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karenluvstoread's reviews
154 reviews
This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3.0
This Side of Paradise was F. Scott Fitzgerald’s first published novel, written when he was just 23 years old. The story is a character sketch. At one point, Fitzgerald actually called it a “quest novel”. The main character, Amory Blaine, is on a quest to discover who he is.
Amory is not a very likeable character. He is presented as self-absorbed, lazy, and egotistical. He is quite fickle, doesn’t know what he wants, and squanders time and money. He was raised in wealth; and both he and his mother lived quite unconventional lives at the time.
As Amory went off to school, he struggled to fit in. As the story unfolds, we see glimpses here and there of him potentially slowly beginning to grow and mature. Ultimately, he is in a struggle to understand who he is and where he fits in the world.
I honestly felt like a good portion of this book was a chore to read. Still, there were moments where I was able to engage more in the story, especially later on when I saw him growing more. But even with these glimpses of what looked like growth and maturity, the ending felt lacking. As far as the description of it being a quest novel, I can see how the ending was fitting; but it really wasn’t a satisfying ending in my opinion. I wanted to see more growth in the character.
Also, this book does feel a bit like it meanders. However, we have to keep in mind that it is meant to be a character sketch; not a plot-driven story. I actually usually enjoy a good character-driven book; but this one missed the mark for me. I just couldn’t get invested in it as much as I tried. However, I will say one of the highlights were all the mentions of books and authors. That was certainly a fun aspect of the book.
In the end, I’m glad to have read this book to see how Fitzgerald’s writing was in his first book; but I was very glad to be finished with it. 😁
Amory is not a very likeable character. He is presented as self-absorbed, lazy, and egotistical. He is quite fickle, doesn’t know what he wants, and squanders time and money. He was raised in wealth; and both he and his mother lived quite unconventional lives at the time.
As Amory went off to school, he struggled to fit in. As the story unfolds, we see glimpses here and there of him potentially slowly beginning to grow and mature. Ultimately, he is in a struggle to understand who he is and where he fits in the world.
I honestly felt like a good portion of this book was a chore to read. Still, there were moments where I was able to engage more in the story, especially later on when I saw him growing more. But even with these glimpses of what looked like growth and maturity, the ending felt lacking. As far as the description of it being a quest novel, I can see how the ending was fitting; but it really wasn’t a satisfying ending in my opinion. I wanted to see more growth in the character.
Also, this book does feel a bit like it meanders. However, we have to keep in mind that it is meant to be a character sketch; not a plot-driven story. I actually usually enjoy a good character-driven book; but this one missed the mark for me. I just couldn’t get invested in it as much as I tried. However, I will say one of the highlights were all the mentions of books and authors. That was certainly a fun aspect of the book.
In the end, I’m glad to have read this book to see how Fitzgerald’s writing was in his first book; but I was very glad to be finished with it. 😁
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
4.0
Growing up, we had a TV with an antenna. Cable TV was available at the time, but we didn’t have it until later on in my teenage years. I can remember we could only pick up just a handful of stations on our TV with the antenna. And at some point when I was in elementary school, I remember my parents buying a VCR. A VCR! How exciting! We were actually able to watch movies that we could pick out at the local movie rental store. It was amazing!
But you know what I have always remembered from those years of having a TV with an antenna? Waiting anxiously each year for three movies to air on one of the stations we could pick up with the antenna…The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, and The Wizard of Oz. It was always an exciting time for me when these movies came on; I looked forward to it each year. From the amazing Mary Poppins, to Maria singing Do-Re-Mi, to Dorothy, Toto and her three friends making their way to the Emerald City…great adventures awaited on the TV screen.
Of those three movies, my mom especially loved The Wizard of Oz. She would crack us up with her imitation of the wicked witch of the west talking to Dorothy or proclaiming “I’m melting! I’m melting!”
You can imagine that with such fond memories of anxiously awaiting to watch The Wizard of Oz each year when I was growing up, along with having a mother who loved the movie as well, it would’ve been a natural conclusion for me to read the book. But I didn’t. Not until a few years ago.
Even though the movie is called The Wizard of Oz, that title is actually the title of a whole series of books L. Frank Baum wrote. In fact, I understand that Baum wrote fourteen Oz books. The first in this series is the one I read, entitled The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. This first book is a timeless classic…well written and engaging. And I'm so glad I finally read it!
The Vampyre by John William Polidori
4.0
Most people are familiar with the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer. And many know what you’re talking about when you mention Bram Stoker’s Dracula. But did you know there were other vampire stories that pre-date the famous Dracula? One of those stories is The Vampyre by John Polidori.
The Vampyre by John Polidori has been historically influential in literature. It was actually the first published vampire story. It was considered the first full work of fiction written about a vampire that was published in English. And it’s my understanding that Polidori is even credited with creating the vampire genre in fantasy fiction and that his vampire became a model for future depictions of vampires.
The story behind this tale is very interesting. One evening, several people had gathered together and were trying to find something entertaining to do. Who were these people? Lord Byron, John Polidori, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (who would later become a Shelley) and her stepsister Claire Clairmont. As they were all sitting around hanging out, Lord Byron issued a challenge for them to each write a ghost story. And from this challenge came not only Polidori’s tale The Vampyre, but also Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
In Polidori’s story, he changed the way vampires were viewed. Whereas before they were seen as revolting, foul, depraved, and barbarous, Polidori portayed Lord Ruthven (the vampire in his story) as good looking, debonair, mysterious, wealthy, and of high rank. He was alluring on the outside but horrific and devilish on the inside.
The Vampyre is an engrossing read! It is atmospheric and very classically gothic. I didn’t like the ending but that doesn’t detract from the fact that it is a well-told story in my opinion. It is a quick read and can easily be read in one sitting.
The Vampyre by John Polidori has been historically influential in literature. It was actually the first published vampire story. It was considered the first full work of fiction written about a vampire that was published in English. And it’s my understanding that Polidori is even credited with creating the vampire genre in fantasy fiction and that his vampire became a model for future depictions of vampires.
The story behind this tale is very interesting. One evening, several people had gathered together and were trying to find something entertaining to do. Who were these people? Lord Byron, John Polidori, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (who would later become a Shelley) and her stepsister Claire Clairmont. As they were all sitting around hanging out, Lord Byron issued a challenge for them to each write a ghost story. And from this challenge came not only Polidori’s tale The Vampyre, but also Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
In Polidori’s story, he changed the way vampires were viewed. Whereas before they were seen as revolting, foul, depraved, and barbarous, Polidori portayed Lord Ruthven (the vampire in his story) as good looking, debonair, mysterious, wealthy, and of high rank. He was alluring on the outside but horrific and devilish on the inside.
The Vampyre is an engrossing read! It is atmospheric and very classically gothic. I didn’t like the ending but that doesn’t detract from the fact that it is a well-told story in my opinion. It is a quick read and can easily be read in one sitting.
The 39 Steps by John Buchan
3.5
Richard Hannay has just returned to London and is bored with life. Before he knows it, an interaction with an man named Scudder propels him into the middle of an assassination plot. His life is jeopardized as he finds himself smack dab in the middle of political intrigue. This novel is listed on The Guardian’s 100 Best Novels Written in English.
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
4.0
A. J. Fikry and his wife opened a bookstore several years ago. After his wife passed away, A. J. continued to run the bookstore. One day, someone unexpectedly leaves a baby in his store. This novel is a heartwarming story of loss, finding love again, and the power of books to bring people together.
The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood
4.0
When Quinn’s son died, he agreed to finish his son’s boy scout project…helping a 104 year old woman with chores around her house; what he didn’t count on was becoming like family. The several storylines weaved throughout this book make it a deep and layered novel. It is a moving story about unlikely friendships, grief, forgiveness, reconciliation, second chances and the Guinness Book of World Records.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
4.5
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern had me mesmerized from the very first line. The book opens up with the sentence: “The circus arrives without warning.” Something about that first line grabbed me. It feels very much like an iconic opening sentence, doesn’t it? I knew very little about the book going in; but as you read, you begin to understand just why the author chose to make that the opening sentence. The circus in this book is one that is only open at night and it is shrouded in not only mystery but impossibilities. Its audiences are entranced and in awe.
This circus is no ordinary circus; it is the playing field of a magical game. Two magicians each choose a best student and pit them against one another in a challenge of epic proportions. These challenges have gone on for a long time. And like in The Hunger Games, there is only one victor. The loser dies. When these two men choose their students for the next challenge, the playing field is this night circus. However, this time around, after choosing their best students, they end up getting more than they bargained for.
The book is amazingly unique and very atmospheric. I loved it! The story is filled with mystery and wonder. As I read, it was easy to get immersed not only in the story, but also in the world of magic and circuses. I will leave you with just a couple of quotes.
This circus is no ordinary circus; it is the playing field of a magical game. Two magicians each choose a best student and pit them against one another in a challenge of epic proportions. These challenges have gone on for a long time. And like in The Hunger Games, there is only one victor. The loser dies. When these two men choose their students for the next challenge, the playing field is this night circus. However, this time around, after choosing their best students, they end up getting more than they bargained for.
The book is amazingly unique and very atmospheric. I loved it! The story is filled with mystery and wonder. As I read, it was easy to get immersed not only in the story, but also in the world of magic and circuses. I will leave you with just a couple of quotes.
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
4.5
From the moment I opened this book, Towles’ style of writing immediately emanated off the page. From very early on, Billy and Woolly stole my heart. Yet I also quickly became invested in all four of these boys’ lives that had been written on the pages of this book. Enter The Lincoln Highway. I had not known about this highway honestly. And that sent me off on a rabbit trail to learn more about it.
The Lincoln Highway is a very present aspect of Towles’ book. Hence the title. However, I was surprised at how various turns of events painted a different picture of the presence of the Lincoln Highway than I originally thought would be the case at the beginning of the book. Towles takes the reader on a totally unexpected journey full of twists and turns, including some events that will leave you in tears.
The Lincoln Highway is insightful, moving and powerful. When I turned the last page, I immediately wanted to go back and read it again. Towles wrote very real and complex characters and compassionately told a story with stunning prose and heartfelt writing.
The Late Bloomers' Club by Louise Miller
4.0
If you are a fan of the TV series Gilmore Girls (which I definitely am!) and are looking for a book that has the same vibe, The Late Bloomers’ Club by Louise Miller fits the bill. It is set in the small town of Guthrie and centers on the story of two sisters, their family diner, and a dog. It also features a good bit of cake baking! I read Miller’s debut book The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living and absolutely loved it. So I couldn’t wait to read this book. Of the two books, The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living is definitely my favorite. However, The Late Bloomers’ Club was an enjoyable read. From the celebrations and festivals to the town meetings and community of people, the town of Guthrie will remind you of Stars Hollow and give you all the Gilmore Girl TV show vibes.
The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton
5.0
This novel is set in the 1930s during the historical event of the largest hurricane in the United States that hit the Florida Keys. It wreaked massive destruction and many lives were lost. Among the destruction was Flagler’s railroad, a rail system that linked the mainland of Florida to Key West. After the hurricane destroyed part of the train, the railway company was not able to rebuild. Flagler’s railroad never ran again.
A major issue also addressed in this novel was the veterans work camps that existed in the Florida Keys at that time. The author explores the purpose of the camps, what the living conditions were like, and what happened to them in the wake of this massive hurricane. I did not know about these veteran camps until reading this book. I did a bit of research to learn more about that. From what I read, there was great controversy surrounding these camps before the hurricane hit; and more controversy arose surrounding how the camps were handled in relation to helping evacuate these men during the hurricane.
This novel had a fast moving plot and kept me turning the pages. I read it in a day it was that good. The author structured the novel with multiple narratives based in the three main characters. And these multiple narratives get interwoven by the end of the novel. The author also writes about the hurricane in such a vivid way. And from what I understand from talking to others who read this book that have experienced hurricanes first hand, the author was on point in her descriptions of what it was like.
The novel also deals with a host of other issues in the lives of the three protagonists. They each have complicated lives and relationships. And the author does an excellent job of giving readers characters they can root for. All around, this is an excellent novel which I couldn’t put down.