This book was amazing. It's a perfect example of a book that can speak to you despite the fact that neither the characters nor their situations are relatable. Richard Papen escapes his drab suburban Californian hometown for a prestigious college in Vermont and immediately becomes enamored with an elite group of students in the exclusive Greek program, led by a charismatic professor. But as Richard grows closer to the group, he becomes more entangled in their web of secrets.
The group of Greek students represents everything Richard has dreamed of from his dreary home life in California—wealth, sophistication, intellectualism—and I think one of the main appeals of this book is watching Richard's dream gradually warp into a nightmare. Even if I've never been complicit in the murder of a friend, I'm all too familiar with the sensation of experiencing an ideal crumble.
The writing is tense and compelling, and Tartt's send-up of the pretensions of her her college cast is absolutely on point. A+
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Monday, March 10, 2014
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Ghost Stories
Top Ten Tuesday topic is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
This week's topic is Top Ten All-Time Favorite Books in X Genre, so I picked my top ten ghost story books! Not all of these are scary, so even if you're not into horror you might find something you'd like. :)
1. A Fine and Private Place by Peter S. Beagle: This is one of my favorite books of all time. It's sort of like a grown-up version of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. Both the prose and the story are heartrendingly beautiful.
2. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R. A. Dick: This is the sweetest little story that left me feeling warm and happy. The relationship between Captain Gregg and the widowed Mrs. Muir is adorable. I haven't seen the 1947 film adaptation yet, but it's on my list!
3. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill: By Stephen King's son, Heart-Shaped Box is one of the scariest books I've ever read, but the journey of aging rock star Judas Coyne, who bought a vengeful ghost on the internet, is compelling.
4. A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb: Another favorite of mine in any genre. The love story between the two ghosts is one of the best I've ever read, and the writing is gorgeous.
5. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell: A childhood classic! These stories and illustrations were burned into my subconscious from many a late-night sleepover reading.
6. The Ghost and Goth by Stacey Kade: More funny than spooky, this YA book has humor and heart. Popular cheerleader-turned-ghost Alona and goth loner Will have a great dynamic together.
7. From the Dust Returned by Ray Bradbury: The inspiration for The Addams Family, this book is best read under covers on a chilly October night.
8. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman: I alluded to this one earlier, but it really is a sweet book . . . about a boy living in a graveyard, befriended by ghosts. Neil Gaiman has a wonderful handle on the parallel sensations of magic and fear that are so integral to childhood.
9. The Shining by Stephen King: You can't mention ghosts without thinking of the infamous Overlook Hotel!
10. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill: The book is much spookier than the Daniel Radcliffe film. Haunted houses isolated by haunted swamps, secret rooms, and tragic histories are the perfect backdrop for a good spine-tingling ghost story.
This week's topic is Top Ten All-Time Favorite Books in X Genre, so I picked my top ten ghost story books! Not all of these are scary, so even if you're not into horror you might find something you'd like. :)
1. A Fine and Private Place by Peter S. Beagle: This is one of my favorite books of all time. It's sort of like a grown-up version of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. Both the prose and the story are heartrendingly beautiful.2. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R. A. Dick: This is the sweetest little story that left me feeling warm and happy. The relationship between Captain Gregg and the widowed Mrs. Muir is adorable. I haven't seen the 1947 film adaptation yet, but it's on my list!
3. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill: By Stephen King's son, Heart-Shaped Box is one of the scariest books I've ever read, but the journey of aging rock star Judas Coyne, who bought a vengeful ghost on the internet, is compelling.
4. A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb: Another favorite of mine in any genre. The love story between the two ghosts is one of the best I've ever read, and the writing is gorgeous.
5. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell: A childhood classic! These stories and illustrations were burned into my subconscious from many a late-night sleepover reading.6. The Ghost and Goth by Stacey Kade: More funny than spooky, this YA book has humor and heart. Popular cheerleader-turned-ghost Alona and goth loner Will have a great dynamic together.
7. From the Dust Returned by Ray Bradbury: The inspiration for The Addams Family, this book is best read under covers on a chilly October night.
8. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman: I alluded to this one earlier, but it really is a sweet book . . . about a boy living in a graveyard, befriended by ghosts. Neil Gaiman has a wonderful handle on the parallel sensations of magic and fear that are so integral to childhood.
9. The Shining by Stephen King: You can't mention ghosts without thinking of the infamous Overlook Hotel!
10. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill: The book is much spookier than the Daniel Radcliffe film. Haunted houses isolated by haunted swamps, secret rooms, and tragic histories are the perfect backdrop for a good spine-tingling ghost story.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Book 27: John Dreamer by Elise Celine
Seven teens wake up in a white room, completely blank but for seven individually designed chairs, and are told by a mysterious, godlike figure that they're there to help make their dreams come true.
The premise is actually more interesting and less creepy than I made it sound. The group embark on a series of dreamlike scenarios that are intended to help each member overcome one of their fears and develop the strength to achieve their dreams. The only catch is that the teens never know what's real and what's a scenario, or who the scenario is meant to help, and failure to rise to the occasion is always a possibility.
It's a cool idea, and I applaud the message of developing confidence and inner strength. Unfortunately, there were a few problems with this book that kept me from completely enjoying it. The characters were fairly flat, and it was difficult to care about or fully appreciate the transformation that they supposedly had to undergo before leaving the white room.
The main two characters, Andy and John, were especially lacking. Andy, the narrator, was an almost completely blank slate. We find out a bit more about her toward the end of the book, but she's not nearly flawed enough to be interesting or developed enough to be believable. Love interest John is the same way: handsome and kind . . . and nothing else. Andy literally falls for him in eight and a half seconds. (She counts!) I felt like the story would almost be more enjoyable if the author had cut Andy and John out entirely and focused more on the spoiled rich girl, surly rocker, timid wallflower, alien-obsessed nerd, or insecure fat kid. Andy and John were just so static; their characters had nowhere to develop.
In fact, the strongest chapter might have been the one in which the POV switched over to sullen bully Roy. I was actually invested in his character arc, rooting for him to change, and I felt like there was a real risk that he wouldn't be able to.
The book also could've benefited from another round of editing; there were a few awkward turns of phrases ("would have been losing my time" when "would have been wasting my time" sounds more natural) and not-quite-organic dialogue from the teens. I did get this from NetGalley, so maybe the finished version is more polished.
The images and cover were lovely; I found myself looking forward to each chapter break just for the illustrations.
All in all, good idea and good message, but I think another few workshopping sessions and editorial reviews could have transformed this book from mediocre to amazing. C.
Review based on an uncorrected ARC received from NetGalley.
The premise is actually more interesting and less creepy than I made it sound. The group embark on a series of dreamlike scenarios that are intended to help each member overcome one of their fears and develop the strength to achieve their dreams. The only catch is that the teens never know what's real and what's a scenario, or who the scenario is meant to help, and failure to rise to the occasion is always a possibility.
It's a cool idea, and I applaud the message of developing confidence and inner strength. Unfortunately, there were a few problems with this book that kept me from completely enjoying it. The characters were fairly flat, and it was difficult to care about or fully appreciate the transformation that they supposedly had to undergo before leaving the white room.
The main two characters, Andy and John, were especially lacking. Andy, the narrator, was an almost completely blank slate. We find out a bit more about her toward the end of the book, but she's not nearly flawed enough to be interesting or developed enough to be believable. Love interest John is the same way: handsome and kind . . . and nothing else. Andy literally falls for him in eight and a half seconds. (She counts!) I felt like the story would almost be more enjoyable if the author had cut Andy and John out entirely and focused more on the spoiled rich girl, surly rocker, timid wallflower, alien-obsessed nerd, or insecure fat kid. Andy and John were just so static; their characters had nowhere to develop.
In fact, the strongest chapter might have been the one in which the POV switched over to sullen bully Roy. I was actually invested in his character arc, rooting for him to change, and I felt like there was a real risk that he wouldn't be able to.
The book also could've benefited from another round of editing; there were a few awkward turns of phrases ("would have been losing my time" when "would have been wasting my time" sounds more natural) and not-quite-organic dialogue from the teens. I did get this from NetGalley, so maybe the finished version is more polished.
The images and cover were lovely; I found myself looking forward to each chapter break just for the illustrations.
All in all, good idea and good message, but I think another few workshopping sessions and editorial reviews could have transformed this book from mediocre to amazing. C.
Review based on an uncorrected ARC received from NetGalley.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Book 26: The Here and Now by Ann Brashares
I'm often drawn to time-travel books, but I'm usually disappointed by
the execution. It's just too hard to keep a compelling story featuring
time travel moving along without leaving gargantuan plot holes in its
wake (The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes is a notable exception). The Here and Now, by Ann Brashares of Traveling Pants fame, does a decent job bringing to life a stellar idea, but I felt the book left me a little unfulfilled.
Prenna belongs to a secretive community of refugees who fled the tail-end of the twenty-first century to settle in our present day (the book takes place in 2014, though the group immigrated a little earlier). Although the group ostensibly colonized the past to try to change the horrible future facing Earth (carbon emissions increased, leading to global warming; a horrible blood disease turned epidemic and is spread by mosquito bites; and all progress is nonexistent), their leaders are now more focused on staying hidden and preserving the time line as is. One of the major rules is avoiding intimacy with "time natives," but this rule is beginning to pose a problem for Prenna, who finds herself developing feelings for her classmate Ethan. Ethan, unbeknownst to Prenna, saw her as she first appeared in the present day exiting the time stream and has been intrigued by physics and time travel (and Prenna) ever since.
I had a tough time deciding what age group this book was directed toward. The plot was light on the detail and angst I've come to associate with YA, but the mention of sex, though totally PG and appropriate in context, seemed a little out-of-place for middle grade (but maybe I'm just behind the times here). I always enjoy the teenagers-versus-the-establishment plot variety, and I appreciated that Ethan and Prenna were fighting something more important than just their relationship. Both seemed to place greater priority on the lives jeopardized by the actions of the time travel leaders. However, their little vacation detours, although sweet, did kind of detract from the tension of the story. I suppose they were necessary to build the relationship between Ethan and Prenna into something past insta-love. Both characters were likable, although Prenna seemed a little more hesitant, and I liked Ethan's directness and sense of humor. The Traveler One storyline was excellent, although my mind ran in circles trying to keep the alternate timelines straight. And the ending was tragic.
So, great idea, decent-but-not-stellar execution, and lots to think about. It felt a lot shorter than it actually was, which is usually a good sign, but I found myself craving more detail and substance. I think this would be a fun book to read in a book club just because there's a lot to dissect; I'd love to hear other people's thoughts. B.
Review based on an uncorrected ARC received from NetGalley.
Prenna belongs to a secretive community of refugees who fled the tail-end of the twenty-first century to settle in our present day (the book takes place in 2014, though the group immigrated a little earlier). Although the group ostensibly colonized the past to try to change the horrible future facing Earth (carbon emissions increased, leading to global warming; a horrible blood disease turned epidemic and is spread by mosquito bites; and all progress is nonexistent), their leaders are now more focused on staying hidden and preserving the time line as is. One of the major rules is avoiding intimacy with "time natives," but this rule is beginning to pose a problem for Prenna, who finds herself developing feelings for her classmate Ethan. Ethan, unbeknownst to Prenna, saw her as she first appeared in the present day exiting the time stream and has been intrigued by physics and time travel (and Prenna) ever since.
I had a tough time deciding what age group this book was directed toward. The plot was light on the detail and angst I've come to associate with YA, but the mention of sex, though totally PG and appropriate in context, seemed a little out-of-place for middle grade (but maybe I'm just behind the times here). I always enjoy the teenagers-versus-the-establishment plot variety, and I appreciated that Ethan and Prenna were fighting something more important than just their relationship. Both seemed to place greater priority on the lives jeopardized by the actions of the time travel leaders. However, their little vacation detours, although sweet, did kind of detract from the tension of the story. I suppose they were necessary to build the relationship between Ethan and Prenna into something past insta-love. Both characters were likable, although Prenna seemed a little more hesitant, and I liked Ethan's directness and sense of humor. The Traveler One storyline was excellent, although my mind ran in circles trying to keep the alternate timelines straight. And the ending was tragic.
So, great idea, decent-but-not-stellar execution, and lots to think about. It felt a lot shorter than it actually was, which is usually a good sign, but I found myself craving more detail and substance. I think this would be a fun book to read in a book club just because there's a lot to dissect; I'd love to hear other people's thoughts. B.
Review based on an uncorrected ARC received from NetGalley.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Book 25: The Night Guest by Fiona McFarlane
Goodness, this book is anxiety-inducing. It really is perfectly crafted, every word perfectly calculated to draw the reader further in; I'm surprised that this is McFarlane's first book.
Ruth is an elderly widow living alone in a house on the beach. She has two adult sons who call occasionally and visit infrequently. Ruth is proud of her independence, and so she is unsure of how she feels when Frida shows up at her door, claiming to be her government-assigned carer. Ruth's meditations on aging, her childhood in Fiji, and her first love are absolutely beautiful, and it's impossible to look away from Ruth's paranoia and gradual unraveling as Frida insinuates herself further and further into her life. A.
Ruth is an elderly widow living alone in a house on the beach. She has two adult sons who call occasionally and visit infrequently. Ruth is proud of her independence, and so she is unsure of how she feels when Frida shows up at her door, claiming to be her government-assigned carer. Ruth's meditations on aging, her childhood in Fiji, and her first love are absolutely beautiful, and it's impossible to look away from Ruth's paranoia and gradual unraveling as Frida insinuates herself further and further into her life. A.
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Book 24: Cress by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #3)
I really enjoyed the third entry in this series; I thought it was the best one yet. It was still easy to spot the twists from miles away, but that's not such a terrible problem to have. (If you can't surprise your readers, at least let them feel smart, right?) I love how Meyer has now introduced three (and a brief appearance by a fourth, it seems) major female characters, all of whom have distinctly different interests and personalities, and all of whom manage to be strong characters without falling into the "strong female character" caricature (see these comics by Hark a Vagrant's Kate Beaton for some hilarious examples). Because it's YA, all the characters have love interests, and as I said in an earlier review, I don't really buy the foundations of these relationships, but all of the characters can stand alone, and I appreciate that they all (except maybe Wolf) seem to recognize that they have more important things to do than moon over their love life. Excited to read Winter when it comes out! A
Book 23: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #2)
I was happy to see that this book continued to follow Cinder and Kai even after introducing Scarlet. I don't quite buy the building of the romances in the series (why did Scarlet think Wolf was going along with her to confront the dangerous gang he'd supposedly fled just a few weeks ago?), but they are sweet. I thought this book was slightly weaker than the first, but I like where the series is going. B-
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