As an Austen fan, reading Longbourne is almost inevitable. I’ve always wondered about the story from the perspective of the servants, and what it must have been like watching Mrs. Bennett furiously attempt to marry off her daughters so that they can avoid the poverty of the servantry. How awful it must feel to watch these wealthy people parade around, attempting to catch equal or wealthier mates to avoid winding up in your own shoes. And knowing that while your own lot in life was nothing to be desired […]
Like a comic… but a novel
The style and subject matter in Vicious inevitably lends itself to comic book comparisons. Dark, beautiful and featuring an alternative reality where extraordinary abilities are real, such comparisons are apt and hopefully the very talented V.E. Schwab sees it that way. In Vicious, Schwab developed the same style and tone that you get from a really good comic still. Beautifully rendered, the text actually feels visual. Schwab pulls the reader directly into the story and it stays with you long after the book is back on the shelf. […]
The Radiance of Tomorrow…aaaannnd Cannonball!
It is the end, or maybe the beginning, of another story. Every story begins and ends with a woman, a mother, a grandmother, a girl, a child. Every story is a birth… To round out my ten African books of the year, I picked up this novel by Ishmael Beah, known for his previous non-fiction, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of A Boy Soldier. After reading this, I definitely want to pick that one up, too. This is fiction, but it’s obviously based on truth. […]
So Close to Awesome
The Circle by Dave Eggers, is an interesting, if slightly obvious premise. A clear play on the power of the major players in the social media and technology business (google, Facebook etc.), the Circle is a look at the terrifying possibility of a total global takeover by these companies, and how it could happen with the general consent of the people. The story focuses on Mae Holland, a recent graduate who lands a coveted entry level position working for the Circle, a major technology firm that got its […]
The Last Anniversary
The Last Anniversary was my last stop on the Lianne Moriarty tour. It was yet another interesting and different story, though I didn’t love it as much as theHypnotist’s Love Story.* The story focuses on Sophie Honeywell, a single woman in her late thirties feeling the full weight of her biological clock. Sophie is known for being a great friend, always willing to entertain her couple friends with her single girl exploits, and up for whatever romantic adventure she encounters. Still, despite her rich social life, Sophie […]
My Favourite Lianne Moriarty book.
After reading three Liane Moriarty books, I decided to just keep going with the same author for awhile, and as it turns out, The Hypnotist’s Love Story is my favourite. It has the same fantastic tension as Big Little Lies, while maintaining Moriarty’s sense of humour and strong character development. This is not your average story and the plot, characters, and writing are completely original. The hypnotist, Ellen O’Farrell, has watched as her friends slowly paired off and have children. She’s watched love stories and stories of personal triumph unfold […]