101 Books to Read Before You Die discussion
What are you reading?
Finished
by Kate Morton-- 3 Stars.A little too long and a little too predictable.
My Review:
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I'm reading Go Set a Watchman and I really like it. I still think that To Kill a Mockingbird is better; but I like seeing Scout grown up.
The Known World by Edward JonesReading this novel of a small rural Virginian community in the decade before the Civil War was like watching a tango. The way the narrative spun into the future, lightly touching characters, before swinging back to the present, looped back around to lasso in someone or something lurking in the shadows was like a perfectly choreographed dance. This book explored the tensions between black and white, black slave and black slave owner, private and public morality, survival and longing, love and fear. The language was so smooth, not a false step.
Finished 2
by Caroline Kepnes -- 3.5 Stars. Super creepy and realistic.My Review:
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by Noelle Stevenson-- 3 Stars. Comic book read for BookRiot Challenge.My Review:
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After The Crash by Michel BussiThis was a fun page-turner of a mystery. The writing is not great literature. The de Carville family may have felt like the slightly strange cousins of the Adams Family. The twists may have been a bit implausible at times. But, it hooked me right away. It has been a while since I could not wait to return to a book because I wanted to see what was going to happen.
Ali wrote: "I'm reading Go Set a Watchman and I really like it. I still think that To Kill a Mockingbird is better; but I like seeing Scout grown up."Just finished Go Set a Watchman, and it was really good! :)
Mary Barton by Elizabeth GaskellAn awful lot of work for relatively little gain. Maybe I am just too lazy of a reader to appreciate the 19th century classics.
Saint Mazie by Jami AttenbergThis is one of those books where the story was better than the book. It is not that the writing is inadequate; it is simply not noteworthy. But, the character of Mazy Philips is captivating. This book is a fictional account of a real woman who was born around the turn of the 20th century and was raised by her older sister in New York City. A “good time girl�, with her hard drinking, foul language, casual sex, Mazie violates every norm of propriety. But beneath that tough exterior there is a spirit of incredible compassion for the most hurting around her. She is an example of an ordinary person living extraordinary compassion in very common ways.
Finished
by Robert Galbraith-- 4 Stars.So far, I'm really enjoying this series!
My Review:
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The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny WingfieldIf you want complex characters realistically responding to life’s traumas, nuanced relationships and poetic language, this may not be your book. If you want to feel warm, a novel that assures you that miracles still happen, that love can quickly heal the deepest wounds and that good conquers evil, not in the end, but in the present, than I recommend this book. The tone of this faith-filled family story is folksy, at times verging on the juvenile. The characters are uncomplicated, the bad are pure evil, the virtuous are pure good. This book has its share of difficult situations: suicide, child abuse, marital infidelity, etc., but the tone remained positive and all pain or mistrust evaporated with a bit of kindness and some reassuring words. This was a quick, pleasant read, but a bit sweeter than I prefer.
Mod
by Robert Galbraith-- 4 Stars.So far, I'm really enjoying this series!
My Review:
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I finished the third one a few weeks ago, definitely the best in the series thus far! VERY graphic, though.
Ooh-- now I'm excited Alana!! I'll have to request it :)
Song of Solomon by Toni MorrisonThis is the coming of age story of a black man living in the middle of the 20th century. Coming from an ambitious, middle-class family, he grapples with personal and community identity, family and social contradictions, the desire to fly and the tethers that keep one grounded. Morrison’s writing is always outstanding and her social commentary insightful and provocative. As with all her novels, there are layers that demand much thought, but this was not as difficult to read and enjoy as some of her books.
A Yellow Raft in Blue Water by Michael DorrisWe are given the story of three generations of women told in reverse chronological order. Difficult mother-daughter relationships characterize each story; the wounds of adolescence cripple them from being a good mother to their own daughter. This novel focused on adolescent struggles, even when we were hearing from adult characters, they retained an adolescent voice, perception and focus, giving this book the feel of a young adult novel. The characters never quite came to life for me, despite valiant effort on the part of the author. There was always something slightly off, a narrator projecting his imagination into puppets, like a person impersonating a foreign accent.
Finished
by Neil Gaiman-- 3 StarsWanted to love this one so much more than I did.
My Review:
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Us by David NichollsI loved the brilliant, droll humor of this story of a middle-aged man who suddenly learns that his wife wants to end the marriage. Hoping to repair his marriage and his relationship with his surly teen, he plans one final family vacation through Europe. The rye observations and ironic tone of this novel was terrific.
I Am Malala by Malala YousafzaiThis memoir of a young girl shot by the Taliban for her outspoken defense of female education in Pakistan gave an intimate look at the impact of Islamic fundamentalist policies on average people.
Finished
by Colm TóibÃn-- 3 starsThink this may be a case where the movie is better than the book.
My Review:
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Sweetland by Michael CrummeyDespite the strong writing in this novel, I can’t say I enjoyed the story. A stubborn, old codger winters alone on an island off the coast of Newfoundland, refusing to leave his home when the government relocates all the other residents and cuts off all services. As he struggles to survive in this inhospitable landscape, he glimpses figures from his past. We are never certain if these are hallucinations brought on by hunger and isolation or the ability to perceive ghosts brought on by solitude.
Ethan Frome by Edith WhartonWharton’s masterful skill is able, in the few pages of this novella, to pull out sympathy from the reader for rather unsympathetic characters.
You by Caroline KepnesThe premise of this novel was intriguing, a story of stalking told from the perspective of the obsessed stalker. But it did not live up to my expectations. Every character, male stalker, female stalkee, friends and acquaintances, were self-centered, vulgar and extremely immature. We hear the story through the voice of the stalker who narrates every action and thought to the female, even when he is in the middle of interacting with her. The violent scenes struck me as so ridiculous that I wondered if it was supposed to be a dark comedy; I wanted to laugh in the same way one laughs when Bugs Bunny harms the Road Runner. The book was entirely too long, often becoming repetitive. I tried to convince myself to give this 2 stars, but just could not do it.
Life From Scratch by Sasha MartinThis is one more memoir of a difficult growing up followed by a successful struggle to find happiness and personal fulfillment. Sasha’s triumph comes in the form of a popular food blog featuring international recipes which culminates in a public banquet with a dish from every country of the globe. I think I have read too many of these types of memoirs because this did not impress me, neither in the life story nor in the writing.
Jane Addams: Spirit In Action by Louise KnightCopious footnotes verify every claim in this biography of this amazing American: political activist, social reformer, early feminist, champion of racial equality, lecturer, author, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. I appreciated that the biographer resisted the temptation to fabricate dialogue or, for the most part, avoid speculating about the thoughts or feelings of Jane Addams. I am in awe of this woman who, prior to reading this book, I was aware of only the highlights of her story.
Blessings by Anne QuindlenAn abandoned baby brings new life, hope and healing to the octogenarian owner of a country estate and the support staff in her employ. This is not my type of book. It is a fast, sweet story that demands nothing of the reader. I read it for my in person book group.
I Am Pilgrim by Terry HayesThis was a fun espionage novel. True, the narrator possessed super human powers of observation and recall, of physical strength and agility. The escapes were laughably incredible and the coincidences were extraordinary. But there was something about the narration that made this a fun romp, permitting the suspension of logic and making the reader want to hold on tight for one wild ride.
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns GoodwinThorough, fascinating and highly readable analysis of the Lincoln administration.
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
I’m not a fan of the stream of consciousness novel, less so when that stream jumps around in time. Despite my personal taste in books, I must admit that this is an excellently written novel. The protagonist, who spent time as a POW in Dresden at the time of the fire bombings suffers from PTSD 25 years later. His mind travels spontaneously between past, present and a fantasy realm. So it goes.
Keppler by John Banville
As the title implies, this is historical fiction about the famous mathematician and astronomer Johannes Keppler. Banville brings his signature precision of language and gift for creating character and atmosphere to this novel. I can not evaluate the historical accuracy of the story since I knew nothing of Keppler’s personal life and only the most basic highlights of his professional achievements. But, I enjoyed this unique subject.
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Finished:
by Hanya YanagiharaMy Review:
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I'm glad to hear it, I've been putting off reading it, but I keep hearing good things!
Mod
Thorough, fascinating and highly readable analysis of the Lincoln administration.
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
I’m not a fan of the stream of cons..."
I REALLY liked Team of Rivals, it was fascinating!
Between Shades of Grey by Ruta SepetysLina is a 15 year old Lithuanian deported with her mother and younger brother to a Siberian work camp by the Soviets. Her brutal first year of degrading conditions is narrated for a young reader. Although I appreciated the need to tell such a story, I am not a fan of the style often employed in young adult novels. In an attempt to simulate a young voice, a slightly choppy phrasing was used. I never moved inside the story, never felt the character’s emotional life. The same thoughts or observations, the same descriptive phrases were repeated through out the book. I found the insertion of memories with no transition to be disorienting and pointless. I am just glad that this was a relatively quick read.
Finished
by Terry Hayes-- 3 Stars.Equal parts exhilarating and sluggish. Had to rate it right in the middle.
My review:
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What Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross/review/show...
An infertile divorcee, unable to adopt a new born, is so consumed with baby envy that she takes an infant from a shopping cart when the mother’s back is turned using her cell phone. This story is told from numerous perspectives, mostly that of the mother and the kidnapper, but also peripheral characters who may only speak for a few pages. Honestly, I find few authors who can successfully employ this technique with only two or three characters, let alone a dozen. Rather than distinctive voices, we are given a single voice assuming different names, a facile way to provide the reader with information from various settings. Additionally, this novel became repetitive, informing the reader of a character’s feelings, motivations, concerns or self-deluding excuses multiple times. Even little details, e.g. this was before digital cameras, was noted more than once in quick succession. I also had problems with some moments in the plot, but won’t name these so as to avoid spoilers.
Finished
by Michael Crummey-- 4 Stars.My Review: /review/show...
Also finished
by Carol Anshaw-- 3 Stars.My Review: /review/show...
Finished in record speed
by David Mitchell-- 4 Stars.Spooky, monster twins, and interweaving stories that give you more information with every turn on the page.
My Review:
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My Badass Book of Saints by Maria Morera Johnson.
This book is comprised of eleven short chapters (9 to 10 pages each) that share the stories of two women, one a canonized Saint the other not canonized and a story from the life of the author that exemplifies a particular virtue. Each chapter ends with reflection questions (1. Who do you know that fits this virtue?, 2. When have you lived this virtue?, 3. Where could you cultivate this virtue in your life to promote personal holiness?) The writing style was light, conversational, easy to read at the end of a long day. I would have preferred much more information on the historical women, even if this meant less personal revelation. I also appreciate more spiritual depth in my reading. But, I think this will be enjoyed by female readers who are looking for a little something to generate some thought and gentle growth.
Mod
by David Mitchell-- 4 Stars.Spooky, monster twins, and interweaving stories that give you more information with every tu..."
He's the same guy that did The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet and Cloud Atlas right? I really liked Thousand Autumns but I tried to start Cloud Atlas one time and could NOT get into it. Judging by your rating, I assume this one is worth reading?
Yes- this one goes super quick, shorter book and perfect for Halloween time. I haven't read any of his others though...He also wrote the The Bone Clocks
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman/review/show...
Ove is a highly inflexible, aloof, 59 year old codger with a well hidden heart of gold. When he suddenly finds his life stripped of the things that gave it meaning and anchor, he flounders to orient himself. Luckily, new neighbors and old friends step in when he most needs them. This book was the perfect balance of humor and sweetness. It had just enough humor to prevent it from sinking into sentimentality and just enough sweetness to prevent it from derailing into mockery. The characters are endearing. I so badly wanted this community of caring people to be real that I refused to ponder how credible the story actually was.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan/review/show...
This novel defies summary. Who is a villain and who a hero? When is the brutal slaughter and starvation of an enemy a war crime and when is it justifiable and inevitable outcome of war? How do we understand men who demonstrate supreme integrity under horrendous duress while displaying ongoing, ordinary cruelty to family? How do we make sense of men who can savagely beat helpless POWs or reduce women and children to tormented ghosts of burning pealing skin with an atomic bomb then cradle their wives and children with stunning tenderness? Why are low level military figures who carried out brutal commands after being trained as killing machines executed for war crimes while those who gave the orders face no repercussions? This is about rules that make sense at one moment, from one narrative while being incomprehensible and vile in the next. This is a novel about men who are both heroic and pathetic, selfless and cruel, in the same life time. This is a hard novel to read with its vivid depictions of brutality and a beautiful novel to read with its amazing writing.
I'm reading "The Price of Salt" by Patricia Highsmith. I've been making a conscious effort to read moree obscure feminist works from the early 20th century just for my own reading growth. Highsmith is also the author of "The Talented Mr. Ripley', which I've recently purchased and am looking forward to reading./book/show/5...
Finished
by Nina George-- 3 Stars.Loved the beginning- was swept away with the Literary Apothecary and wishing that this really existed. Second half was way too slow and drawn out.
My Review:
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The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George/review/show...
A bookseller has a nearly mystical ability to assess the deepest longings or wounds of customers and prescribe the exact book to heal the hurt, fire the courage or answer the heart. Ironically, the primary characters are not cured by books, but by friendship, time and love. I felt badly for the concept behind this novel, an adorable short story which seems to have grown morbidly obese on the empty calories of a garish shade of purple prose and the hot air of grandly pronounced inane observations. The romance/sex scenes were particularly cheesy. I also suspect that this novel has developed diabetes, like so many of the morbidly obese, because it was over run with undigested sweetness.
Finished
by Ruta Sepetys-- 4 stars.Do you know what happened to the Baltic Countries during WWII? I had no idea...
My Review:
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A Constellation of Vital Phenomenon by Anthony MarraThis is a haunting story set in a war ravaged Chechnyan town in 2004. It is the story of the power of love to triumph over hatred, fear and brutality. Marra has an incredible gift with language. I understand why so many people have highly recommended this novel to me.
The Piano Teacher by Elfriede Jelinek
I admired the author’s skill, but I did not enjoy the book. A 36 year old Viennese piano teacher lives with her extremely controlling and possessive mother. By day, she taunts and belittles her students, in the evenings she frequents porn shows and at night she has hair-pulling fights with her mother before crawling into bed beside her. When a male student at the conservatory decides to see if he can seduce her, her warped perceptions of love, sex and self worth culminate in a violent encounter. The characters were miserable, the writing was stand-off-ish and the plot was non-existent. I feel like a Neanderthal for disliking a book penned by the recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature, but I did not enjoy this novel.
I finished 2 books recently1.The Night Circus-- It took me the first half of the book to understand the timeline which was going back and forth. Next half went smoothly. Had heard that its what one should read if one is missing Harry Potter series, but no, i didnt feel so. Still it was magical, somewhat dark and shadowy.
2. The Sisters Brothers-- I didnt know Booker nominee being a witty humoured book. I loved this one which had short chapters and fast moving story. I would have given full 5 stars if the narration had not been a bit draggy nearing the end.
101 Books to Read Before You Die
Books mentioned in this topic
Persuasion (other topics)It (other topics)
The Immortalists (other topics)
The Hate U Give (other topics)
Timekeeper (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jane Austen (other topics)Madeline Miller (other topics)
Sarah Henning (other topics)
Sarah McCoy (other topics)
Sarah Pekkanen (other topics)
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This book grabbed me in the first 75 pages with its large cast of fully-realized characters and bohemian setting. And, this novel steadily let me go over the remaining 600 pages with its over stuffed descriptions and myriad of historical tidbits that did more to showcase the author’s research than advance the story. This is the saga of several interconnected British families from the mid 1890s through the first World War. For some reason, which I could never figure out, forbidden sex played a large role in the background of this book: incest, extra marital affairs, erotic art, homosexual impulses, etc. I wish the author had cut a third of the layered descriptions and given the reader a novel with more precision.