Book Review: Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

Libby Day's family was brutally murdered when she was a child. The only survivors are Libby and her brother, Ben, who is currently in prison for the crime. 

Libby, now 31, has been living off her trust fund - funded by donations of those who were moved when hearing her story - since she was 18, but now the funds are gone. She is a month away from being completely broke.

In an act of serendipity, Libby receives a letter in the mail, offering to pay her to speak to a group. She accepts the offer and speaks to a "Kill Club", which is a group of folks completely fascinated with the slaughter. The group immediately starts interrogating her. They believe that Ben is innocent. 

Libby knows that Ben killed her family. He was the only person that fit, but she didn't see him commit the crime. 

Fueled by a need for peace and the money that the Kill Club is offering. She begins to trek through her past and interview all parties that may have been in any way involved in the death of her family.

The fantastic part of this is that Flynn has constructed the narrative to switch between current day Libby and her mother Patty's and Ben's actions on the day leading up to and of the murders. It's great because we as the audience can know that Ben is lying or her father is lying, but she doesn't know. She is experiencing first hand.

Gillian's publisher has released Dark Places and Sharp Objects to match the style of her book Gone Girl, so as if you need another reason to buy books... but if you want a matching set, they are available now. 

Amazing quote: 

"I was raised feral, and I mostly stayed that way."

​Happy Reading!

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Book Review: Little Star by John Ajvide Lindqvist

While out one night to pick mushrooms, Lennart finds a baby in a plastic bag. He opens the bag and her cry has a perfect pitch. He knows ... he's a failed musician.

Lennart brings the baby home to his wife, Laila, whom he has a horrible relationship with, and notifies her that he will be keeping the baby and that by no means will he notify the authorities. 

He calls the baby, Little One. He won't let his wife spend time with the child other than to feed her. He wants the baby to stay in the basement. While Lennart was out of town on business for the day, Laila took the baby outside, and decided that she loved her. 

The couple hide the child from everyone, including their adult son. Until one day, while Laila was sneaking outside with Little One, she falls and her son, Jerry, finds her and the secret is out.

Jerry has had a rough life. His life is full of "could have beens". But what he is, is a kid who got into trouble and let that trouble destroy his life. He lives off welfare, his parents money, and whatever illegal activity he can get an in on. Surprisingly, Jerry seems to like his new little "sister". He calls her Theres (which drove me nuts). He played guitar with her while she sang. 

Theres was not a normal child. Other than singing, she made no sound. She doesn't cry. She doesn't talk. She refuses to eat anything besides baby food. She will not look at people. Theres does start to become curious and then suddenly talks, like she knew how to the entire time but didn't feel the need. Laila decides she wants to teach the girl to read and write so that she has hope of adapting to the world. 

Lennart tells Theres that she must stay inside always because the big people outside want to eat her. Theres accepts this. This is the factor that sets who she becomes. 

When a tragedy occurs and Threse has to live with Jerry, he tries to undo the harm that Lennart has done to the her. She doesn't understand lying, she doesn't understand that Lennart was lying to keep her hidden. 

Threse and Jerry move to Stockholm and find an opportunity that will allow the world to hear Threse sing. However, it may be what finally breaks them apart. 

To me this book is about choices, Jerry's life is what is is do to choices made when he was young. The same can be said of Threse, what happened in the end, would never have occurred if Lennart didn't make the decision thaat he did, to in effect, kidnap Theres. 

The first 400 pages of this book moved in a great flow, 400 - 481 was a bit slow and confusing. Lingvist usually deals in supernatural situations. I guess he never fully explains his creatures.. but I wish I knew what Theres was. How did she get in the plastic bag as a baby? Why is she the way she is? There's no real closure here. 

​You may know Lindqvist from Let Me In and Handling the Undead, I wouldn't say that this novel was as good as Let Me In but its on par with Handling the Undead. In my opinion, worth the read if you love horror and don't mind gore.

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Book Review: The Story of O by Pauline Réage

When I made the decision to review all of the books that I've read this year, I considered just holding off on finishing the Story of O until next year, just to skip it.  Back when Fifty Shades of Grey first became a thing, critics said, well at least its not as bad as The Story of O, which of course meant that I had to jump an read it.

​OMG you guys, I just realized that a chick wrote this book. My mind is blown.

BLOWN.

Ok, back on topic. O is a fashion photographer in Paris. Her lover Rene' drops her off at a place called Roissy, she is dropped off completely naked in the streets of Paris to go knock on a strange door. Roissy is a place that men bring women to be conditioned to be a submissive. She is beaten and "taken" by men. She is to give herself to anyone at anytime upon their request. Her permission is requested repeatedly, it's clear that she is there of her own will.

After she leaves Roissy, she continues to be in a relationship with Rene until he GIVES her to his step-brother Sir Stephen. Stephen kinds amps up the whips and torture. Eventually Rene looses interest in O and takes up with a girl with whom O has a current sexual relationship. Sir Stephen takes O to a friend of his for further training. She is whipped, branded, and her labia is pierced with a ring and chain long enough to hang a third of the way down her thigh.

Yeah.

So the apex of the story, is that O is taken to a party that is from midnight to dawn. She is naked except for an Owl mask and she is on display to those attending the party. She is very proud of her scars and burns and piercings and it seems that the folks at the party were impressed as well.

There was so much insane in this book. O isn't allowed to wear underwear or cross her legs. She is taken by any man at any time then whipped by Sir Stephen for having sex with them. It's beyond S&M in my opinion because it's her entire life. At the end of the  book even Sir Stephen, who has branded his name on her, leaves her at Roissy. It's so sad.

Holy fuck there is a sequel. I will probably read this.

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Book Review: Are You My Mother by Alison Bechdel

Alison Bechdel brings her childhood back to life in this graphic novel which serves as a follow-up to her earlier work, Fun Home. Fun Home focused on the relationship between Alison and her father. In her current work, she focuses on the relationship with her mother, or specifically her feelings about her relationship with her mother. We follow Alison while she goes through years of psychoanalytical therapy to heal from her interesting childhood. 

What I find so interesting about this work is that its completely personal to Alison, however, it remains interesting to the reader (or at least to this reader). I do wonder if this would translate well to a text only book. The comic portion give such life to the story, that I doubt it would work in a different medium.

I think this a great read for those that enjoy reading about psychology and maybe those who have some issues with mom (I would fall into both categories).

Favorite quotes:

Donald Winnicott quote, "So the man that falls in love with beauty is quite different from the man who loves a girl and feels she is beautiful and can see what is beautiful about her."

Dorothy Gallagher quote, "The writer's business is to find the shape in unruly life and to serve her story. Not, you may note, to serve her family, or to serve the truth, but to serve the story."

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Book Review Quickie: I Can Barely Take Care of Myself by Jen Kirkman

Fifty years ago it was mind-boggling to think of a married couple not wanting to have children. Though the decision to abstain from child-rearing has become more common the shock of society seems to not have lifted at all. This is the subject of Kirkman's work.

You may recognize Jen Kirkman from the roundtable of Chelsea Lately or even from her Drunken History videos. She is her mid-thirties and quite happy to be child-free. However, complete strangers cannot grasp this, and since Jen does speak about not having children in her stand-up act, these strangers feel ok to corner Kirkman and try to get her to change her mind. Jen tells several stories of being cornered by women who feel the need to get her to change her decision. 

I have experienced the situations that Jen describes in her book. It was nice to have someone voice my frustrations with the situation. When a stranger says that "oh, you'll change your mind," I am flabbergasted. Why does this person think that they know me more than I know me? My hope is that more women (and men) will be outspoken about their reproduction choice so that the decision will loose its taboo status. 

As far at the book, I felt it to be entertaining but a bit repetitive. I think this would be better delivered an as audiobook. 

I Can Barely Take Care of Myself was released this week. Visit your favorite indie store (or mine) to purchase this book. ​

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Book Review: Horns by Joe Hill

Ignatius Martin Perrish has a hellish life (he,he). Within the past year, his girlfriend, Merrin, was brutally murdered and his small town has turned against him. Once a devout Christian man, Ig has a fierce hatred towards God. Then one day he wakes up with horns.

The horns have a strange power over people. When they see the horns they begin to spew out information that they would otherwise keep to themselves. For example, Ig's current fling admits that she fooled around with her ex the night before. As Ig  attempts to get help for the spontaneous growth on his head he is pin-balled around town by neighbors who hate him and wish him dead. He seeks respite in his family home only to find that they all despise him. All except for his brother, who confesses that he knows who killed Merrin. 

The book then skips back and forth between present and past. It is within these flashbacks, that Hill develops Merrin as a character. However, even the character aspects of Merrin are told through the memories of Ig and his friend Lee. It can bring a bit of a confusing picture of her. At the end of the book, I do feel that she is fully developed. I found myself begging the author to let Ig and Merrin be together. I know she's dead but then again, he's the devil, or at least a devil. 

Also, apparently a side effect of becoming a demon is that snakes LOVE to be around you. At one point I screamed "NIGHTMARES!!!" and closed the book. Shudder. 

Joe Hill is a fantastic writer. I was completely enthralled with this book, outside of all that snake business. Hill reminds me a lot of Chuck Wendig, if you like one, then I highly suggest the other. 

Quotes that I loved: 

"It bewildered Ig, the idea that a person could not be interested in music. It was like not being interested in happiness." (side note: this is what I think when people say they don't like to read)

"Pi is an irrational number, incapable of being made into a fraction, impossible to divide from itself. So, too, the soul is an irrational, indivisible equation that perfectly expresses one thing: you."

"…and together they burned."

​To find out more about Joe Hill, follow him on Twitter.

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Book Review Quickie: Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

Sorry for the short reviews lately, I'm a bit backlogged in my "review every book you read" challenge. 

Fun Home is a graphic novel that deals with the author's relationship with her father. I love that graphic novels are being used in this fashion (i.e., Maus, Blankets, etc.).

Alison had a strained relationship with her father, when she was a child. He was very meticulous and stressful, sometimes abusive. Her mother seemed emotionally absent. It was not until Alison grew into a young lady who preferred masculine aspects of herself, that she was able to bond with her father - who also had an appreciation for masculine beauty. When Alison left for college, she discovered that she was a lesbian. She immediately wrote home to tell her parents. Her mother was disappointed. Her father's response was to explain that he too had experimented in college. Her mother further explained that the experimentation on her fathers behalf did not end in his youth. Alison is not only dealing with the facts of her budding sexuality, but the lies and deception regarding her father's sexuality. 

Then he dies. 

He dies before she is able to make peace with him. Alison believes that the death was a suicide but the method of death was very ambiguous. 

Fun Home is Alison Bechdel's cathartic way of dealing with the death of her father. It's interesting, funny at times and painful in others.

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Book Review Quickie: Leopard by Jo Nesbo

After the traumatic ending of Snowman, Harry Hole has once again lost his love, Rikael. He has quit his job and run off to the East. During his disappearance, a new killer stalks the streets of Oslo. The Crime Squad sent Kaja Solness to go find Harry. He is found living in squalor in Hong Kong, he owes money to the wrong people and heavily using drugs. Kaja eventually convinces Harry to come back to Oslo by letting him know that his father is essentially on his death bed. 

Harry comes back to a political turmoil regarding Crime Squad vs a new law unit known as Kripos. The government wants Kripos to handle murder cases, while Crime Squad handles lesser crimes. Hagan, Harry's former boss, asks Harry to work on the recent murders in secret. However, it doesn't stay a secret very long due to a mole on team. Harry is pulled from the investigation, but -- being Harry -- he's unable to let go of something once he has sunk in his teeth.. 

So, minor spoiler alert, we get to see Katarine from Snowman. She's currently in a psyche ward, self checked in. I have to say that I LOVE batshit crazy Katarine. 

I absolutely will continue reading the Harry Hole series. The stories are excellent but they are a solid 3 stars in my book. 

Favorite quote: 

The answer to her question about what he most wanted right now. He wanted an armored heart.

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Book Review: Dare Me by Megan Abbott

In Dare Me we meet a group of cheerleaders, they are around 16 years old. Captain Beth and her loyal co-conspirator Addy seem to run the squad. Their old coach has moved away and they are meeting their new coach for the first time. The squad seems to love the new Coach, all except for Beth. When Coach begins an inappropriate friendship with Addy, Beth is teeming with jealousy. Addy is thrilled by her new friendship with Coach. Addy seems the type who wants to attach herself to someone new when the opportunity presents itself. This isn't the first time that Addy has stepped out on Beth. Though Coach's attention on Addy is completely inappropriate even for a 27-year-old, I understand that a 10 year difference in adulthood doesn't seem like much but even a 2 year difference is adolescence is a world of difference. 

When Addy and Beth catch Coach having an affair on school ground. Beth is delighted to have leverage. While Addy is delighted to have a secret to share with Coach. The story begins to spiral out control, Addy is witness to something that is way beyond her maturity. She is pulled between who to believe Beth or Coach. 

This was a strange one. On one hand, I feel that Abbott has a great hold on teenagers. I found the behavior and vernacular to be completely believable. Maybe thats due to her being a professor at NYU. I found a lot of the story to be believable, but I really did not care for Addy, and being that she is the narrator, that's a tough spot to be in. Addy felt empty and undeveloped, that may be the point, however, it took me out of the story. 

I suggest reading the last few chapters slowly, I was so caught up in what was happening that I had to read it twice to fully understand the ending. 

Favorite quote: 

"I never gave anything to anyone before. not like this. 

I never was anything to anyone before. 

Not like this. 

I never was, before. 

Now I am.  "

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Book Review: Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

I felt that this was a great concept but not really a great story. It could have been a short story and I would have been pleased. Our heroine is a journalist in Chicago, fresh out of a stay in a psyche ward to deal with her specific self-harm issues. 

She has a bad relationship with her mother, especially after the death of her little sister, about 20 years prior to the current story. She is assigned a story in Wind Gap, a very small town in which she grew up. Her manager believes there may be a serial killer loose in the small town. One child has been killed another missing. The interesting part of this is that not only are the kids killed, all of their teeth have been pulled. 

The heroine takes the job but isn't happy. She heads to the small town and shows up at her mothers' door. Her mother and stepfather are cordial but obviously not pleased with her presence. She stays in her room and tries to obtain information from the people in the town about the murders. In the meanwhile her mother is telling her that she's an awful person for researching the murder. 

I think this work is ok. I'm currently reading Dark Places and I can see the progression of Flynn's work. Some plot points were incredibly interesting. However, having read her other work, Gone Girl, I was expecting more, which definitely drew down the ranking for her, which really isn't fair. You know what? It's a good book. If I read this from another author, I would tout it as a good book but maybe because Gone Girl destroyed me, Sharp Objects pales in comparison.

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