Tag Archives: Book Review

September 22, 2023 · 12:47 pm

Layinda Who…?

So yes, It has been awhile since I’ve posted anything — mostly because I’ve been engaged in a 3+ year clinical master’s degree program and my intellectually oriented neurons have been a little on the fried side.

With only one more semester to go, it’s tempting to just lay low until I graduate, but I read a book this summer that I am still feeling compelled to vent about, so here goes:

Good Book/Bad Book:

A Thousand Acres, by Jane Smiley

This is not a recently published book, but was “suggested” to me by the Libby app (which I have been using to listen to library books lately), and I had never read it, so I borrowed it.

Now I know that Jane Smiley has written a LOT of books and has a significant following, so who am I to say? This is the only book of hers that I have read, but even famous authors write a clinker once in a while. I am not saying to not read it, but I do feel that my 14 hours could have been better spent.

The story is told by an initially warm-hearted Iowa farm girl who lost her mom at age 12, and is proud of her heritage. She’s in love with her handsome husband, has two sisters and the related challenges of such, and an irascible father. She and her husband want to have children, but she has endured several miscarriages — some of which she has not even shared with her husband, to spare him further grief. She seems to be a nurturing and thoughtful protagonist, exampled by having nursed her sister through breast cancer, regularly assisting in the care of her widowed father, being supportive of her husband, and engaging in a loving relationship with her nieces.

Then the weirdness begins.

An unreliable narrator can be an intriguing plot twist, and this had the makings of an interesting book. If the author had not suddenly, and without psychological logic, made every character behave and respond in ways that no one would ever behave or respond, I might hold a different opinion.

‘Nough said! No spoilers. 😉

I never like to bash a book, especially an older one, but I really felt like I wasted my time with this one.

Am I wrong? If you do read it, or have already, feel free to differ in the comments.

Leave a comment

Filed under Book Reviews, Critical Thinking, Miscellaneous, Reading, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , ,

March 27, 2011 · 6:46 pm

YA Book Review: Ty Roth’s So Shelly

So Shelly

–

Life has finally eased up enough for me to write a review of So Shelly (Delacorte Press), the highly anticipated and recently released novel by Ty Roth: young-adult author, high school literature teacher and all-around good guy.

Other than the book-jacket tease about two friends swiping a drowned teen’s ashes to spread as she would have wished, and that the personas of the three main characters are based on Romantic poets Byron, Keats, Shelley and his wife Mary, I had no idea what to expect. The mention of freedom fighters and the phrase “lurid but literary,” were intriguing tidbits from the Kirkus review, but when I opened the book, I was a blank slate.

The first thing that struck me was how funny the novel is. The story is a serious one, but the way that the narrator phrases things left me rotfl. Quickly absorbed in the compelling story-line, I didn’t want to put it down while I was reading and found myself dwelling on it at odd moments after I’d finished — my favorite kind of book.

The vocabulary is enjoyably advanced, with no glaringly absent adverbs or “dumbing down” for teen readers, and I was pleased in four cases to expand my own command of the language. (It must be confessed that I’m still wondering what a “stinky pinky” is, but am pretty sure that I don’t really want to know.)

So Shelly is not for the callow, with topics such as incest (involuntary and otherwise), teen pregnancy, abortion, sexual abuse and graphic violence (not necessarily in that order). Although frequently cringe-worthy, none of it is gratuitous in nature. Some reviewers have recommended the book for ages fourteen and up, but Ty himself has said that sixteen and older is the intended readership, and I wouldn’t disagree.

Ty has mentioned a few times on his blog and in interviews that future titles might be set in the same Lake Erie locale, with a focus on minor characters from So Shelly. If so, the one I hope to see more of is Tammy Jo Hogg, the overweight but pretty girl with the good PR skills who was used and abused by Gordon. (Well, really, who wasn’t?) I want her to grow up, become successful and then leave Gordon with the broken heart.

My only concern with the novel is what seemed to be a somewhat casual view of suicide. At the time of our interview, Ty was confident that modern teens are sophisticated enough to deal with the content of the book, and that to think otherwise is an insult to the reader. I hope he’s right. Other than that, great book.

Layinda’s Blog Rating: ¶¶¶¶(But only because I’m saving the 5 for Jim and Jack. 😉 )

–

Note: Although I am acquainted with Mr. Roth, this is an unsolicited review, and I paid for my own copy of So Shelly. Actually, two copies. Unwilling to sully my signed-by-the-author first edition, I also purchased the Kindle version.

–

Leave a comment

Filed under Book Reviews, Miscellaneous, Reading, Recommended Reading, Uncategorized, Writing

Tagged as , , ,

October 1, 2010 · 7:51 pm

Book Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Random House Reader's Circle)

–

I had heard good things about The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, but it wasn’t until my book group chose it as our next selection that I headed to the library to check it out. An enjoyably pleasant read, I have to say that it didn’t get really good until around page 200. By page 240, I couldn’t put it down.

Fictional author Juliet Ashton is the novel’s protagonist, but the points of view come from every direction as the book is framed by a chronological series of post World War II correspondence between Juliet, her editor, and the populace of the small town of St. Peter Port in England’s Channel Islands.

The plot is anchored to a character who is never actually present in the story, Elizabeth McKenna. Founder of the G.L.P.P.P.S., she has been sent to a concentration camp by the time Juliet arrives in Guernsey, but the memories of her loved ones and the artifacts she has left behind tell her story for her. Throughout the novel, images of the German occupation reveal how easily the veil of civilization is lifted during wartime.

A mix of humor and pathos, the somewhat quirky characters are believable, the setting is intriguing, and the writing has a beautifully visual quality that easily transports the reader to post-war England.

My only criticism is that at first, many of the letters sounded like they were written by the same person. I found myself having to re-read the entry titles to remind myself whose point of view it was. By the middle of the book, however, the characters had come into their own voices and the confusion waned.

I would definitely recommend reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. And maybe a trip to the Channel Islands to enjoy the scenery. 😉

Layinda’s Blog Rating: ¶¶¶¶

3 Comments

Filed under Book Reviews, Miscellaneous, Reading, Recommended Reading, Uncategorized

Tagged as , ,

August 6, 2010 · 1:34 pm

Vintage Book Review: Freckles by Gene Stratton-Porter

My father recently purchased a Kindle, but needs someone with younger eyes to figure out how to use it and then show him what to do. Fortunately, I am that someone, and have been enjoying it all week.

Paradoxically, on this newfangled contraption, I have been reading a vintage novel — Freckles, by Gene Stratton-Porter.

Freckles (Library of Indiana Classics)

First published in 1904, it is the tale of a young man whose only knowledge of his origins is that he was found as a baby on the doorstep of a Chicago orphanage, badly beaten and missing a hand.

His boldness in the face of adversity impresses a lumber boss, who gives him the job of guarding a valuable stand of timber in the swamplands of Indiana. Although it almost kills him, Freckles overcomes the dangerous conditions and starts to appreciate the beauty and majesty of the natural world.

Surprised one day by a pretty young woman who comes upon his “study,” (a hideaway he has created by transplanting flowers and foliage around a grouping of trees), he dubs her his “swamp angel” and helps the wildlife photographer she works for to access many unusual birds and moths.

Eventually, thieves come to steal some trees, there is fist fighting and shooting, and Freckles is kidnapped by murderers. Will he escape? Will he ever find his family? Will he and the Swamp Angel ever be more than friends? As you might guess, the answers are yes, yes and yes, but the story is engaging apart from the main plot points, and well worth the read.

My only criticism is that while the majority of the dialogue is believable, from a modern standpoint some of it tends toward the melodramatic. Stratton-Porter was an extremely popular author in her day, so one can presume that the writing style is reflective of the era. Fortunately, the strength of the storyline helps to ease the reader through the more fervent passages.

From a historical perspective, the book’s portrayal of women as strong-minded and courageous, and men as thoughtful and sensitive inspires the notion that mid-twentieth century stereotypes of “real men” being stoically macho and women being silly and weak may have been thrust upon us more by our fathers’ generation than our forefathers’. One wonders if women’s twentieth century shift from homemaker, caregiver and encourager to roles more traditionally held by men resulted in a backlash of polarization as males were stripped of their historical importance as protectors, breadwinners and authority figures.

I would guess that this title is no longer available at the average local library, but it is in stock at Amazon.com, and is even cheaper for the Kindle. Freckles can also be read for free online at Gutenberg.org. Check it out — it’s good, not only as a story, but as a historical reflection of the times.

7 Comments

Filed under Book Reviews, Critical Thinking, Reading, Recommended Reading

Tagged as , , , ,

July 23, 2010 · 5:19 pm

Return the Heart: Follow-up Review

Return the Heart by T.K. Richardson: Book Cover

I stayed up late last night to finish Return the Heart, the YA debut novel by T.K. Richardson. It was a good story filled with adventure, intrigue and a dash of romance, and I liked it a lot. The action was fast paced, the characters easy to identify with, and there were some clever plot twists. I particularly liked the way the author seamlessly worked in a little Russian history and folklore.

Ms. Richardson co-opts the teen angst of no one understands, and puts Lilly, the protagonist, into the Utopian situation of discovering peers who not only “get” her, but are so in tune that they don’t need to use words. Their parents exist, but are largely incidental, the five friends enjoying the freedom and self direction that teenagers only dream about. While combatting kidnappers, double agents and Russian prophesies, the romance between Lilly and Seth blossoms, as does her friendship with his sister, Claire.

I ended up with the feeling that the Fantastic Five will soon be involved in another Russian adventure, with Lilly’s connections to the past proving more complex than first thought. I hope so, anyway, because I want to read it. 🙂

Click here to see the Middle of the Book Review (including summary)

6 Comments

Filed under Book Reviews, Miscellaneous, Reading, Recommended Reading, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , ,

July 21, 2010 · 8:46 pm

Middle of the Book Review: Return the Heart

Return the Heart by T.K. Richardson: Book Cover

TK Richardson’s debut YA novel, Return the Heart, was released by Yorkshire Publishing in May 2010. I happily won a signed copy through her blog contest, and am enjoying it so much that I decided to write a review — in two parts, as is my habit:

Seventeen-year-old Lilly Paige has always been a loner, because it’s hard to relate to people when you have the gift of instantly knowing everything about them. When her parents go overseas for a year, she moves in with her aunt and uncle, and discovers some new friends with special gifts of their own. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with, but when Lilly becomes the target of an international kidnapping plot, will Seth and the others be able to save her?

I don’t know yet – I’m only on page 145, and she just got kidnapped. So far, I’m enjoying Lilly’s first-person adventure and her sweet romance with the tall, muscular and handsome Seth Vail.

Tune in to my next post for the critique.

Layinda’s Blog Mid-Point Rating: ¶¶¶¶

3 Comments

Filed under Book Reviews, Miscellaneous, Reading, Recommended Reading, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , ,

March 23, 2010 · 10:46 pm

THE ROAD: Follow-Up Review

Many moons ago, after seeing the movie Jurassic Park, a friend of mine said that she half expected to see dinosaurs when she came out of the theater. At the end of winter, under gray skies with remnants of dirty snow on the ground, one has a similar feeling after reading The Road. One comes away with images of starving children, bloody coughs, and many things more sinister and disturbing. To quote the book, “Just remember that the things you put into your head are there forever.” Gee, thanks, Cormac McCarthy.

Although I initially found The Road to be gimmicky with it’s lack of apostrophes and quotation marks, by the end of the book I felt that it was appropriate to the story to have the punctuation degraded. While I didn’t care for the disjointed character of the phrasing, the vocabulary was broad without feeling contrived, and leaned towards the poetic at points. The message that I took away from The Road was that we’d better appreciate what we’ve got (and perhaps do something to maintain it), because things can be destroyed to the point of no return.

I didn’t like the book, the disgusting images, the desperation, the evil hordes. I don’t think that I was supposed to like the book. The future the author envisioned was just a little too easy to imagine.

a

Layinda’s Blog Final Rating: ¶¶¶¶¶

3 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , ,

March 22, 2010 · 10:48 am

Middle of the Book Review: THE ROAD

Chopped and disjointed. Stylized punctuation questionable. As dry as ash falling from the sky. Gray and forbidding, Cormac McCarthy’s The Road is a cold and never-ending black and white movie of a novel.

The author has perhaps never met any children. He would know that the boy could only be fictional. Why didnt the man and the boy head south sooner? Walk and sleep and eat and worry.

The copy I got from the library had a dead mosquito pressed into the title page. Withered and dry like a mummified body hanging from the rafters. Like the book. So far.

a

Layinda’s Blog Mid-Point Rating: ¶¶¶

a

P.S. I will admit that it’s getting better as I go along, and that I may have more problems with the style than the story itself. More tomorrow. In my normal voice. 🙂

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as ,

March 10, 2010 · 2:36 pm

THE HELP Follow-Up Review

I finished The Help at 2:19 this morning.  (See my March 8th post if you haven’t read the first half review.) Good book! I was not disappointed after page 200. A few things cropped up in the second half that nudged me as a writer, but as a reader, I loved it. It had a nice pace, light suspense, and was very descriptive. The characters were easy to empathize with, and the description and backstory were perfectly blended with the action. I was very happy that it was over 400 pages, because I hate reading a great book and then having it end too soon. This was just right. 

As a writer, I was startled when about three-quarters of the way through the book, it abruptly switched from first person to third person. I had to read the first page of that chapter three times for it to sink in that it was not Skeeter speaking, but an omniscient narrator with a similar speech pattern. The book went right back to first person directly afterward, but I found it quite disruptive. Granted, all three of the MC’s were involved in the scene, and it would not have been easy to convey the complex events of that particular chapter from only one perspective, but I think that it could have been done.

I was also surprised that the author confessed at the end of the book to having been less than accurate with a few of her historical facts. Shake ‘n Bake was referenced, for example, even though in actuality it would not yet have been invented. That can be a slippery slope. I personally strive for authenticity in that regard, even researching dialogue to make sure that common phrases (such as “spilled the beans”) had been coined by the time period I’m writing.

In spite of these minor hiccups, I highly recommend the book, and am happy to own it. Great job, Kathryn Stockett!

Layinda’s Blog Final Rating: ¶¶¶¶

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , ,

March 8, 2010 · 10:11 pm

So Far, So Good: Middle of the Book Review: The Help

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, has been sitting unopened on my nightstand for more than three weeks. My book group is reading it for our end-of-April meeting, but I didn’t want to start it too soon, for fear of forgetting the details. Saturday night, I found myself with a few spare hours on my hands, and my willpower evaporated. I sat down to read at six-thirty and didn’t budge for 200 pages. For the rest of the weekend I was too busy to get back to it, but found myself reflecting on it often.

You might find it odd that someone is reviewing a book that she has not yet finished, but I have some very good reasons for doing so. One is, it won’t spoil the ending for anyone! The other is that I want to get back to reading it, but have to write today’s post, and this seems like the ideal compromise.

The Help takes place in 1962 Mississippi, during the Civil Rights movement. Factual events are artfully mixed with the fictitious lives of two maids and a privileged college graduate who has dreams of becoming an editor. The book is told in the voices of these women, who take turns telling their concurrent stories.

Skeeter (a.k.a. Eugenia), the graduate, stumbles onto the idea to write about a maid’s perspective of working for families in Jackson. Aibileen and Minnie agree to share their experiences, even though the consequences for all of them could be dire. Along the way, various relationships intermingle with their growing determination to get the book published. An intriguing subplot, which I am pretty sure will supply a twist by the end, is Skeeter’s search for Constantine, the maid who raised her. (I have some theories about this, but won’t share them so as not to spoil anyone else’s predictions. I’m also pretty certain what was wrong with Minnie’s pie!)

My main criticism thus far is that the characters, while likable and engaging, are somewhat stereotypical: the good hearted and selfless Aibileen, the good hearted and outspoken Minnie, the well intentioned but naïve Skeeter. A few believability issues have cropped up for me, as well. How could the fair minded and unprejudiced Skeeter have known friends Hilly and Elizabeth for so long without noticing what malicious bigots they were? Why on earth would someone like Skeeter be friends with those girls in the first place, and frankly, why would they be friends with her? I also had some initial issues with the use of first person, present tense. While the two maids’ stories flowed smoothly, the use of present tense blending with their dialect, its use in Skeeter’s story was a little jarring until I became accustomed to it.

These things are by no means deal breakers. The Help is the best book I’ve read in a long time. Ms. Stockett, a first time novelist, has woven an absorbing and well-written tale of Southern women, different in color, but the same in every other way. Read it! You won’t be sorry (at least until after page 200!).

Layinda’s Blog Midpoint Rating: ¶¶¶¶

a

Note: With 36 people signed up ahead of me for the library copy, I decided to buy it so that I could read at my leisure. I was happy to discover that the hardback edition is on sale at Amazon.com for $9.50 (it was originally $24.99). The paperback edition is not yet available, but will be soon, if the clearance price is any indication. Here is the link to it on Amazon: Amazon.com Widgets

a

a

P.S. Although many people viewed “Line in the Sand,” no one submitted an entry, so there are no winners!
[Or losers – I get to keep my $10! ;)]

2 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , ,