Tag Archives: book

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Jane Green: Family Pictures

 

Finished Family Pictures this evening and just would say very disappointing read.  Very obvious plot that took far too long to build to the (did I say obvious already?) reveal (over 100 pages).  Some  elements of unbelievable coincidence to make the plot work.  Sylvie was not a very sympathetic character, I didn’t like her very much.  The only character that showed growth or positive change was Maggie and  it appeared that the author didn’t want you to sympathize with her.  I got the sense that the author preferred Sylvie, as a character and we were supposed to be on her side until close to the end, but that didn’t work for me.   The teenage girls are very stereotypical cardboard characters.  We don’t really get to know Mark at all and I assume that is because he is really just the catalyst for the whole story and not a fully developed character.

 

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Tana French: Faithful Place

This is the first of Tana French’s books that I have read.  I have always meant to read the other two, In the Woods and The Likeness, but haven’t gotten around to them yet.  I picked up this because it was a group read for a mystery club on Goodreads.

The story primarily centers around a missing woman, who had apparently ditched her young boyfriend and run off years before, at least that was what was assumed, until her suitcase turns up.  The characters, especially Frank and his family, are painfully realistic, very well done.  The mystery unfolds as Frank, who is now a police officer with a child, returns to the place of his youth and investigates.  The suspense builds at a good pace for a thriller.  I finished the book in one sitting.  The mystery plot was intriguing and I didn’t figure it out beforehand.

The subplots were just as interesting, Frank and his family and Frank and Olivia.   The damage done to Frank by his family and the early loss of Rose is an integral part of his character.  A character study in love, loss, and family, as dysfunctional as it may be.

The only thing negative I have to say is about the ending.  After the mystery plot is resolved the story continues on for a little while and though there are some parts that are significant and add to the resolution, the rest of it just seems drawn out.  Interestingly enough that is the same criticism that I have heard about Into the Woods.  This however is just a minor hiccup in an otherwise excellent thriller.

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Marcus Sedgwick

I read some blogs about Marcus Sedgwick and decided to pick up a couple of his books from the library, so I selected this one and White Crow. I am not normally a reader of YA so this is not something I would ordinarily pick for myself.

The book uses a very clever reverse chronology plot device. It works very well in this book. The prose is sparse, there are no wasted words here, which for me is definitely a good thing. I don’t know what I would classify it as, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller or romance. There are elements of each present here.

The book revolves around themes of sacrifice and love, which are interconnected over the span of centuries. I liked the exploration of undying love battling the obstacles of time, man and place. There is a very clever tie in to an actual painting and artist. The book “reads” as more mature than the average YA read, which admittedly I have read few of since my children grew out of them.

The mood the book evoked for me was one of despair and sadness. If you like dark, moody reads this may be perfect for you. I think it is impressive that the author can evoke mood and tension with so few words. Usually moody or emotional works rely on lengthy narration to paint pictures with words to achieve the effect, Marcus Sedgwick manages it with minimal words and some repeated imagery such as, the hare, the orchid, and the painting.

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Duffy Brown: Iced Chiffon

 

I read this book because it was the monthly read for the Cozy Mystery Corner Group on Goodreads.  I am so glad that it was selected because I really enjoyed it.  The main character, Reagan, was realistic and likable.  The other characters were entertaining and added to the story.  I am sure they will be fleshed out more in follow up books in the series.

The plot was interesting and engaging.  I almost finished in one sitting but it got too late and I had to put it down and get some sleep.  I did have an idea of who the culprit was but that did not take away from my enjoyment of the story.  A good use of misdirection cast some doubt in my mind anyway.

The theme of a high end consignment shop is fun. I tend to like cozies set around small businesses and this one also involves fashion  with a charming Savannah, Georgia setting.

I will definitely pick up the next one in this series!

 

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Library Loot

 

After walking tonight with my group, I ran over to the library and picked up a few things to tide me over for the upcoming holiday weekend.   I picked up MidwinterBlood and White Crow both by Marcus Sedgwick because several bloggers seem to like his work.  It is a different genre for me, I usually steer clear of YA novels, just not my cup of tea, but there was enough good written about these that I thought I’d give them a go.

I also grabbed some cozies. but it always seems that my library never has book one in a cozy series…sigh.  This does give me an excuse to visit Booktrader of Hamilton this weekend though.

Off now to finish up Iced Chiffon.  I’m about two thirds done and really liking it. Looking forward to book two in this series already.  I’m supposed to be reading Turn Right at Machu Picchu but can’t seem to get going on it.

 

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Peg Cochran: Allergic to Death

Very cute opening to a new series.  I liked the fact that even though it was a series about a health conscious caterer/chef, you aren’t lectured about diet or exercise.  It flows as a natural part of the story.  This was a very quick read with red herrings and misdirection to drive the mystery.  I enjoyed it and I will read more in the series.   I will say that there is not as much humor in this book as one usually finds in modern theme based cozies, there was more emphasis on setting, character building and the mystery elements.

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Rosie Schapp: Drinking with Men a memoir

 

I was really, really excited to finally get my copy of this book from the library (I had been on the waiting list).  I anticipated a  literary version of Cheers told from a female perspective.  I thought of life long friendships with an interesting cast of characters set in the warm, dark smoky confines of pubs and bars, not exactly what I got.

The first quarter of the book is all about a seriously messed up childhood, think teen years, as a Dead Head high school dropout touring the country fueled by booze and drugs and probably lots of casual sex, although that isn’t discussed. A rape is discussed, but in an almost dismissive manner, which led me to assume sexual assaults were so prevalent that it was nothing remarkable.  I almost stopped reading but there were hints that the author turned her life around so I persevered.

The rest of the book highlights the authors quest for “regularity”, that is the state of being a “regular” at a bar.  The memoir does swerve into other areas of the author’s life such as college, marriage, religious training, and work.  I think my disappointment with the book is the lack of depth.  It is like a running narrative of: this happened, that happened, this happened, etc.  None of the characters are developed, other than some detail about Ed, we don’t really get to “know” any of the characters.   I guess I expected more of a focus on relationships and people, not this running cast of “strangers” just passing through the story.

Upon reflection, perhaps I expected too much.  Maybe Drinking with Men is an accurate reflection of  the nature of the “regular” bar relationships.  Having never been a “regular” perhaps I have an overly romanticized vision of the neighborhood bar environment?  Still I expected something more than a running account of a relatively young woman’s life to date.

 

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Jacklyn Brady: A Sheetcake Named Desire

 

Cute cozy mystery.  Definitely a light, quick read.  It has everything you need for a series cozy mystery.  Colorful cast of characters, believable device to get protagonist involved, great setting (New Orleans post-Katrina), popular theme (baking) and red herrings and misdirection to keep the mystery going.  The gist of the story is that Rita has traveled to New Orleans to meet with her husband, who she is separated from, in order to get him to sign the divorce papers.  There is a murder and Rita becomes embroiled with it and the husband’s bakery business.

The only issue that I had was that the characters kept making a big deal that the victim had been acting in an erratic and unexpected manner and Rita even questions if perhaps he was not well.  That is not explored or explained with the resolution. I am not really sure what that was about or if a point was being made that we don’t really know other people.  Maybe it will be brought up later in the series?  Overall, an enjoyable cozy mystery and I will read more in the series.

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Muriel Barbery: The Elegance of the Hedgehog

 

Initially I read the first few pages and put this book down, realizing that I had to be in the right frame of mind to read this.  I suppose it could be read as a light read, just skimming the surface, but there is much more depth to it than that.  The book tackles many themes, among them philosophy, consciousness,  politics, family, suicide, social class, death, and deception.  There are references to many cultural icons and philosophers.

The two protagonists both live “lives in hiding”.  They have their complex, hidden, inner lives and then the “normal” or expected face they show the world.  An interesting contrast is that one is an older woman concierge of the apartment building, while the other is a 12 year old prodigy from a well-to-do family.   The 12 year old suffers from the fear of  “living the unlived life”, she sees no hope for any other outcome.  Renee, the concierge, doesn’t want to invite  the disparagement that she feels revealing her inner intellectual and cultural life, the life of an autodidact, would  cause.  Both the characters, develop strategies to allow them to maintain the facades that they present to the world.

A tenant in the building dies and and a new tenant moves in to the empty apartment.  This is the catalyst for the protagonists, Renee and Paloma, to meet and interact and eventually change, not necessarily themselves, but their world view.  One of the last passages in the book reflects this shift, “I have finally concluded, maybe that is what life is all about:  there’s a lot of despair but also the odd moment of beauty, where time is no longer the same…Something suspended, an elsewhere that had come to us, an always within never.”

Overall a well written book with many clever, interesting and thought provoking turns of phrase. For me personally, it raises the question of  “How does having a “hidden life” contribute to a sense of disconnectedness from others?”   To get the most out of  The Elegance of the Hedgehog, be prepared to read a little, then stop to digest what you have read before you move on.  Highly recommended read.