You’ll have to click through to see what I’m talking about with that title.
I won’t let you down (well… okay… yeah, I will.)
Hello, all! Here’s to the new year, and the best of intentions. I read Jonathan Franzen’s ‘The Corrections’ two years ago, and thought it was worthwhile enough to pick up ‘Freedom’ and give it a go. This one was likewise a pretty smooth read — Franzen has a way with description that sort of sucks you in. The book wasn’t quite to my liking, though, and parts of it left a bitter taste in my mouth. The book centers around Patty, Walter, Richard, and Joey […]
This book really should be called “The Anti-Marriage Plot.”
I read The Marriage Plot a year and a half ago when I was still sorting out my dissertation topic and trying to figure out which texts I was using. After reading this book, I decided that it was necessary for my topic. So, this re-read is in preparation for the writing of my current chapter–and I promise, an unread book review is coming up soon! Madeleine Hanna is rather traditional in her book tastes–she prefers Jane Austen, George Eliot, and Balzac to more contemporary […]
Mockingjay or Swan Song?
This cold, snowy weekend has enabled me to do lots and lots of reading. Now, to catch up on the reviews! I finally finished Mockingjay on Saturday night. The first time I read it, I hated it. I didn’t hate the ending, but I thought it was the least interesting and more poorly-edited than the other two books. I thought that Katniss’s character was totally tanked. I still think it’s weaker than the other entries, but I’ve changed my mind a little about the characterization in […]
Jen K’s Review #6 – In the Shadow of the Banyan
I’ve been looking forward to reading this novel for a while, even if other books kept getting in the way. I would like to visit Cambodia one day, mostly to visit Angkor Wat, and a friend of mine lives there. As a result I was very interested to read about this darker period of Cambodian history which I had only a vague inkling of. Ratner is a descendant of one of the Cambodian kings so this novel is very much drawn on her actual experiences […]
The Woman Upstairs. You wouldn’t like her when she’s angry.
This novel appeared on several 2013 “best novels” lists and it seems to fit into a genre that’s very popular these days, featuring a narrator whose truthfulness and mental well being are unclear. As I read, I was reminded of novels like The Other Typist and The Dinner, but The Woman Upstairs carves out its own place. The narrator comes across as abrasive yet sympathetic, a flawed human deserving compassion and yet somewhat self-involved, too. This contradiction compelled me to stay with the story and find out […]