The Sandman: The Wake by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Prior to Sandman, I could only say that I was drawn to Neil Gaiman. The books I read were good, not great (exception being Neverwhere). After finishing the Sandman graphic novels, I know why I am drawn to Neil's writing. He shows profound beauty in the dark. See my three favorite characters (in no specific order): Delirium, Death, and Dream. Delirium can be a sad character if you choose to see her that way, prefer to see her as pure character. Delirium, who began her time as an Endless as Delight, provide a fun house mirror view of the world. She can be honest, comical, and incredibly insightful; all of this of course is unbeknown to her. Death is the Gidget of Grim Reapers, she provides a not so dark version of the end of life, even when she eventually has to collect the life of her younger brother. And finally, Dream. Hopeless romantic, brutally honest, and so completely broken than he is beyond repair; however, he is responsible for creating both nightmares and pleasant dreams and he does both well. He is not fair, he is not sinless, he is humanity magnified a thousand times. He takes his broken parts, helps those who he can, then he ends. By his choice. By his hand projected through the Morrigan. And as an audience, we could be angry, we could be sad, or we could understand and morn him in the Wake.
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Book Review: Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist
Handling the Undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Having read "Let Me In" by Lindqvist, I knew that the undead in "Handling the Undead" would exist outside of the modern idea of the zombie. Once again, Lindqvist has created an exceptionally original monster. The "reliving" do not chase down humans wanting flesh and brains, they attack at a psychic level. This is not book that will make you scream, it is a book that will make you think.
Lindqvist creates a realistic tale of what could occur during an awakening and the reaction of the society in which it occurs. From scientific reactions, government reactions and religious reactions (making a connection to Revelations... the dead will rise from their graves...).
We follow several sets of main characters, there are time markers that each set of characters experience. I found all of the main characters captivating, however, two stick with me the most. Flora, a goth teenager who has "the power," she is an empath, connected deeply with the emotion of those around her, sometimes picking up on the thoughts of others. She reminds me of what I imagined Death from Neil Gaiman's "Sandman" to be before she accepted her burden of being death. And David, whose wife dies in a terrible accident and is awakened shortly after her death. While Flora provides a supernatural point of view, David provides an emotional point of view. "[His wife] was not dead, he could not grieve. [His wife] was not alive, he could not hope."
Lindqvist has an depth in his work that one would not expect from a horror writer. He tells an amazing story about experiencing life and death and the glimpse of what happens next.
"I believe...
There is a place where happiness exists. A place, and a time."
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Book Review: Shopgirl by Steve Martin
Shopgirl by Steve Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
"It's pain that changes our lives."
Steve Martin's book Shopgirl is a quick, engaging read. It is insightful and charming. I would have preferred to have the characters develop over time as opposed to Martin's in depth digressions on the character.
I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed the book as much as I did, had I not watched the movie first. The three main characters had distinct voices but I didn't feel that way for the supporting characters.
Other interesting quotes:
"She has learned that her body is precious and it mustn't be offered carelessly ever again, as it holds a direct connections to her heart."
"As Jeremy offers her more of his heart, she offers equal parts of herself in return."
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Book Review: 72 Hour Hold by Bebe Moore Campbell
72 Hour Hold by Bebe Moore Campbell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
When this book was chosen by my book club in 2010, I skipped the meeting. I tend to lean toward happier subjects, or fantastical subjects. Then, I joined Audible and kept seeing the title pop up in my browsing.
I'm not sure that this would have held my interest had I read it. The narrator performed her role, as opposed to simply reading the words. Her accents were awful but the depth of the main character made up the difference. I found myself sad when I had to take my earbuds off each day.
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Book Review: Damned by Chuck Palahniuk
Damned by Chuck Palahniuk
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
"The only thing that makes earth feel like hell, or hell feel like hell, is our expectation that it ought to feel like Heaven."
Well worth the read and the wait for release.
This is unlike any other Chuck P book. We follow Madison Spencer, a 13 year old girl, who finds her self dead and damned. The book is written as an incredibly disturbing Judy Blume novel. "Are you there Satan, it's me Madison?"
The story is interesting. There is a mix of truth, absurdities, and of course, the obscene.
Chuck comments on our expectations of life and death and the limitations of the single story. "In hell, it's our attachments to a fixed identity that torture us."
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Book Review: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
"All children, except one, grow up."
This sent tingles down my spine as I began J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan. I did not develop a passion for reading until High School, therefore, I did not grow up reading books such as Peter Pan. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It is whimsical and clever.
Never land is the creation of our childhood dreams. The Darlings went eagerly with Peter as they already knew him, when they touched Never land it was familiar ground. "We too have been there; we can still hear the sound of the surf, though we still land no more."
The character of Peter is not the hero that I had assumed he would be. He is a child. He is "gay, young and heartless." He refuses to grow up but takes on the role of an adult. He demands to be the leader of the lost boys (later to also be called "father"), yet he shirks the responsibilities of adulthood. He can never be a friend, he can never give the love that his followers yearn for. He will never be what others want or need him to be, he can only be exactly as he is at the moment. He doesn't have the mental capability of understanding what he does and how his actions effect others. He is a consciousness that never grows, never develops, never retains. He isn't free, he is stunted.
He often doesn't see beyond himself. On the route to Never land, Peter forgets who Wendy and at the end of the tale he even forgets Tinker Bell. The fairy who was his constant companion, who tried to kill (Wendy) for him, who drank poison to save him. When Wendy tries to remind Peter of Tinker Bell, he nonchalantly replies that fairies live short lives and she probably died. In the words of Tinker Bell, "stupid ass."
It's not clear to me how Hook is able to step on the island. I can understand that the Indians are a creation of the imaginations of the children; however, Hook is apparently a well known British gentleman which Barrie introduced in the novelization as a satirical charter and villain (as there was none in the play -- besides possibly Peter).
I must agree with the narrator, I do think that Mrs Darling is my favorite. She is intelligent, graceful, cunning, and loving.
In a way, it is such a sad story. The boy who missed out. The boy who thought he was free. "Like slaves to a fixed idea, [he] was a stupid beast."
While we watch the Darlings reunited and accepting the lost boys as members of the family. We are reminded that this is not for Peter, "He had had ecstasies innumerable that other children can never know; but he was looking through the window at the one joy from which he must for ever barred. "
Peter Pan is magical and wonderful. Frustrating and sad. And maybe that is what our innocence was, magical and wonderful and frustrating and sad. We cannot live fully within it, and we cannot live fully without it.
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Book Review: The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
"That's why we get involved with other people, right? Not just for their bodies, but for everything else, too -- their dreams and their scars and their stories."
Interesting read. I appreciate that this "what if" of the end-times was not about hellfire and torment but more of what would happen if a unexplained event changed the course of your life. What if you lost your family? What if everyone lost their families? Would you be able to mourn or would you be expected to heal in time with the world?
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Review: Night Watch by Sergei Lukyaneko
Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Night Watch by Sergie Lukyanenko was a fast paced, throughly enjoyable read. We follow Anton through three tales in which he is the narrator but not the focus of the tales. He is a supporting actor in his own story. The descriptions of Moscow and the Russian way of life are very interesting. I'm eager to start the second book.
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Review: Lost by Gregory Maguire
Lost by Gregory Maguire
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I started this book a few years ago and couldn't get into it. I am not a fan of how Maquire writes.
I picked up the audio-book on a whim at the library. The narrator is able to draw you into the story and keep you interested with her cast of characters.
The ending of the tale was a bit weak but the ride was worth it.
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Book Review: Little Children by Tom Perrotta
I picked up this book from my library because I watched the movie version a year or so ago and was enthralled by the plot. I'm happy to say that the novel is no less enthralling. Tom Perrotta's characters in this novel are unique and substantial.
It impresses me when an author creates a story in which all main characters are terribly flawed. There is not one adult main character in Little Children who is a good person, yet, you can sympathize with them all.
Even Ronnie... at first. The author makes no secret of Ronnie's past, yet, I found myself denying it and feeling sorry for him especially when he was kicked out of the town pool on a hot summer day. However, during the blind date scene there is no doubt that Ronnie is evil. That he will hurt people. He is not in control of himself and is a danger to society. Does that mean that the townspeople have the right to treat him as they do? I don't know. My first response is no. Human beings should be allowed to live out their lives. He did his time in prison and his life is already horrible. Why add to that pain? Does the fear that other have of him make him deserving of daily abuse? At what point is his crime paid for? Is that even possible with a crime like his?
The marital relationships in the book are heartbreaking. Pure examples of what I find fearful in a committed relationship. Todd and Sarah possess a flaw which can been seen often in humanity. The idea that someone else is required to fix the problems in your life. If I only do this, if I only had this. They didn't being this story with the need for another person but latched onto each other so quickly and completely after their first meeting.
I find myself identifying with Sarah personality. The idea of motherhood is completely undesirable for me. On one hand, I was disappointed by her thoughts at the end regarding giving up her dreams and being a strong mother for her daughter and on the other hand it was so selfless that it was hard for me to not be touched.
