There are mysteries that can pull me in by the intricate plots, that twist and turn as they play with my brain. I can be riveted by a dashing lead detThere are mysteries that can pull me in by the intricate plots, that twist and turn as they play with my brain. I can be riveted by a dashing lead detective who uses the tools and know-how at their disposal, allowing them to solve the murder with panache. Others hook me with the setting, a dark foreboding mansion, or the rocky, wind swept coast. There are even mysteries that I really enjoy, without ever really understanding the reasons. There is nothing that really stands out about them, but as a whole, they work.
I'm not saying Death by Hitchcock fits that last profile, because I'm not convinced I really enjoyed it all that much. At the same, I'm not saying I didn't like it. To tell the truth, I'm really not sure what I'm saying. I tend to love academic mysteries, and while this does occur on a college campus, I never really felt as if it belonged there, and only there. It's the same issue I had with Blade of the Samurai by Susan Spann, while the setting was real, the mystery itself felt as if it could have been anywhere, at anytime. Nothing really connected the two parts of the mystery for me.
At the same time, I really did like Edwina, though I'm a little perplexed by the need to give the character the same initials as the author. I found her to be engaging, and I loved her relationship with Will. They are characters I would like to spend more time with, even if the mystery itself doesn't really work for me. I just didn't by the ending or the reasoning behind the killer's motive. I'm not sure if it's because the killer's character wasn't developed enough for me, or if the solution, though scientific, seemed to be a bit of a stretch.
I loved Edwina and Will, and maybe that love was enough to get around my issues with the story, I'm not really sure yet. I'm not willing to give up on this series just yet. While the mystery didn't captivate me, it was solid enough, and it did give something for Edwina and Will to shine in. I'm just going to have to see how the next works for me....more
Back on Thursday, September 22, 2011, I was lamenting the fact that I found myself falling into a pattern. Back then I was agreeing to review books thBack on Thursday, September 22, 2011, I was lamenting the fact that I found myself falling into a pattern. Back then I was agreeing to review books that sounded so good, I wouldn't do my diligent research into the book. Over and over again, I found myself agreeing to review a book that was actually in the middle of a series that I've never heard of before. On that day, I was reviewing Death of the Mantis, the book that precedes this one. Back then I was picking book after book, series after series, and none of them from the beginning. I said Death of the Mantis was worth the frustration,and it must have been since I was more than willing to read Deadly Harvest.
What I loved about the previous book, I still love with Deadly Harvest. Kubu is one of those detectives that I could sit down with over a huge platter of pasta, some good wine, and enjoy every moment of the conversation. He has a brain that is worthy of putting him amongst the best in the business, and one day I hope he will be considered one of them. The secondary characters, from Kubu's family to Samantha and the rest of the police force, are strong well written individuals that add so much to the overall story. Even the bad guys, and this time around, they are truly evil, are three dimensional nasty bits of work.
The mystery itself is one of those that pulls you in and never allows you to catch your breath or fully grasp the horrifying truth of what's been going on. The idea of men, women, and children being slaughtered for their body parts, to benefit someone else, is revolting. The fact that you can die because of your name, a name that someone else wants to harness for it supposed power, should scare the living daylights out of everyone who reads the events that take place in between the covers of Deadly Harvest. The name of the book itself lends itself to the horror of the depravity needed to justify such actions.
I don't know if I will ever have the time to go back and read the books that took place before Death of the Mantis, but I'm pretty sure I'll continue along with the series as it goes forward....more
I've never been a huge fan of mystery parodies. Maybe it's because I really hated Murder by Death, the really horrible parody movie from 1976, from thI've never been a huge fan of mystery parodies. Maybe it's because I really hated Murder by Death, the really horrible parody movie from 1976, from the first time I watched it. Now I know many people who love the movie, I just can never get into it. I even tried watching it again once I was done with this book, I still can't stand it.
As you can tell by the names in the synopsis, this is a parody to rival all parodies. It takes nine famous literary detectives, changes their names, and sets them on a boat where a rat like man is bumped off by a person or persons unknown. If you are familiar with a good swath of detective fiction, you should be able to figure out who they are by the names, if not, the author takes it too another level. She breaks the book down into sections, each section details the steps an individual sleuth takes to solve the case. She not only uses the methods the detective would use, but she tries to duplicate the style of the actual authors who created the originals. Now this wouldn't be a parody if the author didn't exaggerate the style and methods of both the creation and the creator. She takes their quirks and makes jokes out of them, she takes their personalities and makes them into cartoons.
I think this is where mystery parody loses me, what I enjoy about most of the "real" detectives are their quirks and strange methodology. Even if I whine and cry about a certain detective's egotism, I wouldn't have it any other way. With the detectives I love, I don't mind that certain words get used too much or that every mystery they investigate can be solved using the same unique technique. It's what makes Golden Age detective more interesting and different from the generic cozy mystery sleuths of today.
Now I'm not saying Murder in Pastiche was bad, it was okay. They mystery and the motive I found to be clever and worthy of such a collection of heroes. Other than the over the top Spike Bludgeon section, I didn't mind the author's version of these classic characters. I just think that I prefer the original over the parody....more
I don't often have the experience of reading a book about politics that scares the hell out of me, and fascinates me at the same time. There isn't a lI don't often have the experience of reading a book about politics that scares the hell out of me, and fascinates me at the same time. There isn't a lot about politics that I find scary, well not that I want to say on here. I know some of my blog readers have very differing political views, so I will leave that for Facebook. The mechanics of politics, don't normally install a sense of doom in me in quite the same way as the idea of certain people holding office. Now I'm not saying The Victory Lab is a harbinger of the End Times, but some of it had me wishing I could move to a small remote cabin in the middle of the woods and hide from those who's job it is to convince me to vote a certain way.
I'm amazed by the rapid growth int he campaign industry and the way political consultants, with a lot of accuracy, can figure out who will vote, how they'll vote, and what can get them to change their minds. As a political junkie, I found The Victory Lab to be fascinating look at the history and the current applications of this information and how it is collected. As a private individual who would like to think I'm unique and can't be quantified in such a manner, I find the whole concept to be utterly baffling and confusing. When I really think about it though, I must admit that the men and women who get paid to figure this stuff out, know what they are talking about....more
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to review Lynda La Plante's Prime Suspect series, and for the most part, I loved all three books. They were soEarlier this year I had the opportunity to review Lynda La Plante's Prime Suspect series, and for the most part, I loved all three books. They were something I had been wanting to tackle for a while, so I was excited when the opportunity presented itself. Needless to say, when Blood Line was offered for review, I jumped at the chance. I knew it was part of an ongoing series, though I didn't realise it was the 7th book, but I was okay with that. Normally, in a police procedural, the books can be read as stand alone, if you don't mind not being clued in to some of the personal aspects of the characters.
Now I can't say that I like Anna Travis as much as I do Jane Tennison, but it comes pretty close. I think, had I started at the beginning, I would have liked her a bit more in this one. As it is, I found her to be a bit of a basket case, though with good reasons, and a bit hard to understand all the time. But there is such a steely determination to go on, a desire to prove everyone wrong, that she fights her way back into my good graces. She is a complex character, one that I'm thinking of revisiting at another time. Above Suspicion, the first book in the series, may be an upcoming purchase.
My only issue, and while it didn't ruin the book for me, it came close, was the way the author deals with the main subject manner of the plot line. I had the same issue with Silent Victims, the third book of the Prime Suspect series. The missing man, who everyone says is the perfect son, a quiet thoughtful man, and someone who is shy, ends up being none of those things. Neither his fiance, his father, or anyone else involved in the beginnings of the case knew he was a secretly gay man, living a very shadowy life. Instead of being shy and quiet, he has a temper that can explode in violence. He lives so deeply in the closet, at least while he is home in London, that he picks up guys through ads, and in a few cases rape became involved. He is stock piling money through drug smuggling, and while he tries to back out in the end, that doesn't change the damage already caused to others. So the victim, who starts off as a quiet, hard working auto mechanic, who is saving money to pay for his wedding, becomes a violent, gay drug smuggler.
And it doesn't end there, other than the gay officer who assists Travis in the investigation, gay men in general are not depicted well in this book. Much like the gay officer in Silent Victims, Paul Simms seems to be added in to soften the negative stereotypes in the rest of the book. Then towards the end of the book, we meet a young man who has a different take on the victim. This is the young man, the victim was truly in love with and was wanting to build a new life with. He was fixing up a Mercedes for his birthday, bought a house for them to live in, but then he disappears and the young man is left hanging in the air. I understand turning the murder victim into a bad guy, and I even understand making the bad guy have a softer side, but it felt as if the love interest, who really isn't in the book beyond a few pages, was placed there in order to tone down the negative portrayal of gay men. I get that there are violent gay men, they even may be drug dealers, and I'm okay with that. I guess it's that I'm starting to see a pattern with this author, and I'm not sure I'm totally comfortable with it.
Earlier I said that my qualms with the subject matter almost ruined the book for me, with stress on the almost. Because of the complexities in the case, the various characters who come in and out of the story, and the sheer violence of the way this man was killed, the author was able to keep my interest. I found Blood Line to be a well crafted thriller that never stopped taking turns, or surprising me in the way Detective Travis was able to piece everything together, and bring those responsible to justice.
If you couldn't tell, I'm of two minds on this one. I'm trying to be the bigger man and overlook the way I feel this author treats gay men in her books, and for the most part I'm there. She is a talented writer who never fails, in the four books I've now read by her, to craft a storyline full of twists and turns that are based in the gritty reality of life. I'm going to keep reading her books, I'm just going to have to put my sensibilities aside when I do....more
I'm a humble book blogger who happens to be addicted to politics and public policy almost as much as I am to reading. I will never claim to be a policI'm a humble book blogger who happens to be addicted to politics and public policy almost as much as I am to reading. I will never claim to be a policy wonk or to know everything there is to know about the way our government works, but I think I stay abreast more than most. I wish I had the time or made a different career choice when I was in college, but I learn what I can, pay attention to what is being debated, and really try to analyze the way I think about a given topic or situation. Now being a life long reader, you would think that I would be reading a ton of books on public policy, political history, and maybe a civics text book or two. That would make sense, but it really doesn't reflect the reality of my reading habits.
Since I was a kid, reading has been an escape from the everyday world, something that politics and policy are a huge part of. It's only been within the last few years that I've become interested in combining my two interests. It's a combination that has allowed me to further develop my personal beliefs and has shaped the way I analyze the information that seems to be pouring in 24/7. But when I add in blogging/reviewing into that mix, I fell myself doubting my choices. After reading Twilight of the Elites, I'm left with some serious qualms.
There are times I like to think I'm smarter than I am, that I know more than those around me. When I read a book like Twilight of the Elites, I realize that my grasp on reality may not be as strong as I would like to think. I forces me to acknowledge the fact that maybe I don't follow the inner workings of government and policy makers as much as I thought I did. It makes me rethink the amount of time I actually put into the endeavor of learning all there is to know in order to make better decisions. It makes me grateful that there are people like Chris Hayes who do take the time to learn, analyze, and share the information that I simply don't have the time to gather myself.
I can not, nor want to, delve into the arguments that Mr. Hayes makes for why our upward mobility through meritocracy has created the very fissures that seem to be dotting the political landscape. I don't have the vocabulary nor the knowledge to make any sort of analysis credible to anyone who happens to read this. What I do want to touch on is the obvious intellect that Mr. Hayes shows throughout the book and on TV, yes I do watch MSNBC for my news. At no point in time does the narrative that he is relating feel illogical or reaching in it's conclusions. While there are some vocabulary choices that some my not know without having to look them up, he doesn't talk over the heads of his readers. It's all pretty straightforward, most of which can be credited to the way Mr. Hayes broke his argument down, allowing the reader to follow along at their own pace....more
To be perfectly honest with everyone, while I love mysteries, I'm not normally a huge fan of thrillers. There have been a few over the last few years To be perfectly honest with everyone, while I love mysteries, I'm not normally a huge fan of thrillers. There have been a few over the last few years that grabbed and held my attention, but none refused to let me go once I got started on them. Let the Devil Sleep is the first thriller that I didn't want to put down, and if it weren't for that fact I'm getting old and tire easily, I would have stayed up all night reading.
I was sucked in from the very beginning, and I'm not even sure I can truly say the whys of it. I wish I could tell you what made this book so much better than the other thrillers I've read in the past. If I had to make a guess, and a weak one at that, I would have to pick the fact that I loved the characters. For me, there wasn't a weak one in the bunch. Dave Gurney has to be one of the most interesting male protagonists that I've read in a thriller, since most of what I've read stars female leads, I'm not sure that really means anything though. I found him to be compelling and someone I couldn't take my attention away from. I haven't read the other books in the series, but he seems to be a character that has a lot of history and depth to him. All of which has shaped who he is and how he reacts to situations. He is joining a group of strong male leads that I'm discovering this year. Now I just need to get caught up on the series....more
You know that moment when you go home for the first time after you left. You may have been away at college for the semester and this is the first oppoYou know that moment when you go home for the first time after you left. You may have been away at college for the semester and this is the first opportunity you've had to get back home. You just know that your mom is going to make your favorite dinner your first night back. She even told you she was going to do it. Then you sit down and instead of having her lasagna, it's potato dumplings. You love them both, but you had been looking forward to the lasagna the entire trip home. You really can't say your disappointed, but you had to readjust your thinking in about 10 seconds. That feeling, is the exact same way I felt about this book.
For some reason, after reading the synopsis for the first time, I was expecting something more akin to a mystery novel. What I got instead is something I can't for the life of me really explain in a way that makes sense to me, let alone anyone else. I can't say it's a mystery, though there may be slight elements involved. I think it's more of a cross between a comedy of errors, societal satire, family drama, and urban fantasy (if urban fantasy was regularly set in 1912 England.) It's this strange, metaphysical dream like book that I absolutely adored.
I really don't think there is one aspect of The Uninvited Guests that I didn't love. From the characters to the setting, I fell in love within the first 6 pages. Then Sadie Jones' brilliance as a writer kept that streak of love going until the last page was turned. She was able to bring to life the complicated, messy night this family is going to have to face. By the end of the night, they will be different. They will have faced a past full of secrets and deceptions. They will have survived a complete transformation of what is socially acceptable. They will have weathered a vengeful visitor, ravenous hordes, horse manure, and by the end will rediscover what makes them a family....more
For those of you who have been reading the blog for a while, it will come as no surprise that I'm a huge fan of NPR. I listen to it in my car and at wFor those of you who have been reading the blog for a while, it will come as no surprise that I'm a huge fan of NPR. I listen to it in my car and at work, when I can get away with it. One of my favorite programs is The Diane Rehm show as she is one of those interviewers who can talk with her guests about any issue. Politics, war, literature, music, health care, and I would say the kitchen sink, but that may be a bit redundant. There is nothing she does not discuss on her show. So needless to say I'm always intrigued when she is interviewing an author about a new book. I'm constantly writing titles down that I plan on rushing to the bookstore and purchasing as soon as possible. Well needless to say, I have a rather long list of books that are still not bought. Thanks to blogging though, I have had the opportunity to not only read, but review, a few of those books on that list. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana is one of those books. I heard the interview on March 17th, 2011, and about a year later I was given the opportunity to read it for myself. I would encourage everyone to click on the link above in order to listen to the interview as well.
I can only imagine what it would be like to have your entire life and country turned upon it's head. To have your life, which was on one track, be completely altered by things totally out of your control. Kamila Sadiqi is one of those individuals who not only managed to adapt to a country and it's rulers that wanted her behind closed doors, but she thrived. When she is told that her education is over, that her career path is no longer valid for a woman in Afghanistan, she is left floundering for a bit. It doesn't take long before she decides that she needs to do something for her family and eventually her community.
She faces the risks, which included beating, imprisonment, and even death, and starts her own dressmaking business. From what starts as a her and her sisters sewing dresses to sell to some trusted local merchants, turns into a business that employees and teaches hundreds of women. She felt a true calling to teach other women to fend for themselves in order to take care of their families. Kamila is one of those people who manage to inspire me just by being who they are. She weighed the odds, and in the end decided the risk was worth the danger.
As I was reading the book, I felt as if Kamila was telling the story. The author does such a wonderful job of pulling her reader into the life of Kamila and her sisters, that despite the first person narrative that she opens the book with, the author was able to convey a sense of such intimacy. It was a pure pleasure to read, and at only about 243 pages, it was a quick read as well. I read it every chance I could, and would put other things aside just to pick the book up again....more
I know I've said it before, but I'm really at a loss on why I keep starting new mystery series. Of course, that's not the real problem. My real issue I know I've said it before, but I'm really at a loss on why I keep starting new mystery series. Of course, that's not the real problem. My real issue is the fact that I'm not starting them at the beginning. I'm not even starting with the second book, in this case it was the 6th. On the other hand, how could I refuse myself the pleasure of discovering a new character. I should have thought more about it, but when I got the chance to review Pumpkin Roll, I jumped at it. I loved the synopsis and thought the story would fit right in with what I was wanting to read this month. Despite my self-flagellation over starting yet another series, I'm so glad I did.
I found Sadie and Pete to be well rounded characters, they should be after 5 other books, and I fell in love with them right away, especially with Sadie. What I loved about her is that despite caring about what others think of her, she is able to put it aside and do what she thinks is right. She has a wonderful relationship, a budding one, with Pete and is trying to make a good impression with the kids and their parents. She loves to cook, shows lover through it, but is able to to accept when things don't quite work out.
Once the action gets going, she isn't the fearless heroine that so many authors pump out. Instead she is a woman who has fears and doubts, but doesn't let them run her life. She puts herself out there and tries to help out when she sees it's needed. She isn't willing to allow others to risk themselves while she's sitting back at home. She is bold, smart, and tenacious. Once she sets her sights on something, the mystery will be solved.
Because of the plot twist that involves a character introduced in earlier books, I don't think this is the right book to start off with. I do think I would have understood the various relationships more had I done just that. Either way though, I'm very happy to have had the pleasure of reading this one....more
In the past I've been a little hesitant to review picture books, not because we don't love them in this house, but because I've never really know whatIn the past I've been a little hesitant to review picture books, not because we don't love them in this house, but because I've never really know what I would say about a book composed of page sized pictures and very little text. I will actually say I was intimidated by it. Even when I agreed to review Little Goblins Ten by Pamela Jane, I was still a little nervous. I just couldn't let those nerves get the best of me, I had to read this book, even if it meant faces down my fears.
By now you may be asking yourself, what the heck is this guy talking about. Why would anyone be afraid of picture books and if they were that big of a baby, what would possess them to agree to review one. I'm not really sure I can answer that first part, well I could, but I would sound like an idiot. The second part is way easier. I'm a sucker for all things that smell of Halloween, and since this book full of monster and ghouls was going to be read/reviewed in October, how could I pass it up.
Little Goblins Ten is an adorable addition to any family's Halloween library. Dragons, werewolves, bats, and skeletons are just of the other little denizens of the forest who are getting ready for trick-or-treating. From the one little monster, to the three little zombies they are practicing their best tricks to earn the best treats. Aidan, who at 8 years old, loved the various monsters, even though he's starting to think he's too old for these kind of books. Despite his fast track to maturity, he really loved the illustrations, by Jane Manning, and the simply rhyming pattern. I've heard him, when he doesn't know I'm listening, reading the book out loud just to hear the words. I think this will be a book to keep around the house for many years to come....more
I like to think I'm pretty smart and that I have a decent grasp on world history and current geopolitical events that are shaping the world we live inI like to think I'm pretty smart and that I have a decent grasp on world history and current geopolitical events that are shaping the world we live in. Then I see or read something that makes me realize I really don't have a frickin clue. These are the moments that I both live for and dread. I love them because they help me remember that I will never stop learning, that there is so much out there for me to discover that I'll never get bored. On the other hand, it's almost too much to comprehend. There are times I feel I should be concentrating on one subject for the rest of my life, if I don't, I'll never know what I need to. Reading Instant City was one such moment.
When I decided I wanted to read/review this book, I wasn't thinking too deeply about it. There were really only two reasons I wanted to do so. I'm a fan of Steve Inskeep, I listen to NPR all the time, and I want to know more about Pakistan, a country I don't know all that much about. That, and this sounds really superficial, but every time I think of Karachi, I think of the last segment of one of my favorite movies. At the end of Auntie Mame, as she is telling Patrick's son about the sites and sounds he is going to see on their trip, Karachi is one of the place she is telling him about. Silly reason to read a book, but I'm glad I did.
What I enjoyed the most about this read, even though it made me feel a little dumb at times, was finally being able to understand a little of the history of the region and why India and Pakistan are always at each other's throats. I know I heard of the partition before, but I never thought about it and the ramifications of splitting apart such a large country into smaller ones. The concept of it being done along religious lines, gave me a better understanding of the history and and current troubles in the region.
Karachi serves as a perfect petri dish for studying the very modern phenomenon of an Instant City. When you have mass migration from rural to urban settings, whatever the reasons, it's bound to cause problems that nobody really thought through or prepared for. Buy investigating Karachi, even by narrowing down to one bloody day in December of 2009, Steve Inskeep is able to look at the subject from all angles....more
I think I've already made my first New Year's resolution for 2012, I will not review books that are not the first of a series. I will not, for my own I think I've already made my first New Year's resolution for 2012, I will not review books that are not the first of a series. I will not, for my own sanity, review a book that is the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or....... in a series. It's too stressful and it keeps adding to my already growing wishlist of books that I'll never have time to read. The crappy thing is, I keep reading some fantastic books because of my poor decision making process.
Normally, and I think I've gotten lucky so far, most of the books haven't required me to have read the previous one. This was one time, while not necessary, I'm really wishing I had done so. The characters of Will and Elizabeth had been through so much in the previous book, and while some of it is explained in this one, I still felt at a loss sometimes to truly understanding the deep emotional scars between them. It's apparent they have been through hell and back, I just wish I had been along for the ride. It would have been nice to experience the background first hand, instead of in bits and pieces.
I love mysteries, I love noir even more so this book was a terrific treat for me. It had all the gritty, dirty elements that I love in a book like this and I got lost in the story every time I was able to pick it up and dive in. Will is such a damaged character who is trying his best to get him and those he loves out of dangerous situation. If he makes the wrong decision or abuses moriphine too much, his entire family could be killed. It's a pressure that combined with the events of the previous year, is about to put him into the ground as well. He does everything he can to raise above it and protect those he loves, and in the end he does it. He just has to go through hell first.
I'm really looking forward to not only reading the first book in the series, but any others that this author chooses to write about Will, Elizabeth, and the rest of the cast (at least those that didn't die this time around.)...more
After reading The Greene Murder Case earlier in the year, this book was pretty close to languishing on the shelves for all eternity. The only reason IAfter reading The Greene Murder Case earlier in the year, this book was pretty close to languishing on the shelves for all eternity. The only reason I picked it up was that I needed two more books by male authors for my Vintage Mystery Challenge that Bev of My Reader's Block is hosting. It isn't often that I have so a strong negative reaction to a book, that it makes me want to never read any other book by an author. I don't want to say I hated The Greene Murder Case, but if I didn't, I was pretty close to that.
I'm not going to say that I felt the same way about The Kennel Murder Case, because I didn't. I'm not sure what the difference is, but the smugness and superiority that Philo Vance showed in the previous book, seemed to be toned down a bit in this one. He was still a know it all, who seemed to have an answer for everything. He still comes across as a pompous, smug rich guy, who for whatever reason, knows every little detail, on every single subject know to man. The author still inserts himself as a character in the book, and even includes scholarly footnotes as a way to ground a fictional book into reality. Even with all that irritation, I didn't find myself wanting to chuck the book into the trash can the way I wanted to do earlier in the year.
Part of it may be the fact that the side characters were a bit more interesting, than the previous book. We have the victim's brother, who is found stabbed to death in a downstairs closet. There is the niece who felt as if her whole life was being controlled by Archer Coe. Then there is the next door neighbor, who was wooing the niece, a man Archer didn't think was good enough for her. Add in the Italian museum curator, a Chinese cook, and a D.A. who seems to share some of my annoyance of Philo, and the cast is pretty well set. One of them killed the two Coe brothers, rigged a room to make it look like a suicide, and took a fireplace poker to a scottie. I'm pretty sure the Coe brothers probably got what they deserved, but the poor dog didn't. And it's that dog, along with a doberman pincher, who makes sure that justice is done, and the killer is punished.
Overall, while I can't say I liked the book, I am willing to say I enjoyed it, well a little anyway. I'm not sure I will ever be able to forgive the author's style and ego, but I am glad that I didn't leave this book feeling the way I did earlier this year. I do think I'll always prefer the movie versions of Philo Vance, over the written. It's the movie version of this book, starring William Powell, that actually got me hooked on the idea of reading these books. I guess, with only one more book to do, that I better start finding the movies on DVD....more
Before this book, I never realized that flea marketing had it's very own subculture. I guess that should have been obvious, since everyone seems to haBefore this book, I never realized that flea marketing had it's very own subculture. I guess that should have been obvious, since everyone seems to have their own subculture, but it's not one I've ever thought of before. It's an oversite that I'm glad to have fixed. Maureen Stanton takes us into the lives of Curt Avery and his circle of friends and competitors. Before this book, I never realized that you could make a living off of buying and selling antiques, well outside of a store that is. It won't be a career I'll be starting anytime soon, but I will be watching all those antique shows with a new interest.
What I found to be the most interesting was the way antiques can keep passing through dealers hands, raising in price for years. Sometimes these things never see the home of a collector, they just keep getting passed around. The idea makes me sad a little bit, I think most of these things deserve to be in a home where they will be displayed and cherished.
One of these days I want to visit the large outdoor flea markets that Curt and his friends haunt, year after year. I want to walk down the aisles, handle objects that have been cherished or used by someone long before I was born, and give a new home to a few of them....more
This is going to be one of those reviews that's heavily influenced by the amount of time passed between finishing the book and writing the review. If This is going to be one of those reviews that's heavily influenced by the amount of time passed between finishing the book and writing the review. If I had sat down to write this review a day or two after finishing the book, it would have been a blabbering mess of praise and worship I'm not sure a word of it would have been coherent, but it would have been glowing none the less. This will still be a positive review, simply because I did enjoy the books, it just won't be the overtly exuberant.
The first thing that I noticed, right off the bat, was how wonderfully descriptive Deborah Lawrenson is with her writing. There was never a time I did not have a crystal clear picture of the setting in my head. She made the sights and smells of Provence come to life and leap off the page. I could see every petal and stem growing in the garden. I could witness the eerie glow of the lantern as it's light danced in the darkness. I could touch the rough floor tiles, as Eve struggled to be rid of a reddish brown stain that refused to budge. There was even a moment where I thought I could smell a touch of lavender wafting through the air of my living room. I got lost in the sensory elements of the book so often, I would forget it was only a book.
It was that sensory overload that allowed me to buy into the storyline and care about Eve and Benedicte as their stories were told. These two women were separated by decades, but both seemed to be trapped in circumstances out of their control. The past would not leave either of them alone and death seemed to be a constant companion. They both had to deal with family secrets that threatened to destroy the lives they were trying to build. I cared about both of them and was horrified by the events that threatened to consume one of them.
As much as I loved the setting, characters, and atmosphere of the book, two aspects of it got on my nerves a bit. The narrative choice was a bit confusing for me at first. When we first meet Benedicte, she feels like a ghost that never managed to leave the farm. Throughout the rest of the book she reads as an ghost or an elderly woman remembering the past. It's not until the end that I understood she was both of those things, but not at the same time. The way her voice was interjected into narrative was an interesting choice and not one I think I've seen used before. I'm just not sure it worked for me.
My other quibble was with the modernism of it all. I'm just not sold on the idea that a gothic story works as well set in the present. In an age of internet and cell phones I found myself not believing the way Eve was finding out the information she was seeking. When she went to a internet cafe to look up Rachael, Dom's former wife, she found stories Rachael had published in magazines, but nothing else about her life or death. There is no way a published writer could pass away without someone writing an obituary, an obituary that would be found in a google search. The modern era (technology) robs some of the mystery away from the story. It's makes that sense of foreboding and danger, a little light.
Despite my issues with the story, issues I may not have thought of had I wrote the review earlier, I enjoyed the book immensely. Over the course of the last year, I have found myself getting lost in the gothic world, and I'm loving it. My only regret, is not diving in earlier. Hopefully, I will be moving on to Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier soon, since it's listed as an inspiration for The Lantern....more
It's rare that I can read a book of essays and not find one of them boring. In an ordinary collection, at least one will be about something Ihave absoIt's rare that I can read a book of essays and not find one of them boring. In an ordinary collection, at least one will be about something Ihave absolutely dull and am forced to either finish reading it, or miss out on something I could learn from. Thankfully with Believing Is Seeing, documentary film maker, Errol Morris, has managed to write 4 lively and interesting essays into an aspect of photography I've never really thought about before.
In these essays he examines the nature and history of documentary photography and the way it can be used to not only create a memorable image, but to create a flas image and a false reaction in the viewer as well. Through an exhausting amount of time researching and interviewing, he takes on the enormous taks of not only looking at why a particular picture is taken, but how it was taken. He delves into the minutae of whether or not a picture was staged and if it was, how it was achieved. Thankfully, he doesn't stop his examination there. He also chose to investigate the motivations behind and the fallout after the fact. Does it really matter if a cow skull is moved around if it get the same point across? Does a picture have to be staged to create a false impression? Does the way a photographer frames and edits alter the image itself?
In "Abu Ghraib Essays (Photographs Reveal And Conceal)" he examines two photographs that I think we would all recognize. The first is of a hooded man standing on a box, hooked up to what appears to be wires. The man is being tortured and it's hard not to have an initial reaction to it. What I did not know before reading this book was that the man has been positively identified, but also had a different man claiming to be him. Morris examines the backround of the story and hwo the fact a man falesly came forward changed the dynamic of hte story and the photograph itself. Does this false claim make the horrow of any less impactful? Does he hurt the cause of justice for the other victims of Abu Ghraib? Does the fact that he may have truly believed he was the man in the picture, matter at all?
The second photograph examined in this essay is the infamous one of MP Sabrina Harman posing with a dead prisoner, giving the thumbs up sign. When I first saw the photograph, I was appalled by the image. In my gut, I was horrified and embarrased that a fellow American, a soldier, was appearing to be so callous in the face of a horrific death. I'm grateful that Morris chose this photograph to delve into. He not only examined the motivations of Sabrina Harman, but he looked into the backstory of the events that lead up to the photograph. I still have a visceral reaction when I look at the picture, but I'm no longer judging the young soldier pictured in it. If this essay taught me anything, I learned that without knowing the context of a picture, there is no way to get the whole story....more
This was one of those books I picked up when our second Borders location was closing, something I still can't believe ever happened. I was perusing thThis was one of those books I picked up when our second Borders location was closing, something I still can't believe ever happened. I was perusing the fiction aisles and since I couldn't see the cover, it was the title that jumped out at me. Once I pulled it off the shelf, I no longer cared what the book would even be about, I was in love with the cover. I really wish this picture could do it justice, but it doesn't even come close. There are so many details done in a glossy black that just shimmers and captures the eye. The best part is something you couldn't even begin to experience through the picture, the images and title all have this wonderful texture to them. I love to run my hands over the cover, spine, and back. This is why I can't do ebooks, I would be missing out on this wonderful tactile joy. You can feel each splash of water, you can see the light play over the splashes, highlighting some, then others as the light changes. You can't get that from a electronic screen, so you can keep your ebooks, I'll stick the real deal.
Maybe you have guessed by know that my focus on the cover is my subtle way to avoid what's inside the cover. It's actually something I've been avoiding for a while now, I actually started this post a week and a half ago. It's not the I hated the book, that would be better than what I'm feeling. In reality, I'm pretty damn neutral on it. I'm so neutral, I have nothing to say, zip, zero, zilch. At this point in time, I would be hard pressed to name even one character, without cheating.
I can remember enjoying the story for the most part, especially in the beginning. People stop breathing, not because they can't, but because they don't remember how. Mermaids, krakens, fairies, and ghosts are starting to appear all over town, and bodies that have been in the sea for decades (or longer) are washing up on shore as if they just fell in. It's once the author tried to tie in a message that I sort of lost track of where I was or what was going on. I get human advancements, especially electricity or radio waves have probably interfered with our environment in ways I can't even begin to imagine, I'm just not sure this was quite the right avenue to explore those concepts. Now I know the book was supposed to deal with life and death, our ties to the past and the world we live in, and I think there was even a hint or two about how we should treat each other. That all got lost for me in this strange hodgepodge of genres, themes, and realities.
I know for a fact, and I could even name of few of them, that some of my fellow bloggers would love this book. They would be able to get lost in the story, be terrified by some of the happenings, and maybe even learn a lesson or two. I'm just not one of them. So for now, I'll be happy running my fingers over the cover, getting lost in the texture and beauty that resides on the surface. ...more
I'm still not sure how I'm getting myself into these situations, actually I do know the reason. It's simple actually. I don't due my research before II'm still not sure how I'm getting myself into these situations, actually I do know the reason. It's simple actually. I don't due my research before I agree to review a book, at least I don't do it well enough. How else do you explain my penchant for reviewing books that are actually somewhere in the middle of series. It is simply that I'm a mystery junkie who takes any opportunity he can to read a good one? Do I enjoy reading said book and liking it so much that I feel compelled to go back and read the rest of the series? I think I would have to answer yes to both questions. I'm just happy to say that this book fell right in with the pattern.
From cover to cover, this was a well crafted mystery novel that kept me engaged the entire time. No matter how well a mystery is mapped out, how carefully it's constructed, if it doesn't have an enjoyable detective there is no reason to read it. If the detective is cookie cutter boring, who cares about the what they are doing. A detective needs to be different enough to stand out in a sea of mystery novels, but not so off putting you want the bad guy to win.
Detective David "Kubu" Bengu is a detective that I really think Hercule Poirot would have enjoyed working with, though he would never admit it. Kubu, so nicknamed as a child for his size (think hippopotamus,) is one of the most enjoyable "new" detectives that I've come across in a long time. He seems to have such a wonderfully developed sense of self, without being egotistical (Hercule Poirot) about it. He knows his limitations, but he trusts his own judgements and follows through with them. He is dedicated to his family and his job, and though there are tensions between the two, he seems to have found that perfect balance. It's rare for me to really love a detective that wasn't dreamed up by one of yesteryear's mystery mavens. So when it happens, I want to dive into every book they are in. I'll now be going back and reading the books I've missed, and I'll be looking forward to the new ones as they come out. ...more
I dont' even know where to being on this one. I'm not sure if it's even possible to "review" a book like this. There is no way I can critique such a pI dont' even know where to being on this one. I'm not sure if it's even possible to "review" a book like this. There is no way I can critique such a personal, raw story of dehumanization and war. All I can do is state how I reacted to the book and how it made me feel on a visceral level.
I found the narrative choice to be interesting and provocative. Instead of recounting her time in the camps from an adult perspective, the author chose to narrate from the eyes of herself as that little nine year old thrust into a world she can't begin to comprehend. The emotions are that of a child, so hate, jealously, bitterness is all the more palpable for me. The contempt she feels for certain people oozes off the page as does the vast suffering she had to endure. I'm a little torn on how that decision influenced the way I feel about the book. On an emotional level, I was in heartache reading what this child had to go through. On a academic level, I would have liked to see what she thoughts now, as an adult, about what she and her family had to go through. I think both are valid outlooks but I think I would have liked a little of both.
I'm not going to recount everything she and the rest of the prisoners had suffer as it would take too long and would make me wince with every word I typed. I will say that nobody, especially a child, should ever have to endure the humiliation, torture, and neglect that these people had afflicted on them. The fact that any of them survived the camps is a testament to the human spirit and desire to live. I'm not sure I could have survived after four years of what they had done to them.
My only other wish is that the book had not ended when it did. It left me feeling a little disconnected from what happens and how Sofia reacts to her father not recognizing her. If is was her father. I would like to know what happened after she wandered away, how the family reacted and dealt with being reunited once again.
No matter what, Sofia and her story will stay with me for the rest of my life and I would love for more stories to be told. I would like to read other accounts from survivors of the concentration camps that I think the world and history has forgotten about....more
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