrong revisits the beginning of the series in a prologue, and offers an epilogue for a nicely circular narrative.

I would likely rate this book as a single volume at a 4 or even a 4.5, but Armstrong is bumped to a five for consistency and strong management of the series as a whole.

56.
Title: Sense and Sensibility
Author: Jane Austen
Pages: 368
Genre: Classic
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Free download on Austen's birthday
Date Completed: July 28, 2012
Rating: ***

Austen's characters have never before inspired such a great sense of loathing.  I detest Willoughby, am repulsed by Lucy and her idiotic sister, and couldn't even enjoy the satire of their brother and sister-in-law in the face of the couple's hideous natures.  The difficulty is that, though the antagonists are so easily detested, the protagonists are not truly sympathetic. I appreciate Miss Dashwood, but am annoyed by Marianne; I cannot forgive the former for her easy forgiveness, and cannot accept the latter's "romance." 

This is one of the rare instances where I have seen a film version of the text before reading it (having watched the BBC miniseries before), so I was relatively familiar with plot points before I even began.  However, I find that I prefer the characters of the film far more than those of the text, perhaps because they are more appealing when one can't hear their thoughts. 


*Side Note* I have never seen a more ridiculous cover for this text.

55. 
Title: Some Like it Hawk
Author: Donna Andrews
Pages: 352
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Preordered
Date Completed: July 20, 2012
Rating: ***

Some of the polish has worn off Donna Andrews's Meg Langslow series, and Some Like it Hawk isn't nearly as engaging as earlier installments.  The excitement over Meg's personal life is largely over, and although she is still perfectly comfortable running her home as a public building (I feel claustrophobic just reading about it), the somewhat enjoyable chaos is merely more of the same.  Many of the gimmicks of earlier novels - such as that damn gorilla suit - have become obnoxious plot devices as opposed to sentimental allusions, and the plot itself is rather dry, save for one major question: will Meg and Michael lose their house?

This is the question that kept me reading through a rather lackluster story, and the resolution of this question is certainly not a centerpiece of the conclusion.  Overall, much of the story felt ... obligatory.  While I've enjoyed the series thus far, I'm not altogether certain I will bother with the next, should Andrews continue the series. 

53. 
Title: Insatiable
Author: Meg Cabot
Pages:
Genre: YA
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: Incomplete June 2012
Rating:

I didn't give up on this book on purpose.  Rather, my library loan ran out, and I wasn't concerned enough to request it again.  Everything in Insatiable has been done before, but Cabot's version certainly isn't the worst that I've read.

54. 
Title: Persuasion
Author: Jane Austen
Pages: 272
Genre: Classic
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Free Download
Date Completed:  July 7, 2012
Rating: ****

With my books now packed for the move I'm finally finding time to read some of the things I have downloaded on my Kindle.  Jane Austen's Persuasion is the first that caught my attention, and is pleasant for its charm and comfortable familiarity.  Though I enjoy Austen's satire and dissatisfaction for trivial social pursuits and concerns, the novel as a whole seems less polished than her earlier works.  The narrative style is all Austen, the observations more biting, and many of the characters more realistic and therefore sympathetic. 

51.
Title: The Princess Diaries
Author: Meg Cabot
Pages: 256
Genre: YA
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: June ?, 2012
Rating: ***

I've avoided reviewing this book - to the point that I cannot remember when I actually finished reading it - because of a rather lackluster response.  I didn't dislike the book any more than I actually liked it.  I enjoyed the fact that Cabot's original story is very different from the Disney movie (and I appreciated the drunk and slightly-scandalous grandmother in the novel), but it wasn't thrilling.  I'm giving it three starts because I'm sure others would enjoy it.

52.
Title: Witch Way to Murder
Author: Shirley Damsgard
Pages: 304
Genre: Supernatural Cozy Mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Book
Date Completed: June 26, 2012
Rating: **1/2

Witch Way to Murder gets a low rating for inconsistency and poor research.  The story itself is what one would expect from any cozy - a librarian is attempting to solve a series of crimes in her small town - and a supernatural cozy  - she's inherited a skill for witchcraft which she is oh-so-dramatically resisting because of a past trauma.   

The big problems - inconsistency in plot and characterization - make the "little" problems all the more irksome.  I can think of two examples off the top of my head: there is a vision involving a young girl dancing ballet, described by the protagonist, and likely inspired by some juvenile fantasy of what ballet should look like.  Oh, sure, she throws in the word "arabesque" for good measure, but here's a big tell: ballet dancers don't cross their laces up to their knees.  I promise. 

The second irksome detail?  A librarian who doesn't know how to conduct research.  Specifically, research on the internet.  I can't imagine that a librarian attempting to do research related to the mystery she is solving would a) be so careless in her search attempts and b) would give up on said research after a single results return.  Really? 

Overall, the story seems careless; there are better examples of the genre to be enjoyed.

50.
Title: Baby Shark's Beaumont Blues
Author: Robert Fate
Pages: 269
Genre: Mystery/Crime
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Amazon Loan
Date Completed: June 9, 2012
Rating: ***1/2

The second in the "Baby Shark" series, Baby Shark's Beaumont Blues leaves the personal vendetta behind, and instead focuses on  more traditional territory: PI work, and all the grit and violence Fate can stuff in there.  Less emotionally taxing - and more predictable - Beaumont Blues follows the protagonist through her professional development, and allows Kristin and Otis to shine as the true characters they are.  There's nothing earth-shattering here, but Beaumont Blues is a solid read and a great sequel. 

49. 
Title: Kiss the Dead
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Pages: 368
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Medium: Hardback
Acquisition: Preordered
Date Completed: June 7, 2012
Rating: ***1/2

Fans are - and will continue to be - split on responses to the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, and I for one doubt that the severance will ever be rectified.  Anita as a character is extremely different in book twenty-one than she was in book one, and she will never be the same again.  I, for one, appreciate the change; I found her sense of morals and personal conflict rather stifling, and prefer her growing comfort with life, love, and sexuality.  Many readers will disagree with me, as the Anita that Hamilton writes now is not the Anita they once loved. 

Kiss the Dead will be no different.  More of a law officer than an animator these days, Anita is involved with a fair amount of police work in this latest episode, but neither her professional life nor her personal life grabs center stage; the narratives are relatively compartmentalized, much like Anita's current life, and the stories are disjointed.  I found Kiss the Dead entertaining, and it delivered on many of my expectations, but it isn't likely one I would return to again.  At twenty-one books, I don't know that I would expect such from the series.   

48.
Title: Avalon High
Author: Meg Cabot
Pages: 320
Genre: Young Adult
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:  Library Book
Date Completed: June 6, 2012
Rating: **1/2

Avalon High has the subtlety of a barrel of bricks dropped from seven stories, and just in case the reader doesn't pick up on the five inches of gooey sloppy allusions slathered on this narrative, the protagonist explains things explicitly at least twice.  While the premise of the novel is fun in theory, Cabot's execution leaves much to be desired, as she demonstrates just how little faith she has in her reader to even understand the basic premise of her story. 

47. 
Title: A Tale of 3 Witches
Author: Christiana Miller and Barbra Annino
Pages: 53
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: May 30, 2012
Rating: **

This cross-over story lacks ... just about everything.  It lacks character development, plot development, suspension of disbelief, and the charm of the previous Mara/Gus novel. 

Gus wielding a sword?  An actual sword?
Best friends at first sight?
A new mother leaving her firstborn in the care of the maybe-father who thinks the child might be evil incarnate?

The falling action is the only well-paced part of the narrative; the rising action is full of holes and the climax arrives too quickly. While this story wouldn't prevent me from picking up another Mara/Gus novel, I am fairly disappointed that I actually paid for this. 

The Folger's western Taming of the Shrew, starring Kate Eastwood Norris and Cody Nickell, is a true delight.  As director Aaron Posner says himself, his Deadwood-inspired rendition is not unique, but it is no less successful for it.  Placing Shakespeare's comedy in a western-esque setting provides a strong context for a contemporary American audience, and bending the gender of several characters (Baptista is a controlling mother, for example) shifts the understanding of gender expectations in the work.

The characters are well-cast and excellently played (I particularly enjoyed not only the principle characters, but also Danny Scheie's Grumio and Holly Twyford's Tranio), and the setting and costumes are perfectly detailed, but the true icing on the cake is the inclusion of live music - Cliff Eberhardt as the Blind Balladeer that serenades each scene.

 The production is an absolute joy, and an unequivocal success.

I want, too, to say a word about the staff of the Folger.  My partner's neck injury prevents him from looking left (among other things), and when we first found our seats in the balcony it was immedietly clear he would not be able to enjoy the play, as we were seated on the left side.  I spoke with the staff member at ticket sales, who in turn called a senior staff member who did not hesitate to move our seats when I explained our concern.  I was 90% certain there was nothing that could be done but felt there was no harm in asking, so I was delighted with the care that we received.  Our seats were moved right away, and the gentleman who moved our seats came back to be sure that we were comfortable before the play began.  I was impressed because they surely weren't required to do anything, and they didn't hesitate to help us in our enjoyment of the play.

So, not only is the play wonderful, but so too are those working behind the scenes. 

Photos: http://www.dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2012/05/07/the-taming-of-the-shrew-at-folger-theatre-by-julia-exline1/

46. 
Title: Baby Shark
Author: Robert Fate
Pages: 270
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Free download, recommended by Penn Jillette on Twitter
Date Completed: May 19, 2012
Rating: ****1/2

Baby Shark opens with gut-wrenching violence against the unlucky patrons at a pool house.  The unapologetic violence of the scene captivates, even as the reader wants to look away.  Among the victims are 17-year-old Kristin, who is brutally raped and beaten, and her father, who is murdered.

Kristin doesn't remember getting out of the pool hall when she wakes in the hospital, but she learns that the owner - the only other survivor of the attack by a gang of bikers - dragged her from the building despite his own gunshot wounds, and manages to drive her to the relative safety of the hospital.  She also learns that the police have no intention of investigating the murders and assault.  Kristin and Henry find a new family in each other, drawn together by a need for both safety and revenge.  Together they live, train, and plan. 

Baby Shark is a tale of survival and what it takes for two damaged individuals not only to recover, but to find justice.  Kristin (aka Baby Shark) seeks not only to avenge her father's death, but also to reclaim her dignity and establish herself as a strong, independent figure, regardless of the abuse she suffered and regardless of her gender in a very gender-biased setting.  One reviewer remarks on a lack of morality in Kristin's actions, but my own reading suggests something very different: it is not necessarily a quest for Hammurabian revenge, but justice.  If the police had pursued and prosecuted the bikers responsible for these violent crimes I would suggest that Kristin and Henry would not have have sought out their own form of justice; given the circumstances of their case, they sought punishment that was otherwise denied. 

As I first read of the attack on the pool hall I did not expect to like this book, but the narrative quickly sped away, and before I knew it I was at the novel's end. 

44. 
Title: [Chime]
Author: Franny Billingsley
Pages: 320
Genre: Fantasy
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library book
Date Completed: May 17, 2012
Rating: ***1/2

I believe it was Faith who recently read this book, but unfortunately my recent memory is failing me...

Chime tells the story of a young witch who is sacrificing her present happiness for her past sins, while keeping her own neck out of a hangman's noose.  Grieving for her stepmother and caring for her (autistic?) sister, Briony leaves little time for herself, and rejects anything that "ordinary" girls may be interested in.  That is, until a young man comes to live with her father, and changes her perception of her own past.

Wait, that sounds like far more of a horrible love story than this actually is.  In truth, Briony is far too self-centered to even consider a romantic interest for much of the story.  Filled with fairy tales and deceit, Chime is largely fascinating for the point of view, which is that of a young woman who believes she's guilty, and says as much before the crimes are even presented. 

Although the plot is fairly predictable, I enjoyed the book primarily for this point of view, and the exploration of memory. 

45.
Title: [Charlotte Collins]
Author: Jennifer Whiteley Becton
Pages: 256
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Free download
Date Completed: May 19, 2012
Rating: *****

Charlotte Collins is a Jane Austen continuation that is actually worth reading.  I applaud Becton for selecting a perfect subject for her work - secondary characters from the primary source, as opposed to the protagonists of the original - and argue that this choice is what primarily leads to the success of the text.  Unlike continuations that attempt to rewrite Elizabeth Bennet/Darcy, which consistently fail to develop a character that even resembles Austen's original, Becton has selected a character that is only marginally developed in the original, and as such is ripe for re-imagining.  In Charlotte Collins, the reader finds Elizabeth's dear friend burying her fairly repulsive husband after a fortunate accident has lead him to his ultimate reward.  Now a young widow of very small means, Charlotte finds herself continuing to navigate the neighborhood shadowed by Lady Catherine, and welcomes her sister Maria to her household to relieve their parents of the burden of a coming-out.  Of course, no Austenian novel would be complete without reputations being challenged, true characters being revealed, and a near-perfect love match, and Becton satisfies on all accounts. The mark of a contemporary author is so marginal that it is barely noticed, and I thoroughly enjoyed this Charlotte-Collins-romance.   

43. 
Title: [Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde]
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Pages: 62
Genre: Gothic
Medium: Paperback, Norton Critical
Acquisition: Purchased for work
Date Completed: May 15, 2012
Rating: ****

I'd write a review, but I just finished an essay analyzing the theme of alternative reproduction in this text and two others ... so I'm a bit brain-dead at the moment. 

I will say that I detest contemporary representations of the Jekyll/Hyde dynamic, although I saw a fascinating image from "Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde" in the Norton critical edition...

42. 
Title: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Author: Alan Bradley
Pages: 306
Genre: Mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:  Library Loan
Date Completed: May 13, 2012
Rating: ***

Flavia de Luce is the third and youngest daughter of an old English family.  Having lost her mother at a young age, it appears that Flavia has largely been left to raise herself, which she has done through extensive reading and an obsession with Chemistry.  Indeed, it is this interest that most defines Flavia, as she responds to emotional stress and strain by imagining what poisons she can cook up in her lab as revenge.  Confident and intelligent with a strong dislike for authority, Flavia is just the sort of girl I would have adored at eleven, and just the sort of over-confident character that I find tedious as an adult. 

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie seems to be an excuse for Bradley to write about pet subjects - chemistry, for example, and stamps - and the lectures on these subjects frequently lead the narrator away from the narrative.  For one who is interested in these subjects these asides would be an excellent diversion, and would not likely detract from the novel; however, the discussions related to philately were so dull that I frequently found my mind wandering, and had to force myself back to the narrative.

I, for one, do not find that my own reading lives up to the hype. 

41. 
Title: "Beauty: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Outtake"
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Pages: 33
Genre: Erotica
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition:
Date Completed: May 9, 2012
Rating: ***

This short story, which is essentially a teaser for the upcoming Kiss the Dead, embodies what Vintage Blakers detest and Progressive Blakers want: smutty vampire smut.  This erotic short contains what early Anita Blake novels are missing - sex, comfort, and contentment.  One Amazon reviewer labelled it as a "novella" because calling it a "story" offended her sensibilities because of a purported lack of plot (although why calling it a novella of 33 pages makes that better, I'm not sure), and another bemoaned charging for what other authors would likely release for free on personal blogs.  These responses are now typical for Hamilton's work, and I believe readers will need to consider their own motivations and desires before pursuing any Anita Blake novels.  I, for one, enjoy the sexually-satisfied Anita far more than the conflicted and haunted Anita, and purchased Beauty because I was in the mood for a bit of erotica - and that is exactly what Hamilton delivers in this short, nothing more, nothing less. 

40. 
Title: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Author: Mark Haddon
Pages: 226
Genre: Fiction
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Ebook
Date Completed: May 5, 2012
Rating: ****

In Mark Haddon's fascinating and anxiety-inducing book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, fifteen-year-old Christopher begins writing a book on the suggestion of his teacher.  Christopher doesn't like fiction because he believes it's just a series of lies, but because he enjoys the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes he decides that it will be acceptable to write a mystery of his own, which he begins after finding a neighbor's murdered dog, and briefly coming under suspicion himself.  What makes this novel intriguing, of course, is not the death of the dog Wellington, but Christopher himself, who is autistic.  My knowledge of the condition is only passing, but from my unlearned perspective Haddon's use of Siobhain, Christopher's teacher, as a catalyst for his motivation helps create a cohesive and credible story.  Less intrigued by the story itself, I was fascinated by the explanation of comfort and Christopher's particular behavior, and I cheered his ability to accomplish tasks that his condition renders near-Herculean.  The Curious Incident shares an interesting perspective from a sympathetic narrator, and is a great way to pass an afternoon. 

38. 
Title: Broadmoor Revealed
Author: Mark Stevens
Pages: 107 pages
Genre: Nonfiction
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Free Amazon Download
Date Completed: May 3, 2012
Rating: ***

As one could deduce from the page count, Mark Stevens' Broadmoor Revealed: Victorian Crime and the Lunatic Asylum is only a brief glimpse into one of England's Victorian-era asylums.  Idyllic in setting and home to as many sane criminals as deranged artists, Broadmoor is an interesting subject for study, but by no means unique.  Although a number of crimes are discussed in relation to the patients, what I found most interesting were the details of the escapes attempts, and how the Board responded - or failed to, as was frequently the case.  Although I would have preferred greater depth, Broadmoor Revealed is a nice snack for those interested in Victorian crime or mental institutions. 

39. 
Title: Death Comes to Pemberley
Author: P. D. James
Pages: 220 pages
Genre: Mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Library Ebook
Date Completed: May 4, 2012
Rating: *

Death Comes to Pemberley is trite and wooden.  The plot itself is lost in the pedantic text, which lectures as opposed to narrates. James uses dialog to introduce every detail, which leads to cumbersome and often ridiculous conversations, in which Character A reminds Character B that they met the good Doctor five years ago at that dinner party, and that the Doctor now suffers from gout and enjoys a comfortable estate, but went on that dreadful trip last year and is now nursing a sore hip and oh yes is not married and has no intention of seeking matrimony; he'll be here within the hour.  Oh yes, and candlelight merely enhances the darkness and gloom, and Darcy wonders, generally speaking.

Anyone with any knowledge - even passing - of Austen and/or the long nineteenth century will be better off avoid this cumbersome narrative. 

36. 
Title: Waiting for Godot
Author: Samuel Beckett
Pages: 100 pages
Genre: Drama
Medium: Paperback
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: April 26, 2012
Rating:

37. 
Title: Simon Said
Author: Sarah R. Shaber
Pages: 220 pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Medium: Kindle
Acquisition: Borrowed from Amazon Prime
Date Completed: April 27, 2012
Rating: ***

Simon Shaw is the perfect protagonist for a cozy mystery; unlike other cozies, which dump corpses behind bakeries or in bookstores, Shaber deposits a 70-year-old corpse in the middle of an archeological dig at a college, where a depressed and socially awkward professor of history is happy to take up the research to put a name to the skull, and a name to the bullet inside of that skull.  As an amateur detective, Shaw utilizes his skill set as an academic and researcher, and pieces together the mystery in a way that is purposeful and conceivable.  While one of the two mysteries of the text isn't quite so meticulous, Shaw's own efforts are strong.

So why just three stars?  Shaw himself is repugnant, albeit far less so than some of his colleagues.  Emotionally crippled by the departure of his wife, Shaw is initially presented as a wounded animal, and lacks sympathy (when Shaw himself analyzes his failed marriage he can understand how his actions and decisions lead to the separation, and so can I).  However, such emotional frailty could be overlooked if Shaw himself wasn't such blatant a sexist.  Although a colleague in the history department is labeled a sexist, it is Shaw himself who proves far more demeaning and critical: the colleague dismisses women as a waste of time, while Shaw criticizes the "love interest's" choice of clothing, eating habits, and choice of beverages in a way that exerts his superiority over an independent and successful woman.  To Shaw, she lacks autonomy and instead functions as an inevitable addition to his life - after all, once she works through her far-more-complicated emotions he will be there to indulge in the relationship of his choosing. 

As much as I enjoy Shaw as an amateur  detective, his personal life is enough to keep me from pursuing the series.

35. 
Title: At Home
Author: Bill Bryson
Pages: 592 pages
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Medium: Ebook
Acquisition: Library book
Date Completed: April 21, 2012
Rating: ***

At Home is not the book I had hoped it would be; focused primarily on the home developed by the Victorians, the book is a brief history of inventions and biographies loosely related to the domestic life we now enjoy.  While I had hoped for more of an evolution of homemaking, what Bryson has produced is very much so in line with A Brief History of Nearly Everything - and as such much more focused on who invented the television and first thought to drill for oil than how people made their beds in the fourteenth century.  Bryson's style is easy to comprehend and his tone gives his books a wonderful personality. 

The Washington Ballet's "Alice (in Wonderland)"

Now that I have your attention.


This Sunday I took First Born to see the Washington Ballet's production of "Alice (In Wonderland)." Given the above promotions for the event, it promised to be a spectacle and a wonder, and we were very enthusiastic about attending the show. I am, admittedly, more familiar with the Disney film than I am the original novel, so from an audience perspective I had few expectations in terms of storyline, and was open to interpretation.

While the costumes are just as glamorous and breathtaking as the advertisements suggest, the wonder of the performance stops there.


Initially, the staging seemed magical, but when Alice falls down the rabbit hole the ballet quickly falls into gimmick. It seems that Septime Weber really wanted to get his money's worth out of the aerial harness, and awkwardly foists Alice (and other dancers) into the air a number of times. The aerial display (while not spectacular) is not itself the problem, but rather the rather awkward amount of time it takes to get each dancer harnessed - on staged - and then unhooked once the piece is over. There is an attempt to mask this by using chorus members in identical costumes to do the actual rigging, but the whole thing came off as rather trite.

In light of the unprofessional effects (and really, dance is magical enough without this, I say), the rest of the ballet took on a likewise unprofessional feel. Many of the dances seemed under-rehersed, and often "forced" as they tried to replicate the sense of wonder a child would experience when seeing the film for the first time. There was little fluidity to many of the dances (specifically those with Alice herself, who was not played by the actress pictured below for my showing), and the whole production felt more like a modern art experiment than a captivating ballet.

I was absolutely gobsmacked by the production of [The Great Gatsby], so I'm holding out hope that this fall's production of [Dracula] will hold some of the same magic of the Fitzgerald piece, and none of the gimmicks of "Alice."