This is another one of those good, casual reads that you do actually need to devote a bit of focus to. Not really to follow the story itself, but moreThis is another one of those good, casual reads that you do actually need to devote a bit of focus to. Not really to follow the story itself, but more to keep track of the characters. The basic gist of The Forgotten Garden is that you're following three different characters, in three different times, down one storyline.
As fun, genuine, and engrossing as the book was there was nothing super remarkable about it. The characters, quite frankly, are typical and nothing special. The story, a bit different from what's currently out there, bordered on predictability - things meant to come as a surprise weren't very surprising. Morton's writing was actually really good at transporting you to the various locations we venture too. I felt she gave more life to the places and things rather than the people. There was also a certain fluidity that keeps the reader engaged.
I think The Forgotten Garden is a vacation book. Something to take along and read on your downtime to relax even further. It's fascinating that you will be transported even further away than you already are on your trip, to different times and places. A vacation within a vacation....more
If you were to take The Heretic's Daughter and combine it with The Da Vinci Code then up the writing quality by at least 75% you would have The PhysicIf you were to take The Heretic's Daughter and combine it with The Da Vinci Code then up the writing quality by at least 75% you would have The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. It combines the story of families affected by the Salem witch trials, with a historical, research-type mystery and just comes out with a fantastic, hard-to-put-down, fun read.
The Salem witch trials have been told again and again and again, and as fascinating as I find them, a unique story about them is hard to come by. But Katherine Howe proved it can be done and takes the trials in a completely different direction. What if there were actual witches being persecuted? What if witchcraft is real? What if science and religion are both right? Katherine explores all of these questions and gives interesting, if not slightly far-fetched but fun, answers.
The only slight flaw with the book was that it was slow to develop and then everything suddenly happens all at once and is finished really fast. I guess I felt there should have been a bit more from the end because we were given so much in the beginning. I also found that the supposedly mysterious antagonist was not a mystery and was easily found out before the big reveal. But other than that I found Howe's writing very enjoyable. Her characters were fairly well developed, her descriptions beautiful, the story well thought out and interesting, and her research and attention to detail very impeccable.
Overall a fun and interesting read. There will be moments where you find it very difficult to put it down....more
I'm reading Gladwell's books out of order. I first read Outliers (his 3rd book), now I've read Blink (his 2nd), next I'm going to try and get my handsI'm reading Gladwell's books out of order. I first read Outliers (his 3rd book), now I've read Blink (his 2nd), next I'm going to try and get my hands on The Tipping Point and then finally his latest- What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures. But let's focus on Blink now, shall we?
I've never really thought about our unconscious thinking process before reading Blink. I always knew it existed, but I never knew it went as far as Gladwell was able to explore in this book. Now I'm going to be constantly aware of my involuntary choices and judgements. The explanations about our subconscious choices and subliminal messages are going to be everywhere to me now. There's no way I'm going to be able to walk down a supermarket aisle and look at everything the same way again. This isn't one of those life-changing books, it's more of a life-awareness book.
The one thing that disappointed me about Blink vs. Outliers was that when Gladwell veered into fact-heavy portions, the book lost steam and my attention started to lag. The fact portions tended to be lengthy and drawn out, taking slightly from the overall flow of the book. Really, though, the book was extremely informative and engaging. I'd challenge anyone to read this book and not see the world even a little bit differently....more
True stories are always hard to review. Stories about animals? Even harder. Wesley the Owl is going to be a tough one.
One thing I'm beginning to noticTrue stories are always hard to review. Stories about animals? Even harder. Wesley the Owl is going to be a tough one.
One thing I'm beginning to notice about all these "My Pet & Me" books hitting the market is the fact that a lot of them are written by writers, meaning people that actively write for a living. Wesley the Owl was not. O'Brien is a biologist first and foremost. Obviously she has some skill as a writer because she's had to research and write papers in order to earn her degree, but it was evident in the book that creative writing was not her forté. Despite that I still enjoyed the book immensely and it was still well-written.
From the moment O'Brien writes about looking down on the tiny, fluffy Wesley and immediately falling in love with him the reader falls in love too. Being both a scientist and an owl mom O'Brien highlights all of Wesley's unique quirks and traits in astonishing detail so we begin to know him intimately. She also doesn't hesitate to talk about the gross stuff either, thank God books don't smell or I would have been gagging at a lot of parts.
Throughout Wesley's story Stacey also talks about owl facts and various animal behaviors, taking advantage of informing and educating involved readers. A couple of times she does reiterate herself, but thankfully not to the point of redundancy. Also, given the fact that most people reading the book are completely uninformed about owls, the tidbits given are really fascinating. For me at least, I loved when she would discuss various owl and animal info, but for others not as interested in animal behavior and more interested in Wesley's tale, those small parts may bore you a bit.
Any animal lover will love this book and it continues to prove what most of us already know: every animal is a unique individual with their own seperate personalities and feelings. Most of them have been on this planet longer than us and we need to take better care of sharing it with them. Animals are not here for us to own and dominate, they're here as friends and neighbors and we need to start treating them as such. ...more
I hope people understand what I mean when I say "embellished non-fiction." It basically means what it says, a non-fiction book has descriptions and naI hope people understand what I mean when I say "embellished non-fiction." It basically means what it says, a non-fiction book has descriptions and narrative added in that no one could say really happened or not, it's been added in to make it more of a story, to make it more of a novel-type read rather than a straight through monologue on what happened during a period of change in America's history. Karen Abbot did say in her author's note, "I want to stress that this is a work of nonfiction; every character I describe lived and breathed, if not necessarily thrived...Anything that appears in quotation marks, dialogue or otherwise, comes from a book, archival collection, article, journal, or government report." Clearly Abbott did extensive research to maintain historical accuracy in this book, but it's also apparent she added her own flair to help make it a good story. Thankfully it never was in sacrifice of the truth.
Sin in the Second City was totally enthralling from page one. It's a subject I'm not familiar with (the 19th-20th century brothel/prostitution system), nor the history and changes that were made in our laws because of it. Therefore all these people, places and events had me hooked and I wanted to know more. I, personally, was most interested in the life of the Everleigh sisters and I had hoped that the book would focus mostly on them with the reformers and politicians and laws staying on the periferary. It was an even split actually and as everything and everyone effected everything and everyone else it made sense to do it that way. But it did get a little dry and a bit boring when it came to the talk of politicians and laws.
The book lost steam near the end, only one thing (which I will not disclose as it will spoil the read) really keeping it going. That, and the dryness in the political sections, were what I found to be the only downfalls of the book. Abbot's writing was fantastic, every character that came to the page came to life. She managed to find the drama and intrigue in all her research and share it with the reader, which will keep the reader hooked. If you're interested in the lesser known, "darker" and "seedier" side of American history and you also want a good read, Sin in the Second City would be a good choice for you. ...more
There are a couple reasons I had to read this book. 1) I love historical fiction. 2) I love books. 3) My mother is a librarian, so any book revolving There are a couple reasons I had to read this book. 1) I love historical fiction. 2) I love books. 3) My mother is a librarian, so any book revolving around the book-trade (librarians, bookshops, book collectors, etc.) is a must read in my family. 4) I like Geraldine Brooks.
So far Geraldine Brooks has scored a 3/3 with me. I read Year of Wonders way back when and fell in love with it. I enjoyed March a lot, but not quite as much as Year of wonders (for a review of March go here). People of the Book falls right in between the two.
What Brooks really had going for her is her attention to detail and character. Her words bring you in and wrap you up in imagery, but at no point are you overwhelmed and smothered in it. Hanna is an endearing character who is great at linking all the mini-stories together, and gives you someone to bond and share the experience with. And speaking of the mini-stories, they're kind of hit-or-miss. Two of the stories I just didn't get in to as much, but the rest held my attention.
Honestly though, I think the whole mystery/situation/whatever you want to call it that crops up at the end (trying to say this without giving anything away) was completely unneccessary. The journey of the book itself was enough to carry the overall story, and it seemed that the "situation" was just something haphazardly thrown in there to jazz it up a bit. Even though in Brooks's world haphazardly is still pretty well done. Perhaps it was just a way to help her end the book? Who knows.
If and when Brooks comes out with another book, I'm there. She's an extremely unique author, who's writing style is like a fresh of breath air in all the shit other books that are floating around out there right now. I'm tempted to re-read Year of Wonders and see if it was just as good as I remembered it.
Short review because there's not a lot to cover with it. I read this book because I had been hearing portions while my roommate listened to her audio Short review because there's not a lot to cover with it. I read this book because I had been hearing portions while my roommate listened to her audio version of it. While not one for "self-help" books or "how-to-be successful" guides, this one struck me as interesting because it's not really either of those. Outliers just really talks about how success is luck and how it isn't luck.
Gladwell is a true storyteller holding your attention with each example he gives, and even when he gets into more fact heavy portions his writing style still keeps you engaged. At no point did I find the book getting really dry and boring, which is often the case with a lot of non-fiction books. Obviously the subject matter is something fascinating, but the presentation could easily have gone bad.
Everyone is going to get something different out of this book. Some may get life-altering information, others just a good read, and then people who leave with the fact that while in the end you can make your own success, in almost all situations it's what you're dealt with in life that can really make or break you. Success is luck you shape....more
It may seem like I've finally failed on my mission of 2010 to read a book a week, but I haven't. I finished this one in plenty of time, just didn't reIt may seem like I've finally failed on my mission of 2010 to read a book a week, but I haven't. I finished this one in plenty of time, just didn't review it in plenty of time.
The Nature of Monsters is definitely not your typical historical fiction novel. Clark does not gloss anything over or romanticize any bit of the era she is writing about. Everything is raw, gritty, bawdy and described down to the most mundane, and often disgusting, detail. Completely different from any other historical fiction novel I've read. There is no romance, so if that's the only reason you read a historical fiction, put this book down right now.
Every character, setting and situation is flawed to perfection. It's an odd thing to say and probably even harder to imagine but it's very true and upon reading the book you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. None of the characters are sympathetic, even Mary, yet somehow I found myself drawn to them and hyponotized by their story.
I think the best way to describe this book is like a beautiful trainwreck. It is terrible, horrible and ugly, you know you should look away but you just can't. There's something drawing you in and keeping you there. I'm going to leave it at that. There's something I liked about this book, but I really can't put my finger on it because I don't think I should have liked this book. In the end it's something you'll just have to try out for yourself....more
So this is going to be a tougher book to review because it's not really a book. It's someone's diary edited down and put into book form. How do you reSo this is going to be a tougher book to review because it's not really a book. It's someone's diary edited down and put into book form. How do you review someone's personal thoughts and daily life? Honestly, you don't.
This is something you read based on personal taste. If you are a Monty Python fan or a Michael Palin fan (in terms of his writings, career and travel books and documentaries) you should read this. He does write a lot about Monty Python because in the ten years his diary spans Monty Python takes up the bulk of his time, replaced only by family and writing really and even then those things tended to go hand in hand. It's fascinating to suddenly have this insiders perspective on something I'm absolutely in love with. Palin doesn't cover bits and sketches we look on now as genius and hilarious, and Holy Grail was only a fast couple of weeks in these pages literally spanning a decade. It shows how all of these things became important after the fact. It's also fascinating to watch fame creep up on him and the rest of the members of Python and how they all deal with it. For the most part Michael remains humble, something hard to cover up in your own diary.
The editing was very well done. Obviously in a personal diary things are going to be said that you don't want people seeing. There were a couple parts things were obviously edited out, marked by the classic "..." after certain points, but nothing was abruptly cut, allowing everything to continue on smoothly. It looks like most of the diary was kept intact, certain things popping up I'm sure Palin debated heavily on keeping or not.
At first I thought reading this (I don't really know what to call it: a book? Novel? Diary?) would make me feel extremely voyeuristic, but after the first couple of pages I didn't at all. Michael is often reflective, but keeps his words light and fun. It's not as silly as his sketch writing, and is much more flowing and detailed. It's clear why he is so good at writing travel books because his attention to detail is fascinating. His descriptions of the places he goes and the people he meets are so clear that it was those moments when I forgot I was reading about someone's actual day!
There are a couple parts where it gets heavy in British politics and sporting events that lost my interest just a little bit, but Palin tries his best with footnotes to help readers unfamiliar with those to follow along. Really it was a fascinating and really good read for me, a huge Monty Python fan. I feel like I have a completely new perspective on one of my favorite comedy groups ever, I think from now on the movies and TV show are going to be viewed a little differently by me. I think this could also be a very good read for non-Python fans or people not so familiar with Python. He speaks fondly and emotionally of his father, who we are introduced to in his older and failing years. I was brought to tears a couple of times when he spoke of his father, because I'm going through similar things Michael was going through, the fact that the age difference between him and his father is the same as me and my dad just drove it even closer to home. His relationship with his wife and kids and friends are all sweet and he tries to do his best to please everyone. And like I said before, just the way he writes with such detail, yet light and funny would keep you reading even if you aren't a Python fan.
I'm excited to read the latest diary set Palin has come out with, the ones chronicling the 80s. This has also given me a bit more of a drive to be more regular with my own diary. I highly doubt mine will ever be published though.
P.S. Keep your eye out for frequent cameo appearances by famous celebrities, especially George Harrison who at one point near the end starts being referred to as the 7th Python....more
**spoiler alert** I was told I was going to enjoy this book from several different people and that worried me. I find that when a book is hyped to me **spoiler alert** I was told I was going to enjoy this book from several different people and that worried me. I find that when a book is hyped to me I become a bit more critical and cautious of it because if it doesn't live up to that hype than I am obviously disappointed. In the Woods though? Not disappointing. Tana French definitely earned her Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author.
French has an interesting writing style that I immediately fell in love with. Her descriptions are gorgeous, but she uses them only when neccessary. Where some authors may describe in full every setting, every character, every sight and sound and smell, French holds out those descriptions for the important places and situations. The most perfect place she waited to use her beautiful descriptions for? The woods of course.
The entire book is written like a tapestry on so many levels, with the storyline itself woven so intricately and every word chosen and placed perfectly so. Even though it stays true to your classic "whodunnit?" mystery, it bordered more on thrilling and intriguing rather than cliche and boring as a lot of mystery stories are tending to stray towards lately. French also didn't try and take the story to soem sort of crazy extreme in an effort to make it different and "surprising" which usually reads as confusing and unbelievable. There's layers of mystery scattered throughout, from the law enforcement solving a crime, to the haunting hidden somethings of the wood.
Definitely keeping the whole book alive, fun and interesting are Detectives Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox. Every character we get the chance to meet is written out, even if only appearing on one page, to be a fully fleshed out real person. That's again something that seperates French from the overwhelming group of new mystery writers. Even if she needs a character to serve one purpose, she still writes them as if they have been in the story the entire time and if you were to ask her I'm sure she could give you a full background on those background characters. Rob Ryan especially has background, and his entire character is so flawed that at times it edges precariously on being unsympathetic, a daring risk French took and succeeded at. The fact that the reader is suddenly invested in such real characters heightens the excitement in the entire story and brings it up to that final level that makes it a true thriller.
Please do not read the following if you do not want to be spoiled. Seriously. Stop right here.
Okay. Spoiler time: The only disappointment I had with the book was that Detective Ryan's case from when he was twelve was never solved. I thought we would have the solution of both murders/disappearances. And while it could be argued that then it would have just made for a cookie cutter ending, I still felt it left the book slightly incomplete. One of the things we as readers had become invested in is just left completely unresolved. Still, French manages to do that in a way that you don't feel all that ripped off. I don't know how she did it either. Yet another talent leaving me wanting more from Tana French. Thank God I already have The Likeness in my hands!...more
When I told people the basic premise for this book they got a confused look upon their face and then commented on how sad that sounded. What I told thWhen I told people the basic premise for this book they got a confused look upon their face and then commented on how sad that sounded. What I told them and what I shall tell you are the same thing: this book is not sad. It is witty and joyful. It was just what I personally needed to help me continue coping with my dad's current struggle with lung cancer.
Yes, the book is littered with dark humor, the man's dying it's bound to happen. But there is so much clever, biting humor that decorates what could come across as bitterness you're unable to groan or cringe. He faces the issues people try to skirt about with bold-faced openess and then points out how uncomfortable people are with it. He's basically saying, "It's here. Deal with it."
It's a fitting style of autobiography for a humorist. And I'm sure it was cathartic for him to write it in his final days. As his wife points out in the afterword, he died doing what he loved. By just the way he writes you can tell writing brought him the most joy. To me, it reiterated the point that I don't know what's going to happen with my dad, and it doesn't matter. What matters is finding joy wherever you can and enjoying life for all the little things it has to offer. Life is short, don't take it so seriously.
I was surprised by just how immersed in this book I became. Maybe it's because I headed into it with a bit of trepidation because after the last histoI was surprised by just how immersed in this book I became. Maybe it's because I headed into it with a bit of trepidation because after the last historical, Christian novel I read I was very disappointed. Fire by Night was a completely different creature.
The thing I appreciated most was that at no point did I ever feel like I was being preached at. The presence of God throughout the novel was there and touched upon frequently, but it wasn't forced upon the reader as something they should have to relate to, rather it was part of who the characters were and in that way the reader could either take it to heart or just let it stay in the character's lives. For me, the sharing of God should not be forced on anyone, it should be there for people to take as they will. When they do it that way, I think the message is felt so much stronger, and much less resented.
Of course the story became cliche at times, it's a fun, historical romance novel, it's to be expected, but for me it never hit cheesey. I found Austin's handling of the two main characters beautifully done, they both evolved wonderfully and neither of them made huge, saint-like changes. They stayed raw and real and fully developed throughout the whole novel.
Austin also didn't hold back in telling it like it is. She of course stayed away from any kind of shock factor, but did acknowledge the fact that this was a real war, a real, violent and unbelievably deadly war that affected everyone in the United States. People on the front lines saw awful things and Austin shares that with the reader. Also it was clear she tried her best to stay historically accurate, I don't know how accurate seeing as I'm not an expert of the Civil War, but accurate enough to not take the reader out of the book by going, "I highly doubt that could ever have happened."
Fire by Night is a good read. I don't want the idea that it is classified as Christian Lit to deter anyone because like I said the Christian message that's in the book was never EVER preached to the reader. If you like a good and fun historical romance you've got to give Fire by Night a try. You may find yourself just as unable to put the book down as I was....more
This book is currently being presented in a slightly misleading fashion. At least, for my mother (who got me the book) and me it was. Both of us thougThis book is currently being presented in a slightly misleading fashion. At least, for my mother (who got me the book) and me it was. Both of us thought this was a historical romance-type book. It's not. And while I wasn't disappointed upon starting to read the book, I was slightly caught off guard because I found myself having to quickly shift gears. So if you're like me (and Mom) don't be fooled, it's a biography- not the historical romance you may have been expecting. On that note...
This biography was still very good. Foreman clearly spent an exhaustive amount of time researching for the biography (which she stated in her author's note that she never actually chose to do, the life of the Duchess chose her) and that research definitely payed off for a well planned out and very informative book. The thing I appreciated most, besides Foreman backing up all her research, was the fact that she clearly stuck to the solid details, rarely, if at all, adding a couple creative flairs here and there. At times the foray into British politics became a little dry and boring, the ins-and-outs being a little difficult to understand despite Foreman's clear and easy explanations of it all.
The most remarkable and best achieved thing about the book was that Amanda Foreman brought Georgianna back to life for everyone of today and tomorrow to get to know this remarkable woman. Her carefully reconstructed life and words combine to allow you to know the real Duchess, the woman who was often riddled with insecurities and anxieties that only a few of her closest friends knew about. There is also a lot of drama, romance and intrigue throughout Georgianna's life so despite those lulls in the political sections the book is enthralling and exciting, made even more so by the fact that this all really did happen.
Foreman has a clear gift for detail, research and a clear, concise yet beautiful way with words. Her next book A World on Fire is due out at the end of this year/beginning of next year and I will definitely be getting a copy....more
Animals Make Us Human is kind of another version of Animals in Translation. Many facts and topics that were brought up in her first book are addressedAnimals Make Us Human is kind of another version of Animals in Translation. Many facts and topics that were brought up in her first book are addressed and referred to again in this book. Therefore I feel that this book needs to be reviewed as a companion book to Animals in Translation rather than a completely new and different book.
The book is divided into sections focusing on specific species and then analyzes their behavior in order to allow us as humans to better understand them, thus better their welfare. Again, Grandin does her best to simplify the super-scientific stuff, but at times I felt it almost about to go over my head. Even still, the majority of the book was fascinating and informative. She doesn't anthropomorphize the animals at all, but she does make very clear that animals have feelings, though processes, anxieties, pretty much everything humans go through, they just go about it a different way. We need to stop thinking about animals as just dumb things out there to serve us, Animals Make Us Human gives us valid reasons why.
For all you pet owners out there, this book is a must-read, if not a must-own. It's better than a training manual because it will help you understand your pet on a completely different level. When you understand your pet and why they do the things they do, training them will become so much easier. Also, understanding what will get them to do certain things is what can turn an hour of training into a minute. Plus, better understanding will lead to a better and happier life for you and your beloved pet....more
This book turned ou to be just what I had expected. Interesting storyline, with some cliche plot points, characters not quite fully developed, and wriThis book turned ou to be just what I had expected. Interesting storyline, with some cliche plot points, characters not quite fully developed, and writing that was just descriptive enough and just good enough to pull you in... just enough.
Garden Spells is a book you can half read but still get the full jist of. It gets a little dramatic and cheesey at times, but it's still a good place for a first novel to be. It's something that Allen can improve upon, and seeing as she's already at a good spot, her future novels will just go from better to excellent.
The thing the book has going most for it, is that it takes the story of family relationships and history that has been told time and time again and makes it new. It's a unique twist on an old story, but is told with a timeless quality so if you were to pick the book up 20 years from now you're not tackily transported to the past as a lot of popular fiction can do.
If you want a light and entertaining read than I'd advise picking up Garden Spells....more
Interesting. Unique. Holds it's own in such a full library of World War II historical fiction. It really is different from a lot of other WWII storiesInteresting. Unique. Holds it's own in such a full library of World War II historical fiction. It really is different from a lot of other WWII stories out there, which I really appreciated and kept me reading. It was also his writing that kept me truly engaged. I can't even put my finger on it, but something sucked me into this book and kept me there until suddenly I turned the last page, looked up and wondered where the time had gone.
A couple of times I think Davies lost control of his novel. A few too many story lines that didn't really add to the big picture, that of Esther and Karsten's relationship, or even they're seperate stories. Take out the extra characters that apparently had backgrounds we needed to address, Davies could have focused on Esther and Karsten more and given their individual and combined tales richer layers that the reader could further fall into.
I did enjoy the few running themes that occured. That of Esther, Karsten and Rotherham all being of single-parent households and being bilingual. Both of which caused them to struggle with their identities and places in the world.
The main thing that I just keep thinking about with the book is Davies's writing. It's descriptive enough to allow you to picture everything the way you want to picture it and set you in the story, but not overly so that you're continuously taken out of the story itself. It's a delicate balance not a lot of authors can pull off, but Davies's does it superbly.
In the end, if you love WWII historical fiction, this is definitely a new one to add to your library. It'll give you a breath of fresh, Welsh air. And I promise you, with the way Davies writes you will smell that air, and feel the cool crispness fill your lungs....more
I don't think Brown will be able to out-do The Da Vinci Code. The Lost Symbol definitely falls short compared to the sensation of it's predecessor. AnI don't think Brown will be able to out-do The Da Vinci Code. The Lost Symbol definitely falls short compared to the sensation of it's predecessor. And I didn't even have high expectations to begin with to be honest. I think Dan Brown put so much heart and soul into The Da Vinci Code there wasn't a lot left to put into this one.
The main problem I had with the book was unlike The Da Vinci Code and even Angels & Demons where information and clues were doled out while on the run and in the middle of action, The Lost Symbol paused to feed us what we needed to know, which dragged the book down severly. At the end of one short chapter you have something exploding and the next you're casually sitting in an office without a care in the world hearing a dry explanation on an order of symbols. I felt like it wasn't until I was almost halfway through the novel that things started picking up and it became a page turner.
The ending (without giving anything away) was also a bit disappointing for me. You get your answer, but it's a bit of a letdown and you still kind of feel like there should be something more. And I'm talking the ending ending (because there are a couple), the ones before it were actually exciting and worthwhile.
There are many interesting situations and nail-biting moments scattered throughout the slow beginning of the book that keep you reading. And Langdon remains entertaining, along with his partners in crime, so don't think I'm saying the novel's a total bust. Neccessary character background is put in during appropriate times and doesn't come across as an awkward nuisance or glaringly obvious hints to what's coming that can so easily happen in other mystery novels. Plus, our main bad guy in the book... creepy and evil as hell. Especially because this time we know who it is which makes it even scarier when we see our good guys continuously walk into his traps.
In the end it's a mediocre, bordering on good, pop-fiction mystery, with enough scientific, philosophical, historical and religious jargon thrown in there to make you feel kinda smart. Like always don't let my negatives or positives throw you from a book you may have been anticipating. As my friends and family read my copy that's being passed around I'm very curious to see if they found it to be better, the same or worse than The Da Vinci Code. If and when you've read it, I'd like to know what you think as well....more
Yeah, I enjoyed this book, but when I think back on it not a lot sticks with me. I found it an interesting tale of a first lady we've heard of so muchYeah, I enjoyed this book, but when I think back on it not a lot sticks with me. I found it an interesting tale of a first lady we've heard of so much due to being wife to one of the most influential and great president's the U.S. has seen today, but yet we don't know much about. There are many things that made this book a unique and fun read.
One thing was that we got a new view on the Civil War. Many books are written about either soldiers or slaves, occasionally family members of those fighting. Not many are written through the eyes of a politician, let alone one directly in the White House, and let alone the First Lady. The way Mary Lincoln is written she would definitely be considered a politician.
That was another thing that made this book such a good read. Mary not only supported her husband in all of his political ambitions, but often discussed and planned with him the various actions he was hoping to take on. She was often outside that box women were constantly shoved into back then. Yet at the same time, in contrast to doing things not suitable for a woman, she did things that were quintessentially feminine. Decorating, shopping, cooking, cleaning, hosting, mothering, etc. She was almost a walking contradiction to herself, and it could have gotten very tricky to write at times, but Newman pulls it off flawlessly and smoothly.
Of course the book was not without it's flaws as a whole. At times it became long and dry, parts popped up that didn't neccessarily need to be there. Also, I was occasionally uncomfortable by the overt sexuality of Mary Lincoln, especially with her husband, Mr. Lincoln. Possibly it's because I couldn't shake the image of the older, noble president and his wife that appears in pictures not looking all that young. It's almost like reading about your parents or grandparents having sex. The romance is sweet, and it gives the Lincoln's a side rarely seen, but it often came off as something Newman desperately wanted to write. I think if she had such a desire to write a historical romance she should have saved it for some different characters, I'm positive she could pull it off without trouble.
In the end, one of the main reasons I liked this book was because of dear Robert Todd. Such a misunderstood man that was written more on the two demensional side amongst a cast of fully developed characters, still succeeded in frustrating me beyond reason with his inability to understand and sympathize with his mother. I'm pretty positive anyone else who reads this book will also find themselves scoffing and dropping their jaws at the moments of pure thick-headedness Robert constantly displays.
So if you're looking for something new in Civil War era historical fiction I would say try out Mary: Mrs. A. Lincoln and see how that works out for you. I highly doubt you've read something like it before. And if you have definitely let me know and tell me if it was even better....more
Really more of a watered down mystery-thriller. A light, entertaining read that shouldn't challenge you much but will still engage you. A warning thouReally more of a watered down mystery-thriller. A light, entertaining read that shouldn't challenge you much but will still engage you. A warning though: if just the idea of animal and/or child abuse disturbs you greatly to read or hear about you may want to avoid this book seeing as it's full of it.
This is going to be one of my short reviews because I don't have really anything to criticize, nor do I have anything to praise. I found it noble of Koontz was addressing the issue of the need to rescue animals, the perils of shelter life, and the horrors and evils of puppy mills. All of those issues are very important to me so anybody else helping spread the word about them constantly gets brownie points from me.
The Darkest Evening of the Year is more a book to be enjoyed by animal lovers rather than mystery enthusiasts. What little mystery there was even I was able to quickly figure out. Also, prepare yourself for a pretty abrupt ending. It felt rushed compared to the build up of the rest of the book. Even so... nice writing, nice characters, nice story. Overall? Nice....more
I really did enjoy this novel. It was a fun historical romance (which, as you can tell by my book list, is one of my guilty pleasures), not one of theI really did enjoy this novel. It was a fun historical romance (which, as you can tell by my book list, is one of my guilty pleasures), not one of the best ever, but still good.
I applaud Anne Easter Smith for not worrying too much about being a stickler for historical accuracy. It felt like she wrote with the knowledge of all the facts, but where facts fell away she didn't feel it wrong to put a bit of imagination in there, aka fiction! In some historical fictions the author worries too much about playing with history and the story starts to fall away and not nearly be as interesting. She added characters where she needed characters (namely Fortunata), and she added the romance which may or may not have been there.
At the end of the novel she made a note saying that Anthony Woodville did exist and that there is the remote possibility that he and Margaret of York could have had a relationship (romantic or otherwise) due to their many shared interests. The ending, she also noted, could blend cleanly into what really did happen in history.
Another thing I enjoyed was the fact that the politics flowed smoothly throughout the book and rarely ever dragged the story down or stopped it completely. An accomplishment in any novel dealing with the old European courts. Of course there are a few moments that drag but they are few and far between. Also, parts of the book didn't feel neccessary to the story at all.
Overall, though, the book was good. A decent historical fiction for those of you who like them. If you're looking for another Philippa Gregory-type novel, this probably isn't on par, but you should really give it a try....more
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