Despite what my title might make you think, this was not at all a fun book to read. Several years ago (like 12 or 13 now, but I’m not counting), House of Sand and Fog received a ton of Oscar nominations, including actor nods for Jennifer Connelly, Ben Kingsley and Shohreh Aghdashloo. I, being the … [Read more]
Recent Reviews
Not quite burnt out on Graham Greene…but he’s on notice.
Back in 2010, I took a Joseph Conrad/Graham Greene seminar as part of my MA degree. I quickly learned to love both authors, but especially Greene’s craft. My personal favorites are Brighton Rock and The End of the Affair (I still don’t get the looooooove for The Power and the Glory. Someone explain … [Read more]
Enter at your own risk.
I struggled with this rating and review. House of Leaves is different things to different people: for many (many, many, MANY) people it is mind-blowing, complex, and a richly rewarding treat if you take the time to completely parse it. This is not a small undertaking. Entire sections are printed … [Read more]
Arrested Development, No Bluths. No, strike that, I refuse to be flippant about this gorgeous novel.
When I read Donna Tartt’s “The Secret History” over a decade ago, it stuck with me for quite some time. I think “The Goldfinch” is going to haunt me even longer. I don’t know how she does it, but Tartt’s writing style is, for me at least, the literary version of an earworm that has no burn … [Read more]
When your husband tells you he killed someone, you might want to be a little nervous
Rebecca is one of those books I was always assumed I had read. I knew the basics of the plot, and of course the famous opening line, “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” When I realized I’d somehow missed reading it, I picked it up. It’s the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy Sunday … [Read more]
Tricked by the lure of a quick read
Yes. I read another one. No, I’m not proud. I find I end up reading the Kowalski Family books in pairs. I had not intended to read another one so quickly, given my less than happy feelings with All He Ever Dreamed. But, I was out, I didn’t have my current book with me, and I had about 20 minutes … [Read more]