3.5 Stars Archives - Page 4 of 6

The Bookseller of Kabul by Åsne Seierstad: Book Review

After following the Northern Alliance troops around Afghanistan and reporting on the fall of the Taliban, journalist Åsne Seierstad finds herself in Kabul. She stumbles upon a bookshop and goes in. She and the proprietor, Sultan, hit it off at first and she is invited to spend a little time with his family. She thinks she has found an enlightened Afghan man and asks him for permission to live in his house for a while and write about everyday life in an Afghan household. She finds out that some of his politics and beliefs are more liberal than one would expect, but he still very much rules his family with iron authority. There was one chapter that I loved, "Billowing, Fluttering, Winding." Seierstad sets out to make the reader experience life inside the burka, and I felt that she pulled it off very well. I felt closed in and like I had blinders on. I felt like I had to physically turn my head to see anything around me. I felt lost in a sea of mostly-anonymous burkas. The only way to differentiate between other women was by the bits of their shoes that were peeking out. When the narrator loses track of the other women she's with, I realized how hard it was going to be to find them. It was beautifully, effectively done, and it's worth reading for that chapter alone. I like that the author included a list of the 16 decrees that the Taliban broadcast when they took power. Some of them weren't really all that surprising, but others left me shaking my head in puzzlement. "Prohibition against the washing of clothes by river embankments." What? Are they afraid that women are going to have a "wet burka" contest or something? I don't understand that one.…

The Fat Man by Ken Harmon: Book Review

Gumdrop Coal has gotten the axe. Founder of the Coal Patrol, those elves who deliver coal into bad little kids' stockings, Gumdrop is out on his ear when Santa decides that every child deserves a real gift on Christmas. Gumdrop takes it hard. His methods might be harsh, but he believes they're fair and they mostly get results. He's promised Santa that he'll stay away from children, but he hasn't made any promises about parents. Let's face it--someone is responsible for little monsters turning out the way they are. After a few violent encounters, parents and children have changed their ways for the better. Then one of the parents Gumdrop roughed up is found dead. Everyone in Kringle Town thinks Gumdrop did it. Gumdrop sets out to clear his name. Can he nab the culprit before his own goose is cooked? This was fun, if a little hard to sustain over the length of a short novel. I can't say that I've actually read any noir, but I'm somehow familiar with the tropes, either through movies or the collective subconscious. Harmon stayed true to what I know. The good-looking dame with questionable motives. The hard-boiled MC. Over-the-top villains. Very cool. What was a lot of fun was seeing how Christmas lore fit into the book. There can't be many Christmas songs and stories that Harmon didn't work in here. Tiny Tim, Ralphie, It's a Wonderful Life, "The Twelve Days of Christmas"--he really covered a lot of ground. I mostly liked the way that familiar sayings had a Christmas twist. "Son of a blitzen." "I didn't know it yet but someone back at the North Pole was about to start playing reindeer games for keeps." "For a little while, things seemed too foggy even for Rudy's schnoz and the whole tale…

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See: Book Review

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is the story of two girls from very different backgrounds in 1800s China and the deep friendship they share. I picked this up after reading three Holocaust novels in a row. I needed some “fluff” and, not really knowing what it was about, I thought this might work. Instead I found myself reading the horrible details of foot binding. I knew it was bad, but I didn’t realize it was that bad. *Shudder* That aside, this was pretty good. I found it hard to relate to either Lily or Snow Flower, but I did appreciate the deep friendship they shared. In a time of arranged marriages, a friendship was the truest love most women experienced. I think we’ve lost some of that today, but we can still relate to the love, regret, and misunderstandings that arise between friends. A big part of the book centers around the secret women’s writing that the women in this area of China had. I just love the whole idea of a hidden writing system invented for women by women. I’ve come across this idea before in The Secrets of Jin-shei by Alma Alexander. That novel’s set in an imaginary country that is obviously based on China. Readers of one of these books should like the other. I think women who enjoy reading about friendships between women will enjoy this one. Reviewed August 12, 2009 Read an excerpt. Find author Lisa See on her website, Facebook, and Twitter. Buy Snow Flower and the Secret Fan at Malaprop’s | Better World Books Friday Flashback Reviews are a weekly feature here on The Introverted Reader. These are old reviews I wrote on GoodReads. Thanks to Angieville and her Retro Friday Reviews for the inspiration and encouragement! I have an affiliate relationship…

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff: Book Review

Mackie Doyle doesn't quite fit in with his gloomy, outwardly perfect town. His eyes are just too dark. He has an allergic reaction to iron. And most people don't know this, but consecrated ground blisters his skin. See, the town of Gentry pays a price for its perfection; it pays with its children. And Mackie is just a replacement for one of them. This was actually creepier than I expected it to be. Let's face it, that cover is a lot to live up to. I love it, but it even caught my husband's attention. The book and the cover actually went well together in this case. We kind of learn things as Mackie does, which leaves us with questions that are answered in a way that feels right. This storytelling technique can sometimes backfire horribly for me as a reader and leave me feeling that the author cheated. Not the case here. There's a reason Mackie doesn't know things and there's a reason people don't talk about what's going on. Mackie was feeling a little too sorry for himself throughout the book, and that's the biggest thing that knocked this back a couple of stars. I kind of understand it now (he's really, really not feeling well, and who doesn't feel sorry for themselves then?), but I didn't realize that this was new for him and how bad it was until well into the book, when my opinions were pretty firmly set. If I could have seen him on some good days in some flashbacks or something, I would have had more empathy for him. Tate was a great character. I was confused by her at first, but as things are explained, I understood why she was acting like she did. I loved that she didn't take crap off…

Cujo by Stephen King: Book Review

Do we all know the basic story of Cujo? Big, lovable St. Bernard gets rabies and goes on a rampage. That's it. Sounds so simple, and it mostly is, but King can tell one heck of a story. I read this without once closing it, in one 12-hour night shift, without even thinking about getting tired. In fact, I found myself idly wandering around the office, doing things that needed to be done, holding this book in one hand and working with the other. I seriously couldn't put it down. But it was a little weak. There was this little subplot where he tried to make the story supernatural. I thought it was silly and unnecessary. It was scarier for being something that I (in my complete ignorance of rabies) think could maybe happen, at least for a little while. And can I go on record as saying that I hate the name Tadder? If Tad is too short for you, why not move on to Theo? Your kid will not thank you for Tadder when he's being beaten up on the playground. I'm just glad I had finished this before my husband said, "How do you know he didn't mean it to sound like tater?" But the fact that almost all the "horror" elements take place in such a confined space with just three characters, one of whom is a St. Bernard, earns King huge points. This really should not have been a page turner, and yet it was. There is a reason the man is so popular. Reviewed October 21, 2009 Malaprop’s | Better World Books Friday Flashback Reviews are a weekly feature here on The Introverted Reader. These are old reviews I wrote on GoodReads. Thanks to Angieville and her Retro Friday Reviews for the inspiration and…

In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant

Bucino is a dwarf employed by one of the most favored courtesans of Rome, Fiammetta Bianchini. When Rome is sacked by Spaniards and Lutherans in 1527, Bucino and Fiammetta barely escape with their lives and a few jewels they managed to swallow. They are forced to start over again in Fiammetta's native city of Venice. The going is slow at first, but they are both determined to rise to the top again, with the help of some unlikely accomplices. I enjoyed reading this, I liked Bucino, and I truly enjoyed reading about Venice. But towards the end I started asking myself what the point of the whole thing was. It didn't really seem to be going anywhere. When it did finally get to something like a conclusion, it was all over pretty quickly. I would have liked a little less build-up and a lot more exploration of the final conflict, for lack of a better word. As it was, I felt like the ending sort of came out of nowhere. And I don't mean that in a good way. Also, looking back at the beginning of the book to remember how to spell Fiammetta's full name, I realized that her character really wasn't very consistent. Her moods and really her overall character seemed to shift to suit whatever needed to happen next in the book. Sometimes that makes a character seem more real, but in this case, it felt like the author didn't know how to get the story where she wanted it to go without changing Fiammetta. I would recommend this book if you're going to Venice soon (I am! Lucky me!). I'm so excited to go see the places that Sarah Dunant described so well! But for a great Renaissance-era book set in Italy, I think I would…

The House on Tradd Street by Karen White: Book Review

Melanie Middleton is an excellent Realtor in the exclusive district of Charleston known as South of Broad, yet she hates the houses she sells. She sees the old mansions as termite-infested money pits. Still, the money is good and a girl's gotta eat, right? One day she is summoned to the home of elderly Nevin Vanderhorst at 55 Tradd Street. After a disconcerting meeting in which Mr. Vanderhorst only seems concerned in finding out if Melanie can see the ghost of his mother in the front yard (she can, but only admits it reluctantly), he sends her on her way. Days later, she finds out the old man has passed away and left his historic home to her--if she wants it. He has left behind a letter explaining some family history and asking her to find out what happened to his mother when he was 8 years old. Mrs. Vanderhorst disappeared and was never seen again. Well, who can resist a plea like that, from practically beyond the grave? Certainly not Melanie, who has a big heart that she likes to hide behind her career-woman persona. With some loyal, talented friends, Melanie sets out to restore the house and solve the mystery. Charleston and ghosts are a perfect fit. (There's a very long story that I won't get into here about a ghost tour I went on in the city. Needless to say, my husband will be going on any future ghost tours alone. No, I didn't see a ghost.) One of the first things anyone thinks of in connection with Charleston is the beautiful old homes. So this was a very atmospheric book that had me ready to drive on down to Charleston for another visit. I think my one problem is that the characters were a little...expected? That's…

Jack of Kinrowan by Charles de Lint: Book Review

In Jack the Giant Killer, the first of two novels in this collection, Jacky Rowan has just realized that her life is not going where she wants it to go. She drifts along, refusing to take care of her life and just staying at home doing nothing. She decides to change her life after a nasty breakup. In a fit of pique, she goes out drinking alone. Staggering home, she sees a little man being chased by 9 men on motorcycles. She tries to help him, but the little man is killed. She runs to a nearby house to try to get help, but no one answers the door. She runs back to where the little man's body was, only to see it disappear, leaving behind only a red cap. The next day, she almost convinces herself that the alcohol was just making her see things that weren't there, but she can't explain where she got the cap from. She puts it on and starts to see people straight out of Faerie. She eventually finds out that the Unseelie Court has been getting stronger and stronger and has actually stolen the local Laird's daughter. The Seelie Court is so weak that everyone is afraid to go in search of the poor girl. Jacky decides to just go looking herself. With a hob's stitcheries giving her invisibility and swiftness, the help of her best friend Kate, and a whole heap of a Jack's luck, Jacky sets out to set the local Faerie courts to rights. I loved how Jack becomes Jacky in this story. Who says women can't be clever, lucky tricksters? She fills the role of Jack perfectly, coming up with ingenious solutions to problems and avoiding pitfalls in the tradition of the best fairy tales. I also loved how…

Austenland by Shannon Hale: Book Review

Jane Hayes has a secret. Hidden behind one of her dying houseplants is her very own copy of Colin Firth's Pride and Prejudice. She drags it out and watches it as she eats her ice cream alone in her apartment. When she's in a relationship, she tends to compare the poor guy to Mr. Darcy. Yes, she's obsessed. But her wealthy great-aunt sniffs out her secret and sends her on a three-week vacation to Austenland, a total-immersion experience where everyone dresses in Regency costume, the servants are invisible, men and women are never alone together, and the electric bulbs flicker romantically. Jane packs up and goes, hoping to kick the Darcy habit for good. This was very, very cute. Coming to Austen a little later than most, I can't say that I relate to the Darcy obsession (although if I had come across Captain Wentworth before I got married, I would probably have developed an unhealthy Wentworth-habit). But I do understand where Jane was coming from. Heck, if I'd had all the "boyfriends" Jane's had through the years, I would've given up and held out for a fictional character myself! I did get a little tired of Jane's endless decisions that she was done with Darcy and she was going to kick the habit for good this time. It was a three-week stay and it felt like she analyzed herself to death and came to that resolution almost daily. I knock the book back to 3.5 stars largely because of this. The men at Austenland were very Austen-esque and I couldn't help but like them. I have to admit my ears perked up when Captain Wentworth's equivalent showed up! The ending was more than I hoped for. I was listening to this alone in the car on the way home…

Spilling the Beans on the Cat’s Pajamas by Judy Parkinson: Book Review

Have you ever wondered exactly where some of our more common phrases come from? Judy Parkinson sets out to give a brief definition and history of some colorful, common English sayings. I found this book interesting and I learned a lot. For example, "Put a sock in it!" comes from the days of the old gramophones. They didn't have volume controls, so to turn the record player down, owners would put a sock inside the bell the sound emerged from. While I did enjoy learning the meaning behind some of these sayings, I have to say that the definitions were a bit dry. Take this definition of "shoot the moon": "This is an expression meaning to leave without paying one's bills or rent, or to remove swiftly one's household goods under cover of night to avoid their seizure by a landlord or creditor." This seemed like a good place to have a little fun or lighten the tone, but instead it felt more like a scholarly work. This is a short little book at 169 pages, so I wasn't expecting the scholarly tone. This is an interesting look at some of the origins of our language, and I recommend it for those curious about such things. Christmas is coming up, and I think this would make a good stocking stuffer if you have any lovers of language in your life. Thanks to FSB Media for sending me a copy for review.