Book Reviews Archive - Page 62 of 79

A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull: Book Review

Jason Walker is going about his job at the local zoo when he hears music. Following the music, he is led to the hippo tank. It sounds like the music is coming from inside the hippo--but that's not possible, is it? Leaning over to figure out what he's hearing, Jason falls straight into the hippo's mouth and comes out in another world. He finds out that he is a "Beyonder" in this other world, and he eventually meets Rachel, another Beyonder. Jason accidentally stumbles on a quest to set right all that is wrong. To do that, he must defeat the evil wizard Maldor. I haven't read Fablehaven yet, so I can't compare this book to that series. I can say that I enjoyed this high fantasy novel written for middle graders. Jason is pretty much just an average guy. He's got a crush on one of the girls in his class; he loves animals; he wants to be a vet when he grows up, but his family is pressuring him to be a dentist; and he's an amazing baseball player. He's also the youngest in the family by a lot of years. No one really has a lot of time for him. He proves that there doesn't necessarily have to be anything special about heroes. A hero is someone who does his or her best in the face of danger or against impossible odds. Rachel is the smart girl who keeps Jason straight and helps him out on his quest. I liked her a lot too. This world is a lot of fun. I want to know more about what's going on with The Blind King. I'm curious about the Displacers. (Displacers were created by wizards and can pop body parts off at will but still control the parts…

The Known World by Edward P. Jones: Book Review

Henry Townsend is a former slave. His old owner took a liking to Henry and so has helped him out in his shoe-making business. Henry eventually makes enough money to build his own small plantation house and to start buying his own slaves. The book begins with Henry's death and skips around in time to explore questions about race, slavery, and freedom. This wasn't exactly my kind of book, but I did enjoy it. The writing was a little stark for me, but on reflection I realized that this style was probably the only appropriate style for the subject matter. There were kind of a lot of characters and I had a little bit of a hard time keeping them all straight. They also weren't really all that well-developed, but that wasn't really the point of the book. I don't really have a whole lot to say about the book. I will say this: I hate writing reviews of books that touch on race. I don't know if it's because I'm a Southerner or if all Americans have this problem, but I'm always afraid that I'm going to write something offensive without meaning to. I hate that. I hate that we all have to walk on eggshells on this issue. Not that we shouldn't--I am glad that we're becoming more aware of our behaviors and trying to correct them. We are making progress, I just wish that the issues that exist didn't exist and we didn't have to worry about it at all. That being said, the issues do exist and one of the only ways we can get any perspective is by reading these kinds of books that make us think about race issues and at least try to get an idea what it's like to be in someone…

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell: Book Review

Margaret Hale is the daughter of a slightly-impoverished parson. She's been living as a companion to her wealthy cousin, but when that cousin gets married, she goes back to live with her parents. Shortly after the transition, her father announces that his beliefs have changed and he can no longer be a parson. He moves the family to Milton, a manufacturing town in the north of England. There, he works as a tutor for the wealthy men (both young and not-so-young) of the city. Mr. Thornton, perhaps the wealthiest of the factory owners, becomes Mr. Hale's benefactor, favorite student, and friend. He spends quite a bit of time with the former parson and so gets to know Margaret. He falls for her beauty, intelligence, and grace almost from their first meeting. The same cannot be said of Margaret. She sees tradesmen as beneath her, perhaps because their work is more of a physical nature than an intellectual one. These are uneasy times in Milton. The workers want more money at a time when the "masters" see profits dropping and want to actually cut workers' wages. (Yes, cut wages. I can't say that I know much about unions, but they have an important place in our past and present.) Margaret gets to know a few workers' families and takes their side in any disagreements that arise. This of course leads to conflict between her and Mr. Thornton. I really liked this. I didn't particularly love any of the characters, but I liked their stories, and I liked the social message that was worked into a love story. Or was it the love story that was worked into a social message? The language and the romantic plot reminded me of Jane Austen. In fact, it reminded me a bit of Pride and…

Zora and Me by Victoria Bond: Book Review

Zora Neale Hurston grew up in Eatonville, FL, "the first incorporated all-black township in the United States." In this fictional account of an incident in her childhood, Eatonville at first seems to be idyllic. Sure, the residents aren't very well off, but they're safe and free to be whoever they'd like. After a headless corpse is found by the railroad tracks, Zora and her friend Carrie's perspectives are changed forever. This was a very fast read. Zora herself is a delight. She reminds me a bit of Anne Shirley in that she names everything around her and has her own mythology to explain the world. She's the leader of this little group of friends and she keeps friends Carrie and Teddy on their toes. Zora and Carrie get a little too caught up in the events surrounding the murder at the train tracks. They've been on the edges of a lot of the events leading up to the death and curious Zora is trying her best to put all the pieces together. Seeing the world through their innocence, and seeing them just starting to lose that innocence, feels very real. They don't have the experience to really understand what they're seeing at first, but they gain that experience the hard way. The novel becomes a good introduction to race relations in the US. I can't imagine that it would be an easy read for youngsters, but these kinds of books never are. Nevertheless, it is important that we know our history. The authors don't shy away from alluding to lynchings (note that I did write "alluding to"--nothing is spelled out) or using "the N word," so if your child isn't ready for that, it might be best to save this book for later. All of that makes the book sound…

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss: Book Review

Kvothe is an innkeeper in a little out-of-the-way village. Or is he? One day a story-gatherer finds him and guesses that there is more to the innkeeper than meets the eye. He asks Kvothe to share his story. Kvothe agrees, but tells Chronicler that it will take three days to tell the story. This book is the first in a--can you guess?--trilogy telling Kvothe's story. This one tells of Kvothe's childhood and how he eventually made his way to the University to learn magic. Kvothe was a likeable character and the story was pretty original and entertaining. It moved at a good pace and I really found myself almost devouring it. I really lost myself in it a couple of times. In one scene when Kvothe was auditioning, I found myself with a pit in my stomach and sweaty hands. I just had to laugh at myself when I caught it! For all that, there were a couple of things that bugged me. First of all, Kvothe's name. I don't mind authors inventing names, but make it something pronounceable, please! It doesn't help to explain "It sounds like quothe." I stumbled over those consonants every time I read the name and it broke the flow of the book. Luckily the book is told in first person, so I didn't really have to read it that often. Second, the pacing was great--until one part right at the end when the author got distracted by a giant lizard. This part dragged on and on and on. There was a point to the scene, but it wasn't such a huge payoff that it demanded over fifty pages of text. I read somewhere (I think here on Goodreads) that this is like Harry Potter for grownups. Not so much. On a very superficial level,…

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…

A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle: Book Review

Peter Mayle and his wife finally decide to say goodbye to dreary British weather and move to sunny Provence in France. This book tells about their experiences living in Provence, from the colorful locals to the excellent food to the workmen who come and go like forces of nature. This book had me ready to go on vacation in Provence. Notice that I don't say "move to Provence." I would starve. All those lovingly written descriptions of French food left me cold. I could survive for a week or two though. Parts of this had me roaring with laughter. My favorite part was probably the goat race. Oh my gosh! I read this on one of my last nights at my old job, and let me tell you, I was doing my best to hold back my laughter while sitting around on my downtime in the emergency room, but little snickers and giggles were escaping, and I had tears rolling down my face. Not exactly the appropriate place for that, but luckily I was tucked away in my little corner, and I don't think anybody noticed. I hope. Another of my favorite parts was the translation of the French person's body language. I'm sure it's different, but I hope this gives me a place to start in translating my Cuban father-in-law's body language. He doesn't just tell a story, he enacts it, with hands flying everywhere. I think any homeowner can relate to the stories of the workmen. At least these guys did show up, but, wow, I don't know if that's good or bad. The Mayles did come up with an ingenious way to get them back to work though. I may have to give that a try sometime... So there's no big, earth-shattering plot here. This still felt…

A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore: Book Review

Charlie Asher is your average Beta Male. He owns a second-hand shop in San Francisco and rents out the apartments in the rest of the building to some kooky tenants. He has somehow managed to win the heart of beautiful Rachel and she has just given birth to their daughter Sophie when the book begins. Charlie can't believe his luck, and, with typical Beta Male imagination, believes that Sophie has eleven toes or a tail or something--good things just don't happen for Beta Males. After Sophie's birth, weird things start to happen to Charlie. People drop dead in front of him, objects glow with an eerie red light, and he hears evil voices coming from the sewer drains. Enter Mr. Minty Fresh. He explains what is going on to Charlie. Basically, they are Death Merchants. They collect objects from the dead and dying that are imbued with the dead person's soul. Then they hold onto the object until the soul's next owner comes along and buys it. If they screw up, or if they have contact with other Death Merchants, the Forces of Darkness will rise and the World As We Know It will end. No pressure. I think I had laughed out loud four times in the first four pages of this book. Moore's sense of humor is a perfect match for mine. I've been trying to think of the word to describe it. Not exactly crass or crude, it's more like the not-exactly-for-polite-company jokes that you make with your best friends and maybe even your family, but you probably wouldn't say in front of your in-laws or your boss. I had a few "I can't believe he had the nerve to write that!" moments in some of the funnier parts. Here are a couple of my favorite quotes:…

The Roar by Emma Clayton: Book Review

In the Earth of the future, an Animal Plague has led humans to destroy most of the planet. The entire population is now crowded behind a wall surrounding the top third of the world. There are no animals, there is very little sunlight unless you're rich, there isn't real food to eat, and everyone feels pretty hopeless and helpless. Ellie and Mika live in this world. Ellie was kidnapped about a year ago. She has learned to do fabulous things, but she still only wants to go home. Her parents believe she's dead, but her twin brother, Mika, feels that she's still alive somewhere. He's getting teased at school, frustrating his parents, and just generally being miserable. One day, his gray, damp, moldy classroom is lightened up with cupcakes and balloons. They are starting the Fit for Life program, sponsored by the Youth Development Foundation. Mika is suspicious of the program, but eventually goes along because he believes he might learn what happened to Ellie. As part of the program, the kids play a video game called Pod Fighter that can lead to fabulous prizes for them and their families. Everyone rushes to compete, but Mika has a feeling there's a lot they aren't being told. From the beginning with Ellie's heart-pumping race to freedom, to the ending where you can't believe there just aren't any more pages, the action is almost non-stop in this book. It's a pretty long middle-grade novel at 488 pages, but those pages fly by. I can't wait to read the next one! I like Ellie, Mika, and Audrey a lot. I'm curious to find out more about Leo and even to find out what's going on with the jerk, Ruben. But Mika really stood out for me. The story is told mostly from his…

M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman: Book Review

I'm trying out audio (again), this time during my commute to work. My commute isn't bad, about 30 minutes, so a collection of short stories, written and read by Neil Gaiman no less, seemed like a good place to start. I was right! I'll say first of all that I love Gaiman's voice. I could listen to the man all day. I don't really have any other narrators to compare him to, but just the fact that I actually finished this audio book should be a testament to his greatness! I've read a lot of these stories in print, but I have to say that hearing Gaiman read them himself added a little something to the story. For example, I would never have "heard" the troll speaking in such a gray, tired voice if I had read it on my own. Hearing Gaiman's take on that really paved the way for the ending of that one. There were more examples, but that's the most striking. "Four and Twenty Blackbirds" reminded me a lot of Jasper Fforde's Nursery Crime series. It's a very tangled, nursery rhyme noir PI story, which sounds like a big mess but was actually a lot of fun. "Troll Bridge" was a little eerie. I did not see the ending coming, but it made sense. It reminded me a little of another story of Gaiman's that I read in Fragile Things. I like this take on the theme better. "Don't Ask Jack" was probably my least favorite, just because there wasn't much story. It's a goose-bump-inducing little vignette though. "How to Sell the Ponti Bridge" was another I wasn't that crazy about. It was sort of a fantasy version of a ballsy scam. Not exactly my thing. "October in the Chair" is a story that I really…