Wife of the Gods: A Novel by Kwei Quartey
My review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this tightly plotted, character-rich detective mystery set in present-day Ghana. I especially enjoyed getting to know Darko Dawson, the big-city detective with ties to the small rural town where there are so many twists and turns to unravel.
The details about life in Ghana are rich and vivid. Quartey provides a robust and sensitive introduction to the country and its politics, without veering into pedanticism.
Plus I absolutely love a book with a map in it!
I found myself wanting to rush out to the store to buy the next installment. But dang, I have to wait for Mr. Quartey to write it.
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April 20, 2009 by k8degr8
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
My review
Surprised I never read this! But it’s nice to have such a classic to read for the first time with some life experience under my belt. Was inspired to pick it up by a couple things – one was reading the book about Josephine Bonaparte for book club and the other was an Oprah feature where some celebrity I like (but can’t remember now) listed it as one of her top influential reads and noted how it was so pertinent to the political climate today in many ways. Off with their heads, AIG, etc.
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March 17, 2009 by k8degr8
Darling Jim: A Novel by Christian Moerk
My review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
Darling Jim was a perfect read just before St. Patrick’s Day, just by happy circumstance.
This is an engaging, romantic tale with healthy dollops of gothic fun and Irish superstition on top. Most of the action is credible, although I had to will myself stubbornly to continue my suspension of disbelief in several parts. Most difficult to believe were the bits about how instantly “darling Jim” put our main characters under his spell. The text veered dangerously into what I’d call “the Twilight zone” (and I do mean the teenybop vampire tale, not the tv show) but then recovered nicely.
Once past this slightly awkward stumble, the story was on its feet and running nimbly full speed ahead through ancient forests, twisted pysches, and sisterly bonds to my great delight.
I agree with earlier reviewers that I often wondered as I read,
“Why in the world aren’t they going to the police?!” or “Seriously, wouldn’t the police have looked into that further?” But if you can overlook these nagging doubts, there is much enjoyable reading to be had here.
I recommend it!
ARC from Library Thing Early Reviewers program.
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March 16, 2009 by k8degr8
I hope to find a better term for this thing that bugs me, this thing that I am currently calling “annoying obfuscation.”
It’s the thing where someone uses language in a completely unnecessarily complicated way, seemingly in order to look superior or to communicate that “this analysis is breathtakingly new.” What’s the phrase I want??
Now, it must be said that I am a great lover of words. And I love big, long words and big complex thoughts. (I studied philosophy, for crying out loud.) But when someone writes something in a complicated way where it absolutely does not need it, it vexes me. Very much. It pushes my “emperor wears no clothes” button. So, I thought that people who share this vexation would enjoy a steady stream of examples about which to rant and the opportunity to share some of their own!
Let me start the ball rolling with the sentence that provoked me to write this today. It started innocently. An artist I like wrote about an artist he likes. So I Googled her and got to this page:
http://www.hackettfreedman.com/templates/artist.jsp?id=GAL
And read the following sentence:
“Gale finds in all her subjects a center of gravity, a realm beyond “thingness” where we can see and feel the fathomless presence of existence.”1
1. Michael Duncan, “In the Center of Gravity: Ann Gale’s Portraits,” in Ann Gale (San Francisco: Hackett-Freedman Gallery, 2000)
ACK ACK ACK. (Said the eloquent blogger.)
Seriously though, what is the term for this? It’s not just pretentious. Not just obfuscation. Anyone?
Posted in Blowhard Monday | Tagged annoying | 5 Comments »
March 11, 2009 by k8degr8
The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro
rating: 4 of 5 stars
Finally, a vampire novel for grown-ups! Totally engrossing, a first-rate page-turner with characters I want to follow in the next 2 books.
The novel seems to be good for people (like me) who don’t usually like fantasy fiction, since the author’s grounded the main characters in a sort of “New York sceptic scientist” mode and it reads more like a murder mystery. Reminded me of Caleb Carr, but modern-day. In some parts, reminded me of Lawrence Block.
Loved the New York City settings, dialogue rang true, and most of the plot’s logic worked. I won’t note a spoiler, but one major character’s motivation for his most influential action (to the plot) didn’t get properly explained to me.
Of course, that did nothing to stop me from gulping the book down in two marathon sessions. Zombie? Well, yes, that would be me the next day at work after reading this darn book until 2 am.
This book will be in bookstores on June 2, 2009.
My review
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February 14, 2009 by k8degr8
Etta: A Novel by Gerald Kolpan
My review
Rollicking, unsentimental, fast-paced and sexy story of one of the west’s few female legendary figures. Breathes true, sweaty, funny, smart life into the dusty images of Butch Sundance, the Kid, and his band!
Kept me turning pages until 1 am, greedily drinking in the story with the pleasant byproduct of a better understanding of some historical nuances about the railroads, early outpost towns, the very zeitgeist of the time.
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February 11, 2009 by k8degr8
The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
My review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
My inner 4th-grader, who lived to hear the next installment of The Princess Bride read to her and her cabinmates every evening by a wonderful camp counselor, was re-invoked by the sheer joy of storytelling in The Gargoyle.
I don’t want to write much more detail about the book, since it is, in my opinion, the kind of book that is best enjoyed without any preconceived notion, even of genre. (Of course, I think that of most books – but this one especially.)
So, instead, perhaps, a quiz:
Did you find Boogie Nights quite funny?
Is your romantic self still alive and kicking?
Did you love The Princess Bride?
Do you enjoy being transported enough to willingly suspend disbelief for the ride as long as the mode of transport is well-designed?
Have you ever struggled with inner demons?
If you can answer yes to 3 or more of these, I’d say you might love this book too.
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February 1, 2009 by k8degr8
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
rating: 5 of 5 stars
Beautifully written, engrossing novel plants you deeply in the passion of practicing medicine, winds you intimately into the cloth of Ethiopia. Verghese uses language so elegantly and paces his story so perfectly that I was totally transported.
I finished the book feeling homesick for Addis Ababa, although I have never been there.
When I signed up (in several places) to review early editions of books on my blog and in other viral / social media places (like Facebook), I had that little hope that I would be one of the first to discover a great new treasure and then be part of making sure the world knew about it.
I was sent the uncorrected proof courtesy of an offer from Alfred A. Knopf in the daily “Shelf Awareness” email newsletter. Thanks, Al.
The good news is – this early edition of Cutting for Stone is exactly that rare gem I was hoping to find!
The slightly less good news is – so many more high-profile reviewers are already raving about it, so Verghese probably doesn’t need my help in the slightest.
Still, I feel lucky to be one of the first readers. It’s hard to imagine another book unseating this as my favorite of 2009.
For me, it was right up there with East of Eden.
Now excuse me while I run out to eat a hearty meal at the one spot in all of Austin serving Injera and veggie Wott.
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My review
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