I made the mistake of trying to read this book the same week I was packing to move and finishing my final two weeks at my job. Needless to say, I spent too much time reading and not enough sleeping. It was so exciting.
Martin writes the book so that every chapter follows the perspective of a different character. This is actually one of my favorite styles of writing. I feel that books that allow you to intimately connect with multiple characters are so much stronger. The technique also allows Martin to bring the reader along to multiple locations and multiple story lines.
The story starts in what I found to be a somewhat slow manner, but nothing about the book is truly slow. The plot always had me guessing who was trustworthy, who was acting smartly and who was just making mistake after mistake, and who really had the upper hand in the game of thrones. The twists were as they should be- completely shocking to me.
I really appreciated that the title is actually the theme of the book, a theme that the characters all come to realize in their own time and their own way. Children are forced to grow up, adults are forced to play games that they would rather stay out of, and royalty is forced to see what a crown really is. The winter is coming and the realm is in turmoil.
The most interesting thing about the book though, is Martin's killing off of major characters. One minute I am there reading the story of a character whom I wasn't too fond of, the next, said character is dead. It's a hard pill to swallow as I had assumed that he would be instrumental in the series, but at the same time, it's exciting to wonder where the story will go without him there. Martin is fearless in doing what most authors would run from, and the result is phenomenal.
I don't want to give ANYTHING away, so all I can say is GO BUY THE BOOK!!! It's a good read and I can't wait to read the next instillation in the series.
-KABO
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
1510- 1st draft- Story written June 5, 2012
Mrs.
Leigh Garnet moved into the Marquee on February 14th. She picked the day specifically because
moving was stressful and if her mind was full of worry it would keep her heart
from breaking. Upon walking into her new apartment
she sighed, there would be a lot of work for her to do.
“Mrs. Garnet, I’m Mark, the
Assistant Manager here at the Marquee,” the young man said. He had snuck up on
her as she stood in the doorway and tapped her on the shoulder. “Sorry I missed
you in the office, I was hoping you had a minute for me to show you around the
apartment.”
Mrs. Garnet felt her breath catch in
her chest and her heart freeze. The man had to be in his early twenties. He was
tall with pale skin and acne. His eyes
were sunken into his face and his dark circles looked tragic against his fair
skin. He was not an attractive man. Mrs. Garnet’s first impression of him was
that he was cocky and arrogant. She watched his mouth move as he walked her
around the apartment and showed her dials on some fancy kitchen appliances and
some strange box that he called an HVAC unit. She didn’t hear anything he said
to her though, all she saw was her husband in him.
When she met Johnathan she was eighteen and about to
graduate from high school. Her mother invited her to a charity event on the
Upper West Side. She was wearing an elegant red floor-length dress. It was one
of her favorites because the way it was cut made her small five-foot-one frame
look so much taller. He told her that he had looked up from his drink and saw her
walking in like something out of a movie. When he approached her she didn’t
think much of him. He was far too tall for her and had an awkward look about
him. “May I introduce myself? My name is Johnathan Garnet.” She knew the name,
his family was very wealthy and respected, “It’s good to meet you Mr. Garnet,
I’m Leigh Warson.” Her mother was estactic when he asked her out on a date the
next evening. Leigh had never shown much aptitude in her schoolwork and didn’t
have any special talents for music or art so she had always planned on
following in her mother’s footsteps and marrying wealthy to secure never having
to work. As Johnathan courted her she grew to like him. He was awkward but full
of himself. She liked the contrast in his personality and saw his weaknesses as
her gains. Despite his family name and money, she didn’t find much competition
for his love. It only took two months for him to propose.
“Well Mrs. Garnet, if you have any questions please
don’t hesitate to call or stop by the management office downstairs. We are open
Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm.”
She looked at his outstretched hand, “Thank you.”
They shook hands and he walked away. It was only a
few minutes before the phone on the wall rang, “Good morning Mrs. Garnet. This
is Chuck, from the service entrance. I have your movers here and was wondering
if I could let them up.”
“Yes, thank you,” she said after a deep breath. She
turned and shuffled over to her front door. Her hands were twisted from
arthritis. She missed when they were slender and soft. She didn’t recognize the
hands she had grown into. Her knuckles stuck out and her hands curled in and
doing anything with them was so difficult. The new handles and locks at the new
apartment were foreign to her and getting them to turn was harder for her to do
than if someone asked her to explain Einstein’s theories. She missed the doors
that she had used for sixty years, the doors at her home with Johnathan.
Halfway through the move, she realized she had too
many possessions for her new abode. She called the management number from the
move-in packet that Mark had given her.
“Thank you for calling the Marquee, this is
Alejandro.”
“This is Mrs. Garnet in 1510. My apartment is too
small, my stuff won’t fit. Can I please have a different apartment?”
“You want a new apartment?” the man’s voice was full
of confusion and shock. “Ma’am, you will have to call the renting office about
that. You signed a lease for that apartment, I can’t help you change
apartments.”
She liked the sound of his voice. She knew the
request was preposterous, but Johnathan had told her that he would never take
no as an answer so she resolved to never take no as an answer either.
For the next month she called
Alejandro as much as she could. She had nothing to do, so it was something to
do. She would call and ask for help using her dishwasher. She would call and
ask for help because her apartment was too cold and she couldn’t figure out how
to use the dials. “Mrs. Garnet,” he would say with exacerbation in his voice,
“the Super determines the temperature in your apartment, we can’t make it
hotter just for you, there are 899 other apartments in the building and most of
them would not be happy if we turned the heat on when it’s 86 degrees outside.”
When she complained about something the office could help with he would tell
her he was going to send a handyman up. She would tell him, “I only want Gio,
send me up Gio!” When it took too long for Gio to get to her apartment she
would call incessantly. Alejandro would tell her, “Mrs. Garnet, there are other
work tickets. You are on the list but we go in order of when people called us.
Gio is in another apartment, he will get to you as soon as he finished his
other jobs.”
One day Alejandro called her up
first thing in the morning, “Mrs. Garnet, I was wondering if I could schedule a
time for you to meet with Mr. Parson. He’s the Senior Manager at the building
and is concerned about all the problems you have been having with the
apartment.”
“Can he do tomorrow at three?” She
asked.
“Of course, Mrs. Garnet. I’ll call
and confirm tomorrow okay.”
She started to panic. She wondered
if she was in trouble for calling the office too much. Would they kick her out
of the building. When she complained that “this place will kill me!” or “I just
can’t live like this, I just can’t,” she didn’t really mean it. What she meant
was that she just couldn’t live without Johnathan. He had always done
everything for her. She had left their co-op apartment because everything
reminder her of him. The bedroom reminded her of all the nights she fell asleep
with him by her side. The kitchen reminded her of all his favorite dinners,
like stuffed peppers and lemon chicken, and all the times she surprised him
with them after he had a rough day at the office. She had to leave their
apartment, but it didn’t change her memories. She had Gio hang her portraits in
the new apartment. Johnathan had always told her that she was his “beauty
queen” and constantly commissioned artists to paint her. At the time she
appreciated him supporting her vanity. Looking at the pictures in the Marquee
just made her sad. She didn’t look like that, despite the hair dye and facials
and expensive creams and makeup. With Johnathan gone there was nobody to call
her a beauty, and the pictures seemed to mock her aging body.
Mrs. Garnet wished that Mark was the
one coming up to see her. She wanted to be reminded of how Johnathan was when
they met. She wanted to relive the days when she thought he was pretentious and
annoying. Mark reminded her of the man she married for all the wrong reasons.
It was easier to think of Johnathan like that, so much easier than thinking
about how she had fallen in love with him. They had been married a year before
she realized she loved him. She had been sick and in bed for three days when he
came home early from work. He brought her flowers, chicken noodle soup, and fresh
French bread. He put on his pajamas, got into bed with her, and said, “I can’t
stand the thought of you here, sick, and alone. Tell me what will make you feel
better and I’ll do whatever it takes. Then, once you are back to your health,
let’s go on vacation, anywhere you want.” She had started to cry and replied,
“I love you.” She had never said it to him before, they both knew why they got
married, but that moment changed it all. It was only a few months later that
they conceived their first child.
She called Alejandro, “It’s too
loud. I can hear my neighbors. They are making so much noise. I think there are
children running around above my head.”
“Can I send someone up to your
apartment to listen to what the noise is that you are hearing?” Alejandro
inquired.
“Do you think I’m lying? I know what
children running around sounds like. I can’t live with this noise.” She was
furious. She had raised two children, she knew what playing and laughing and
growing up sounded like.
“I understand Mrs. Garnet, but if I
can please send someone up they can try and help me figure out which apartment
the noise is coming from.”
“Will you send Gio? Or Mark?”
“They are both busy. I’m going to
send Chuck from security to you okay?”
She
hung up on him. She could deal with noise from the street or people arguing or
a party, she couldn’t deal with children laughing or crying or existing. She
missed her children too much. She never thought she would want children of her
own, and once they were born she couldn’t remember life being happy before she
had them. He oldest was a boy. He was big like his father. The youngest was a
daughter who came out taller than her but nowhere near as tall as her dad and
brother. They had been trouble but she adored them. The night they died she
didn’t know how she would ever be able to breath normal or have dry eyes. They
had been out to a party and the car was involved in a crash on their way home.
A cab ran a light and hit them. They weren’t wearing seatbelts, the driver was.
They died and he lived. Johnathan took care of everything from the funeral to
the lawsuit. She fell in love with him even more after the children died. He
held her together. He never got angry with her as her sorrow consumed her. When
her depression got so bad that she couldn’t get out of bed he started doing
much of his work from home, or more correctly, from bed. She couldn’t believe
the man she married for convenience, the man who was so in love with himself,
could love her above everything else. His company suffered with him so
distracted, but he never complained to her about it. When she finally came out
of her intense grief she gave him all the extra love in her heart, the love
that was meant for their children. She wished Mark would come up and stop the
children and remind her of the Johnathan she put up with.
Her meeting with Mr. Parson wasn’t
as bad as she expected. He was a short man, just a tad taller than herself. He
asked her to show him all the problems with the apartment. When she showed him
the door and how difficult it was to open, he said, “I see what you mean. That
does stick. I’m sorry nobody has fixed this. I’ll make sure Gio comes up today
and makes this easier for you to use. We don’t want you stuck in your
apartment, and we don’t need you feeling unsafe when you can’t get back in. I’m
very sorry that this is like this.” When she showed him the kitchen he told
her, “You have a very nice kitchen, one of the nicest in the building because
it’s so new. Everyone wants the stainless steel appliances that you have. I see
how the shelves are too tall for you, I understand being short. I’m going to
call the main office and see if we can do something about maybe building you
some lower shelves on this blank wall here.” He seemed very nice, but she
didn’t really like him because she would have rather had Mark or Alejandro
visit her.
She spent the rest of the day
calling Alejandro and asking when Gio would be coming up and installing the new
shelves. Each time he would tell her, “Mrs. Garnet we have to get approval from
the main office. You’ll have to sign the alteration agreement once they give it
to us. After all that we can schedule Gio to go and put them in, but he can’t
do that today. It will probably be at least a week before we get the contract,
maybe longer.”
That evening she decided she
couldn’t deal with it any longer. She took her walker and headed downstairs. It
was slow work and exhausting, but it would be worth it. She got to the street
corner at York and 79th and waited for the light to change green. It
had to look like an accident, the poor old lady who couldn’t get across the
street in time. She stepped off the curb and started across the street. After
she was almost halfway she stopped. She was out of breath. The cars were
starting to come and it would soon be over. She didn’t move into the Marquee to
live, she moved there to die. She had nothing left since Johnathan had died of
cancer in December. Horns were honking and cars were swerving around her. She
kept on walking. The tears were pouring down her face as a car pulled up behind
her and a man jumped out.
“Mrs. Garnet, are you okay?” Mr.
Parson said, “let me help you.”
He walked her across the rest of the
street. She knew he was just trying to be a good person, but his act of
kindness felt like another win for the cruelty of life.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Book Review- Tim Struby's "The Other Side of Comfort"
Before I get into my review, I want to give you, my readers, a bit of a back-story on this book because it's a pretty neat way that I came about reading it. It all started one night at a NYC bar. My sister and I were discussing the whole ESPN "Chink in the Armour" headline and the guy sitting next to us decided to give us his opinion on what happened. It turned out that he actually writes for ESPN. We got to talking and it came out that not only was he a writer like me (or better since he actually makes money from what he writes), but he graduated from Fordham like my sister. As the night progressed we had a great time talking together. My sister and him reminisced about their alma mater, him and I discussed writing and literature, and we all had a good amount of Jagerbombs and drinks. The next day I woke with quite the headache and an email from him with his soon-to-be-published novel attached. It took a few weeks to read because I hate reading long things on the computer, but I did it and now I'm going to share with you why you should purchase this once it comes out in stores!
Tim Struby, took on what I consider a very hard style by writing in the present tense. The story starts out with a hilarious scene about the main character's father having cut their hedges to resemble breasts and penises. From what I saw in that first chapter, I knew that there was going to be a lot of interesting happenings in the entire novel. I was not let down. The book follows Ned over the summer months. Tim described it to me as a coming-of-age tale, and in many ways it is, but in many ways it is something entirely different.
Ned is your normal, stereotypical, smart kid with a weird best friend- Douglas. Both boys have two dysfunctional parents and an older sister. Both boys don't seem to fit into their own homes. Ned escapes by bird watching, Douglas by hot-tubbing. Both boys also rely heavily on drugs and alcohol to get them through their lives. The two differ though in the fact that Ned seems to want to be socially accepted even if he doesn't pine over the idea, and Douglass can't wrap his highly intelligent mind around social etiquette and therefore can't even realize how far from being accepted he truly is. For me, the characters represented the turmoil of who Ned was on the inside in a physical way. Ned was Ned, the kid who gets caught by the cops and somehow gets the girl even if it's just for a moment. Douglas was Ned if he had been more outright with his intelligence and more troubled by his family life.
It may have been a typical summer for the boys had Mikey not shown up. Mikey was Ned's neighbor's grandson who was on house arrest. Over the summer he befriends the boys and they look up to him like a big brother. He gives them all confidence in themselves and never treats them as the social pariah that they were thought to be by their classmates. Through Mikey, Ned and Douglas even become friends with Nebbler, a boy who seemed strange even to them. This friendship leads the three boys to attend parties they may have skipped, to stand up to people they never would have stood up to, and to see others in ways that they would have never thought to before. Mikey, with all his problems, somehow teaches these boys to be better people, one could even argue that he was the catalyst to them coming into their manhood. The most amazing thing that Mikey does for Ned though is how he brings Ned's father back into reality.
One of the greatest strengths of the book is the immense wealth of knowledge that Struby shares with his readers. There must have been a lot of research that went into writing this book and it shows in a beautiful manner. Ned's fascination with birds made me both want to learn more about birds ad bird watching, and made me feel as though I would never look at a bird the same way. One of my least favorite things though was Douglas and his hot tub. The descriptions of how many times he fell asleep in his jacuzzi or the idea of him in the jacuzzi on a sweltering hot day made me want to vomit.
Overall, I think that once this is available, everyone should grab a copy. The book says a lot about life, about growing up, about love, about loss, and about friendship. There is a twist at the end that I didn't see coming and that makes me want to read the book all over again to see it from a different perspective. It is truly a work of art that can be appreciated by readers of all ages.
Tim Struby, took on what I consider a very hard style by writing in the present tense. The story starts out with a hilarious scene about the main character's father having cut their hedges to resemble breasts and penises. From what I saw in that first chapter, I knew that there was going to be a lot of interesting happenings in the entire novel. I was not let down. The book follows Ned over the summer months. Tim described it to me as a coming-of-age tale, and in many ways it is, but in many ways it is something entirely different.
Ned is your normal, stereotypical, smart kid with a weird best friend- Douglas. Both boys have two dysfunctional parents and an older sister. Both boys don't seem to fit into their own homes. Ned escapes by bird watching, Douglas by hot-tubbing. Both boys also rely heavily on drugs and alcohol to get them through their lives. The two differ though in the fact that Ned seems to want to be socially accepted even if he doesn't pine over the idea, and Douglass can't wrap his highly intelligent mind around social etiquette and therefore can't even realize how far from being accepted he truly is. For me, the characters represented the turmoil of who Ned was on the inside in a physical way. Ned was Ned, the kid who gets caught by the cops and somehow gets the girl even if it's just for a moment. Douglas was Ned if he had been more outright with his intelligence and more troubled by his family life.
It may have been a typical summer for the boys had Mikey not shown up. Mikey was Ned's neighbor's grandson who was on house arrest. Over the summer he befriends the boys and they look up to him like a big brother. He gives them all confidence in themselves and never treats them as the social pariah that they were thought to be by their classmates. Through Mikey, Ned and Douglas even become friends with Nebbler, a boy who seemed strange even to them. This friendship leads the three boys to attend parties they may have skipped, to stand up to people they never would have stood up to, and to see others in ways that they would have never thought to before. Mikey, with all his problems, somehow teaches these boys to be better people, one could even argue that he was the catalyst to them coming into their manhood. The most amazing thing that Mikey does for Ned though is how he brings Ned's father back into reality.
One of the greatest strengths of the book is the immense wealth of knowledge that Struby shares with his readers. There must have been a lot of research that went into writing this book and it shows in a beautiful manner. Ned's fascination with birds made me both want to learn more about birds ad bird watching, and made me feel as though I would never look at a bird the same way. One of my least favorite things though was Douglas and his hot tub. The descriptions of how many times he fell asleep in his jacuzzi or the idea of him in the jacuzzi on a sweltering hot day made me want to vomit.
Overall, I think that once this is available, everyone should grab a copy. The book says a lot about life, about growing up, about love, about loss, and about friendship. There is a twist at the end that I didn't see coming and that makes me want to read the book all over again to see it from a different perspective. It is truly a work of art that can be appreciated by readers of all ages.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Recent feedback
So, since I always appreciate when people tell me how my stories talk to them and how they look at me as a writer, I decided to post some of my recent emails. If you don't agree with something someone said, if you think I'm terrible, speak up, because both good and bad reviews are helpful to me. I'm going to try and update this as people send me their thoughts, so don't be shy, I'm waiting to hear from you. -XOXO KABO
"Hey I just decided to tear through a big part of your blog. You have a talent for writing. The story about the dog and the women written from different perspectives was wonderful. It reminded me of an old Johnny Carson interview that can still bring tears to my eyes." -Eric, April 15, 2012
"Your stories are very interesting- I feel like you have an ability to write with an almost exclusive voice of your protagonist. This seems pretty unique to me.. It sometimes made me feel as you- the writer- were actually framing your personal experiences, actual events form your life, or thoughts in the form of these stories- which becomes erie as you have some twists, and unexpecedted intensity (in the case of the anti-semite piece). I also think its elegant how you end all your writing, with a whisper- not a bang. You seem to lead everything to a crescendo, only to quietly but poignantly fade it out at the end- a very nice style." -Italia, April 14, 2012
" Your blog is pretty fascinating. It's pretty dark but at the same time you've got a very unique style and voice in your writing, it's incredible. I think you've got a fantastic career ahead of you there." and, "For the record, I completely didn't mean "dark" to be negative or depressing or anything, just a unique tone - I guess "real" is probably the better word for it. Definitely impressed though, you've got a hell of a range of writing."
-Steve, April 10 &12, 2012
"I enjoyed your writing (The Eva Braun story was particuarly interesting and creative)" -Joe, April 8, 2012
"Hey I just decided to tear through a big part of your blog. You have a talent for writing. The story about the dog and the women written from different perspectives was wonderful. It reminded me of an old Johnny Carson interview that can still bring tears to my eyes." -Eric, April 15, 2012
"Your stories are very interesting- I feel like you have an ability to write with an almost exclusive voice of your protagonist. This seems pretty unique to me.. It sometimes made me feel as you- the writer- were actually framing your personal experiences, actual events form your life, or thoughts in the form of these stories- which becomes erie as you have some twists, and unexpecedted intensity (in the case of the anti-semite piece). I also think its elegant how you end all your writing, with a whisper- not a bang. You seem to lead everything to a crescendo, only to quietly but poignantly fade it out at the end- a very nice style." -Italia, April 14, 2012
" Your blog is pretty fascinating. It's pretty dark but at the same time you've got a very unique style and voice in your writing, it's incredible. I think you've got a fantastic career ahead of you there." and, "For the record, I completely didn't mean "dark" to be negative or depressing or anything, just a unique tone - I guess "real" is probably the better word for it. Definitely impressed though, you've got a hell of a range of writing."
-Steve, April 10 &12, 2012
"I enjoyed your writing (The Eva Braun story was particuarly interesting and creative)" -Joe, April 8, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
Story written April 6th- Staying Firm (1st draft)
We had been on the perfect date. The fancy restaurant and nice bottle of wine made me feel like I was in a movie. Then he took me on a carriage ride around the park. We finished the night back at his place, cuddled up on the couch watching The Notebook, because he knows how much I love it. I had never felt so openly happy in my life.
“Happy six month anniversary baby,” he smiled, “I love you so much and am so happy I found you.”
I leaned in to kiss him, “I’m the lucky one, you chose to be with me when you could have had anyone you wanted.”
The kiss was passionate. He grabbed the back of my hair and pulled me into him. Our bodied were so close it felt as if they were in danger of defying the laws of physics and blending into the same space. I had to pull away for breath, but it felt as though there was a gravitational pull resisting my lungs’ desire for air.
“Let’s do it babe,” he panted, “let’s make this night perfect.”
My heart froze in my chest, I could hear my blood stop flowing in my veins. “You know I love you,” I stammered, “and I know you love me, so you have to accept that I want to wait until I am married to lose my virginity.”
The change in him was immediate. He pulled back and stared at me with eyes full of disgust. “Are you serious?” The tone in his voice reminded me of one of those teen-bopper flicks with the bitchy cheerleader who talks down to everyone.
“Jason, please don’t do this. You knew how I felt before we started going out, just like I knew your reputation. You told me I was worth it.”
“You are such a bitch. You’ve got to be kidding me, we’ve been together this long and you won’t even touch it. You are twenty-four years old and you are scared of my penis. Get a life. Having sex doesn’t make you a bad person, it’s fun and it feels good. I don’t understand what your problem is. I thought you loved me, but maybe this is just some twisted game.”
I held back my tears, how could he turn this around on me and say I was just playing a game with him? My mother had always told me that the right man would be willing to wait for me. I knew Jason was a playboy when we met, but I saw the softer side of him and gave him a chance. My mom told me he was bad news and she could see it from a mile away. My friends told me that he would break my heart, use me and let me go. I told everybody off.
“What, just going to sit there and stare at me?” he said. His eyebrows were pulled down, his lips boxed up, and his nose scrunched. If he hadn’t of been angry with me it would have been an adorable confused expression, but the anger behind it made it scary. “Fine,” he stood up, “there’s the door, get out.”
“Jason, don’t,” I reached out for him, “it’s been such a good night, please. Sit down with me and let’s finish the movie.”
“It was a good night until you ruined it. I did everything I could to make this special. I’ve never been with anyone this long, I thought you would see that and understand that I need a little something to keep me interested. I turn down offers for sex all the time because I don’t want to hurt you by cheating, but why? Why should I care about how you feel when you don’t seem to care about my needs? I don’t want to look at your face, get out or I’ll call the cops and they can make you leave.” He walked to the front door and opened it, “Now!”
Tears started to run down my cheeks. I slowly started to rise, I felt lost. I didn’t know what he meant. Was it just a small fight or was this the end? He had never kicked me out any time we had fought. He looked so sure of his choice. My whole body started to shake and my head felt like I was on an extreme roller coaster. I couldn’t get my bearings and I stumbled. Jason didn’t even flinch to help me up. It was only a few feet but it felt like it took ages. I made it to the door and tried to look him in the eye. I hoped he would just grab me and tell me he was sorry for it, that it was all just a mistake. Instead, he took out his phone and dialed a number. As he closed the door I heard him say, “Hey, Bobby, it’s Jason. Want to come over and hang out?”
It was at that moment that I wished I hadn’t of been born gay. Women seemed to be so much more understanding of wanting to wait for marriage. Gay men were so stereotypical about just hooking up and not making a commitment to wait for the right person. I think that even if Jason were straight he would have been a manwhore, but I felt so little knowing everyone had been right about him except for me.
“Happy six month anniversary baby,” he smiled, “I love you so much and am so happy I found you.”
I leaned in to kiss him, “I’m the lucky one, you chose to be with me when you could have had anyone you wanted.”
The kiss was passionate. He grabbed the back of my hair and pulled me into him. Our bodied were so close it felt as if they were in danger of defying the laws of physics and blending into the same space. I had to pull away for breath, but it felt as though there was a gravitational pull resisting my lungs’ desire for air.
“Let’s do it babe,” he panted, “let’s make this night perfect.”
My heart froze in my chest, I could hear my blood stop flowing in my veins. “You know I love you,” I stammered, “and I know you love me, so you have to accept that I want to wait until I am married to lose my virginity.”
The change in him was immediate. He pulled back and stared at me with eyes full of disgust. “Are you serious?” The tone in his voice reminded me of one of those teen-bopper flicks with the bitchy cheerleader who talks down to everyone.
“Jason, please don’t do this. You knew how I felt before we started going out, just like I knew your reputation. You told me I was worth it.”
“You are such a bitch. You’ve got to be kidding me, we’ve been together this long and you won’t even touch it. You are twenty-four years old and you are scared of my penis. Get a life. Having sex doesn’t make you a bad person, it’s fun and it feels good. I don’t understand what your problem is. I thought you loved me, but maybe this is just some twisted game.”
I held back my tears, how could he turn this around on me and say I was just playing a game with him? My mother had always told me that the right man would be willing to wait for me. I knew Jason was a playboy when we met, but I saw the softer side of him and gave him a chance. My mom told me he was bad news and she could see it from a mile away. My friends told me that he would break my heart, use me and let me go. I told everybody off.
“What, just going to sit there and stare at me?” he said. His eyebrows were pulled down, his lips boxed up, and his nose scrunched. If he hadn’t of been angry with me it would have been an adorable confused expression, but the anger behind it made it scary. “Fine,” he stood up, “there’s the door, get out.”
“Jason, don’t,” I reached out for him, “it’s been such a good night, please. Sit down with me and let’s finish the movie.”
“It was a good night until you ruined it. I did everything I could to make this special. I’ve never been with anyone this long, I thought you would see that and understand that I need a little something to keep me interested. I turn down offers for sex all the time because I don’t want to hurt you by cheating, but why? Why should I care about how you feel when you don’t seem to care about my needs? I don’t want to look at your face, get out or I’ll call the cops and they can make you leave.” He walked to the front door and opened it, “Now!”
Tears started to run down my cheeks. I slowly started to rise, I felt lost. I didn’t know what he meant. Was it just a small fight or was this the end? He had never kicked me out any time we had fought. He looked so sure of his choice. My whole body started to shake and my head felt like I was on an extreme roller coaster. I couldn’t get my bearings and I stumbled. Jason didn’t even flinch to help me up. It was only a few feet but it felt like it took ages. I made it to the door and tried to look him in the eye. I hoped he would just grab me and tell me he was sorry for it, that it was all just a mistake. Instead, he took out his phone and dialed a number. As he closed the door I heard him say, “Hey, Bobby, it’s Jason. Want to come over and hang out?”
It was at that moment that I wished I hadn’t of been born gay. Women seemed to be so much more understanding of wanting to wait for marriage. Gay men were so stereotypical about just hooking up and not making a commitment to wait for the right person. I think that even if Jason were straight he would have been a manwhore, but I felt so little knowing everyone had been right about him except for me.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Book Review- Suzanne Collins' "Mockingjay"
Let me start out by saying that I both love and hate this book. It was an emotional roller-coaster but at the same time I don't know if it really tugged at my heartstrings enough.
This final installment covers the revolution and over-throwing of the Capital. You find out that District 13 has been hiding underground for 75 years to build up the strength to finally free the land of the Capital's mistreatment of its' people. Katniss awakes to find that she is wanted to be the face of the rebellion and she finally accepts after much deliberation with herself. Everything that she knew about herself and those around her is lost throughout the war, and in the end she is faced with a future that she could have never expected when she took Prim's spot in the Hunger Games.
I found myself as confused as Katniss about who to trust and whether or not she was making the right choices. This book is the first time we really get to know Gale as a person and the more we learned about him the more I disliked him and the more I hoped to be wrong about her ending up with him. He reminds me of the "bad boy" that girls go for. For Katniss he was always just a friend until she started kissing Peeta, then her mind wondered about whether or not she loved Gale. In this book we learn that it was six months prior to the Hunger Games that he decided he cared about her as more than a hunting partner. This realization only came when someone else flirted with her. He has no trouble telling her of the many girls he kissed, and his arrogance doesn't stop there. Katniss loves the boy she knew in the woods, but it is apparent to the reader that she only saw him for his good points, never realizing his hatred consumed him and his ability with snares would mean the death of so many, including one she loved above all others. We also see a different side of Peeta. His charm and love is destroyed by the Capital while they hold him captive and he comes back to Katniss a different person. It becomes easy to hate Peeta for how he treats Katniss, to think he is the biggest jerk and to want Katniss to run into Gale's arms. Gale tells Peeta that Katniss will end up choosing the one that she can't survive without. It seems weird that both boys agree that her only choice would be one or the other, it shows their immaturity and idealism. These characteristics of the two boys kept me conflicted throughout as to who I wanted her with. Peeta has lost all the traits that made me fall for him, and while Gale isn't my cup of tea, he is still by Katniss' side, trying to keep her safe and loving her no matter how she acts.
Through Peeta's memory problems, we are shown a side of Katniss that isn't flattering. She seems so weak and unforgiving. This though, makes sense when you remember she is only a 17-year-old girl who was turned into a murderer because everyone around her keeps wanting to kill her. Her mental break downs make sense, as does her coldness, but both are beyond frustrating as a reader. Everything she goes through leads her to holding the bow and arrow and killing the leader of Panem who wants the Hunger Games to live on. She is able to see that everyone has an agenda, and that people who seem to have good ideals can be as evil as people who have ideals different to your own. Katniss causing the last death of the war seems to be a symbolic irony, as she is trying to end a world where children have to be murderers while she is still a child herself.
The writing style in this novel was in many way more sophisticated that the other two. The first book was grotesque but about the power of love to conquer. The second book reminded me of Murphy's Law- whatever can go wrong, will go wrong, and at the most inopportune times. The third instillation was about the evils of humanity. It was about falling into drugs, it was about learning who people really were, it was about how people can be mislead into fighting wars they don't know they are fighting. In the end though, it is also once again a story about true love, that when everything seems lost, a person whom you truly love and loves you will eventually make things as right as they can ever be.
While reading the book there was something bothering me about it, that I couldn't place my finger on. I think what it is, is that this is supposed to be a story for young adults. For that awkward time in a person's life where fairy tales are passe but the mind is still impressionable and material should be carefully presented. This book seems to ignore those ideas and goes straight into the worst qualities of humanity. As the young teen sees her hope of mankind be shattered time and time again, the reader is opened up to a world of pessimism. Stories don't have to be happy, and if they are only happy they are usually no good, but this story leaves nothing but despair in my heart. I wonder if children experience it the same way, or if they cling to the good points and ignore what an older reader is troubled by. I suspect that to some extent this is the truth, which would make this book one of the best written because it would mean that as a person grows they will see the book differently. Books like Twilight and Harry Potter have a similar following, but while they are both good in their own ways, I do no see them comparable in their reach into the depths of relationships and motives. Professor Snape in Harry Potter is a character who touches on similar ideas of trust and motives, but not to the extent that Katniss faces with everyone she knows. Furthermore, in both these noteworthy books, though there are sad moments, the endings are both happy, promising a bright future. The end of the Hunger Games series shows readers that although things have changed, Katniss will never have her guard down, she will never really be free from the scars of the arena, and no matter how happy she is, her life will always be haunted and therefore bleak.
To end this review, I have to once again say that I love and hate the book. In a few months I will probably pick up the series again, go back through and see what I missed in my rush to know what happens. Maybe then my thoughts will be less jumbled, but for now I think if I don't stop myself I will end up rambling on and on. I hope not too much was given away to enjoy the book for those who have not read it, but for those who have please feel free to leave comments here with your opinion. This is a book that warrants much discussion, I only hope that this review can be the catalyst for your own ideas on what Suzanne Collins was trying to say.
This final installment covers the revolution and over-throwing of the Capital. You find out that District 13 has been hiding underground for 75 years to build up the strength to finally free the land of the Capital's mistreatment of its' people. Katniss awakes to find that she is wanted to be the face of the rebellion and she finally accepts after much deliberation with herself. Everything that she knew about herself and those around her is lost throughout the war, and in the end she is faced with a future that she could have never expected when she took Prim's spot in the Hunger Games.
I found myself as confused as Katniss about who to trust and whether or not she was making the right choices. This book is the first time we really get to know Gale as a person and the more we learned about him the more I disliked him and the more I hoped to be wrong about her ending up with him. He reminds me of the "bad boy" that girls go for. For Katniss he was always just a friend until she started kissing Peeta, then her mind wondered about whether or not she loved Gale. In this book we learn that it was six months prior to the Hunger Games that he decided he cared about her as more than a hunting partner. This realization only came when someone else flirted with her. He has no trouble telling her of the many girls he kissed, and his arrogance doesn't stop there. Katniss loves the boy she knew in the woods, but it is apparent to the reader that she only saw him for his good points, never realizing his hatred consumed him and his ability with snares would mean the death of so many, including one she loved above all others. We also see a different side of Peeta. His charm and love is destroyed by the Capital while they hold him captive and he comes back to Katniss a different person. It becomes easy to hate Peeta for how he treats Katniss, to think he is the biggest jerk and to want Katniss to run into Gale's arms. Gale tells Peeta that Katniss will end up choosing the one that she can't survive without. It seems weird that both boys agree that her only choice would be one or the other, it shows their immaturity and idealism. These characteristics of the two boys kept me conflicted throughout as to who I wanted her with. Peeta has lost all the traits that made me fall for him, and while Gale isn't my cup of tea, he is still by Katniss' side, trying to keep her safe and loving her no matter how she acts.
Through Peeta's memory problems, we are shown a side of Katniss that isn't flattering. She seems so weak and unforgiving. This though, makes sense when you remember she is only a 17-year-old girl who was turned into a murderer because everyone around her keeps wanting to kill her. Her mental break downs make sense, as does her coldness, but both are beyond frustrating as a reader. Everything she goes through leads her to holding the bow and arrow and killing the leader of Panem who wants the Hunger Games to live on. She is able to see that everyone has an agenda, and that people who seem to have good ideals can be as evil as people who have ideals different to your own. Katniss causing the last death of the war seems to be a symbolic irony, as she is trying to end a world where children have to be murderers while she is still a child herself.
The writing style in this novel was in many way more sophisticated that the other two. The first book was grotesque but about the power of love to conquer. The second book reminded me of Murphy's Law- whatever can go wrong, will go wrong, and at the most inopportune times. The third instillation was about the evils of humanity. It was about falling into drugs, it was about learning who people really were, it was about how people can be mislead into fighting wars they don't know they are fighting. In the end though, it is also once again a story about true love, that when everything seems lost, a person whom you truly love and loves you will eventually make things as right as they can ever be.
While reading the book there was something bothering me about it, that I couldn't place my finger on. I think what it is, is that this is supposed to be a story for young adults. For that awkward time in a person's life where fairy tales are passe but the mind is still impressionable and material should be carefully presented. This book seems to ignore those ideas and goes straight into the worst qualities of humanity. As the young teen sees her hope of mankind be shattered time and time again, the reader is opened up to a world of pessimism. Stories don't have to be happy, and if they are only happy they are usually no good, but this story leaves nothing but despair in my heart. I wonder if children experience it the same way, or if they cling to the good points and ignore what an older reader is troubled by. I suspect that to some extent this is the truth, which would make this book one of the best written because it would mean that as a person grows they will see the book differently. Books like Twilight and Harry Potter have a similar following, but while they are both good in their own ways, I do no see them comparable in their reach into the depths of relationships and motives. Professor Snape in Harry Potter is a character who touches on similar ideas of trust and motives, but not to the extent that Katniss faces with everyone she knows. Furthermore, in both these noteworthy books, though there are sad moments, the endings are both happy, promising a bright future. The end of the Hunger Games series shows readers that although things have changed, Katniss will never have her guard down, she will never really be free from the scars of the arena, and no matter how happy she is, her life will always be haunted and therefore bleak.
To end this review, I have to once again say that I love and hate the book. In a few months I will probably pick up the series again, go back through and see what I missed in my rush to know what happens. Maybe then my thoughts will be less jumbled, but for now I think if I don't stop myself I will end up rambling on and on. I hope not too much was given away to enjoy the book for those who have not read it, but for those who have please feel free to leave comments here with your opinion. This is a book that warrants much discussion, I only hope that this review can be the catalyst for your own ideas on what Suzanne Collins was trying to say.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Book Review- Suzanne Collins' "Catching Fire"
I read this book between getting home Monday night from work and 10pm the next night. It was too good to put down and being half-awake at work was completely worth it. I very much considered calling out of work so that I could stay up all night and finish it. Unfortunately, I'm far too responsible and far too broke to have the luxury to do so. This book would have been worth it.
The story starts following Katniss and Peeta jointly wining the Hunger Games. They are brought back to life and made to once again show off to the world. Katniss soon learns though that her acting as a crazy-in-love teen has set the path for the rest of her life because in outsmarting the game she has started a revolution and pissed off the wrong people. During the first half of the book she struggles with trying to keep her life together. Peeta gets hurt when he learns that she acted up most of her feelings for the camera, and Gale gets hurt because he loves her. She doesn't really want either but wants them both and spends most of the book very confused. She thinks about running away, she thinks about staying, she thinks about just going along with what the Capital wants in order to save everyone around her. Then, the unspeakable happens, she finds out she has to go back to the Hunger Games. The rest of the book is her deciding to give up everything and save Peeta as he tried to save her in the first game. She has no idea that she is just a pawn in yet a larger game.
The writing was again superb, but I found one major flaw with the story. While the entire book was interesting and definitely needed to be there, the end seemed too rushed to me. I wanted a little more action from the new Hunger Games arena, I wanted to know more about the characters in the alliances she made and the struggle to survive. I understand the idea of keeping it short, but to me something just felt like it was missing. I laughed, I gasped, I felt sad, but I didn't feel as connected to the characters in this story as I did the last. Mag's suicide didn't leave me hysterical, nothing did. I did not expect the twist at the end, but I did see parts of it coming because her foreshadowing seemed so blatant the minute it happened, it actually annoyed me that Katniss didn't wonder more about certain situations. I also really don't like that she decides to choose Gale over Peeta, girls are just so dumb. That being said, I still do think this story was great, and I am itching to get my hands on a copy of the next so I can devour it, I just hope it leaves me with something a little more satisfying.
Katniss' evolution of a character is great to see. From the first book to the end of the second, we watch her go from a girl who feels the need to take care of her family to one who acknowledges that her mother should be the head of the house. She goes from a girl who is selfish in ways to one who looks out for the lives other others (ie puts Peta before herself). She starts to see good in people who she would normally have judged and lets people into her heart as friends when before she preferred to be alone. The lessons that she is learning seem to be setting her up for the final book, in which I'm sure she will shine even brighter.
The story starts following Katniss and Peeta jointly wining the Hunger Games. They are brought back to life and made to once again show off to the world. Katniss soon learns though that her acting as a crazy-in-love teen has set the path for the rest of her life because in outsmarting the game she has started a revolution and pissed off the wrong people. During the first half of the book she struggles with trying to keep her life together. Peeta gets hurt when he learns that she acted up most of her feelings for the camera, and Gale gets hurt because he loves her. She doesn't really want either but wants them both and spends most of the book very confused. She thinks about running away, she thinks about staying, she thinks about just going along with what the Capital wants in order to save everyone around her. Then, the unspeakable happens, she finds out she has to go back to the Hunger Games. The rest of the book is her deciding to give up everything and save Peeta as he tried to save her in the first game. She has no idea that she is just a pawn in yet a larger game.
The writing was again superb, but I found one major flaw with the story. While the entire book was interesting and definitely needed to be there, the end seemed too rushed to me. I wanted a little more action from the new Hunger Games arena, I wanted to know more about the characters in the alliances she made and the struggle to survive. I understand the idea of keeping it short, but to me something just felt like it was missing. I laughed, I gasped, I felt sad, but I didn't feel as connected to the characters in this story as I did the last. Mag's suicide didn't leave me hysterical, nothing did. I did not expect the twist at the end, but I did see parts of it coming because her foreshadowing seemed so blatant the minute it happened, it actually annoyed me that Katniss didn't wonder more about certain situations. I also really don't like that she decides to choose Gale over Peeta, girls are just so dumb. That being said, I still do think this story was great, and I am itching to get my hands on a copy of the next so I can devour it, I just hope it leaves me with something a little more satisfying.
Katniss' evolution of a character is great to see. From the first book to the end of the second, we watch her go from a girl who feels the need to take care of her family to one who acknowledges that her mother should be the head of the house. She goes from a girl who is selfish in ways to one who looks out for the lives other others (ie puts Peta before herself). She starts to see good in people who she would normally have judged and lets people into her heart as friends when before she preferred to be alone. The lessons that she is learning seem to be setting her up for the final book, in which I'm sure she will shine even brighter.
Book Review- Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games"
My youngest sister told me to read this book a year or more ago. I've always been too preoccupied to give it a shot. I now see what a mistake this has been because the book was incredible!
The story follows Katniss as she is thrown into a cruel game of survival, where children fight each other to the death as punishment for their forefathers rebellions against a cruel government. Katniss tells herself that she will survive for the sake of her younger sister (and mother). The idea of the glory that the Capital shines on the victors of the Hunger Games is not something that she cares for, it's not something she wants to be proud of, it's not something she thinks anyone should be proud of. The Capital turns the children into a circus like act. Many coming from the deepest poverty and starvation to be pampered before turned loose to slaughter one another. The lives of the children being bet on like they meant nothing. Katniss is bitter the entire book because of what life has dealt her, but she is impossible not to love.
Ms. Collins' writing shocked me. It is very hard to pull off a present tense story. I myself would be much too afraid to do so, but she makes it seem flawless. I never felt like it would have been better in past tense, I never felt like it would have been better in anything but first person. The simple structure of her writing technique makes her amazing, but her story content takes her to the realm of the extraordinary. She found a way to piece together a story about coming-of-age, romance, war, death, loss, poverty, indulgence, and so on, and do it in a way that speaks to a wide range of audience. The vocabulary was never pretentious, and every word felt as it should. There is nothing worse than a writer who tried to "smart up" their piece, which in the end usually takes away something far greater. One of her greatest talents in the story is how real it all feels, she mixes elements of our world with her "future" land of Panem so brilliantly that I almost expect to see a mockingjay out in the woods at some point in my life.
Taking a step back I have tried to piece together her influences. I felt a Romeo-and-Juliet theme going with the romance between Katniss and Peeta. He, from a merchant family, her from the Seams. From his first sight of her he knows that she will be the only one for him, and as a young boy even puts her well-being before his own. He is every mother's dream for her daughter. Unfortunately, Katniss can't decide if she wants to be his Juliet, and she always has her friend Gale in the back of her mind making her wonder if she doesn't want that instead. This torn-between-two-amazing-guys theme is very reminiscent to the popular Twilight series to me. Peeta would be Jacob, and Gale would be Edward. Following this logic, I can only assume that she will break Peeta's pure heart for a man who, while also good, just can't compare. The theme of people hunting each other reminds me of "The Most Dangerous Game" taken to an even more grotesque level.
All in all this is an excellent book, one that everyone should check out.
The story follows Katniss as she is thrown into a cruel game of survival, where children fight each other to the death as punishment for their forefathers rebellions against a cruel government. Katniss tells herself that she will survive for the sake of her younger sister (and mother). The idea of the glory that the Capital shines on the victors of the Hunger Games is not something that she cares for, it's not something she wants to be proud of, it's not something she thinks anyone should be proud of. The Capital turns the children into a circus like act. Many coming from the deepest poverty and starvation to be pampered before turned loose to slaughter one another. The lives of the children being bet on like they meant nothing. Katniss is bitter the entire book because of what life has dealt her, but she is impossible not to love.
Ms. Collins' writing shocked me. It is very hard to pull off a present tense story. I myself would be much too afraid to do so, but she makes it seem flawless. I never felt like it would have been better in past tense, I never felt like it would have been better in anything but first person. The simple structure of her writing technique makes her amazing, but her story content takes her to the realm of the extraordinary. She found a way to piece together a story about coming-of-age, romance, war, death, loss, poverty, indulgence, and so on, and do it in a way that speaks to a wide range of audience. The vocabulary was never pretentious, and every word felt as it should. There is nothing worse than a writer who tried to "smart up" their piece, which in the end usually takes away something far greater. One of her greatest talents in the story is how real it all feels, she mixes elements of our world with her "future" land of Panem so brilliantly that I almost expect to see a mockingjay out in the woods at some point in my life.
Taking a step back I have tried to piece together her influences. I felt a Romeo-and-Juliet theme going with the romance between Katniss and Peeta. He, from a merchant family, her from the Seams. From his first sight of her he knows that she will be the only one for him, and as a young boy even puts her well-being before his own. He is every mother's dream for her daughter. Unfortunately, Katniss can't decide if she wants to be his Juliet, and she always has her friend Gale in the back of her mind making her wonder if she doesn't want that instead. This torn-between-two-amazing-guys theme is very reminiscent to the popular Twilight series to me. Peeta would be Jacob, and Gale would be Edward. Following this logic, I can only assume that she will break Peeta's pure heart for a man who, while also good, just can't compare. The theme of people hunting each other reminds me of "The Most Dangerous Game" taken to an even more grotesque level.
All in all this is an excellent book, one that everyone should check out.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Book Review- Alison Croggon's "The Crow"
The third book of the Pellinor series was far from what I expected. For this novel, we follow the story of Hem after he separates with Maerad. In this book, Ms Croggon explores her dark side, creating beings that are repulsive and their qualities horrifying. A writer who can make you fall in love with the hero is normal, but a writer who can make you feel the repulsion of the antagonists and their goals is beautiful. Ms. Croggon eloquent writing skills give her readers the desire to jump into the book, become a Bard, and fight for the Light. Her story wraps its tendrils around a person's soul and brings them on an emotional rollercoaster of fear, longing, loss, love, and loneliness.
Much like the first two novels in the series, this story has so many parts. The action is constantly moving and changing like a chameleon. I find it amazing how in all three of her novels there is a lot of time spent traveling from one spot to another, and yet it never gets boring. It's also amazing how Hem and Maerad's stories are so different, yet share a cohesion and parallel structure to one another. Through these similarities, part of her story is clarified through the things he goes through, yet it is obvious still that guessing what will come next is a moot point.
The Crow to me was really one large, tangled up love story. Yes, there is fighting and death and gore, but I think the relationships were what really drove the story. The first love story is that of Saliman and Hem. The admiration for Saliman bordered on an almost homosexual tension. Whenever they admit their devotion to one another I wondered if there was not something sexual about it. At the same time though, these tensions could be due to the fact that Bards are people all about love and helping one another. Hem, on the other hand, was raised in a savage orphanage and then placed in a house of evil Hulls, forcing him to grow up without the concept of what caring and loving another person really is. His incredible love for Saliman, whom he looks at as a friend but also a father figure, may be so intense because he has never been allowed to love before and therefore he is going at it with full force. A different love eventually pops up when he realizes that his friend Zelika means more to him than just a friend. This passion may also be displaced emotion though. She was the first girl he really got to know, his desire to marry her towards the end of the book may simply be because he missed her so much and was idolizing his memories of her. It could also be, that maybe he was trying to repress his homosexual desires by going after a girl (since the story has had no male-male partners, one must assume that in Pellinor there is the same stigma about gays as there is in our present day). Both relationships that Hem develops in this book are exciting and engaging.
My final critique of this book is that, while it is a great read, it is not as strong as the first two were. I would highly recommend reading it still though, because it is a phenomenal book.
Much like the first two novels in the series, this story has so many parts. The action is constantly moving and changing like a chameleon. I find it amazing how in all three of her novels there is a lot of time spent traveling from one spot to another, and yet it never gets boring. It's also amazing how Hem and Maerad's stories are so different, yet share a cohesion and parallel structure to one another. Through these similarities, part of her story is clarified through the things he goes through, yet it is obvious still that guessing what will come next is a moot point.
The Crow to me was really one large, tangled up love story. Yes, there is fighting and death and gore, but I think the relationships were what really drove the story. The first love story is that of Saliman and Hem. The admiration for Saliman bordered on an almost homosexual tension. Whenever they admit their devotion to one another I wondered if there was not something sexual about it. At the same time though, these tensions could be due to the fact that Bards are people all about love and helping one another. Hem, on the other hand, was raised in a savage orphanage and then placed in a house of evil Hulls, forcing him to grow up without the concept of what caring and loving another person really is. His incredible love for Saliman, whom he looks at as a friend but also a father figure, may be so intense because he has never been allowed to love before and therefore he is going at it with full force. A different love eventually pops up when he realizes that his friend Zelika means more to him than just a friend. This passion may also be displaced emotion though. She was the first girl he really got to know, his desire to marry her towards the end of the book may simply be because he missed her so much and was idolizing his memories of her. It could also be, that maybe he was trying to repress his homosexual desires by going after a girl (since the story has had no male-male partners, one must assume that in Pellinor there is the same stigma about gays as there is in our present day). Both relationships that Hem develops in this book are exciting and engaging.
My final critique of this book is that, while it is a great read, it is not as strong as the first two were. I would highly recommend reading it still though, because it is a phenomenal book.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Book Review- Alison Croggon's "The Naming" and "The Riddle"
So let me start off by apologizing for putting these reviews together. I am only doing so because the first on was SO GOOD that I just had to tear into the second one before I had the chance to write a review. I actually just started the third and knew I had to get to this before all four books were under my belt and ended up getting lumped together.
The Naming
This novel starts out a bit slow. I wasn't sure what to expect, but page by page I realized the beauty in Ms Croggon's writing. Shortly after the two main character's meet, their personalities and histories start unraveling at a beautiful pace. As they get to know each other, the reader gets to know them as well. It's fun exploring the relationship and world alongside them, not knowing or being able to truly speculate what was coming next.
The pacing of the story was interesting. On one hand it was slow and on the other it was action packed. This was accomplished because of the main character's lack of knowledge about everything. The reader is introduced to many details, but they don't bog down the story because they are presented as exciting observations. The mix of summary and dialogue was just perfect. All together, I think that her writing style is incredible.
I especially like that Ms. Croggon includes things that many other writers forget or chose to leave out. For example, the main character starts her period and thinks she is dying because she never had a mother to teach her about menstruation. Not only does she bring this issue up here, but she every now and again will have the main character mention that she had just started her period again and was grouchy because of it. One of my favorite parts (though I don't recall if it was the first or second book) was when the main character was traveling and upset that she had no way to take a shower and clean up after the smell of the bleeding. I have always wondered about just that in any fantasy book that I have read, and I am so happy that she doesn't skirt from such a natural issue.
The Riddle
I can't imagine how Ms. Croggon is going to top this book, it was beyond amazing. Her writing is clear and imaginative and enthralling on the reader. Every page made me want to read the next so much faster, but at the same time I wanted to savor every word. So much happened in this book. I laughed, I cried, I made sneak peaks to random pages trying to find out who was alive or dead. Ms. Croggon explored sexual tensions between the main characters without really exploring them explicitly. She brought new characters into the story that enhanced the existing ones, threw in more than one awesome twist, and made every word in the story count. The only negative thing I can say about the book is that I get confused about what everything is. This is my fault though because Ms. Croggon has a clear map included in the second book, it is just the strange names that I get mixed up every now and again.
I have so much I want to say, but I don't want to give any details of the book away. So, after you read this I need you to either run to your local bookstore and purchase the entire series, or search the net for a copy.
The Naming
This novel starts out a bit slow. I wasn't sure what to expect, but page by page I realized the beauty in Ms Croggon's writing. Shortly after the two main character's meet, their personalities and histories start unraveling at a beautiful pace. As they get to know each other, the reader gets to know them as well. It's fun exploring the relationship and world alongside them, not knowing or being able to truly speculate what was coming next.
The pacing of the story was interesting. On one hand it was slow and on the other it was action packed. This was accomplished because of the main character's lack of knowledge about everything. The reader is introduced to many details, but they don't bog down the story because they are presented as exciting observations. The mix of summary and dialogue was just perfect. All together, I think that her writing style is incredible.
I especially like that Ms. Croggon includes things that many other writers forget or chose to leave out. For example, the main character starts her period and thinks she is dying because she never had a mother to teach her about menstruation. Not only does she bring this issue up here, but she every now and again will have the main character mention that she had just started her period again and was grouchy because of it. One of my favorite parts (though I don't recall if it was the first or second book) was when the main character was traveling and upset that she had no way to take a shower and clean up after the smell of the bleeding. I have always wondered about just that in any fantasy book that I have read, and I am so happy that she doesn't skirt from such a natural issue.
The Riddle
I can't imagine how Ms. Croggon is going to top this book, it was beyond amazing. Her writing is clear and imaginative and enthralling on the reader. Every page made me want to read the next so much faster, but at the same time I wanted to savor every word. So much happened in this book. I laughed, I cried, I made sneak peaks to random pages trying to find out who was alive or dead. Ms. Croggon explored sexual tensions between the main characters without really exploring them explicitly. She brought new characters into the story that enhanced the existing ones, threw in more than one awesome twist, and made every word in the story count. The only negative thing I can say about the book is that I get confused about what everything is. This is my fault though because Ms. Croggon has a clear map included in the second book, it is just the strange names that I get mixed up every now and again.
I have so much I want to say, but I don't want to give any details of the book away. So, after you read this I need you to either run to your local bookstore and purchase the entire series, or search the net for a copy.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Book Review- Chelsea Handler's "My Horizontal Life"
My sister purchased this book for me for Christmas thinking I would find it amusing. I've enjoyed her show Chelsea Lately so I was excited to open it up and give it a try. What happened over the course of my reading it was something I didn't expect.
At the start of the book all I could think about was, "wow, she got around." I was less than amused. I had never pictured her as such a hot mess of alcohol and self-destructive behavior. The first few chapters made me like her less and less as they shattered my notion that she was the kind of girl who would be such fun to go out with. Now I saw her as one of "those girls" who I would see acting out of control at a bar and judge her for it.
As the book progresses though you start to feel her maturing, even though the stories are still obsurd. My judgemental attitude slowly changed to one who saw that deep down she seemed pretty lonely and unhappy with her life. She may have been having some incredibly funny evenings, but reading what wasn't said showed something else. Eventually at the end of the story I realized that all the stories, though originally seeming very random, were tied together in a beautiful way. What was originally presented as a hell of a lot of fun turned out to be something that it seemed wasn't so much fun.
The writing in the book was nothing spectacular. There were times when I felt like I could tell where an editor changed a word/where Chelsea tried to "smart up" her writing and it was just awkward. Some of her strengths as a writer include using just enough detail to paint a picture, but not enough to boggle down and annoy the reader. She also does well to not try and be funny, but just lets her natural humor come through in her voice.
All in all, this is a short book with a good amount of laughs as well as a form of a moral to the story at the end. I would recommend it to anyone who wants light reading that isn't thought-provoking but rather just a good time.
At the start of the book all I could think about was, "wow, she got around." I was less than amused. I had never pictured her as such a hot mess of alcohol and self-destructive behavior. The first few chapters made me like her less and less as they shattered my notion that she was the kind of girl who would be such fun to go out with. Now I saw her as one of "those girls" who I would see acting out of control at a bar and judge her for it.
As the book progresses though you start to feel her maturing, even though the stories are still obsurd. My judgemental attitude slowly changed to one who saw that deep down she seemed pretty lonely and unhappy with her life. She may have been having some incredibly funny evenings, but reading what wasn't said showed something else. Eventually at the end of the story I realized that all the stories, though originally seeming very random, were tied together in a beautiful way. What was originally presented as a hell of a lot of fun turned out to be something that it seemed wasn't so much fun.
The writing in the book was nothing spectacular. There were times when I felt like I could tell where an editor changed a word/where Chelsea tried to "smart up" her writing and it was just awkward. Some of her strengths as a writer include using just enough detail to paint a picture, but not enough to boggle down and annoy the reader. She also does well to not try and be funny, but just lets her natural humor come through in her voice.
All in all, this is a short book with a good amount of laughs as well as a form of a moral to the story at the end. I would recommend it to anyone who wants light reading that isn't thought-provoking but rather just a good time.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Book Review- Susan Cooper's "The Dark is Rising" series
As it turns out, I was unable to write about each book/section of Ms Cooper's series because it would have said the same thing over and over again. Yes, there are times when the story gets interesting and exciting; but for the most part the book is predictable and, for lack of a better word, retarded. What an Old One really is doesn't make much sense, and how the main character goes from sucking at being an Old One to having all the answers also makes no sense. Bran turning into Arthur's son isn't clearly developed. Why Will stays behind makes no sense. Why everyone has to forget what happened is dumb, as is the fact that "normal" kids would even have been needed in the first place. The bad guys never really do anything but chase the good guys, which leads readers to boredom. The ending is completely unsatisfying.
I have read many books that I have disliked, but this series is by far one of the worst. The writing was poor, the story line had far too many holes, the characters were unimpressive, there was no brilliance anywhere. I hope to be able to sell this book and at least walk away with something from it, as opposed to the blah it has left me with as of right now.
I have read many books that I have disliked, but this series is by far one of the worst. The writing was poor, the story line had far too many holes, the characters were unimpressive, there was no brilliance anywhere. I hope to be able to sell this book and at least walk away with something from it, as opposed to the blah it has left me with as of right now.
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