Steve's Book Journal
21 January 2007 @ 01:28 pm
A Spot of Bother  
A Spot of Bother
Mark Haddon 

From the Cover: 
"George Hall is an unobtrusive man. A little distant, perhaps, a little cautious, not quite at ease with the emotional demands of fatherhood or manly bonhomie. He does not understand hte modern obsession with talking about everything. 'The secret of contentment, George felt, lay in ignoring many things completely.' Some things in life, however, cannot be ignored.

"At sixty-one, George is settling down to a confortable retirement, building a shed in his garden, reading historical novels, a listening to a bit of light jazz. Then his tempestuous daughter, Katie, announces that she is getting remarried to the deeply innapropriate Ray. Her family is not pleased - as her brother Jamie observes, Ray has 'strangler's hands.' Katie cannot decide whether or not she loves Ray or loves the wonderful way he has with her son Jacob; and her mother, Jean, is a bit put out by all the planning and arguing the wedding has occasionned, which get in the way of her quite fulfilling late-life affair with one of her husbands ex-colleagues. And the tidy and pleasant life Jamie has created crumbles when he fails to invite heis lover Tony to the dreaded nuptials.

"Unnoticed in the uproar, George discovers a sinisted lesion on his hip, and quietly begins to lose his mind.

"The way these damaged people fall apart - and come together - as a family is the true subject of Haddon's disturbing yet amusing portrait of a dignified man trying to go insane politely.

"A Spot of Bother is Mark Haddon's unforgettable follow-up to the internationally beloved bestseller The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Here the madness - literally - of family life proves rich comic fodder for Haddon's crackling prose and bittersweet insights into misdirected love." 


Review:
There is so much to admired about this novel, but there are also several bothersome qualities too. The most wonderful thing about this book are the characters. The whole story revolves around one event, the wedding. Everything else that happens is completely in the character's hands. With each chapter centered around a different character's perspective, there is a lot of flavor added to story. The flow of events comes directly from each of the character's personalities, making the events just as out of control as the characters themselves.

But there is a big problem with this story. The story is character-driven, but some crucial character feelings and emotions are embedded directly into the plot instead of the characters. The perfect way to explain this is through Ray. All the members of Katie's family clearly disapprove of Ray, but no one can give you a definite reason as to why the reader should also disapprove of him. Katie's mom doesn't like him at all. Her anger towards him sparks character-driven conflict which creates a chain reaction of other events.  You get the idea that Jamie loves Tony and that Katie is the only one that loves Ray, and you only know this because the author, not the characters, says you should. The author is speaking for the characters instead of letting them speak for themselves. George just wants to ignore Ray altogether, also getting himself into trouble. And Jamie has this huge beef with the man as well. But you never get a clear understanding as to why everybody hates Ray. Then of course, there are all the supposed traits about Ray that you are supposed to frown upon, but you feel like you don't even know Ray, so how can you hate him too? It also makes the other characters look bad because you don't understand where they are coming from with their disapproval of Ray. Once you got the idea, it's hard to believe some of the conversations between characters. Some parts of the book have unrealistic dialogue.

Putting that aside, there are many things to be appreciated about the book. Despite the fact that there is a lack of certain characterization, George Hall has been developed in such a rich manner that you tend to forget everyone else's problems. Haddon really explores his situation and intricately shows you exactly how he is losing his mind. As the reader, you understand how and why George experiences fear, paranoia, shame, confusion, and even love.

The other characters are not entirely underdeveloped. This is obvious - and entertaining - when they interract with each other, clearly showing how each of them have conflicting personalities, but at the same time are able to come together and understand one another. Though their antics are a bit extreme, they are never far-fetched, and their predicaments are disasterous, but always believeable. 

Haddon's writing has wonderful charm to it that makes you comfortable with nervous laughter. His style changes repeatedly based on the character's point of view. When focused on George's insanity, the writing get complicated and nonsensical. When focused on Jacob, there is a carefree childish tone. Overall, it was a nice book to read and it was an enjoyable follow-up to Haddon's Curious Incident. 


Stars out of 5: 3.3
Date Started: December 30, 2006
Date Finished: January 20, 2007 
Edition: Doubleday Hardback
Pages: 354 
Year: 2006





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Dune 
by Frank Herbert
 
 
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Steve's Book Journal
07 November 2006 @ 10:35 pm
Fragile Things  
Fragile Things
Neil Gaiman 

From the Cover: 
"A mysterious circus terrifies an audience for one extraordinary performance before disappearing into the night, taking one of the spectators along with it. . .

"In a novella set two years after the events of American Gods, Shadow pays a visit to an ancient Scottish mansion, and finds himself trapped in a game of murder and monsters . . . 

"In a Hugo Award-winning short story set in a strangely altered Victorian England, the great detective Shelock Holmes must solve a most unsettling royal murder . . . 

"Two teenage boys crash a party and meet the girls of their dreams - and nightmares . . . 

"In a Locus Award-winning tale, the members of an exclusive epicurean club lament that they've eaten everything that can be eaten, with the exception of a legendary, rare, and exceedingly dangerous Egyptian bird . . . 

"Such marvelous creations and more - including a short story set in the world of The Matrix, and others set in the world of gothic fiction and children's fiction - can be found in this extraordinary collection, which showcases Gaiman's brilliance as well as his terrifyingly entertaining dark sense of humor. By turns delightful, disturbing, and diverting, Fragile Things is a gift of literary enchantment from one the most unique writers of our time."


Review:
Of course, there are too many works of fiction in this book to go over individually, but there are some that deserve some attention. First of all, however, this collection is remarkable. Gaiman's truly remarkable skill has crafted the most creative storiesthat manage to terrify you and ultimately touch you. There is a sense of admiration that follows his stories, inspiring you to drop everything and write deep stories of  your own.

Bitter Grounds is easily the best story in the collection. A man, on a whim, leaves his life behind and gets caught up in an ancient world of voodoo and magic. Gaiman writes this with such eerie surrealism that so bone-chilling, and thrusts you into a dreamworld of unspeakable horrors. If you want just a sample of what Neil Gaiman is, read this story.

Other great stories (and poems and prose) include Keepsakes and Treasures, where a psychologically distraught bastard is employed by a man with lifestyle of a questionable nature; Going Wodwo, a wonderful poem about embracing nature; and October in the Chair, where a secret storytelling event attracts the personified months of the year.

Gaiman's prose works like a charm, but it is also his downfall. Most of the stories that are different in nature have the same simple, clear-cut style that can get in the way of enjoying a good story. A lot of times it's enjoyable, but in the cases of How Do You Think It Feels and Goliath, stories rush by without having the events and meaning sink in. Gaiman does redeem himself as far as style goes in stories like The Monarch of the Glen and Bitter Grounds. 

Overall, a great collection of terrifyingly exciting stories.

Stars out of 5: 4
Date Started: October 12, 2006
Date Finished: November 7, 2006 
Edition: HarperCollins Hardback
Pages: 355 
Year: 2006


     



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To Be Announced
 
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Steve's Book Journal
10 October 2006 @ 11:31 pm
Hearts in Atlantis  

Hearts in Atlantis
Stephen King 

Review: 
(My paperback edition of the book did not have a very good synopsis on the back at all. So I will explain plot points during the review.)

Stephen King draws his readers into a world that he has never shown them. This world, although difficult to believe, is not fictional and exists within our own world. King delves in the 1960s, quintessentially capturing the soul of the Vietnam war and unlocks secrets of generation - a generation full of danger, full of suspense, and most of all, full of heart.

The book is divided into five parts, each of which are their own seperate stories, but connect to each other through spellbinding events. The first part, Low Men in Yellow Coats, is about a young Bobby Garfield who desires above all to purchase a new bike. His cheap mother however, rules over him with a tight mouth and even tighter purse. A new tenant, an old man named Ted, moves into the room upstairs and befriends Bobby and shares a powerful secret with him. Ted is being chased by strange beings he calls the low men in yellow coats who want Ted for his uncanny psychic abilities. Bobby and his friends, Carol Gerber and Sully-John, are then tested by extreme circumstances that change the course of their lives forever.

This is the longest story in the book and is written beautifully. It is a depressing story which mirrors the decade in which it takes place, but manages to muster up some very charming aspects. King tells a story about the loss of innocence which is where the spirit of the 60s spawned from. A very fine piece of work that makes me believe in the power of King's writing (at several points I wanted to jump up and scream 'he is NOT a sellout! he can truly write!). 

The second story, Hearts in Atlantis, portrays the young college freshmen Peter Riley in his first semester in 1966. He is drawn into the powerfully addicting card game Hearts and is equally drawn into the political turmoil surrounding the country - both of which are seriously affecting his performance in school. He meets and falls for the rebel Carol Gerber, who has grown into a peace activist and persuades him to get involved with the war protest. Peter finds himself struggling with issues other than cards and school, like his own beliefs and what the peace sign really stands for. This story is also pretty lengthy, but is just as good as the first one. Carol's characterization is beautiful and her transformation (or more appropriately, her development) is very touching. Once again, well-written and touching.

In the much shorter story Blind Willie, we meet Bobby's childhood bully's life in 1984 and learn that he has become three different men. He starts off as William Shearman, a respectable bussinessman who lives a life outside of war, outside of hurt, and outside of pain. He then becomes Willie Shearman, a tradesman of sorts who lives within the constraints of his service in the Vietnam war and the duty he must carry out. But most importantly, he becomes Blind Willie, a beggar on the streets who must live with the suffering of his past and must spend an entire lifetime in penance. What's terrifying is that he is starting to become a fourth person, a muderer of pent-up anger. This is the most intriguing story. King develops a beautiful beautiful character to show the mindset of the soldier.

Shorter still is Why We're in Vietnam about ol' Sully-John who realizes that some things are never forgotten and it's those things that truly bring us down. We get a very good glimpse of the war, the feeling, the energy, the life, the power, and the pain. King displays a picture of Nam so vivid that we understand why there are some places that we can never truly leave. This one is a little odd, as I think there are some messages that I quite didn't get, but it has remarkable metaphors and imagery.

The book closes with Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling. This story, about the reunion of some old friends for the first time in several decades, assures the reader that there is still some hope left. A nice touch to end the book with.

The book as a whole is brilliant and I think that King deserves a LOT more credit for this novel than what he has recieved. It is pure genius and so deep, something that people often question about King's work. It's defintiely a very moving book but it is not for the weak of heart. Some problems inculde the over-use of Dark Tower references. Yes, we know that this book ties into the Dark Tower series, but you don't have to little the book with so many obscure images that leave people who are unfamiliar with the series to get very angry about because it is obstructing their understanding of events. The other problem, though this one isn't as bad, is the ending. I though for sure that King would screw it up, but even though it comes out nicely, I wish that the ending would have been more dramatic and depressing. There are so many spots in the book that make you believe that you want a sad ending, and it's not exactly what you get. I can't tell if I feel cheated or if I admire the way the author lead me on.

Overall, an outstanding book. Probably the best thing by King I've read.


Stars out of 5: 4.3
Date Started: September 19, 2006
Date Finished: October 10, 2006 
Edition: Pocket Books Paperback
Pages: 672 
Year: 1999





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Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman


 
 
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Steve's Book Journal
18 September 2006 @ 02:23 pm
Tales from Watership Down  
Tales from Watership Down
Richard Adams 

From the Cover: 
"At last, twenty four years after the piblication of Watership Down - one of the century's best-loved works of imaginative literature - the superb storyteller Richard Adams reenters that unique and special world to tell us about the lives of the rabbits after their defeat of General Woundwort.

"Tales from Watership Down begins with some of the great folk stories well known to rabbits. Then we listen in as Dandelion, the rabbits' master storyteller, relates the thrilling adventures experienced by El-ahrairah, the mythical rabbit hero, and his stalwart, Rabscuttle, during their long journey home from after their terrible encounter with the Black Rabbit of Inle (as narrated in Watership Down). Finally, in the principal part of the book, we are told eight enchanting stories about the rabbits of the Down - Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig and their companions - including the impact on the warren of the obsessive doe Flyairth, and the appointment of the Hyzenthlay as the female Chief Rabbit and partner to Hazel.

"All readers - the millions who remember Watership Down with the deepest affection, and also those for whom this colume will be their first encounter with the rabbits - will find these nineteen tales utterly compelling, the fruit of Richard Adams's spellbinding narrative power and ability to conjure up a world that is at the same time real and unreal."


Commentary:
After reading the epic and profound novel of Watership Down, Tales from Watership Down leaves you very dissapointed. The book is broken up into three parts, the first simply being traditional (and nontraditional) folk tales that are common to rabbits, most being the stories of El-ahrairah. This seems like a nice way to begin the book, seeing that the Lapine folklore is an undertone to Watership Down and really adds depth to it, and the stories are very clever and really capture rabbit culture. But in Tales, the stories of El-ahrairah are not very grand at all. He is made out to look like a guy with very good luck more than one who really uses his Frith-given talents. They are too chilidish and have tame themes. The exception of course are the stories that do not involve El-ahrairah, ie, Speewell's Story and The Rabbit's Ghost Story, which are not just comical, but nicely written as well.

The second part of the book contains more adventures of El-ahrairah, but the ones undertaken after fleeing form the horrible encounter with the Black Rabbit as described in Watership Down. These stories have more of a purpose than the ones in the previous section, and have a little more depth. El-ahrairah is actually viewed as a leader in some parts and actually uses cunning tactics, but like the previous tales, these ones are also more children-oriented and don't have that charming of an effect on the reader.

We then are reintroduced to the rabbits of Watership Down and it's neighboring warren, Efrafa. These short stories tell of what happened to the rabbits after the victory over General Woundwort and the struggles they found themselves with. Once again, these stories are very light without much depth and are written at a pre-adolescent level which doesn't really appeal to more mature readers like the the original novel did. However, there are some goos tales to be told, such as how Campion regained his respect, how new rabbits have got along within the warren, and the problem with holding old grudges. 

The book wasn't very enjoyable to read as Watership Down was, and the only reasons why I enjoyed it is because it made me reminisce on the heartfelt pages of the original story that started it all. I enjoyed reading about the new life on the warren, but there reading was obstructing my enjoyment. Don't get me wrong, Watership Down wasn't exactly written to be read by literary scholars, but the writing in Tales is too below me. The stories move too fast, the prose isn't that glamorous, and it is more directed to a younger audience.

But I still like it because I loved Watership Down, which is the only way that this book will be appreciated. If I were 12 years old, I would enjoy much better than I do now. But overall, I'm glad that I read it. It may have been dissapointing, but I am more in love with the warren than I was before.


Stars out of 5: 3
Date Started: August 24, 2006
Date Finished: September 18, 2006
Pages: 262
Year: 1996







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Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King 

 
 
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Steve's Book Journal
16 July 2006 @ 09:51 pm
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil  
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil 
John Berendt 

From the Cover: 
 "Shots rang out in Savannah's grandest mansion in the misty early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this hauntingly beautiful city of moss -hung oaks and shaded squares. In Berendt's sharply observed, suspenseful, and witty narritive, he skillfully interweaves a hugely entertaining first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable teists and turns of a landmark murder case.

"The result is a spellbinding book peopled by a gallery of wonderfully eccentric characters: the well-bred society ladies of the Married Woman's Card Club; the turbulent young redneck gigolo; the hapless recluse who owns a bottle of poison so powerful it coudl kill every man, woman, and child in Savananh; the aging and profane belle who is the 'soul of pampered self-absorption'; the uproariously funny black drag queen; the acerbic and arrogant antiques dealer; the sweet-talking, piano-playing con artist; and Minerva, the voodoo priestess who works her magic in the cemetary at midnight. These and other Savannahians act as Greek chorus, with Berendt revealing the alliances, hostilities, and intrigues that thrive in a town where everyone knows everyone else. . . and where some secrets are kept to the grave.

"Brilliantly concieved and masterfully written, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil continues to be a bracing and seductive reading experience."



Review: 
I am beginning to feel bored and overall annoyed with the trend that appears in the books I have been reading. The trend involves the author coming forward and explaining that the events happening throughout the pages are in fact real events and the writing style of course gives the reader an illusion of reality when in fact it is all mere fiction. This trend can be seen in The Things They Carried, Slaughterhouse-Five, and Life of Pi. Yes it a very nice stylistic touch to the novel on the writer's behalf, but I am starting to take a deep sigh whenever I think of this idea. Fortunately enough, I did not have to feel condemned to this trend upon reading Midnight because all the events depicted in ficticious quality are in fact real and have happened in real time. Keeping that in mind, I present, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

From the author's introduction, Berendt explains the difficulty in writing a work of non-fiction because very rarely do real life people present themselves as "full-blown literary characters." Upon discovering the enchanting world withing Savannah, he considered himself lucky. 

Midnight is part character study, part suspenseful drama, and part satire. In the first part of the 'novel,' we are introduced to a wide variety of characters, each endowed with their own rich, deep personality that is mesmorizingly surreal, and yet, not in the least bit implausible or even over-the-top. These members of the Greek chorus let us experience Savannah to it's full effect. There seems to be a fine line in the novel, almost a definite paragraph, where it takes a sudden turn from a parade of the Old South's elite class to a dark and corruptive exposition of the private lives that inhabit Savannah. Risque themes quietly tip-toe in the scene and then burst into fanfares of suspense and drama where each in turn creates a new layer of depth to the story.

The writing style was nice for the most part. Even though the wordplay and setup didn't wow me straight from begining to end, I don't recall any passages where I cringed becuase of poor or lazy writing. There were some that did manage to go down in my book as great quotes and witty commentary on Berendt's behalf. 

And now I have realized that there isn't a whole lot more to say about Midnight. It's pretty much straightforward - captivating look into the world Savannah with several plot surprises along the way. Overall, it reminded me The Great Gatsby, except you absolutely love the characters. 


Stars out of 5: 4.3
Date Started: July 1, 2006
Date Finished: July 16, 2006
Pages: 388
Year: 1994 



Quotes:
"These, then, were the images in my mental gazetteer of savannah: rum-drinking pirates, strong-willed women, courtly manners, eccentric behavior, gentle words, and lovely music. That and the beauty of the name itself: Savannah."

" 'As a matter of fact, when I think about it, it suits me fine. See, with all these weirdos you got filling up your book, I figure somebody's gonna have to play the good guy, and it's beginning to look like it's me.' "

"In the minds of most Americans, Savannah and Charleston were sister cities. If so, the sisters were barely on speaking terms."

"For me, Savannah's resistance to change was its saving grace. The city looked inward, sealed off from the noises and distractions of the world at large. It grew inward, too, and in such a way that its people flourished like hothouse plants tended by an indulgent gardner. The ordinary became the extraordinary. Eccentrics thrived. Every nuance and quirk of personality achieved greater brilliance in that lush enclosure that would have been possible anywhere in the world."






Coming Soon!
Bad Twin
"by" Gary Troup 
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Steve's Book Journal
26 June 2006 @ 07:33 pm
Watership Down  
Watership Down
Richard Adams

From the Cover:
"They lived, comfortable and secure, in the best of all worlds. Until one of them had a vision: he saw the hillside that was their home covered with blood. Prohesying imminent destruction to all who remained there, and he and his brother appealed to their chief.

"They were dismissed routinely. Obedience - and death - faced them. Or rebellion - and survival, maybe.

"Watership Down is a picaresque saga of the maverick band who had set out, against all odds, on a quest for a new home, a better society. How they succeed is an epic adventure and a compelling contemporary odyssey of leadership found and leadership lost.

"The heroes of this tale are animals - wild rabbits. Their behavior is consistent with the laws of nature, yet each is endowed with a blood-and-gut personality that is unforgettable. The full-bodied characterization and compelling plot fuse, trandescending the animal world and illuminating man's great humanity, and terrible unhumanity. The setting is the rolling hills and meadows of England. The time is now - or tomorrow - or always."



Review:
It's hard to take the idea of wild rabbits as the heros and villains of a literary novel so seriously. I can't imagine how this book received its fame in the 1970s with the premise of furry woodland creatures surviving in the wild. Then again, there have been other greater works of literature with even more, well, unusual circumstances; take Orwell's Animal Farm or Tolkien's Lord of the Rings for instance. Both of these works create a world within our own (literally or symbollically, of course) and tell a story to make the reader laugh out loud, emotionally tear up, and above all, think. And with that note, I present Watership Down.

The story itself is something great. Familiar in almost any epic, it portrays a warren of rabbits running from imposing danger and off to start their own safe and secure colony. And, like with any epic, it is never that easy. From the very first chapter, the story moves as fast as the adventure itself and very rarely loses its momentum, a perfect pace for such a novel. The plot, combined with in-depth characterization and a wonderful style, takes the reader through adverture and danger, one right after the other. The events that happen are all as plausible as they are intriguing and captivating. From warding off predators, to defending against imposing rivals, to dangerous search and rescue missions, one escapade after another follows through, just as if not more intense as the precvious.

Some of the themes that run throughout include story-telling, nature versus nurture, domestication, and the imposing threat of humanity onto nature. The plot bases itself off of inspiring tales of folklore and plays and important part in the culture of these characterized rabbits. It shines through the novel's bold start and ends the book with a heroic, yet undoubtebly charming, ending. As far as the other themes go, the novel doesn't preach, nor does it force credulous opinions to the reader. It simply let's the reader experience nature through the eyes of an animal as innocent as the human soul.

As the reader, you are always convinced that the characters running through the pages are indeed rabbits. Adams indebts himself to R.M. Lockley's The Private Life of the Rabbit to where he recieved his vast knowledge of rabbits, their habbits, and lifestyle. With a very believeable cast, Adams with the help of Lockley invite us into a realistic world as beautiful and inspiring as tropical beach. What seperates Adams from Lockley, however, is Adams' ability and craft to have these simple creatures touch your spirit and etch in your mind very unique characteristics which are so warmingly original. Each character has its own personality, its own desires and fears as well as strengths and weaknesses. Like classic novel, you fall in love with the hero and love to despise the villain and here you will find that familiarity. Though you recognize them as just rabbits, at several points in the novel you might stop and wonder if you are truly reading about rabbits or about the human spirit.

The book is written in such a docile manner which is light easy to enjoy, even though the content may not share this meekness. It is nothing too dramatic as some epic writing styles may be, pouring with long setting and historical descriptions, but instead gives a modest interpretation of the (rather beautiful) environment and circumstances. The writing has its own Lapine vocabulary, giving the style some signiture finesse and puts a twist on otherwise complicated explanations. More obvious to the style is the fact that it is being told from a rabbit's point of view. Though confusing at times when these creature try to explain human and other unbeknown aspects to each other, it is seen as more of a charming gesture or usually as a social commentary towards human behavior.

Overall, I loved it. I defintely reccomend it. The only real problems that I ran into were that sometimes whole nature aspect of the novel seemed a little too much. I was not familiar with a lot of the plants, animals and settings described and it seemed to be a little too uncomfortable for me. It never gets too bad though, just a little rough in the occaisional slow spot in the novel.


Stars out of 5: 4.5
Date Started: April 24, 2006
Date Finished: June 26, 2006
Pages: 426
Year: 1972



Quotes:
"All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, and when they catch you, then will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with a swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people will never be destroyed"


"Well there's another place - another country, isn't there? We go there when we sleep; at other times, too; and when we die. El-ahrairah* comes and goes between the two as he wants, I suppose, but I could never quite make that out, from the tales. Some rabbits will tell you it's all easy there, compared with walking dangers that they understand. But I think that only shows they don't know much about it. It's a wild place, and very unsafe. And where are we really - there or here?"


"All other [enemies] do what they have to do and Frith moves them as he moves us. They live on the earth and they need food. Men will never rest till they've spoiled the earth and destroyed the animals."


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Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
By John Berendt
 
 
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Steve's Book Journal
28 April 2006 @ 09:01 pm
Slaughterhouse-Five  
Slaughterhouse-Five
Kurt Vonnegut

From the Cover:
"Slaughterhouse-Five is on the of world's great anti-war books. Centering on the infamous firebombing of Dresden, Billy Pilgrim's odyssey through time reflects the mythic journey of our own fractured lives as we search for meaning in what we are afriad to know."

Review:
As you may have noticed in my review for Life of Pi, I have come up with a new setup for reflecting on the books that I've read to give the reader a better feel for the book. This new setup is more in-depth and is better at explaining the reason for rating the books. However, my review for Slaughterhouse-Five isn't going to be quite like this new system for a few reasons:

1) This is a book that I've read for English and I've talked about it a lot in that class and I really have nothing left to say.
2) Due to the bizarre nature of this book, it would be exceptionally difficult to go in-depth without writing a flat-out essay on the book.
3) I am really tire at the moment, but I must put this up now or it will never be done.

So, that aside, I can explain what I can about this book. There really isn't an orderly way to summarize the plot of the book since it jumps around too quick to ground any central conflict down, so the summary will be short and trite. Billy Pilgrim has become unstuck in time, realizing he can move in four dimensions. At one point, Billy is a soldier in WWII, lethargically following along his comrades through several German POW camps. At another point, Billy is is on the planet Tralfamadore, abducted into a zoo, where he learns about the philisophical views the Tralfamadorians hold. At another point, he is in a mental ward, or optometry office, or wandering New York trying to proclaim to world the intergalactic intelligence he has learned.

As you can see, this is a very unusal book. Vonnegut writes a very bizarre story as means to make the reader uncomfortable reading it, as it is not only humorously ridiculous, but so incredibly embedded with thundering moral statements at which we are not to laugh at. He blatantly points out the corruption of war, consumerism, and discrimination as well as beliefs in free will, politics, economics, and religion. Theses themes almost run amuck over the pages since they are truly the only characters in this novel.

It gets rather distrbing at points, particularly when we are exposed to the horrid truth behind obscene images and butally honest statements. But with such satirical tones in the novel, this is nearly expected. It is not so much the content that strikes me. In fact, it almost sickens me how overused every theme is used and how Vonnegut just shoves it down your throat.  What really appeals to me is the artistic design created by the author to present these themes. The lack of structure and sarcastic explotation of society is what kept me going in this book, and there was enough creativity to last through the whole book.


Stars out of 5:  3.5
Date Started: March 9, 2006
Date Finished: April 27, 2006
Pages: 215
Year: 1969




Coming Soon!
Watership Down by Richard Adams
 
 
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Steve's Book Journal
22 April 2006 @ 09:21 pm
Life of Pi  
Life of Pi
Yann Martel

From the Cover:
"Pi Patel, a god-loving boy and the son of a zookeeper, has a fervent love of stories and practices not only his native Hinuism, but also Christianity and Islam. When Pi is sixteen, his family and their zoo animals emigrate from India to North America aboard a Japanese cargo ship. Alas, the ship sinks - and Pi finds himself on a lifeboat, his only companions a hyena, an orangutan, a wounded zebra, and a 450-pound Bengal tiger. Soon the tiger has dispatched all but Pi. Can Pi and the tiger find their way to land? Can Pi's fear, knowledge, and cunning keep him alive until they do?"

Commentary:
Yann Martel is truly a wonderful writer. This book is crafted beautifully with wonderful prose and presented with a passionate and powerful story. A very large chunk of the novel is without dialogue, seeing that only Pi is able to talk being out in the Pacific alone, but the narration is remarkable. His expressive style captures your attention just as much as the idea of being trapped in the ocean with a ferocious tiger as company. 

The story itself is worthy of praise. Though the plot seems almost absurd, it becomes something epic, enchanting and awesome. The story really begins with Yann Martel telling us that he wrote this book as he was hungry, meeting Piscine Molitor Patel and listening to his story. The novel is made out to seem ture to life, putting into context that the author has actually witnessed the real story-telling. You as the reader are free to believe this, but I got the impression that the entire novel is purely fiction. Even though that takes away part of the powerful themes that run through it, I like to think that Martel's craft is realistic and intimate with the reader.

We are introduced to Piscine Molitor Patel, better known as Pi, as he lives in India before his ordeal. Literally raised in a zoo and brought up with God, he is exposed to much responsibilty inside the zoo and within his three religions. He comments on how brutal and dramatic, yet disarmingly enjoyable his life is. We also learn about Pi as an adult, as several chapters take place in the present with Martel interviewing the more mature Pi Patel. A very nice insight on the author's behalf.

Then the trials at sea. Hearing the adult Pi talk about it earlier in the novel, we know already how the story ends, but not necessarily the nature of the ending. Rest assured that he claims that "this story has a happy ending." The events that take place at sea are meant to be extraordinary, hence the 450-pound tiger on the lifeboat with him. Because the way the story is presented, you never once doubt the reality of these events until the end. A lot of research has gone into the writing of this. The book has a sense of authenticity that convinces you about the surroundings. The ocean truly is more beautiful this way.

From the begining, the author claims that this story will make you believe in God.  If you read the book as just a story, this is not accomplished. There are several deep themes that Martel writes into the story and it takes a lot of thorough reading to uncover them all. With a promise to make you believe in God, you would think that the book would chock-full of evangelistic preaching, ranting about religion, and very openly expressed views on the matter. This is not so. Though Pi makes his stance on faith and religion clear, he doesn't shove it down your throat. You are meant to read between the lines to get the soul-sustaining message. It's subtle, but the ending is your clue to the messages the book has to offer.

My edition of the novel came with a reading group guide in the back. I found the discussion questions very thought-provoking, such as this one: "Pi's full name, Piscine Molitor Patel, was inspired by a Parisian swimming pool that "the Gods would have delighted to swim in." The shortened form refers to the ratio of a circle's circumfrance divided by its diameter, a number number that goes on forever without discernable pattern, what in mathematics is called an irrational number. Explore the signifigance of Pi's unusal name." A lot of these questions open up major concepts within the novel and are definitely a great place for literary analysis. 

I cannot think of any problems that I had with the book, save for one. The ending, though meaningful, was cut too short. The whole final part of the book seemed to have crept out of nowhere and finished before you realized that it was over. To sound more like a nerd, the falling action was too steep. It would have nice to have seen a little more subtlety at the end. Overall though, a very remarkable book.


Stars out of 5: 4.75
Date Started: March 8, 2006
Date Finished: April 22, 2006
Pages: 319
Year: 2003





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Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
 
 
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Steve's Book Journal
10 March 2006 @ 09:14 pm
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time  
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Mark Haddon

Meet Christopher John Francis Boone. He knows all the countires of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched and he detests the colors yellow and brown. This is the improbable story of Christopher's quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog and his journey to understanding himself.


Pages: 229
Started: March 1
Finished: March 7
Year: 2006

Stars out of 5: 4.5


Commentary:
This is truly an oustanding book. It delves right into the mind of an autistic child and what he has to deal with. Written vibrantly and explicitly, the author has actually spent part of his life working with autistic individuals to capture this effect. Heart-in-the-mouth stuff, which is both terrifying and moving.

 
 
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Steve's Book Journal
10 March 2006 @ 08:43 pm
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower  
The Dark Tower VII:
The Dark Tower

Roland and his companions are the closest they've ever been to the tower. Before they can reach it, they must unleash the workers at the psychic prison Devar-Toi who are bringing about the destruction of the tower. Then, they must find a way to save the endangered writer, who is the key to Roalnd's quest. But he may never make it to the Tower. The Crimson King's son has been spawned and seeks vengance upon Roland and will stop at nothing until he is dead. With all odds against them, the group is forced to use their innate gunslinging skills to their potential in order to reach their final destination.


Pages: 830
Started: December 23
Finished: February 28
Year: 2006

Stars out of 5: 4.25


Commentary:
I finally made it. This exciting finale is no exception to the powerful series.  With twists and turn left and right, this is the most action-packed book in the series. Even though the ending is absolutely anti-climactic, the means justify the end in this case. Thought-provoking and heart-touching, the series comes to a close. Or does it?

 

 
 
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