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karenluvstoread's reviews
149 reviews
Snow by Orhan Pamuk
4.0
This novel feels quite hard to review. It had so many different elements to it - from mystery to a cultural clash to interpersonal relationships to religious factions. There was also quite a bit of philosophy in this book, but in such a way that it didn’t feel confusing but instead, understandable. I really appreciated that because sometimes highly philosophical discussions can get a bit abstract for me. 🙃
The story very much had the feel and tone of some of the Russian classic literature novels I’ve read…that melancholy tone that seems to pervade the pages of a Dostoevsky novel for example.
The writing itself was beautiful. Very poetic. The writing sometimes had a cadence to it, especially when talking about the snow. Here’s a sample:
"Much later, when he thought about how he'd written this poem, he had a vision of a snowflake; this snowflake, he decided, was his life writ small; the poem that had unlocked the meaning of his life, he now saw sitting at its center." (p. 94)
This book pulled me in but then I admit, I was very glad to finish it. The last few chapters felt like it took forever to read. In spite of that though, I really liked the storytelling, the writing, and the depth of the novel. Deeply written, probing, and very thought-provoking, this book was a solid 4 star read.
The story very much had the feel and tone of some of the Russian classic literature novels I’ve read…that melancholy tone that seems to pervade the pages of a Dostoevsky novel for example.
The writing itself was beautiful. Very poetic. The writing sometimes had a cadence to it, especially when talking about the snow. Here’s a sample:
"Much later, when he thought about how he'd written this poem, he had a vision of a snowflake; this snowflake, he decided, was his life writ small; the poem that had unlocked the meaning of his life, he now saw sitting at its center." (p. 94)
This book pulled me in but then I admit, I was very glad to finish it. The last few chapters felt like it took forever to read. In spite of that though, I really liked the storytelling, the writing, and the depth of the novel. Deeply written, probing, and very thought-provoking, this book was a solid 4 star read.
Night by Elie Wiesel
Wow! What a powerful read! Wiesel shares a lot about what life was like in the concentration camp. He also shares the deep struggle he had with God from seeing and enduring such horrific things. When I listened to his sharing of his thoughts on this, it was deeply moving and very powerful. I had to try hard not to just break down and cry off and on throughout the listening of this book. I wasn't successful....I was in tears multiple times. I don't think one could read/listen to this book and not be moved to tears.
Powerful and deeply moving, I think this one should be required reading right up there with The Diary of Anne Frank.
Also, I do highly recommend the audiobook for this one.
From Elie Wiesel:
Powerful and deeply moving, I think this one should be required reading right up there with The Diary of Anne Frank.
Also, I do highly recommend the audiobook for this one.
From Elie Wiesel:
“Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky. Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.”
Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones
I learned a good bit about the nature of this conflict as well as its impact on the Bougainvillians just by reading the book. Then my research gave me more details of the particulars.
The author also helps the reader get to know the island itself through amazing descriptive writing such as:
This novel is about community, culture, and relationships; but it’s also about the power of books and reading as well as the power of imagination. And yes, Dickens' classic novel Great Expectations is a major part of the story.
Mister Pip is a book that is hard to read at times; but it's such a powerful story! It was a solid 5 star read!
5.0
Oh my y'all! This book was so good! It was wonderfully written yet also brutal to read at times.
The story is set in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea at the time of the Bougainville Conflict. When I finished reading it, I went down a rabbit hole researching what the Bougainville Conflict was. It was a multi-year civil war in the North Solomon Islands (which is a province of Papua New Guinea) lasting from 1988-1998. According to Wikipedia:
The story is set in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea at the time of the Bougainville Conflict. When I finished reading it, I went down a rabbit hole researching what the Bougainville Conflict was. It was a multi-year civil war in the North Solomon Islands (which is a province of Papua New Guinea) lasting from 1988-1998. According to Wikipedia:
“The conflict was described by Bougainvillean President John Momis as the largest conflict in Oceania since the end of World War II in 1945, with an estimated 15,000–20,000 Bougainvilleans dead, although lower estimates place the toll at around 1,000–2,000.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bougainville_conflict)
I learned a good bit about the nature of this conflict as well as its impact on the Bougainvillians just by reading the book. Then my research gave me more details of the particulars.
The author also helps the reader get to know the island itself through amazing descriptive writing such as:
“Bougainville is one of the most fertile places on earth. Drop a seed in the soil and three months later it is a plant with shiny green leaves. Another three months and you are picking its fruit. But for a machete, we would have no land of our own. Left alone the bush would march down the steep hillsides and bury our villages in flower and vine.”
(p. 14-15)
“There are days when the humidity rises and rises and gets heavier and heavier until, at last, it bursts. The rain falls and you breathe again.” (p. 94)
This novel is about community, culture, and relationships; but it’s also about the power of books and reading as well as the power of imagination. And yes, Dickens' classic novel Great Expectations is a major part of the story.
Mister Pip is a book that is hard to read at times; but it's such a powerful story! It was a solid 5 star read!
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
5.0
This was my third time reading this magnificent book and I went with this particular translation this time around since I hadn't read the Hapgood translation yet. It's a fine translation, but I still prefer both the Donougher as well as the Fahnestock and MacAfee translations better. If I had to pick one for a first time reader of this epic masterpiece, I would recommend the Christine Donougher translation.
For my review of this book, check out my review I posted with the Fahnestock and MacAfee translation.
For my review of this book, check out my review I posted with the Fahnestock and MacAfee translation.
Les Miserables: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) by Victor Hugo
5.0
For my second time reading Les Miserables, I chose this translation and I really liked it! The first time I read the Fahnestock and MacAfee translation and it was great as well. I definitely can recommend both of these translations!
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a heartwarming quick read that I definitely plan to read again sometime.
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. The writing itself was not always spectacular; but the story made up for that. While it’s a story about a young woman who discovers a love of books and reading, it’s also about relationships and healing. And books are at the center of that.
One of the scenes I loved in this book was when a love of reading was sparked. Here's a passage from that scene:
One of the scenes I loved in this book was when a love of reading was sparked. Here's a passage from that scene:
“I burrowed under my covers and began to read. My hope was that the book would be boring enough that I would fall right asleep. But a funny thing happened. An hour later, I was totally absorbed in it.”
(p. 33)
(p. 33)
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop is a heartwarming quick read that I definitely plan to read again sometime.
Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa
4.0
Sweet Bean Paste is such a beautifully written book. I found it both emotionally affecting and heart-warming. Sentaro is an ex-con working in a confectionary shop, a job that he’s doing because he has to in order to pay back a debt that is owed. He meets Tokue, an elderly woman who ends up changing his life. It’s a story of unlikely friendships, new found family, and acceptance and belonging.
I thought I'd share a few passages from the book.
“I pay attention to the language of things in this world that don’t use words. That’s what I call Listening, and I’ve been doing it for sixty years now.” (p. 116)
“It’s my belief that everything in this world has its own language. We have the ability to open up our ears and minds to anything and everything.” (p. 117)
And I really appreciate this from the Author’s Note:
“Anyone is capable of making a positive contribution to the world through simple observation, irrespective of circumstance.” (p. 182)
If you are looking for a quiet, heartwarming novel, you might like to give this one a try. 😊
I thought I'd share a few passages from the book.
“I pay attention to the language of things in this world that don’t use words. That’s what I call Listening, and I’ve been doing it for sixty years now.” (p. 116)
“It’s my belief that everything in this world has its own language. We have the ability to open up our ears and minds to anything and everything.” (p. 117)
And I really appreciate this from the Author’s Note:
“Anyone is capable of making a positive contribution to the world through simple observation, irrespective of circumstance.” (p. 182)
If you are looking for a quiet, heartwarming novel, you might like to give this one a try. 😊
Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset
The KristIn Lavransdatter trilogy had been on my TBR list for quite some time. Then finally, at the end of last year I decided to tackle it. It is made up of three books: The Wreath, The Wife, and The Cross. I read the first two at the end of last year and then read the third book in January of this year.
I think this trilogy was beautifully written as far as writing style goes. Great descriptive writing, no major plot holes, a memorable main character, immersive in the landscape and era, easy to follow.
But by the third book, I admit I was ready to move on. I found myself wanting to just get the book finished. I feel like it began to drag on and I just wasn’t as enthused about that third book.
Might this indicate that it could have been shorter? I don’t know. But I think that maybe the oomph of the story that kept me reading through the first two books might have remained had the trilogy been just a tad bit shorter. Maybe that’s being picky, maybe it’s not. But either way, I’m glad I read the series.
I did a combination of reading in print and listening to the audiobook. And I will say, the audiobook was really good! If you like audiobooks, I definitely highly recommend the audiobook for this one.
MY RATING:
Book 1 The Wreath - 4 stars
Book 2 The Wife - 4 stars
Book 3 The Cross - 3.5 stars
I think this trilogy was beautifully written as far as writing style goes. Great descriptive writing, no major plot holes, a memorable main character, immersive in the landscape and era, easy to follow.
But by the third book, I admit I was ready to move on. I found myself wanting to just get the book finished. I feel like it began to drag on and I just wasn’t as enthused about that third book.
Might this indicate that it could have been shorter? I don’t know. But I think that maybe the oomph of the story that kept me reading through the first two books might have remained had the trilogy been just a tad bit shorter. Maybe that’s being picky, maybe it’s not. But either way, I’m glad I read the series.
I did a combination of reading in print and listening to the audiobook. And I will say, the audiobook was really good! If you like audiobooks, I definitely highly recommend the audiobook for this one.
MY RATING:
Book 1 The Wreath - 4 stars
Book 2 The Wife - 4 stars
Book 3 The Cross - 3.5 stars
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Selznick goes on to talk about all that in more detail. He also did quite a bit of research in different areas as well in order to tell these stories. As I was reading the book, I didn’t realize that the Ahnighito was a real thing or that Gunflint Lake was an actual place. So I looked them up and read more about them. Definitely make sure to read the Author’s Note so you can see all the research that went into this book!
There is a magical quality to this book, as there is to The Invention of Hugo Cabret and The Marvels. And I love that quality about them! Wonderstruck is beautifully and compassionately written. It is magical and mesmerizing and full of wonder. Also, be sure to read this in print because the illustrations are integral to the story. In fact, they tell parts of the story just as the illustrations do in The Invention of Hugo Cabret and The Marvels.
5.0
I am a huge fan of Selznick’s work. I absolutely loved The Invention of Hugo Cabret and The Marvels. So I was tickled to be able to finally buy a copy of Wonderstruck and read it. In Wonderstruck, the two main characters are Ben and Rose. Their stories start out in two different times: 1977 for Ben’s story and 1927 for Rose’s story. Ben’s story is told in words and Rose’s story is told in pictures for most of the book.
Ben’s mom has passed away and he’s staying with relatives. He never knew his father. One night Ben finds a locket with a picture of who he thinks must be his father and that sets him on a journey to find his father.
Rose has great interest in an actress whom she keeps a scrapbook of. Eventually, she runs away on a quest to find this actress and that sets her off on a journey as well.
I can’t say much about either of these journeys, especially Rose’s, because it would give away points of the story. And I don’t want to give any spoilers. What I can tell you is that these two separate stories weave in and out and eventually merge. And at the point that they merge, the pictures and words merge as well. It was so brilliantly done!
Selznick tells these stories in Wonderstruck in a heartfelt way and with much depth. One of the key elements the book explores is the deaf community and culture. In the Author’s note, Selznick says:
“While I was working on The Invention of Hugo Cabret, I saw a documentary called Through Deaf Eyes, about the history of Deaf culture in America…I was especially fascinated by a section about cinema and the new technology of sound, which was introduced into the movies in 1927. Prior to this, both deaf and hearing populations could enjoy the cinema together. Sound movies, for the first time, excluded the deaf. That insight was the beginning of Rose’s story. The documentary also featured an interview with a young deaf man who was raised by hearing parents, as many deaf people are. It wasn’t until he went to college and met other deaf people that he felt he had really found his community. That fascinated me, and I became intrigued by the idea of looking for one’s culture outside of one’s biological family…Since I knew early on that both of my main characters would be deaf, I wanted to learn as much as possible about Deaf culture. I read books, conducted interviews, and had conversations with people who are deaf or who are experts on aspects of Deaf culture…” (p. 630, 632)
Selznick goes on to talk about all that in more detail. He also did quite a bit of research in different areas as well in order to tell these stories. As I was reading the book, I didn’t realize that the Ahnighito was a real thing or that Gunflint Lake was an actual place. So I looked them up and read more about them. Definitely make sure to read the Author’s Note so you can see all the research that went into this book!
There is a magical quality to this book, as there is to The Invention of Hugo Cabret and The Marvels. And I love that quality about them! Wonderstruck is beautifully and compassionately written. It is magical and mesmerizing and full of wonder. Also, be sure to read this in print because the illustrations are integral to the story. In fact, they tell parts of the story just as the illustrations do in The Invention of Hugo Cabret and The Marvels.
When the Emperor Was Divine by Julie Otsuka
3.5
This is a well-written historical fiction novel about a Japanese-American family who gets evacuated to an internment camp in Utah during World War II. The novel chronicles the events from before the family is evacuated all the way through when they return home.
While we get a glimpse into what happened in this time in history, Otsuka mainly focuses on how the evacuation, internment, and finally the return home affect the particular family in the story. It’s not dramatized or overly emotional. It’s more like the author has laid out events of what happened with this family, letting the reader experience the story from a distance. As the narrative is built and told to the reader in a short amount of pages, the writing is succinct and precise.
While we get a glimpse into what happened in this time in history, Otsuka mainly focuses on how the evacuation, internment, and finally the return home affect the particular family in the story. It’s not dramatized or overly emotional. It’s more like the author has laid out events of what happened with this family, letting the reader experience the story from a distance. As the narrative is built and told to the reader in a short amount of pages, the writing is succinct and precise.