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mjcourchesne's reviews
191 reviews
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
3.0
Although not the same pace as American Gods, this has been a fun read so far. I keep alternating between this and my Complete Sandman collection, so this might take a while... ;-)
Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith and Love by Dava Sobel
4.0
Great read. History in a well-written narrative. Although I enjoyed it immensely, it's one of those titles that you can pick up, read a chapter, and put down again. Gotta have one of those on your shelf now and again.
I'm looking forward to diving into Longitude soon.
I'm looking forward to diving into Longitude soon.
The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories by Tim Burton
3.0
This quick little read is written in verse and is reminiscent to Nightmare Before Christmas in its macabre storyline. The cute charm we know from Nightmare is here, too.
Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon
2.0
I didn't want to like this book from the start. The characters are written older than their chronological age is supposed to be, and keeping track of who is who and how everyone is related at first feels like it needs a charting system.
But then I found myself more than halfway through the book. The tempo of this book runs, and drags you with it whether or not you want to go along.
The author does employ a few literary devices that are somewhat clever, although the allusions to rabbits in their various forms (the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, Peter Rabbit of nursery rhymes, and Peter Pan) gets a little old by the end of the book.
Still, I'd recommend this to you for a fluff beach read. Something you probably won't want to pick up again, but entertaining for a bit.
But then I found myself more than halfway through the book. The tempo of this book runs, and drags you with it whether or not you want to go along.
The author does employ a few literary devices that are somewhat clever, although the allusions to rabbits in their various forms (the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland, Peter Rabbit of nursery rhymes, and Peter Pan) gets a little old by the end of the book.
Still, I'd recommend this to you for a fluff beach read. Something you probably won't want to pick up again, but entertaining for a bit.
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
2.0
I must admit I'm more than a little bit torn over this book. The writing was solid, and the story flowed well enough to keep me interested in it, but I profoundly dislike the characters. Granted, I know that F.L. Wright was a jerk (to say the least) in real life, but this book left me disliking him even more. Although the end of the book was the stuff of classic tragedies (and I know that those facts were also true), it did not endear me to Mamah. I found her choices selfish and thought she rather blindly followed Wright rather than thinking out the possible consequences of her actions.
But I suppose that's what the author wanted me to feel. I'm not sure that the characters were MEANT to be endearing (despite the book's blurb on the back cover).
Still, I think it was a good book to add to my shelf, and it did deepen my knowledge of this architecht's personal life (however fictionalized it might be). In the end, I still appreciate the man's work, but have less respect for the man himself.
But I suppose that's what the author wanted me to feel. I'm not sure that the characters were MEANT to be endearing (despite the book's blurb on the back cover).
Still, I think it was a good book to add to my shelf, and it did deepen my knowledge of this architecht's personal life (however fictionalized it might be). In the end, I still appreciate the man's work, but have less respect for the man himself.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
5.0
I will say right now that I would not give all five stars to any book, but I really feel this is one that merits it. Simply, it's gorgeous, heart-wrenching and entrancing.
Like the Harry Potter series, I don't quite understand why this book is classified as young adult. The themes are tough: Nazi Germany, death and war are inescapable on every page. But in reality, teens would be learning about these things in school, so it would make sense for them to potentially pick up a book like this and view that world through different eyes.
Except this time, those eyes are Death itself.
This Death is not very much like Neil Gaiman's vampy goth girl in the Sandman series, but both personifications go about their work of farming souls like you or I go to work every day. It's a job, and like any job, there are parts that are tiring and parts that are fascinating.
This Death is entranced by a little German girl, Liesel, who is given over to foster parents at the start of the war when her mother could no longer afford to care for her. Liesel grows before our eyes, learning to read with her Papa (her foster father), describing the color of the sky and what the weather was like that day (she at one time described a giant cloud come over the mountain and described it as "...a great white beast") with the Jew that her Mama and Papa end up hiding under the stairs, and stealing books to feed her fascination with the written word.
In the end, Liesel writes her own story--the story we read. Although her voice in writing doesn't survive, Death's narrative is just as entrancing.
Like me, you may find yourself at least misty eyed at the end, because all great stories eventually must end.
Read it.
Like the Harry Potter series, I don't quite understand why this book is classified as young adult. The themes are tough: Nazi Germany, death and war are inescapable on every page. But in reality, teens would be learning about these things in school, so it would make sense for them to potentially pick up a book like this and view that world through different eyes.
Except this time, those eyes are Death itself.
This Death is not very much like Neil Gaiman's vampy goth girl in the Sandman series, but both personifications go about their work of farming souls like you or I go to work every day. It's a job, and like any job, there are parts that are tiring and parts that are fascinating.
This Death is entranced by a little German girl, Liesel, who is given over to foster parents at the start of the war when her mother could no longer afford to care for her. Liesel grows before our eyes, learning to read with her Papa (her foster father), describing the color of the sky and what the weather was like that day (she at one time described a giant cloud come over the mountain and described it as "...a great white beast") with the Jew that her Mama and Papa end up hiding under the stairs, and stealing books to feed her fascination with the written word.
In the end, Liesel writes her own story--the story we read. Although her voice in writing doesn't survive, Death's narrative is just as entrancing.
Like me, you may find yourself at least misty eyed at the end, because all great stories eventually must end.
Read it.
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
2.0
Although I was engaged by the characters in this book, I must admit that the author was a bit too repetitive in her descriptions for my taste. By the end of the book I was ready to leave the characters behind. Although I may go and pick up the remaining books in the series, I don't think it's living up to the hype that I've heard.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
4.0
This book -- which officially comes out in a few days -- is another delightful story crafted by Gaiman. It's a fairly quick read, and is meant for the YA audience, but I found it a great book to have along on vacation.