2012 = A Poor Excuse for an Avid Reader

I just did not read much this year. I'm not sure why...though I will say much of my reading time was taken up by Game of Thrones Books 2 and 3, which are hefty tomes.

Here's what else I read in 2012, and a quick review of each:

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins
The last in the Hunger Games trilogy. A fitting ending, albeit a little too neatly tied up for my tastes. 4 out of 5 stars

The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy - E.L. James
Yes, yes I did. These were alright. The writing is a bit annoying, read any review and you'll get an earful of all the times Anastasia chews her lip or refers to her "inner goddess." But obviously there was something keeping me interested, and it wasn't the sex scenes. The first book is a cliff hanger, of course...so one must pick up the second. The plot is pretty far-fetched, but as the trilogy wore on I did find myself getting a little more attached to the characters, and rooting for them. Definitely not fine literature, but worth of a beach read (but careful who's looking over your shoulder, because there are some pretty steamy scenes).  2.5 out of 5 stars

On Island Time: Wildlife, Windsleds, and a Wedding on Madeline Island - Patricia Spaulding
A book club friend of mine gave me a hard copy of this memoir, because it was written by someone in her local writing class. It tells the story of a middle-aged couple who decide to build a home on  Madeline Island, and the assimilation into "island life" It's a charming recollection of their day-to-day adventures and family events. I really enjoyed it. 4 out of 5 stars

Light in August - William Faulkner
I tried, I really did..but in all honesty I did not finish this book. The writing was captivating but the story was not, at least not at the time. I hope to try this again sometime, but for now it remains unfinished and I won't rate it.

A Visit From the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan
Now this, this was a highlight of 2012. I realize this might not say much given some of my selections, but I would recommend this book any day. It weaves the stories of Bennie, an aging record exe and former punk rocker, and Sasha, a young woman he hires, along with a host of other eclectic characters. As we start to learn more about Sasha, "troubled" doesn't seem to cover it. Each chapter focuses on a different character across various decades, and music plays a large part in the whole story. One chapter is even written entirely in PowerPoint form, which seems odd, but I found brilliant. Another thing I loved is that the characters are not revealed entirely in the past and present, but we also get a glimpse into their future, and the future of how social media and electronic devices are used to promote and listen to music in the future. Some in my book club found this part a little too strange, but I found it fascinating. I haven't read any other book like this one. 4.5 out of 5 stars

So that was 2012, plus the Game of Thrones books which I already reviewed.

Yes, I know. I need to do better in 2013.

A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
-George R.R. Martin

So, yeah. When I left off OVER A YEAR AGO I had just finished the first book in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, A Game of Thrones. I was totally engrossed in this story and spent a good part of my fantastic lake vacation whiling away afternoons with my nose in the Kindle while my daughter was napping. I never got around to writing about it, and now I've finished the second and third books (with several other books read in between).

This series is a medievil fantasy of sorts, following the intertwining lives of long-standing families the Starks, the Lannisters, the Baratheons, the Targharyens, and a host of others including an old fart named Walder Frey who keeps taking wives and having children, many of them also named Walder. But I digress. It's the Starks you start out with, the noble Ned and his wife Catelyn, and their children Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon. Ned also has a bastard son, John Snow, who is close to his half brothers and sisters, but is never truly accepted by the Lady Catelyn. They live in the cold north of the Seven Kingdoms, in a castle called Winterfell. Early on they discover a litter of direwolves, a fiercer and larger version of a regular wolf and a species that has not been seen for many years. But it is the sigil of House Stark, and there are six direwolves, one for each of the Stark children and even one white direwolf for the bastard John Snow.

*SPOILERS AHEAD - I'LL TRY NOT TO GIVE IT ALL AWAY...

At some point half of the Starks going to King's Landing, Ned can serve as the Hand of the King, who happens to be his lifelong friend Robert Baratheon. King Robert is married to Cersei Lannister, a cold woman with an interesting relationship with her twin brother Jamie, and a hateful relationship with her dwarf brother Tyrion ("the Imp"). Ned takes his two daughters with him, as Sansa is betrothed to Joffrey Baratheon, the eldest son of the king. The rest of the Starks remain in Winterfell. John Snow has "taken the black," joining the Night's Watch, defending the great wall which protects the northern edge of the realm from the dark, cold forest of mysterious creatures beyond.

Back in King's Landing, through a variety of circumstances the king dies and Joffrey takes his place, which is questioned by some, including King Robert's brothers. I won't give it all away, but people start losing their heads, and a war begins, with  many claiming themselves as the rightful king, beginning the "game of thrones."

Young Robb Stark is proclaimed the King of the North, and begins his war march. Stannis and Renley Baratheon, Robert's brothers, also call their own armies and vy against each other for the throne.  The Lannister's father is also fighting battles, so back in King's Landing, the imp Tyrion Lannister takes on the role of the King's Hand. Back at Winterfell, young Bran and Rickon remain with their mother, but she soon leaves for matters involving her son Robb.  Amongst the battle of kings, the young queen Danaerys Targharyen, the last in her line, is also on the march to stake her claim. And oh yeah, she is the Mother of Dragons. Real dragons, which have not been seen in the realm for hundreds of years.

The battles continue, and families continue to be torn apart and yet the ways the various families are intertwined become even more complicated. While kings battle and people die south of the wall trying to name a true king, it is discovered that what lies north of the wall is a bigger threat than any of them had ever imagined. As the Starks are apt to say, "winter is coming."

These books are richly written and hard to put down. The characters are vivid, and Martin has a way of making you feel empathetic toward even the most hateful of characters at times. Just when you think you want someone to die, half a book later they are one of your favorites. The Starks are beloved for sure, and I found myself rooting for them all along the way.  The story is largely a drama, with a little bit of soap opera and a little bit of fantasy thrown in, with a dash of porn and gore to keep things interesting. The author is not afraid to kill off important characters, beloved or no. I have been equally enamored and enraged (one particular scene in the third book had me tossing the Kindle on the bed in rage), and to me, that equals brilliance.

As you might expect, neither book has ended with any clear answers on how this might all turn out. With 2  more books in the series and each at about 1,000 pages, I am both wary and excited to begin the next. It's definitely an investment in time, but well worth it. (And for those of you wondering, the HBO series is also very well done and does the books justice, so far).

A Game of Thrones - 4.5 out of 5 stars
A Clash of Kings - 4 out of 5 stars
A Storm of Swords - 4.5 out of 5 stars

I Have Been Reading...

I could give you a thousand excuses for why I haven't kept up on this blog (blah, blah, blah) but lack of reading is not among them. Since my last blog in January, I have read the following:

Death Comes for the Archbishop - Willa Cather (3 out of 5 stars)
Summer Son - Craig Lancaster (4 out of 5 stars)
Giver - Lois Lowry (4 out of 5 stars)
Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri (4 out of 5 stars)
The Help - Kathryn Stockett (4.5 out of 5 stars)

I'm not even going to try to go back and review any of these now...but if you want to know more about what I thought of any of them, leave a comment. I have also recently finished another book which I will write about shortly, and that one was over 700 pages, so I'm doing alright.

All of these books were also read on the Kindle I received for Christmas. I resisted such nonsense and swore I could never give up holding an actual book in my hands. Guess what, folks? Haven't read from anything but my Kindle since. I love it. It's light, it's easy to read, I can bookmark things, and I can have just about any book I want within seconds (for a fee, of course). I can also sync it to my new iPhone and read anytime, anywhere. Technology rules.

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro

Apparently this book/recent movie is a bit of an indie sensation, but I wasn't aware of it until someone in my book club suggested we read it. Needless to say, I'm glad I did.

Never Let Me Go is at the root, a book about human cloning. However, I don't think the word cloning is ever mentioned. We read about groups of children growing up in the Hailsham School, and we know they are somehow different. The truth about their eventual lives as "carers" and "donors" is never kept a secret, yet there is still something about the whole situation and the way it is revealed to the reader that keeps it a bit mysterious. Perhaps it is the point of view of the protagonist, Kathy, who seems rather matter-of-fact about her fate. Other characters, like her friend Tommy, are more passionate and seem unsettled with the fact that this life must be accepted. Yet none of them really makes any real attempt to run away from it.

The book certainly instigated some very intense questions. The notion of an entire fleet of humans essentially bred for organ donation made me shudder - first at the confusion of the ethics (are they really "human?" Is it worth investing in education or quality of life for these "people" if their fate is simply to donate too many organs to remain alive?) and then at the possibility that technology could exist that would make this reality (is this already happening in some kind of unregulated setting, in some far corner of the world?) It's a little bit sci-fi, a little bit fiction, a little bit appalling, and a lot thought-provoking.

Some in my book club found this book difficult to get into, some just couldn't get their heads around the idea or get invested in the characters. Others, like me, loved the book, for all the reasons mentioned above and more. There is some beautiful writing, and the style is subtle enough to deal with delicate issues without throwing them in your face. I felt the stoic nature of the main character, Kathy, was reflective of the type of treatment she received as a child and as a marked member (or essentially non-member) of society. Granted, I haven't read a lot of books this year - but this is the best one by far.

4.5 of 5 stars

Olive Kitteridge - Elizabeth Strout

Small town lives collide
Waitress, son, cheating old man
Common thread Olive

Harsh yet endearing
Reality devastates
Perception of self

Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry

Gus and Captain Call
Cattle drive to Montana
Friendship, love, and loss

Vivid characters
Beautiful western epic
All-time favorite

Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart is the story of Okonkwo, a "strong man" in an African village whose life is lived in the warrior style, fueled by anger and confusion. His attitude is upheld within his tribe as one of a leader, but ultimately it leads him to the depths of despair - and all things do, literally and figuratively, fall apart.

This book was a little slow for me at first, and I found it difficult to keep track of all the names. The main character, Okonkwo, is represented in the third person, which makes it a little hard to relate to him. He was also a very unlikeable character; admonishing his sons for displaying "female" traits, and lamenting that his sensible daughter was not born a boy. As the story went on, however, I found myself captured by his story and the torment of the way he thought he should be, and the way he felt in his heart. His own personal struggle is magnified by the tribe's struggle to hold onto its culture in the face of the white man - missionaries who are "saving" the tribe by introducing Christianity.

I also enjoyed reading something in a writing style that was more fable-like. It's not a book I would have probably picked up on my own, but I'm glad for the read, as the book is widely recognized as premier work of African literature by an African writer, and is an interesting look into the history of missionaries in Africa.

Unlubricated - Arthur Nersesian

This book was something a little different for me. I picked it up as a staff recommendation at the local bookstore, and also because it takes place in New York City and addresses events surrounding the 9/11 attacks. I hadn't really read any fiction that incorporated this event.

Hannah is a young actress who comes across a script for a play that she believes to be the lost manuscript of a famous dead writer. She contacts an old college group and they agree to invest in and produce the play. Through a variety of plot twists, Hannah ends up not acting but solely producing, and getting herself tangled in an increasingly complicated situation of legalities and moralities surrounding the play.

Through the book's plot is the backdrop of 9/11 - Hannah's experience on that day, her subsequent anxiety attacks, and later in the book, her father's way of coping with the terrorism that destroyed the buildings in which he once worked.

All in all this book was mildly entertaining, but not entirely my style. It seemed unable to find its way between a meaningful story and a Jennifer Crusie novel. Only near the end of the book did I feel the author really captured Hannah's emotions in a convincing way. I have many other books on the nightstand that I wish I would have read instead of this one.

Housewrights - Art Corriveau

I picked up this book for $1 on the bargain shelf at my local used bookstore, and what a find!

The story begins in the early 1900s with the young Lily Willard. A housewright and his twin sons, a year older than Lily, come to build a new home for the Willard family. Oren and Ian Pritchard don't know much about the world, having spent their lives living in a caravan, traveling from house to house with their father and learning the housewright trade. Lily and the twins become fast friends, and she teaches them how to read, how to ride a horse, and shows them special places around her country home.

But soon the Willard house is finished, and the Pritchards must move on to the next job. Young Oren pledges his love to Lily before they go. Years pass and Lily rarely thinks of the Pritchards, until Oren shows up with the intent of taking Lily as his wife. Lily falls in love with this giant, gentle man and they do indeed marry, and Oren begins to build a house of their own.

But where is Ian? He is off serving in the war, and returns to the States a wounded man. Lily and Oren take him in; for Lily has learned to understand that her life with Oren was also intended to include Ian as well. He moves in with them and the three become entangled in a unique relationship that is viewed as unconventional by the small Vermont town that Lily was born and raised in. Lily's relationship with Ian is innocent, but Ian represents many things his brother is not - gregarious, musical, and full of laughter. She finds herself doubting if she married the right brother. Oren senses this, but the reality is that he is a better man with his brother near his side...which is where the conflict lies. But the three of them seem fairly comfortable in their unique trio.

However, eventually the talk of the town becomes too much, and Lily encourages the courtship of Ian and her friend, Hallie. Ian and Hallie marry, but life is never the same for the Pritchards. Oren and Ian grow apart, and Lily and Oren's marriage falters while Ian and Hallie seem to grow stronger. It becomes clear that Oren needs Ian, but for Ian to truly be himself, he must be separate from Oren. Lily is jealous of Hallie and Ian's relationship, and Oren becomes distant, silently blaming her for the wall between he and his brother. The result is truly heartwrenching.

I really enjoyed the way this book is written - I could see each of the characters in my mind, and I felt like I knew them. The story speaks to the way it is in a small town, when your business is everyone's business, and "appearances" are put on to show the town what they want to see - even if it's at the expense of a relationship or a friendship. I also like the references to and descriptions of the work of the housewright, which served as a metaphor for Oren's struggle. My only criticism is that sometimes the storyline seemed a little too modern for the actual time period, and I found that I had to remind myself it was early 1900s. But I suppose that makes Oren, Ian and Lily's relationship all the more unusual to be set in such a time.

This is Art Corriveau's first novel (published in 2002), and Housewrights definitely made me curious about any other of his works. According to his website, he has a collection of short stories coming out this fall. I'll be looking for it!

Priestess of Avalon - Marion Zimmerman Bradley and Diana L. Paxson

A few years ago I read The Mists of Avalon and really enjoyed it, so I thought I'd give this one a shot.

While Mists is more based in the fantasy/magical world of Avalon, Priestess starts off there, but is based mostly in the "real" world of the growing Roman Empire. When Elian, a young priestess, falls in love with a Roman officer, their affair leads to her banishment from Avalon. However, she believes she carries the child which will fulfill a prophecy, bringing two worlds together.

In the outside world she is Helena, and through the years she grows in power along with her husband and her son Constantine, who eventually becomes the Emperor. It is a time of great change, where Christianity is growing rapidly and Helena's own pagan beliefs in the goddess are questioned. Through her life she suffers much, but never loses her belief and her tie to Avalon, though she believes she can never go back. Eventually she discovers that although the prophecy did not play out the way she thought it would, all is not lost and new opportunities are presented.

The writing in this book is lovely, and the world of Avalon is both mystical and believable. There are historical references here, and the pagan/Christian struggle is very real. I loved Helena's character, and I deeply felt her anguish and celebrated her triumphs. The plot takes some unexpected and wrenching turns, yet in the end you can sense Helena's destiny...however, what she must to do achieve it is definitely something of extraordinary strength.

Recommended for those who enjoy something a little different now and then. You need not be a fan of the fantasy genre to enjoy this book.

Eva Luna - Isabel Allende (Book Club)

Eva Luna is name of the protagonist in this book, and her story actually begins with her mother, Consuelo, as a young girl. Consuelo's story is important because it leads us to the unique circumstances of Eva Luna's conception, how she received her name, and the strong link she had with her mother.

Tragedy strikes and Eva goes through life working as a servant in different households, paying her wages to the madrina in whose care she has been left. Her hardships are offset by her talent for telling stories, and she shares them with anyone who will listen. Her patrona goes a bit crazy and Eva runs away, and in the ensuing years her personal relationships are with those as unique as she is: a Turkish shopkeeper, a young revolutionary, a madame, a transsexual, and a young reporter and filmmaker named Rolf Carle.

Parts of the book also chronicle Rolf Carle's life as a young boy with an overbearing father, growing up in a stifling village, the boundaries of which Rolf longs to escape. He does get out, and makes a career as a controversial filmmaker, who gets deeply involved in the work of revolutionists, which leads him to Eva.

I couldn't really tell where this book was going at first, and had a difficult time staying interested. I even though of ditching it and reading something else (which I rarely do), but it was the first mention of Rolf Carle and his family that got me hooked. I do have to say that the book does weave a tale of extraordinary and sometimes unbelievable circumstances; particularly the presence of multiple sexual experiences that I wasn't sure were integral to the story itself. Not graphic descriptions by any means, but a few seemed out of place and a little farfetched...particularly Eva's encounter before leaving the village of Agua Santa.

This is one of our book club selections, but unfortunately I can't make the upcoming meeting. I will be interested to hear what other members thought of the book. Overall I believe the book was worth the read, and this strange tale may be a stroke of brilliance to some, but it wasn't really my style. The language was beautiful, but I just couldn't get into the story.

The Birth of Venus - Sarah Dunant

This historical fiction novel is set in 15th century Italy, and follows the life of Alessandra Cecchi, the teenage daughter of a wealthy fabric merchant. Alessandra is a bit of a free spirit, and is interested in art and politics, which is not considered befitting of a young woman her age. When a young painter is hired to paint the family's chapel, Alessandra forms a unique relationship with him, but is not allowed to fully explore that relationship because it is not considered acceptable, and also because she is married off to a much older man, and moves out of her parent's house to become the mistress of his house.

But her days with the painter are not over, as the circumstances of her marriage become clear to her only after she becomes a wife, and her life is full of twists and turns, all with a backdrop of political and religious wars that are tearing Florence apart with violence.

This was a book I could not put down. I really got into Alessandra's story, and there are so many unexpected plot turns that you can't wait to see what happens next. The prologue pulls you in from the very start, and actually discusses the circumstances of Alessandra's death - then the story is woven to tell you how she got to that point. A beautifully written story, reminiscent of Tracey Chevalier's "Girl With A Pearl Earring," but with a richer backdrop and more vibrant plot and characters. A good read particularly for those interested in historical fiction.

Hummingbird House - Patricia Henley

This book is about an American women, Kate, who takes a trip to Mexico but ends up staying and working in Nicaragua as a midwife. She gets caught up in the plight of the country's people and works to make a difference in their lives. Years later, when she feels it maybe time to go back home to the States, she finds herself suspended in Guatemala, visiting friends who have changed substantially and seeing the underside of a social and political conflict that tears at her heart. Along the way, she finds love and family in unexpected places.

I have always enjoyed Latin American lit, and this book certainly did not disappoint. The author does a fantastic job of getting you involved in the emotions of the characters and the overall political atmosphere. This is a story of love lost and love found, of family, of hope, and also of terrible and unjust consequence. There were times the drama was so heartwrenching that I found myself cyring out loud in disbelief. Not since "Kiterunner" have I felt so emotionally affected by a book. It's hard to believe this is the author's debut novel.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon

A friend recommended this book to me, and I wasn't sure how I would like it, but I really did! It's about a 15-year-old autistic boy, Christopher, who is trying to solve the mystery of the death of his neighbor's dog. Through his "investigation" you are taken into the world of autism and his thought processes. Other reviews of this book say it is a very accurate portrayal of an autistic mind, but this I cannot attest to. I think it would be interesting for someone who has worked with autistic children to read this book and weigh in on it.

Christopher lives with his father and mourns the death of his mother. His dog investigation leads him to some realizations about both; and these truths are painful. The one thing Christopher can believe in is that he knows his father will never lie. When he discovers otherwise, it is devastating. This was the most captivating part of the book for me.

The book is told from Christopher's perspective, and as you may expect, it jumps around a bit from topic to topic. This book may not be for everyone - some may not have the patience for it. I did find myself skimming over some parts where Christopher described in detail the solving of some math problem in his head. But the story is endearing, and this book is worth a look.

March - Geraldine Brooks (Book Club)

The inspiration for this book was taken from the book Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott. The father of the March family has little mention in the original novel. From Little Women we know that Mr. March left his family to serve in the war as a chaplain, an occasional letter was written home and read aloud to his daughters, a telegram arrived informing Mrs. March that her husband was very ill, and that he did eventually return home to his family. March tells the story of what Mr. March was up to during his time in the war.

Throughout the novel the reader gets a birds-eye view of Mr. March’s activities as part of the Union Army, for which he served as a chaplain and later a teacher to “freed” slaves and their children. In his journey he stumbles upon a house he had known in his past, and in it the same slave women, Grace, whom he developed a special relationship with as a younger man. Grace is a strong presence throughout his year of service, and one of the strongest characters in the book. Mr. March himself is a very complex character, and the author does a wonderful job of helping the reader to feel his emotions and the weight of the difficult decisions he has to make. Often Mr. March is caught between a rock and a hard place; whatever decision he chooses will likely result in some terrible consequence, mostly to those whom he has come to assist. But he must often choose the lesser of two evils, and in his heart and actions attempts to hold true to his religious and personal ideals. His relationship with Grace and his attachment to the other slaves make his decisions all the more personal and tough to bear. He holds himself to such high standards that his guilt nearly becomes his death, and he learns a hard lesson from the woman he held on a pedestal for so many years.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, and it spurred some very good conversation in our book club. Mr. March was a changed man when he returned from the war, both physically and mentally. He carried a lot of guilt for what he had seen and done, and felt helpless that he could not do more to see results. His family at home had also changed, but in different ways. These are issues that ring very true in today’s time as well, with the war going on in Iraq.

No need to have read Little Women to enjoy or understand this book, it stands on its own. You don’t even have to be that interested in the Civil War to like it. The characters are excellent and well-developed, and you’ll find yourself wrapped up in Mr. March’s conflict and asking yourself “what would I do?”