Retro Friday Review: Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."

Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Publisher/Imprint: Alfred A. Knopf
Publication date: 2003 (originally self-published 2001)
ISBN: 9780375826689
Source: Audiobook from library

Eragon is hunting in the woods one day when a blue stone appears in his path.  With no idea of its purpose or value, he takes it home where a dragon hatches from it.  Setting off a chain of events he little expects, Eragon and Saphira find themselves far from their home, without family, and training to become a dragon rider - a fierce warrior that will inspire the people suppressed by Galbatorix to battle his control.  But which side should he be on?

Things I Liked:
I listened to this one on audio, so I could have everything fresh in my mind when reading the last book.  The story is still just as exciting and intriguing as it was the first time.  I love how Eragon is a flawed and still struggling teen who isn't quite sure what to do and how to do it.  The high fantasy world Paolini created is full of depth and history and I'm excited to finally get to the end of the story!

Things I Didn't Like:
I was reminded again how ridiculously many adjectives and adverbs are used (an ironic sentence if ever there was one :).  It was almost overwhelming at times.  It does evoke some of the older epic fantasies such as Lord of the Rings, but also makes it feel a bit pretentious.  Also, I wasn't enthralled with the voices used by the narrator, Gerard Doyle, particularly Saphira's, but I think he did well considering the sheer number of characters.  I didn't much care for the growly deepness Saphira's voice.  But, I listened all the way through and I'm planning to listen to the next two as well.

Read-alikes:
Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (plenty of similarities - see this article)
The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: ! 
a few here and there

mrg-factor: none 

v-factor: ->->-> 
some rather gruesome descriptions of fighting/battle

Overall rating: **** 

Fan or not so much?

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Posted in 4 stars , audiobook , Fantasy , inheritance , retro friday , Young Adult

Retro Friday Review: On Writing by Stephen King

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Publisher: Scribner
Publication date: 2000
ISBN: 9781439156810
Source: Library

 
Acting as both a brief autobiography and as a guide for aspiring writers, King's book brings together anecdotes from his childhood and early career and tips for those seeking to get into writing. 

Things I Liked:
I think this makes an appropriate NaNoWriMo book, for those who are trying to write a novel in a month (ok, confession: I'm unofficially trying this - yikes!)  I really liked the sections on writing and the way King creates and crafts his works.  I found a lot of what he said to be insightful and helpful for those struggling really in any part of the process from idea through revisions.  Also, he really had a interestingly morbid childhood, which kind of explains some of his fascination with the macabre.  Definitely a great book for anyone aspiring to write or just interested in improving their writing.  I wish I'd written down more of his tips, but alas, I'll have to check it out again.

Things I Didn't Like:
It reminded me just why I'd never be interested in reading his books.  I hate horror novels and some of his stories sound like they'd give me nightmares for weeks.  Also, I really could have done without all the swearing.  Yes, that's probably how he talks, but it would have been just as good with about 1/4 the number of f-words.  I think a few of his tips or tricks might be a little outdated, possibly with the publishing contacts and stuff, but most of it will be true forever.

Read-alikes:
I've not read any other writing books, but try The Art of Fiction by John Gardner or Aspects of the Novel by E.M. Forster

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#$%
lots and lots and lots of strong language (f-word all over)
 
mrg-factor: X
a little bit in passing

v-factor: ->
he does describe some of his books :)

Overall rating: ****

What are your writing book suggestions?

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Posted in 4 stars , adult , memoir , non-fiction , retro friday

Retro Friday Review & Classics Circuit Tour: The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe

Doing double duty today with the Classics Circuit Tour of Gothic Lit and a Retro Friday review:

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."

The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe
Publisher: Various
Publication date: 1794
ISBN: Various
Source: Library

Emily has lived an ideal life with her loving parents, until sorrow is thrust upon her when first one and then the other parent dies. Left alone in the care of an unfeeling aunt, she soon finds herself in the power of the merciless man her aunt marries. Shut away in the gloomy and haunted castle of Udolpho, she suffers afflictions of all kinds. Will she escape from her wicked uncle and the unwholesome company he keeps?

Things I Liked:
This is my first experience with a serious Gothic book (ok, I read Frankenstein and Northanger Abbey, but I'm excluding those).  I admit it was hard getting back into reading a classic, since I'm used to less archaic language.  What totally surprised me was just how creepy the story was!  When it finally got to the interesting stuff (see below for more on that) I was completely enthralled and creeped out!  No wonder young ladies read these with abandon.  All the dreadful and mysterious and unearthly things that could possibly happen to one heroine do.  I really wanted to read this in conjunction with Northanger Abbey, but ran out of time.  But I could see why if Cathy was reading all these Gothic romances she might start imagining and suspecting everyone around her.  It was lurid and disturbing and completely not what I expected.  Which made it quite an enjoyable Halloween read!

Things I Didn't Like:
As I mentioned above, the book really had a slow beginning.  If I hadn't been reading it for the Classics Tour, I'd have given up, which would have been a shame.  But it was about 150-200 pages in before I finally became interested in what was happening.  Enough with descriptions of pastoral scenes and natural beauty!  The story also kind of jumped around weirdly in places, randomly taking us to other characters very briefly to see what they did.  It is definitely a book to be enjoyed by those who aren't daunted by archaic phrasing and pages of description.  A nice abridged version would be great, or even a good movie version!

Read-alikes:

Definitely Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Anything else by Ann Radcliffe

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
perhaps one or two

mrg-factor: none
only some obliquely implied stuff

v-factor: ->
it has a touch of some disturbing stuff

Overall rating: ***

Thoughts on Gothic lit or this book in particular?

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Posted in 3 stars , classics , mystery , retro friday

Retro Friday Review: The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."


The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer
Publisher: Atheneum
Publication date: 2004
ISBN: 9780689867460
Source: Audiobook download from the library

When Jack and his sister are stolen by Northmen and taken as thralls to their home, Jack isn't quite sure what to do.  When they are brought before the half-troll queen, Frith, he ends up forced to go on a quest for a magical well hidden deep in the kingdom of the Trolls.  Can he complete this quest, with the help of the gruff Thorgill and Olaf one-Brow in time to save his sister from being sacrificed?


Things I Liked:
What a fun story!  I wish I'd read this one sooner.  The mythology is absolutely fabulous.  I adored learning more about Norse and Scandinavian mythos, particularly the gods and the trolls.  The story is interesting and unique and it evoked the great quests so common in high fantasy.  But what I really loved was the historical element as well.  This is set in the dark ages of England and Scandinavia and that setting is written so thoroughly that you can't help but fall into it!  The book is rich with myths and history and entirely relatable characters.  In addition, it talks so neatly about the issues of slavery and the animosity between countries that you almost don't notice it.  I adored Thorgill and I could write an entire treatise on her complexities, but I'll spare you.  I listened to this one on my new horrifically long commute to work and it kept my mind completely off the traffic (hopefully in a good way).  The narrator does incredible voices and accents and I truly loved delving into this story through audio.  A fantastically underrated fantasy series that I've got to read (or listen to) more of.

Things I Didn't Like:

It did seem a bit long, but for fantasy fans the thick book will be nothing extraordinary. 


Read-alikes:

It felt rather Lord of the Rings ish

Icefall by Matthew Kirby

A bit like the Percy Jackson books by Rick Riordan



BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: ! 
there were some here and there

mrg-factor: none 

v-factor: ->-> 

several rather gruesome battles described

Overall rating: ***** 

Anybody else read this series or know of any other Viking books for kids?

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Posted in audiobook , cross-over , Fantasy , highly recommended , historical fantasy , middle grade , retro friday , sea of trolls , Young Adult

Retro Friday Review: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."



Lonesome Dove: A Novel by Larry McMurtry
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: 1985
ISBN: 9781439195260 (among many)
Source: Library

I don't think it's really possible to write a "summary" of this book, since there is so much that happens.  Here's what I managed: McCall and Gus are two old Texas Rangers who decide to head to Montana, one of the last wild places in America, with a herd of cattle.  Along the way, they deal with young foolish cowboys and stubborn women and renegade Indians. 

Things I Liked:
This book is so epic I don't think I could talk about everything in it if I talked for a month.  I loved Gus most of all I think.  He seemed the most honest, the most likable character, though he does a lot of stuff that I wish he hadn't.  Also, Newt was another favorite of mine, looking to find himself and wondering when his life will truly begin.  The story has adventures and sorrow and hope and all kinds of human frailty woven into a huge epic tapestry.  I'm definitely not a fan of Westerns, but this one had me invested all the way through its 800+ pages.  An epic worth reading.


Things I Didn't Like:
It was hard to be interested at first.  I struggled through probably the first 100 pages and wondered when something would happen or when I'd start caring about the characters.  I gave it time and stuff happened and I ended up caring about the people.  In addition, it was just so sad that I almost didn't like it when I came to the end.  It seemed like everyone was unhappy and no one liked who they were or where they were.  Definitely not a book that will lift your spirits.  And the talk of whores all through the entire book really tired me. 

Read-alikes:
The only thing similar I remember reading is All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
Louis L'Amore stuff I'm sure

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
very regularly throughout, though no f-bombs
 
mrg-factor: XXXXX
it's everywhere in this book, some pretty graphic

v-factor: ->->
hey, in the old West, violence was a part of life

Overall rating: ****

Have you read this one?  I think I might be the only person who didn't adore it.

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Posted in 4 stars , adult , award winners , retro friday , western

Retro Friday Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."



Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Publication date: July 2007

ISBN: 9780545139700

Source: Purchased (of course)

Really?  I'm not going to bother with a summary. 


Things I Liked:

Even after reading it before, I am amazed I can still fall into the story so easily again. I know what will happen, but the action is so non-stop and heart-pounding I get caught up in it anyway.  And, having only read it once as fast as possible back in 2007, there were lots of delicious details I missed and needed refreshing.  Rowling is a master of suspense and giving you just the right amount of info at once that you feel like you know something, but then later you learn you didn't really know it at all.  I never once seemed to see any of her revelations coming.  Lily and Snape, Dumbledore's family, the horcruxes, nothing.  Fantastic story, exciting ending, and still fascinating enough to be reread often.  I managed to reread it before I saw the last movie installment (mind you, I didn't see it for several months) and I was reminded how superior the books are to the movies.  In my opinion. 


Things I Didn't Like:
I was struck again at just how nearly ridiculous it becomes that Harry can have so many near-death or near-Voldemort experiences and get out every time.  I think it stretched its believability to the max, but no one cares because we love Harry and his innate ability to get out of scrapes (with luck and his friends).  


Read-alikes:

Nothing quite like it, but you know the first six Harry Potter books

For post-Harry withdrawals, I liked the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan



BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
a few here and there
mrg-factor: none
except occasional snogging


v-factor: ->->->
loads of this, though


Overall rating: *****

Do you have a favorite part of this book?  What do you wish had been in the movie that didn't make the cut?



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Posted in 5 stars , Fantasy , harry potter , highly recommended , retro friday , Young Adult

Retro Friday Review: The River Between Us by Richard Peck

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."

The River Between Us by Richard Peck
Publisher: Puffin
Publication date: 2003
ISBN: 978-0142403105
Source: Library (audiobook)

Howard Hutchings has a lot to learn about his family's history. While visiting his extended family, he hears all about his grandmother Tilly and what happened one year when her family took in two strangers from the South.  Delphine and Calinda are not your typical young ladies near the beginning of the Civil War.  But bringing them into the Pruitt family changes all their lives forever.

Things I Liked:  
I absolutely adored Tilly's story!  The beginning and end are told from Howard's viewpoint and his reaction to the story, but in between is where the good stuff is.  I listened to this while we were moving from UT to AZ, and it kept my attention from the first word.  The setting is beautifully created and you feel exactly like you are there in that small town, seeing these two larger-than-life ladies.  Not only is it fabulously told with Peck's gorgeous writing style, but the story tugs at your heart and I found myself getting teary a few times.  A poignant and classic historical fiction.

Things I Didn't Like:
I was mildly annoyed that I had to start out with Howard, since he played no true part in the story.  His stuff at the end made more sense, but I didn't particularly care about him or his reactions, because I had very little introduction to him.  It's Tilly's story (and Delphine's, Calinda's and Cass') that I cared about.  Fortunately he was only in the story a very little.  (I put both hardcover and paperback covers here - I thought it strange that they went from a woman to a man, both in Civil War attire.  I guess to appeal to boys more?)

Read-alikes:
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick
Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt
Girl in Blue by Ann Rinaldi

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
that I recall

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

Every time I read a well-written historical fiction, I remember how much I love them. Do you have favorites in this genre?

If you buy through my Amazon linkage, I will get a very small percentage

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Posted in 4 stars , audiobook , award winners , Historical Fiction , middle grade , retro friday , Young Adult

Retro Friday Review: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."
  
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
Publisher: Various
Publication date: 1971
ISBN: 0912376015
Source: Library, for book group

This is the true story of Corrie Ten Boom and her family, who become the center of an underground resistance in Holland during WWII.  When Corrie and her family are discovered, they are sent to prison.  Facing deprivations and transfer to a concentration camp, Corrie and he sister Betsie find beauty and bring religion to the people they meet.

Things I Liked:
What an absolutely inspiring story!  This book has the power to change people's lives and even better, their behavior.  I was entranced with Corrie's family - the descriptions of the daily things her father and sisters would do and say just exemplify a Christian lifestyle.  I loved the genuinely honest comments Corrie makes about herself and her little weaknesses.  She seems so willing to recognize her mistakes and to praise the strengths of others that you begin to see just how truly good she is as well.  Towards the end, when they are in the concentration camp, the scenes of utter despair and horror are so powerfully juxtaposed to the sisters' devoted and hallowed attitudes that I have no ability to describe my own feelings about it.  This book will make you so grateful for the many conveniences you enjoy and it will (hopefully) help you to see the good in every difficult situation you face.  An amazing account of sincerely religious and happy everyday people who were able to overcome the tragedies in their lives through faith in God.  Just a few of the many places I marked in the book.

Mama's love had always been the kind that acted itself out with soup pot and sewing basket.  But now that these things were taken away, the love seemed as whole as before.  She sat in her chair at the window and loved us.  She loved the peple she saw in the street - and beyond: her love took in the city, the land of Holland, the world.  And so I learned that love is larger than the walls which hut it in.  p 48

Back in the dining room I pulled back the coverlet from the baby's face.  There was a long silence.  The man bent forward, his hand in spite of himself reaching for the tiny fist curled round the blanket.  For a moment I saw compassion and fear struggle in his face.  Then he straightened.  "No. Definitely not.  We could lose our lives for that Jewish child!"  Unseen by either of us, Father had appeared in the doorway.  "give the child to me, Corrie," he said....  "You say we could lose our lives for this child.  I would consider that the greatest honor that could come to my family." p 99

Once again we considered stopping the work.  Once again we discovered we could not.  That night Father and Betsie and I prayed long after the others had gone to bed.  We knew that in spite of daily mounting risks we had no choice but to move forward.  This was evil's hour; we could not run away from it.  Perhaps only when human effort had done its best and failed, would God's power along be free to work.  p 123

But as the rest of the world grew stranger, one thing became increasingly clear.  And that was the reason the two of us were here.  Why others should suffer we were not shown.  As for us, from morning until lights-out, whenever we were not in ranks for roll call, our Bible was the center of an ever-widening circle of help and hope.  Life waifs clustered around a blazing fire, we gathered about it, holding out our hearts to its warmth and light.  The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the word of God.  p 194

And as the cold increased, so did the special temptation of concentration-camp life: the temptation to think only of oneself.  It took a thousand cunning forms.  I quickly discovered that when I maneuvered our way toward the middle of the roll-call formation, we had a little protection from the wind  I knew this was self-centered: when Betsie and I stood in the center, someone else had to stand on the edge.  How easy it was to give it other names!  I was acting only for Betsie's sake.  We were in an important ministry and must keep well.  It was colder in Poland than in Holland; these Polish women probably were not feeling the chill the way we were.  Selfishness had a life of its own. p 213

"...must tell people what we have learned here.  We must tell them that there is no pit so deep that HE is not deeper still.  They will listen to us, Corrie, because we have been here." p 217

Things I Didn't Like:
Honestly, while the writing may not have been amazing, I didn't even notice most of the time, because the story is so engrossing and powerful.  I encourage every person to read this book, no matter their religion or beliefs.

Read-alikes:
Anne Frank - The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
Night by Elie Wiesel

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !
probably one or two 

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->->
not exactly violence, but the cruelties of concentration camps are described

Overall rating: *****

Anybody else inspired by this memoir?

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Posted in 5 stars , adult , book group , highly recommended , inspirational , memoir , non-fiction , retro friday

Retro Friday Review: These is my Words by Nancy E. Turner

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."  
 

These is my Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1881-1901 by Nancy Turner
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Publication date: 1998
ISBN: 9780061458033
Source: Library (for book group)

Sarah Prine is growing up on the frontier in Arizona Territory in the last decades of the 1800s.  While life is far from easy, Sarah manages to find beauty and good things in reading and writing in her journal.  Her life from a 17-year-old girl to a married woman with several children is filled with sorrows, struggles, and trials, but she triumphs over it all with an indomitable spirit.

Things I Liked:
I really fell in love with this book.  I'm so glad I finally got to pick it up for book group!  Sarah Prine was just such a rich, strong, and lively character that I felt like she was a real person (even if much of the story, though loosely based on a real woman, is fictional).  It made me want to know more about my own ancestors who struggled to survive in untamed territory and dealt with death and sorrow and fear every day.  I have to admit that I was swept away in the love story as well.  Captain Elliot was a sweet and in some ways very prickly person (which made him more real).  Several members of our book club were struck by how unrealistic it felt, and that is probably pretty true, but I think there are many good times and sweet memories of relationships that can make this one ring true.  Perhaps it wasn't entirely realistic, but it is in diary form and can be considered biased in that method of storytelling (thank you book club discussion).  We had a great discussion with multiple opposing opinions that helped me get a broader grasp of the story.  I still really enjoyed the story and the adventures and the feel of this book.  Some favorite parts:

That is the prettiest kind of tree there is to me.  A cottonwood makes a little sound with the leaves like they are talking to each other, a gentle and soft sound.  In the fall they turn yellow and copper and the ground under a cottonwood looks like it is covered with pennies.  Under our cottonwood back home I used to collect the pennies and pretend I was rich. p 6

It is an awful thing to look on such sad circumstance and not be able to shed a tear.  It is not because I do not feel for these folks, but maybe I feel too much.  Part of me is glad, in a low down, mean way, that it is not Albert's or Mama's graves we are digging.  Glad that it is some soldiers I don't know and neighbors or friends but not family.  Lord, I must be the cussedest woman there is to think that.  Finally, I felt so guilty for thinking those things that I cried.  Then I began to feel the heartaches of our friends and neightbors and I cried for them, too, as we said prayers over each and every grave.  p 162

Things I Didn't Like:
At times, the story was just a little too unbelievable.  So many bad things happening one after another.  It seemed like it was unrealistic for them to experience all the things that could possibly happen to settlers - train robbery, Indian attacks, bandits, snakes, floods - you name it, it happened.  When I suspended that disbelief, I was ok with it.

Read-alikes:
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry I assume is a bit like it (correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't read it)
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
some here and there

mrg-factor: X
nothing too descriptive

v-factor: ->->->
all those attacks and the suffering isn't lightly passed over

Overall rating: *****

What did you think of this book?

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Posted in 5 stars , adult , book group , highly recommended , Historical Fiction , retro friday

Retro Friday Review: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Publisher: various (HarperCollins for this particular iteration)
Publication date: 1942
ISBN: 9780060652890
Source: Library (for book group)

In a series of letters from Screwtape, a devil of some status, to his nephew Wormwood, a underdevil, we learn about the machinations of tempters.  Screwtape offers practical as well as philosophical advice to his nephew on how best to tempt the male human he has been put in charge of. 

Things I Liked:
I love the sly and yet meaningful things that Screwtape says.  We read this for our book club and everyone enjoyed the humorous aspect of reversing the view we normally have about Heaven and Hell.  What I found most impressive about this, though, was how subtly it portrays the temptations we fall into.  It rang true that many of us who consider ourselves Christian are more susceptible to small and unobtrusive sins.  I found myself realizing (again) how many of these things I fall prey to and how they lead me towards doing wrong or just not doing right.  An interesting look at Christianity and living a good life from the perspective of one who wants to prevent that.  Some favorites:

Work hard, then, on the disappointment or anticlimax which is certainly coming to the patient during his first few weeks as a churchman.  The Enemy allows this disappointment to occur on the threshold of every human endeavour.  It occurs when the boy who has been enchanted in the nursery by Stories from the Odyssey buckles down to really learn Greek.  It occurs when lovers have got married and begin the real task of learning to live together.  In every department of life it marks the transition from dreaming aspirations to laborious doing.  p 7

At the very least, they can be persuaded that the bodily position makes no difference to their prayers; for they constantly forget, what you must always remember, that they are animals and whatever their bodies do affects their souls.  It is funny how mortals always picture us as putting things into their minds: in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.  p 16

Your patient has become humble; have you drawn his attention to this fact?  All virtues are less formidable to us once the man is aware that he has them, but this is specially true of humility.  Catch him at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, 'By jove!  I'm being humble', and almost immediately pride - pride at his own humility - will appear.  p 69

A woman means by Unselfishness chiefly taking trouble for others; a man means not giving trouble to others.  As a result, a woman who is quite far gone in the enemy's service will make a nuisance of herself on a larger scale than any man except those whom Our Father has dominated completely; and conversely, a man will live long in the Enemy's camp before he undertakes as much spontaneous work to please others as a quite ordinary woman may do every day.  Thus while the woman things of doing good offices and the man of respecting other people's rights, each sex, without any obvious unreason, can and does regard the other as radically selfish.  p 142

The long, dull, monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or middle-aged adversity are excellent campaigning weather.  You see, it is so hard for these creatures to persevere.  The routine of adversity, the gradual decay od youthful loves and youthful hopes, the quiet despair (hardly felt as pain) of ever overcoming the chronic temptations with which we have again and again defeated them, the drabness which we create in their lives and the inarticulate resentment with which we teach them to respond to it - all this provides admirable opportunities of wearing out a soul by attrition.  p 155

Things I Didn't Like:
There were a few members of the club who felt like they didn't want to continue reading because it made them feel guilty.  It can, like many religious books, make us painfully aware of our shortcomings, though I think it does better than many in not sounding as preachy or as depressing.  Also, Lewis is a lot more philosophical and abstract than I can understand.  Sometimes, he would talk about things and I would become very lost in my understanding.  Still, when he would return to something I understood, I always learned something about myself or others.  

Read-alikes:
Probably anything nonfiction by C.S. Lewis

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: ****

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Posted in 4 stars , adult , book group , inspirational , retro friday

Retro Friday Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc." 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: 2005
ISBN: 9780375842207
Source: personal copy (reread for book club)

Guys, I really struggled with a summary of this book.  I just don't think it's possible for me to write it well enough.  But here's what I will say: story of a young girl growing up in World War II Germany.  All told from the narrative perspective of a compassionate Death, Liesel's story will break your heart and lift your spirits at the same time.

Things I Liked:
Does this book really need more gushing?  Could I possibly be able to say anything new about it?  Probably not.  I'll just say, if you haven't picked this book up, you really should.  The writing alone is worth the read - gorgeous, different, vivid and expressive, it will make you think differently about nearly everything you know about WWII Germany.  The story itself is slow to unfold, but you become acquainted with the characters and fall in love with them, and then suffer when they do.  It is a rich, detailed and simply lovely story, with such a unique and intriguing narrator that you will find yourself flying through the pages.  Read it.  And then read it again.  And again.  After meeting Markus Zusak, I loved the story even more.  Some of the many, many parts I loved:

I could introduce myself properly, but it's not really necessary.  You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables.  It suffices to say that at some point in time, I will be standing over you, as genially as possible.  Your soul will be in my arms.  A color will be perched on my shoulder.  I will carry you gently away.  At that moment, you will be lying there (I rarely find people standing up).  You will be caked in your own body.  There might be a discovery; a scream will dribble down the air.  The only sound I'll hear after that will be my own breathing, and the sound of the smell, of my footsteps.  The question is, what color will everything be at that moment when I come for you?  What will the sky be saying?  Personally, I like a chocolate-colored sky.  Dark, dark chocolate.  People say it suits me.  I do, however, try to enjoy every color I see - the whole spectrum.  A billion or so flavors, none of them quite the same, and a sky to slowly suck on.  It takes the edge off the stress.  It helps me relax. p 4

She was the book thief without the words.  Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like rain.  p 80

Many jocular comments followed, as did another onslaught of "heil Hitlering."  You know, it actually makes me wonder if anyone ever lost an eye or injured a hand or wrist with all of that.  You'd only need to be facing the wrong way at the wrong time or stand marginally too close to another person.  Perhaps people did get injured.  Personally, I can only tell you that no one died from it, or at least, not physically.  p 111

Yes, the Fuhrer decided that he would rule the world with words.  "I will never fire a gun," he devised.  "I will not have to."  Still, he was not rash.  Let's allow him at least that much.  He was not a stupid man at all.  His first plan of attack was to plant the words in as many areas of his homeland as possible.  He planted them day and night, and cultivated them.  He watched them grow, until eventually, great forests of words had risen throughout Germany....It was a nation of farmed thoughts.  p 445

Things I Didn't Like:
This being my second time reading it, I was struck again by how many swear words there are.  Mind you, many of them are German, but the religious exclamations also made me uncomfortable, but I don't think they'll bother many people.  I know it didn't detract much from the beauty and bitterness of the story for me.  Also, it really isn't a short book and might be a bit hard for those who can't invest much time and effort into the reading, but know it will be worth it if you can.  
 
Read-alikes:
Honestly, not much like any other WWII book I've read, but try  
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne 
Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli 
Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#
as mentioned above, mostly German or religious

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: ->->
not a lot in number, but necessary as part of the story

Overall rating: *****

Anybody out there not read this book?

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Posted in 5 stars , adult , book group , cross-over , highly recommended , historical fantasy , retro friday , Young Adult

Book Review: Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc." 

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
Publisher: Yearling
Publication date: September 2006
ISBN: 9780385735957
Source: Audiobook downloaded from the library

 

Hattie has lived all her life depending on the charity of family.  But, when her uncle leaves her a claim for land in Montana, she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime - trying to prove up that claim so she can keep the land.  She faces the deadly winter of Montana and the harsh life that the prairie can exact of its settlers.  Will she meet the deadline and will she be able to survive until then?

Things I Liked:
This story is fantastic!  I just fell in love with Hattie and I laughed and cried through everything she faced and overcame.  Her determination, her strength of character and will can inspire any person to do difficult things.  I've always had a soft spot for settler stories and this is a darn good one.  I especially loved the other stories she wove into this tale - the prejudice many fought against and the fear of foreigners during WWI.  Most stories show that during WWII, but not as many have it occurring during WWI as well.  A fantastic story that any historical fiction fan should read.  I was a big fan of the narrator in this audiobook (listened on the drive to Arizona while I was moving).  She really captured the character and spunk of Hattie. 

Things I Didn't Like:
Honestly, I just loved it.  The ending was a little bittersweet, but I think that was the best way to do it.  I didn't like the narrator's male voices very much, but since it was mostly Hattie, it didn't bother me too much.  Read it (or listen to it) if you haven't already!

Read-alikes:
Reminded me a little of These Is My Words by Nancy Turner
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingells Wilder (of course)
Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

June is audiobook month! Check out Devourer of Books awesome week-long celebration of audiobooks.  Got a favorite audiobook?

 

And don't forget to enter my two current giveaways - there's still time (Dark City by Catherine Fisher and Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier).

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Posted in 5 stars , audiobook , award winners , highly recommended , Historical Fiction , retro friday , Young Adult

Retro Friday Book Review: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc."

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Publisher: many
Publication date: 1910/1911
ISBN: many
Source: audio download from library

When Mary Lennox is sent to England to live with her uncle, she finds everything is very different than what it was in India.  She has no servants to wait on her hand and foot and no one cares if she is lonely or sad.  When she discovers a secret garden, she finds an outlet for her anger and begins to transform just as the plants do from winter to spring.  She also helps her cousin, Colin, to change from a sickly, weak and spoiled little boy to a strong healthy one. 

Things I Liked:
I'd forgotten just how magical this book was.  My husband and I listened to it on a road trip and it really is delightful.  Even my husband laughed and enjoyed the story.  We especially loved the accents and voices that Josephine Bailey used (top notch, really, she was great).  The story sucks you in and the magic of the secret garden seems so real.  I loved listening again to how Mary changed and then helped to change Colin and he helped to change his father.  A beautiful story of growing up and the magic of nature.  Seriously, I felt so nostalgic listening to this, remembering adoring this story when I was younger.  I can't wait until I have kids I can introduce to this story for the first time.

Things I Didn't Like:
Not much I can think of.  A great story that still has remarkable appeal for kids today (and adults, apparently).

Read-alikes:
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
And really a hundred other classic children's stories, simply for nostalgia

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none

mrg-factor: none

v-factor: none

Overall rating: *****

What's a book you loved as a child that you still love as an adult?

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Posted in 5 stars , audiobook , classics , magical realism , middle grade , retro friday

Retro Friday Book Review: The Thirteenth Tale Diane Setterfield

Retro Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Angie of Angieville and "focuses on reviewing books from the past. This can be an old favorite, an under-the-radar book you think deserves more attention, something woefully out of print, etc." 

The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel by Diane Setterfield
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Publication date: 2006
ISBN: 9780743298032
Source: Library

 

When the mysterious Vida Winter, a famous but secretive author, sends Margaret Lea an invitation to write her biography, Lea is astounded.  Not only is Miss Winter a recluse, but she is also famous for her wild stories about her past, none of which are true.  But she accepts and enters a world where Miss Winter brings to life the horrible and twisted past of her family's secrets.  Piece by piece, Lea is given a view of a terrible childhood filled with dread and remorse.  Can Lea trust what Miss Winter is telling her or is she being led astray as others have before her?

Things I Liked:
I loved the feel of the book - the creepy and twisted and weird story line and how it unraveled oh so slowly.  I adored the bookish elements of it - how it was about a writer and how books seemed to play such an integral part of the story.  It felt a lot like some of my favorite classic books - Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Rebecca - with its Gothic feel and spooky, disturbing mystery.  It also kept reminding me of a Dickens novel with all the different characters whose lives are intertwined in unknown ways.  Definitely worth all of the time it takes to read and all of the praise people have given it (why ever didn't I read it sooner).  The characters are so interesting and you simply  have to know what they will do next.  And that ending really took me by surprise!

Things I Didn't Like:
I admit I was a bit tired of Miss Winters' hidden and oblique statements by the end.  I just wanted her to get it out.  Perhaps that is how the reader is supposed to feel, though.  Also, like some Gothic novels, the plot can be a little ridiculous and unbelievable at times.  That's part of their charm for me!  It definitely didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

Read-alikes:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
some, but not too many

mrg-factor: X
a very short section and some scattered references, but nothing explicit

v-factor: ->->
more of disturbing stuff than downright violence

Overall rating: *****

I've seen varying opinions on this one. What's yours?

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Posted in 5 stars , adult , highly recommended , mystery , retro friday