Beloved is the story of Sethe, an escaped slave surviving the transition of freedom after the end of the Civil War, and her community of people moving on after tragedy, abuse, debasement and a life less than human. Beloved is also the story of a stranger who appears at their door, bearing the same name as Sethe’s murdered baby, the same age if she had lived. She, Sethe, and Sethe’s last remaining child, quickly form an intense and dysfunctional bond. I found it utterly heartbreaking, […]
CB VI #1: Gone Girl
I wait to read stuff till it goes on sale on Amazon. I’m cheap, and I rarely feel the need to be completely culturally on the up-and-up (unless it’s Harry Potter or Avengers, but that’s a whole ‘nother kettle of fish). So
Jizz rags in the Jazz Age, whaat?
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 […]