The End of Your Life Book Club- Will Schwalbe

As expected, I cried in a quiet, tears running down your face way through pretty much the last few chapters of this book. With a title like that you have to expect it. I knew what I was getting myself into. But I am happy that I read this book.

Mary Anne Schwalbe has pancreatic cancer. The book is very clear from the beginning that her prognosis is not optimistic. But that is not what this book is about. This book is about a mother and a son, the books they read together, and the way to live a happy and fulfilling life. 

I was pretty afraid to read this, honestly, and especially during January. Trying to read Jonathan Franzen's Freedom and being so depressed I had to stop about 10% in comes to mind. But Schwalbe's book isn't so much about dying as it is about living. I am really impressed with both the writing and the way he told his mother's story. It's clear that she was an incredible woman. 

I don't know what to say. This book was fantastic, despite the tearful ending. 4. 

Quick Hits from November, December, and January

Long time, no blog entries. Mostly, this is because I haven't read anything that I've really loved in the last few months. But that's not entirely true, because I have entries written for a few books that I've had an opinion on, and haven't posted anything because I feel like I can't go out of order, and just ignore the 15 or so books that I've read in between ones that I want to talk about.  Another problem is that I read a LOT of sequels, which I always have problems talking about, because I don't want to spoil anything. 

So in order to fix this, I've decided I'm going to just write down some quick thoughts for books I don't have anything huge to say about. Here goes. 

Read 9/25/12- 11th Hour by James Patterson- Exactly what you'd expect for the 11th book in the Women's Murder Club series. As usual I am disappointed with James Patterson and haven't really loved one of these books in awhile. I read them because I care about the characters, but he's even starting to ruin that. Please see reviews for 10, 9, 8... etc. 3/5

Read 10/28/12- Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand- Good, not great. Interesting but not engrossing. I was hoping for more from this book since I loved Unbroken so much. Read this one for book club in October and really only finished it out of obligation. 3/5

Read 11/4/12- Dances with Dragons by George RR Martin- I actually have a lot of opinions on this one, but feel uncomfortable voicing them, as they're spoilers. Still loving this series and anxiously await book #6! 4/5 (only because I still liked the first three more than this one)

Read 11/24/12- Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor- Really enjoyed this sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Crazy and an incredible fantasy book, but not as good as the first one. Will re-read for sure though!! 4/5

Listened to 11/26/12- The Rise of Nine by Pittacus Lore- Wanted this to be better because I really enjoyed the first two in the series. But still good. 3/5

Read 12/11/12- The Black Echo by Michael Connelly- Expected more out of this because I'm a big Connelly fan, but it was kind of boring and predictable. I hope they get better. I'll keep reading, but not if they're all like this one. I wonder if back when this was written the ending was more novel and all kinds of thrillers weren't writing "twists" like this one. 3/5

Read 12/16/12- Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich- What can I say? I like Evanovich's writing even if her books are simple, girly, and let's face it, kind of pointless. Liked this one though. Currently, I'm liking this series more than Stephanie Plum books. 3/5

Read 12/21/12- Where We Belong by Emily Giffin- LOVED this chick book. Very cute and very much meets the standard that Emily Giffin's past books have set. The problem is that I just don't have a lot to say about it. It's very similar to her other books. 5/5

Read 12/24/12- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens- I think I read this back in grade school but I didn't remember much about it. And tis the season right? Dickens is one of the few "classic" authors that I enjoy. May be returning to some of his other books in the future. Really liked A Christmas Carol. 4/5

Read 1/2/13- Graceling by Kristin Cashore- Very much enjoyed this book. Another YA Fantasy series that has been popular recently. Looking forward to reading the other books in the series. 4/5

Read 1/3/13- One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp- Different kind of book for me. Not a novel, but more of a book for reflection and finding happiness in every day life. Her writing is a bit flowery and overly detailed, but I liked this so much. 4/5

Listened to 1/3/13- Redshirts by John Scalzi- Really liked this book, it got me through my driving to and from home over Christmas break. Different and crazy, but once I bought into the completely unrealistic premise, it was interesting and I really enjoyed it.  4/5

Read 1/11/13- Defending Jacob by William Landay- Very well written, but upsetting book. Fairly dark and twisted, but engrossing nonetheless. Highly recommended if you like Grisham, lawyer books, or thrillers. 4/5

WHEW. 

The Casual Vacancy- JK Rowling

Out of sheer loyalty and goodwill to the author of my favorite series of all time, the woman who created so many of my favorite literature moments, and characters I love like my own friends, I am determined to like this book, and therefore at least my first comment has to be positive. And here it is- JK Rowling knows how to write characters. I was thinking about it when I wasn't reading it. Wondering what would happen with the people involved.

She is a damn good writer. I will read anything she writes, even after finding this book an extremely depressing look at life and definitely a downer. But she did it in a way that was interesting. In a way that makes you think a little bit more about your every day interactions. With events. How you react to things and take personal responsibility. This book, while mainly a character study based around events that don't really end up all that resolved, does succeed at that.

The biggest problem is, in this character study, every one of the characters were unlikable or pitiable.

I literally cannot believe this book was written by the same person who wrote Harry Potter. Good triumphs over evil? I suppose the characters in this book were mostly terrible and have mostly terrible lives. Faith? It's difficult to see here. Friendship, loyalty, and love? I'm not sure that was present at all.

Clearly my overwhelming feeling after finishing the book is depression. And certainly I am a tiny bit disappointed that my unrealistic expectations for grown up Harry Potter went unfulfilled. But I think after letting some of it set in and thinking a lot about what she was trying to accomplish with this book, I am overall ok with what she's done here.

Sure, it wasn't at all what I thought it would be, but I think that was my biggest problem. First, I was somehow under the impression that the book was a thriller based around a small English town politician's death. Nope. Political and small town gossip based around a death. Second, my hopes were sky high and comparisons to HP were inevitable, which does not lend itself well to a book like this. And third, reading a book about the unpleasant side of humanity while also being aware that this is the same woman whom I idolized for creating characters and a story that spanned nearly 15 years of my life, is extremely unsettling.

That being said, I stayed up late to finish it, I read 500 pages in less than a week, and at 1130 at night on a Tuesday I was writing down my thoughts and trying to define how I feel about it. Which I think is kind of the point, and yet another reason that I think Rowling is one of the smartest writers of our time. Despite the depressing forage into adult books.

Bottom line: I can't say I liked this book because of the depressing subject matter. I can admit that if this was another writer I'm not sure I'd be putting such a spin on it or giving the author so much credit. But I like what it's doing. I like where she's gone with it. I like the writing. And I like JK Rowling. End of story. If that isn't a muddled review, I don't know what is. I didn't even know what rating to give it. In the end, I went with 4, because I think I'll eventually read it again, even though it was pretty unpleasant.

All I can say is don't expect Potter.

The Rook- Daniel O'Malley

September’s book club selection, The Rook, was extremely impressive. Imagine first a world where people have incredible abilities… a bit like every sci fi show you’ve ever seen, then imagine them in a CIA-like setting. That’s what you’re getting here.

Of course it’s about more than that, as at the beginning of the book we meet “the second” Myfanwy Thomas, Rook in the secretive Chequy, (the organization described above) and a woman who can control people's bodies with her mind. Myfanwy has lost her memories, a direct result of a traitor in the organization, and finds herself standing in the rain, surrounded by dead people wearing white gloves. “the first” Myfanwy has left her letters upon letters, meticulously documenting day to day life within the Chequy, and leaving the second Myfanwy to choose whether to continue her life and find the traitor, or run away.

You can see how this might go.

I was really pleased with this book, which has come seemingly out of nowhere. I’m really glad it was recommended to one of our book club members and picked, because otherwise I never would have heard of it, and this book is right up my alley. Thriller, fantasy, intrigue… awesome. I had no idea for most of the book who the traitor was, and loved that it kept me guessing as Myfanwy goes about her job while working alongside people she didn’t know or trust. Genius. I hope the author continues to write.

I had initially given this book a 4, but now having realized how much I really liked it and have gushed on about it, I may have to update to a 5. I loved it, plain and simple, and when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it and what might happen next. it’s the first book in awhile that really got me.

Middlesex- Jeffrey Eugenides

Middlesex is a book told from the point of view of a transgendered man (formerly woman) that brings the reader on a journey. Documenting every step in lives that lead to him, from grandparents and onward, Cal tells us how he was made, and how he became that way. Incest, broken engagements, sexual confusion, and multiple distressing doctors appointments lead the reader to the man he is today.

Initially I decided I wanted to read this book (technially I listened to it via audiobook) based only on the author. Jeffrey Eugenides wrote The Marriage Plot, which I enjoyed back in January, and Middlesex is his first novel, written to great acclaim. I don’t really think I knew what I was getting myself into. On the one hand, the writing style was excellent, with the narrator speaking as if he was directing a movie, showing instead of telling the story of his life and his ancestors. On the other, portions of the book were alternately discomforting and boring. Not to mention the parts that were so explicit that I felt that I needed to turn it off. I was very uncomfortable for probably half of the book, but I also think that’s sort of the point.

In the end I’m giving it a 3, if only for Eugenides’ writing. He truly is fantastic, even if the subject matter was not exactly something I want to read at length about.