19.
Author(s): Ken Kesey
Title: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Publication: Paperback
Pages:
Genre: Fiction
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 24, 2011
Rating: Unrated

One Few Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the first novel I teach in one of my lit and comp classes, and it always inspires interesting discussions related to the history of psychiatric care, the condition of mental institutions, gender relations, stock characters, and the ways in which Kesey works to manipulate literary standards to share his own personal views. I'm no longer going to re-rate texts I use every semester, but I will continue to recommend Kesey's most acknowledged work to any who have not yet had the pleasure.

18.
Author(s): Kresley Cole
Title: A Hunger Like No Other
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Supernatural Romance
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 24, 2011
Rating: 3 stars

The cover for this supernatural romance pretty much says it all. Except, of course, that she's the vampire. Despite its band of female warriors, Kresley Cole's A Hunger Like No Other is not one for progressive thinkers looking for an enlightened gender balance; the first sexual scene is essentially abuse (but it's ok, because they're kind of soul mates anyway, so she really did want it). Still, I'm not going to pretend that I have high standards for this genre, and A Hunger Like No Other is still better than others I've read of late, so while I wouldn't actually recommend this book to anyone else, I will be pursuing the second in the series.

17.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Marble Row
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 22, 2011
Rating: 4 stars

16.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Mulberry Bend
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 17,2011
Rating: 4 stars

No one cares for the poor when they're alive, and they certainly don't care when one of them turns up dead unexpectedly. However, an emotional jolt catches the attention of Malloy, and an unexpected link to Sarah Brandt sends Malloy to her door, seeking reassurance. Of course, Thompson's protagonist can't help but work for an underdog, and soon Brandt is on the case, wading through Italian slums and finding herself running between high society and fanatically religious institutions. Murder on Mulberry Bend is consistent for the series, which is just what I'm looking for.

15.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Washington Square
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 16,2011
Rating: 4 stars

Her neighbor's son Nelson is not someone Sarah Brandt ever expect to need to advice of a midwife, but when he requests her professional opinion on a personal matter she agrees to help - and to keep the circumstances of that help from Nelson's mother. However, when the subject of that initial meeting leads to Nelson being suspected of murder the whole catastrophe is brought to light - with plenty of "dirty linen" being aired in the process. Murder on Washington Square leads readers from likely suspect to likely suspect while slowly developing a devilish intrigue masterminded by someone who is best described as a "character." I am, as usual, dumbfounded by the intelligent Sarah Brandt's slow uptake on several very important details, but it seems she is forever doomed to play damsel in distress at important moments, the better to display the concern and adoration of her favorite detective. Murder on Washington Square is another satisfying mystery in the Gaslight series.

14.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on Gramercy Park
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 11,2011
Rating: 4 stars

I am now three books into Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mysteries series, and I've settled in rather comfortably. Once again, Thompson manages to find a fairly believable reason for a midwife to find herself involved in a murder investigation, although that reason is becoming more and more the attention of a certain detective. Like previous books, much of this mystery really isn't one, but I will admit that it held a nice surprise for me at the conclusion. I've already started the next book in the series, and I look forward to following more adventures concerning Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy.

12.
Author(s): Sophocles
Title: Oedipus the King
Publication: Literary Anthology
Pages:
Genre: Greek Drama
Acquisition: Work Text
Date Completed: February 6,2011
Rating:

Another work reread, and another constant favorite. My students and I always have a good time with Oedipus Rex.


13.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: Murder on St. Mark's Place
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages:
Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: February 8,2011
Rating: 3.75 stars

Murder on St. Mark's Place is the second cozy mystery in the series by Victoria Thompson, featuring midwife Sarah Brandt and he unlikely partner Frank Malloy. The novel delivers more on character development than actual plot, but Thompson's humanizing efforts set the stage for future interest. The "mystery" itself is highly predictable from the go, but the novel itself is no less enjoyable.

10.
Author(s): Susan Glaspell
Title: [734419::Trifles] and "A Jury of Her Peers"
Publication: Literary Anthology
Pages:
Genre: Drama, short story
Acquisition: Work text, read once a semester
Date Completed: January 28, 2011
Rating: Unrated

11.
Author(s): Victoria Thompson
Title: [Murder on Astor Place]
Publication: Kindle Edition
Pages: 288
Genre: Historical cozy mystery
Acquisition: Recommended by leperdbunny
Date Completed: February 5, 2011
Rating: 3.5 stars

The unusual blending of genres is what first inspired me to pick up Victoria Thompson's Murder on Astor Place: historical in setting, interesting choice of occupation for the female protagonist (midwife, as opposed to the so-common librarian or shopkeeper), and a delightfully scandalous mystery. The protagonist, Sarah, is instantly sympathetic, if her involvement in the actual mystery is stretched a bit far (but such is the case with most cozy mysteries, so I would not call this a weakness). The mystery itself is dizzying at times, but well-paced, and the resolution is completely satisfactory.

However, I did have to take off a full star for unnecessary discrimination and judgment. In the final scenes (the all-important revelation), the suggestion of homosexual acts is used as a marker of complete and utter depravity for a specific character - the final poisoned cherry on an abhorrent cake. This detail does absolutely nothing for the development of the antagonist, nor does it have any place in the plot or resolution. It's an ugly moment in the novel that lead to my instant disappointment. Really, the resolution is itself moving enough without this added "degradation."

Still, this one detail is my only complaint, and I don't necessarily think it speaks to the body of Thompson's work as a whole, so I'll certainly be seeking out the other books in the series.

9.
Author(s): Louise Penny
Title: Bury Your Dead
Publication: Hardback
Pages: 371
Genre: Mystery
Acquisition:
Date Completed: January 18, 2011
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

I have always found a kind of dignity in Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series, and Bury Your Dead is no different. The novel itself is one of introspection and personal awareness, as it forces two principal characters to exist as separate - suffering - entities. Despite a present murder, the true mysteries are those that occurred long ago, and the nearly academic nature of the primary mysteries become cathartic for Gamache and Jean-Claude as they strive to heal mentally from a terrible professional tragedy. At times, Bury Your Dead reads almost like a cozy mystery, as so much detection and consideration takes place in libraries and in the company of historical societies over more stereotypical interrogations. Gamache is shown to be fully human, though his standards reach far beyond, and Beauvoir is still as revolting as ever; as, I can only assume, he will continue to be.

8.
Author(s): Abigail Reynolds
Title: Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy
Publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: Alternative Austen
Acquisition: Free download on Austen's birthday
Date Completed: January 15, 2011
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

I approached this novel with trepidation; I am a very devoted fan of Austen (most specifically Pride and Prejudice), and I have had bad experiences with "alternative" classics before. However, Reynolds has helped me move beyond my bad experiences by providing a perfectly delightful alternative to the Bennet/Bingley/Darcy story that is so familiar.

The Elizabeth of Reynold's novel is certainly not the same Elizabeth that Austen created, but once I was able to move beyond the surprising differences I found myself drawn into a world that was wonderfully familiar. Reynolds balances her own story with a number of allusions to the original novel, producing a charming story all on its own. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy defies expectations more often than note, but in that defiance gives the reader an experience that is far more satisfying.

7.
Author(s): Gena Showalter
Title: The Darkest Kiss
Publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: Supernatural Romance
Acquisition:
Date Completed: January 13, 2011
Rating: 2.5 stars out of 5

Sloppy, contrived, and downright clumsy. The different plots pull the reader in far too many directions without any real development, and by the end of the novel it's clear that all of those different plotlines are really just a device to keep readers interested in the series and buying subsequent books. Lucien is well-developed and interesting, but Anya is one of the more ridiculous characters I've met in a supernatural romance. I have a feeling these books are actually intended for straight men, because characters like Anya leave far to be desired; she's tacky, immature, shallow, and obnoxious. Really, she's nothing more than the "sheath" Showalter is always so happy to describe. And what being, who has existed for thousands of years, would spew such slang-drenched gibberish? If nothing else, at least I got that out of my system.

6.
Author(s): Shirley Jackson
Title: The Haunting of Hill House
Publication: Paperback
Pages: 182
Genre: Classic Horror
Acquisition: Complimentary copy from work book club
Date Completed: January 12, 2011
Rating: 4 stars out of 5

My sympathy lies with Hill House.

To say that I did not enjoy The Haunting of Hill House would be inaccurate, but the further along I got in the narrative the more I was plagued with a sense that I shouldn’t like the narrative. It inspired a sense of unease and irritation that I couldn’t place, and yet still I found myself tripping along the pages.

And then it hit me: I loathed each and every character Jackson spit out.

The characters are vapid and soulless, and the conversations are highly contrived, like some painfully amateur drama composed by someone completely without talent in an attempt to be edgy and mod. Their existence is recycled; I’ve met each of them before, and I can’t image that I enjoyed their company the first time around. As I turned each page I yearned for the house to swallow them whole and spit out the yellow shirt and the red sweater and the “wicked” nailpolish. I wanted something terrible to happen not because I was hoping for a scary story, but rather because I hoped the story would save me from the four temporary residents.

I am exceptionally glad that I had an opportunity to read Jackson’s famous haunted house story, and I am really looking forward to hearing what other readers will have to say at tomorrow’s book club meeting. I wonder if anyone else found Eleanor to be just another Mary Katherine?