Mar 2 - Mar 4, 2012

These Girls
Sarah Pekkanen
General Fiction
Published April 2012
322 pages

7.5/10

  In New York City, three women are drawn together by happenstance via a cramped apartment.  Cate is trying to find her way through a new high-ranking job position; Renee hopes that if she finally loses that stubborn 20 pounds she'll finally get everything she's ever wanted; Abby is running from a terrible secret - and everything she's ever wanted.  Through these trial and tribulations, they begin to discover new relationships with each other - and themselves.
  
  Is it possible to like a book based on how skillfully it was written, but still feel somewhat ambivalent about it?  Because that is exactly what happened with this book.
  On a technical level, it was great.  These Girls immediately drew me in with well-executed attention grabbing opener.  It was hard to stop reading because every time I got to the end of a chapter, I'd get ready to call it a night (or at 2AM, a morning I suppose) but my eyes would involuntarily stray to the next page and BAM - I'd be hooked again like a fat kid on cake, or an alkie on shaving cream.  I've never personally seen someone drink shaving cream, but my mom told me about how she'd seen a guy steal a can of shaving cream from a store and then proceed to run outside with it, pound it, and then immediately unswallowed a massive puddle of fluorescent green vomit in front of said store.  Yes, I grew up in the ghetto. True story.  Anyways, as I was saying, the style of writing made These Girls a super quick and easy read that I never seemed to be able to put down.  Heck, I read it in two days.
  The dialogue was spot on and the author (via her characters) made some really astute observations without going all preachy or indulging in "Look at me, I'm so clever that we're going to beat this point to death just to be sure that you understand how astute I am."which made it a lot more enjoyable.  
  It was fairly fast paced, with enough drama, cattiness, secrets, romance and intrigue to keep me flipping through the pages.  It was exciting enough, and I came thisclose to crying at the end.
  The problem it, it's just not my kind of book.  I had trouble identifying with the protagonists because I've never been in any of those situations.  And to be honest, I just kind of prefer buckets of blood to fistfuls of female relationships.
  But I'm more than willing to concede that just because it's not MY cup of tea, it doesn't mean it's not well written.  If you like this type of book, These Girls is definitely one to pick up.  Trust.

  *I also had a chance to do a little Q&A with the author (which is pretty damn badass) and I'd like to share her answers with y'all.
1) Out of all the characters, who would you most want for your roommate? Probably Renee, because she has such a huge heart and would be a lot of fun to go out with at night! Renee is also warm and friendly, and I love that about her – I can be a little bit shy at times and she’s the life of the party.

2) Which character would you avoid at all costs? The only one would be the slimy magazine editor who is overly flirtatious with his young female employees. Yuck!

3) Who do you identify with the most, and is this the same character you'd most like to hang out with, or is it someone else? Probably Cate, who is the features editor for Gloss magazine. I’m pretty driven with regard to work, like Cate. But I can identify with parts of each of my main characters – Abby loves nurturing the little girl she cares for in her nanny job, and I have three boys I dote on. And Renee is insecure at times, but also friendly and accepting, and I’m the same way.

4) What was your inspiration for this story? It’s hard to pinpoint – my ideas take shape gradually; I don’t usually have that lightbulb-going-on-over-my-head moments. For me, a book idea is more like cooking a stew – I toss in lots of ingredients and let it simmer while I do other things, like walk the dog and put away laundry. My subconscious is a great help when it comes to figuring out storylines.

5) Are there certain situations, relationships, or characters from These Girls that mirror your own life? Yes and no. My experiences and observations and relationships usually make it through onto the written page – but they’re filtered through a kaleidoscope first, so they don’t resemble reality by the time they make it into my books.

6) What is your strategy for dealing with reviews that are less than glowing? I’ve been pretty lucky with reviews in general, but there’s one publication that I always joke is about to send someone over to chop off my typing fingers – for whatever reason, they just don’t like my books! But I shrug it off. It would be crazy for me to expect every single person who reads my books to love them. Also , I write reviews for places like The Washington Post and I understand that a review is just one person’s opinion on one day. It’s not the last word on your talent or career prospects. What I hear from readers is so much more important to me than what I hear from reviewers, and I have some amazingly supportive readers!

7) Do you feel more confident in your writing now that you have a few books under your belt?  Or was writing your latest book as nerve-wracking as writing the first? These Girls was the first book I’ve ever written on a deadline, so I was definitely nervous. I obsessively plotted the book on index cards before writing a single word, because I was terrified I’d get blocked! But I met my deadline, and it gave me a real confidence, and my fourth book (which I just finished writing this week) came easily. Have I jinxed myself now for book five?

* Thanks so much for having me! And I’d love to connect with any readers on Facebook or Twitter @sarahpekkanen so please come find me if you’d like to chat more!

Sep 26 - Sep 29, 2011

The Hole
Guy Burt
General Fiction
Published 1993
157 pages

7/10

  A group of (possibly sexy?) teens decide to take an experimental "vacation" in an isolated underground chamber; soon they realize they're running out of food and water, they can't escape by themselves, and no one knows where they are...

  This is a really hard book for me to pin down.  I like, but I don't.
  The premise is totally intriguing: trapped in an inescapable situation, with no foreseeable rescue, what lengths will people go to to survive?  Honestly, it's one of my favorite scenarios to read about, because there are so many variables when it comes to how characters will react.  Conserve your stockpile of goods and dole them out equally to ensure the continuation of the group?  Or bludgeon your companions (and any other threats to your immediate progression) to death and hoard all the resources to ensure your own survival?  And what happens when these character types meet?  I find it all utterly fascinating.
  Also, the twist at the end was definitely clever, even though I was expecting it, as I've seen (and greatly enjoyed) the movie.  I wasn't exactly sure what would be coming, though, as I've learned that even if it happens in the theatrical version, nothing like that may happen in the literary version.  Especially if the literary version comes first.  And although that held true in this case, where the twist ended up being different, it was still pretty satisfying.  I guess when I read the book, and then watch the movie, I find myself hollering at the screen, "Where the hell did THAT come from?!  This is totally inaccurate!" while I shake my fist indignantly and spill my popcorn.  But if I watch the movie first, and then read the book, I find myself going, "Well... where's all the action?  What's with all this inner blah blah blah and contemplation?"  Stupid action filled movies, desensitizing me to the subtleties of the written word.
  My main issue with this book is that there were so SO many loose ends, and nothing was made particularly clear, both plot-wise and writing style-wise.  The constantly shifting narrative drove me frickin' bonkers, and while some of the non-Hole bits were insightful, I found it to be mostly unnecessary (for me) filler.  The ending certainly added some substance to some of those narratives, but that didn't make the actual reading experience any more interesting.  I think I'd rather watch the movie again.      

May 14 - May 18, 2011

Water for Elephants
Sara Gruen
General Fiction
Published 2006
335 pages

9/10

  A grizzled old geezer recounts his surprisingly entertaining adventures as a young veterinarian traveling with the circus.  Not quite the same as when grandma gets liquored and gossips about that bitch who queers the numbers during Bingo at the retirement castle.

  Hey there!  Welcome to the first edition of:

  Obviously, I know this isn't an Oprah book, but when a book gets a shit-ton of hype from those types... you know, the ones that watch Oprah and Dr. Phil and hang out at Starbucks to sip their uber fancy coffees while they discuss PTA nonsense and have book clubs as an excuse to get drunk (I certainly don't need an excuse) and discuss their husband's failings - in my books, it's an Oprah book.  It doesn't necessarily mean the book is bad, it just means that I think the people who like these books are typically douche bags.  Usually.  If you're not a douche bag, and you love these types of books, I commend you.  You truly are a rare breed.  See if you can get the other book club members to smoke a joint, or maybe go to a Pink Floyd show or something, OK?
  But honestly, it's no small wonder why this book is so popular - it MOVES.  No lie, I'd be all snuggled into bed in the middle of the night, and realize I had somehow burned through a hundred pages or so in less than an hour (and large typeface can only contribute so much to that).  Reading this book required barely any effort on my part, other than turning the pages (if I'm in the zone I can totally blow them over) and zigging and zagging my eyeballs to and fro.  It was easy easy easy to read.  And you know why?  Water For Elephants has a rare magic combination of  two bestseller factors - it was entertaining fluff that happened to be written really well.
  First off, it's about the circus!  Elephants, dwarfs, psychotic animal trainers, moonshine, and coochie tents!  Sex, booze, and violence!  It would be damn hard to make all that dull, but on top of all that, those elements are orbited around... a forbidden love!  Dun Dun Duuuuuunh.  The romantic in me was just totally done for (and the sicko in me would read that and wonder - How forbidden?  Flowers in the Attic forbidden?  Or Linda Lovelace forbidden?  Because I'm sick like that).  Then, it's all backed up with some pretty great writing chops that move the story along swiftly and easily, with believable dialogue and plenty of action, and a cast of characters that seem realistic and multi-dimensional.
  Present day Jacob was difficult to like because, lets face it, he's a grumpy old coot; young Jacob totally makes up for his future self by being sweet, brave, and utterly human.  He runs away from school, and falls in love with a married woman.  But he also connects with the animals and his fellow human performers on a really sincere level.  He's a normal person, and therefore easy to identify with and care about.  Marlena though, is a total badass, and I think she's a standout player.  I can't go into more detail without giving away some major plot points, but that woman does things that most women, past or present, would never have the courage to do.  Kudos, fictional character that is the production of someone's imagination... kudos.  I love that the villains are extra villainous; I certainly felt some hate at times.  But there were comeuppances all around, and I felt the glorious satisfaction of bad things happening to people I don't like.
  You can tell this book just kind of flew out of Gruen - the amount of stuff she tries to tell you in such a fast paced manner... Awesome.  Sure, there were some convenient formulae put to use, but it's fluff, man!  And I didn't care much for the very end as I found it to be unbelievable, but that's why I gave it a 9 instead of a 10.  But this was definitely the most easy to read and entertaining book I've come across in AGES.  It's one of those stories you just want to pick up and immerse yourself in because it's so fun.  There is no heavy thinking required - you know who the good guys are and who the bad guys are, you know who should win and who should be garroted, and it's the type of feel good story you can just relax into because you're sure everything will be OK in the end.  I totally would have been upset if they all got run over by the Titanic, that's for sure.
  This was escapist fiction of the highest order - action, tears, romance, and a dead fat lady in an elephant car.  Classy, wholesome goodness.

Apr 12 - Apr 18, 2011

The Collector
John Fowles
General Fiction
Published 1963
283 pages

7/10

    An affluent weirdo obsessed with a local girl decides to kidnap her; that way, she'll see just how much he loves her, and fall just as in love with him!  FOOLPROOF!
  
    The Collector was very... intriguing.
    First off, the two opposing narratives (first Fred the kidnapper, then Miranda the kidnapee) differed so vastly that it really was as though they were written by two different individuals.  Fred kept things moving along at a swift pace - all action and dialogue, no real extended forays into thoughtfulness.  Just the facts, ma'am (from his perspective, anyways).  And truly, a kidnapper's point of view (especially one as deviant as Fred) is going to keep you interested, to say the least.
    At the polar opposite sits Miranda; she almost bored me to the point of tears.  I mean, Good God, is that supposed to be what the mind of a young woman is like?!  If her internal monologue had been, instead, a running external dialogue, I would have shot her in the face.
    With bullets.
    The endless mooning over a crusty old artist and constant analyzation of ideals and the self... ugh.  It made the latter half of the book draggy as fuck.
    Yet somehow, once I finished the book, Miranda had garnered my sympathy, because for all her irritating thoughtfulness, it ended up proving that she was just a regular girl, like every other just out of the teen years, know-it-all, passionate 20-year-old... who just happened to be locked up in a madman's cellar.  Fred, on the other hand, had evolved from a bumbling lovesick Stooge to what, in the end, he truly was under all that chivalry and politeness - a sick psychopath intent on owning his 'dream girl' that really only existed in his own mind; his ideal, as opposed to the person Miranda was in all actuality.  Really, it was never going to work out.  He's apples, and she's kidnapped oranges.
    As a small note, I quite enjoyed that Fred was a butterfly collector.  It paid a neat little homage to Lolita, as the two of them share a similar protagonist - an outwardly seeming normal man driven mad by lust for a girl.  It tickles me just right.
    The Collector was ultimately a shocking book, and for two main reasons.  The first is because, up until the very end, I had no idea how it would turn out; I tip my hat to the author for being very clever in his writing and keeping me guessing.  Bravo.  But I am even more so shocked by the subtle evolution of the characters, and my unexpected change in feelings towards them.  It was thought provoking, if a little flighty at times.  I enjoyed it well enough while I was reading it, but found even more satisfaction considering the whole shebang afterward.
 

Mar 9 - Mar 12, 2011
 
Room
Emma Donoghue
General Fiction
Published 2010
321 pages

8/10

    Remember the Josef Fritzl case?  Of course you do, it was everywhere.  Apparently Emma Donoghue took note of it too, because this book is something along those lines, except more feel good anecdotes, and less incest.
  
    So, wasn't this Amazon's #1 book for, like, a million years?  I mean, even today at Chapters, this book was errywhur, all covered in gold stickers and on the "Heather's Pick" table and shit.  I mean, this book has been hyped.  But when I finally read it, I found it kind of... underwhelming.  It was certainly no Chuck Palahniuk.  But maybe that's just my preference for the grotesque.
    The subject matter was definitely thrilling, and there was lots of action to keep the ball rolling.  There were plenty of tense and thrilling scenes, and some shocking bits as well.  It has all the making of an easy to read book... so easy to read, in fact, that a grade schooler with above average vocabulary could enjoy it.
    Because really, it all comes down the narrative; something so risky will make or break a novel.  Reading from, at all times, 5-year-old Jack's point of view is definitely unique.  On the one hand it works because the story moves so swiftly, no getting bogged down in analysis, and there's plenty of action.  It also makes for some amusing observations.  But on the other hand, it's so literal and detached, it makes it hard for me to identify with the little bugger.  I have more empathy for his mother; at least she seems human, and believable (although making a socially stunted 5-year-old protagonist and narrator believable can't be the easiest task).  And really, out of all of it, my relationship with Jack is the only detraction.  I guess if I wanted more violence and sodomy, I should have picked up the actual Fritzl true crime book.  I'll be happy enough to accept Room as the somewhat PG book it is; I can't fault it because I didn't find it gross enough, and I should have kind of guessed, considering how popular it is.  There aren't a lot of bestsellers with hardcore incest.  Unfortunately.

Feb 26 - Feb 27, 2011

Zombie
Joyce Carol Oates
General Friction (typo stays)
Published 1995
181 pages

6.5/10

    Q_ P_ is your average sex offender, who just can't seem to hop that "assault and murder" hurdle.  Well, I guess we've all got our crosses to bear.
    I'm torn about my feelings regarding this book.  I'm repulsed... by the writing style.  Not the graphic torture scenes, not the sick, twisted protagonist... no.  The writing style.  But I find the subject matter thrilling as hell.  There's action every which way, and dodging, and weaving, and do-it-yourself frontal lobotomies.  It gets your heart pounding.  But see, I'll be getting all worked up and agitated by a particularly engrossing scene, and then BAM - there's a mystery period.  And not the kind that embarrasses you in 8th grade music class the one time you wear white shorts.  No, there'll be this.  And then an ampersand.  & then some CAPITALIZED WORDS thrown IN all WILLY-NILLY.  & everything is the same monotone.  Also, I couldn't get myself emotionally invested in our protagonist.  But maybe I'm not meant to be?  I do suppose no one wants to find themselves feeling a lot of empathy for a NAMBLA devotee with a membership card to the Serial Killer Club (nowhere near as family friendly as The Breakfast Club).
    But the idea behind this novel, that an individual could go about their day-to-day lives, functioning by society's standards but abnormal as fuck and regularly torturing and killing people is totally macabre, and it got me thinking.  How many people out there are like that?  Is every guy that refuses to make eye contact planning on preforming radical surgery on your cranium?  Or is he just shy?  How many people do you pass on a regular basis that are considering the best way forcibly enter your out holes?  It makes you wonder...
    To make it that much worse, there's a scene that plays out early on in the story, where Q's dad pops by for a visit, and promptly notices a... disturbing odor.  And a creepy old footlocker.  That's PADLOCKED SHUT.  And while he asks a few questions (which are half-assedly answered) he gives up and says he really just doesn't even want to know.  Now, how many times do you think that happens in real life?  How many times has a wicked gross odor wafted down an apartment hallway and someone just busts out the Febreeze to cover it up?  Or passed a hobo lying on the sidewalk taking a nice nap while face down and bleeding and covered in excrement?  I guess it's one thing to catch your neighbor smoking a joint and getting in on it (that's what everyone else would do, right?) but another thing entirely to see a human arm sticking out of the local eccentric's wood chipper and assuming it's another one of those Film Noir pieces he's always filming.
    Also, when we were taken through all that sweet-ass lobotomy information, I had to wonder (and this might be a little harsh) why aren't we still doing that?  It seems like the better option when the death penalty is put on the table.  Or life in prison, making shanks out of spoons and being man-handled by a rough trick named Jim.  Not only would they be incapable of most heinous crimes, and not only could they be rehabilitated into somewhat functioning members of society (maybe), but it would certainly be a deterrent to a lot of would-be criminals.  I mean, look what it did for Frances Farmer!  She was productive as fuck after her (alleged) lobotomy!
    I suppose in the end, while the book was thought provoking as hell, and there were enough disgusting scenes to keep me flipping though the pages, the writing style itself left me cold and I had a tough time getting into it.  Wandering mind and all that.  Obviously.

Feb 22 - Feb 25, 2011

Mercy
Jodi Picoult
General Fiction
Published 1996
400 pages

8.5/10

    Jamie McDonald euthanizes his terminally ill wife via a pillow over her face; Cam McDonald euthanizes his terminally average marriage via a love affair with a mysterious nomad.  Judgment ensues.
    It's not often my book comes with an official "Reader's Club Guide" to help me evaluate my reading experiance.  Let's go through these Q's and explore our A's, shall we?
    1. To what degree is the title a metaphor for this novel?
    Mercy is not a motherfudgin' metaphor for this book.  It is a legitimate feeling/action that occurs in this book over and over again.  Theme?  Yes, definitely.  Metaphor though?  Not in the least.  Fuck you, Reader's Club Guide, for starting off like a pseudo-pretentious asshole, right out of the gate.
    2. Are Jamie's actions justified? What about Cam's? Allie's?
    Jamie's actions, I feel, were justified.  I've had to put down a beloved pet before, and animals inspire a lot more feeling in me than most people do.  I think I could put down a dying loved one if they were begging for it.  I'd make them sign a goddamn contract, though.  Cam, however, is an asshat, and a pansy to boot.  Philandering is a quality that will put you in my bad book, and hiding it so as to have your cake and have sex with it too?  So despicable.  Not in the least bit justified.  And Allie?  What did she do; try to help someone and find evidence that true love does exist?  She's a woman.  We're programmed to eat that shit up for breakfast.  Justified due to gender.
    3. Who is the author of the "notes"between the chapters? Who are these snippets addressing? Did you believe this throughout the book?
    I have to assume it's some sort of mystical time-traveling robot that has nothing to do with this story, because those segments were confusing as hell.  If I had to guess though, I'd say Cam.  Which makes me dislike him even more, because they seem to be written from a "down the line" perspective, which means he's still griping about the one that got away.
    4. Jamie says, "You know it's never fifty-fifty in a marriage. It's always seventy-thirty, or sixty-forty. Someone falls in love first. Someone puts someone else up on a pedestal. Someone works very hard to keep things rolling smoothly; someone else sails along for the ride."Do you agree?
    Truer words have never been spoken, but the best relationships are the ones that have an ever changing balance to keep things fair.
    5.  In what ways does Mia's memory of her parents' love influence her relationship with Cam?
    I think Mia is just outright fucked, and EVERYTHING she does is influenced by her parent's relationship.
    6. Who is the most selfish character? The most selfless?
    The most selfish?  Maggie.  Duh.  She was DYING, and she asked her heart-broken husband to suffocate her to death because she wasn't willing to do the job herself.  Selfless?  Jamie.  He KILLED a broad.  And consequences be damned!  Most (?) of us aren't capable of that.  Well, 9 out of 10 of us, anyways.
    7. In what ways are Cam and Jamie similar?
    They were both brought us with traditional values, but participated in non-traditional acts.  And they're both Scottish gingers.  Ugh.
    8. How is Cameron MacDonald like his namesake ancestor? How is he different? To what extent does the Scottish history of this clan affect his decisions?
    I think all that was just thrown in to fluff the reading experience up and give Cam a false sense of morality and heroism so as to make his downfall all the more shocking.
    9.  What is the significance of the moments in MERCY that are magical or somewhat unreal?
    To be honest, that shit confused the hell out of me, and I promptly disregarded it.
    10. There is a catch-22 in Mia and Cam's relationship… they have each fallen in love with a person who would no longer exist if they were to run off together. Do you agree or disagree with this statement, and why?
    I agree, because nothing is ever as perfect it seems to be, and while the relationship was incredible for them at the time, they knew, once it became real, it would be weighted down will all the trappings of a normal relationship.  Or maybe I disagree, because they were both cowards, and that was just the excuse they used so as not to take full responsibility for their actions.  If it was really true love, they would have been together, no matter who they disappointed, and consequences be damned!
    11. Is there a hero in this book?
    Why, the first Cam McDonald, of course!  He had a sword!
    12. What attracts Allie to Jamie? To Cam? What attracts Mia to Cam, and Cam to Mia? Do you believe that we try to find parts of our personalities that are lacking in the people we love?
    Allie is attracted to Jamie because, to her, he represents what she's been seeking; true unadulterated love.   Allie is attracted to Cam because of his strength and stolidity.  And his gun, I assume.  Weapons make babes hot!  Mia's attraction to Cam is based on her desperation, insecurity, and parental related issues.  And possibly true love.  And Cam's attraction to Mia is based on her mystery, and his yearning for adventure.  And that love thing.  And I think we are attracted to people different than ourselves, because we all want to feel complete.
    13.   At the end of chapter 17, Cam "wondered how he had so quickly gone from holding everything he wanted in the palm of his hand to having absolutely nothing at all. He wondered how he could have been so blinded by something shiny and new and elusive that he couldn't at least give equal credit for the strength of something stable, and strong, and his."  Do you think his feelings are heartfelt? Do you agree?
    I think Cam is just a red-headed redneck that gets WAY too much credit.  His feelings are only heartfelt insomuch that he's probably emo.  And I don't agree.  If you really love a person, you're not going to be blinded by shiny shit.  Close you eyes, for Christ's sake!   There's a reason why our parents told us not to look at the sun!
    14. Why did Picoult choose to make Jamie a pioneer in virtual reality?
    So he can be more perceptive to Maggie's ghost?
    15. How has Jamie changed by the end of the book?
    He begins to take a healthy interest in his own welfare.  When he killed Maggie, he didn't give a fuck.  When the final decision to his fate is being handed down, he definitely gives a fuck.  Also, in the end, he sees dead people, which was never mentioned before.  If it was continually happening, it probably would have been brought up.
    16. What will happen to Cam and Allie? To Mia? To Jamie?
    Do I look like Jodi Picoult to you?  I don't have the foggiest.  If it was my book, Cam and Allie would go through a messy divorce and he would be cowardly-slut-shamed out of town while she engaged in introspection, pottery classes, and a lesbian fling with Cam's mom.  Mia would find herself in a sticky situation or two, slowly growing older and more desperate for love, until she's murdered by an angry wife with a double barrel.  Jamie would grow crazier and crazier, until he kills himself.  And that's why I don't write other people's books.  I would ruin them.  You'd hate to see my "Hop on Pop - Part 2".
    17. Is this novel about love, or loyalty? Are they the same thing?
    Love is what binds you to your soulmate, no matter the cost.  Loyalty is what keeps you at a crappy job you hate until you die of ulcers at 40, or eat a pube sandwich at your favorite restaurant.
    The whole time I read this book, I was agitated as shit.  Cam's infidelity seemed to have no real reason behind it, other than a need to escape his responsibilities under a thin veneer of "love".  Hell, Mia even admitted that it wasn't Cam she wanted, but Allie's life!  And for all their talk of LOVE, they didn't even own up to their actions by BEING TOGETHER!  So NO ONE is happy!  They took all those stupid risks, and hurt Allie for pretty much no good reason.  And was there some magical subtheme I was missing?  And WTF happened to Mia?  I found myself wondering about so many loose ends, and I don't know if that was a good thing, or a bad thing... it means I want more from this book.
   Also, by the last 20 or 30 pages, I was gearing myself up for the big BANG signature of Jodi Picoult's books.  When it didn't come, I was disappointed (where's the twist?) but relieved (no sappy ass predictable cry fest).
   It was a stirring book, no doubt.  It mostly stirred my rage.

Jan 12 - Jan 16, 2011

The End of Alice
A. M. Homes
General Fuction (typo STAYS)
Published 1996
271 pages

10/10

    When a woman who likes to touch young boys starts up a correspondence with an imprisoned man who likes to touch little girls, a disturbing relationship is formed and nurtured.  Classy.
    If a book upsets you, is it bad reading or good?  Because while I found this story to be thrillingly great, it also bothered me.  On a basic level, it's ridiculously well written, especially abundant in alliteration and rife with rhyme; wildly witty when considering crime.  Ahem.  As I was saying, the author puts stylus to parchment real nice.
    Our girl is a tough nut to swallow (ha, ha, haaaa...) but I don't know if that's our author, our protagonist (who admits he embellishes) or me - maybe I'm biased because I identify with our thoroughly screwed up leading lady, but I could never imagine taking such a risk, and to be so cavalier about it!  Sure, I've imagined kicking a loved one or two down a flight of stairs, but I'd probably never do it.  There'd be too many radicals and free agents to consider.  But it's as though she knew she wouldn't be punished for her substantial crimes!  Maybe it's that wacky old double standard at work (if a man makes it with a kid, the guy's a pervy old man, but if a woman makes it with a kid, that kid deserves a righteous high five!  Case in point: this, this, and this) but I'm sure you know what I mean) or maybe she was just hopped up on the sweet sweet nectar of... Jesus, never mind.   So while I find her hard to believe, I won't hold my preconceived notions against her.
    Now, our incarcerated man friend, him I believe.
    He's clearly the above average intelligence, below average sanity type.  I get that.  His evolution as a character is wonderful - from kindly corresponding with adamant admirers, to marinated in menstrual blood.  Awesome.
    As a whole, I can see why people would see a parallel between The End of Alice and Lolita (because all pedophiles are the same) but I found this book to be vastly different: our children are no precocious, confused teens (Alice seems this side of crazy, and Matt is... well... a 12 -year-old boy) our adults are no lonesome heartsick gentleman (what's-her-face is a sullen wiener and Chappy is fucking insane) and The End of Alice is no love story.  Also, this is far more graphic than Lolita.  Lolita teased.  Alice dry-humps your face.  In fact, I find this book somewhat crude (me, of all people, find it crude)!  But I genuinely like Chappy for his shocking behavioral fallacy.  I have no sympathy for him (or her, either) like I had for Humbert, but I like Chappy's complications and affectations.
    It's a beautiful, very insightful (you'll see what I mean when Chappy chats with you) piece of work.  I liked it as a whole; beginning, middle, and especially the well-done ending.
    Bravo.

Oct 28 - Nov 1, 2010

The Bachman Books: Roadwork
Richard Bachman/ Stephen King
General Fiction
Published 1981

10/10

  A man's house is his castle.  A man's mind is his keep.  And when the government decides to put a highway through the home and business of  Barton George Dawes, he decides he's simply not going to stand for it.
  The idea that the average North American can be forced out of their home on the Government's say-so is terrifically compelling.  Clearly George thinks so too, on a superficial level, anyways.  But English class and Lolita have taught me to look beyond the obvious.  George clearly hints that the death of his son has been his slow, cancerous unraveling, and the parallel between his ticking time bomb of insanity and the time bomb of his son's tumor are duly noted and filed.  I also noted the author's presence in the book itself - George speaks of how "people are only remarkable in books," and feeling "...from time to time that I'm a character in some bad writer's book," and it's TRUE.  Self awareness is so rare, and therefore so delicious in novels.
  I loved the old school paranoia.  The Italian stereotypes.  The GODDAMN SMOKING in restaurant, so casual with no clue that it would become so taboo in a few short years,  Most of all, I loved Barton George Dawes.  You see, he's a regular guy, messed up, totally vulnerable, and therefore human.  I LOVE that he dropped psychotropic drugs before going to a party with all his regular square(ish) friends.  I literally got butterflies in my stomach with anticipation, and vaguely considered dropping some LSD (I swear Bachman, regular people won't use this story as an excuse to do drugs) and I could just... identify with George completely.  I understood him.  And in a way, I envy him.       You see, he was willing and able to stand up for his convictions, no matter the cost.
  As a side note, this story has some of the wort editing errors I've ever seen in print.  I hope to God they rectified them in later re-printing.