#65: At the Water's Edge

Gruen, Sara: At the Water's Edge. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2015. Print. 378 pages.

-

SETTING: In the year 1944, at the peak of the Allies involvement in World War II.  The story begins in Philadelphia, and then moves to a small village in the Scottish Highlands, where the majority of the story takes place.
-

SUMMARY: Maddie Hyde, a naive woman from a rich background, with very little formal education, finds herself dragged across the Atlantic to the Scottish Highlands with her husband and husband's best friend, as they embark on a quest to find the Loch Ness monster.

-

FAVORITE QUOTE: "The sheer scope of detail and information, as well as its seemingly random placement, was proof to me that the world had both gone mad, yet remained the same as it ever was.

Mass killings were described right next to information about laxatives.  Cities were bombed, men slaughtered each other in knee-deep mud, civilians were blown to pieces from stepping on mines, but horses still spooked, people still went to the cinema, and women still worried about their schoolgirl complexions.  I couldn't decide if this made me understand the world better or meant I'd never fathom it at all." - Chapter 32, page 271.

-

I haven't posted in months!  You must be wondering if I have even been reading...  Don't worry, I  have.  I actually have five books piled up that I need to write about, but I've just been so lazy!  It's terrible because I have quite a bit of free time on my hands right now.  Usually my blogging absences are the result of not having time to read anything to blog about, but this time around I have been reading, but not motivated enough to write.  It's terrible.  This book is actually the third one I've read since I last posted.  I don't have the other two books with me, so I'll have to wait until I return to school to write about those.  Hopefully I'm not so far removed from when I finished reading them that I've forgotten my likes and dislikes... 

I bought this book at the airport before a flight this past Thanksgiving break, and picked it because I've enjoyed two other books written by this author.  Here's a previous post I wrote for one of those novels: 

http://artemisiaeupraxia.blogspot.com/2012/12/23-ape-house.html.
-

Things I liked about this book:

1. The writing.  I really enjoy Sara Gruen's writing style.  The two other books I've read written by Gruen are Water for Elephants and Ape House, and I not only enjoyed the storyline in both of those books, but the writing style as well.  Gruen continued with the same style in this novel, which was exactly what I was hoping for.
2. Maddie's character development.  Gruen does an excellent job describing Maddie's character, and how she changes as a result of this expedition to the Scottish Highlands.  I really enjoyed reading and following this progression.
3. Love as a theme.  Although I felt that the focus of the story was Maddie's growth and maturation, I also thought that love, especially her discovering the meaning of true love, was a predominant theme.  It was everpresent as she matured into who she was at the end of the novel.
4. Elements of magic in the novel.  There is no overt magic in the book, but there is an aura of magic to the story.  I'm not sure if this is something I can describe well in writing...  There was just this undertone of magic I felt while reading the story, and I thought that served to only enhance my reading experience. 
5. What happens to Maddie's husband and her husband's best friend at the end of the novel.  I won't give any spoilers.  All I'll say is that I was very satisfied. 
6. Maddie's friendship with Meg and Anna.  I really love that they become great friends by the end of the novel.

-
Things I was less than enthusiastic about in this book:

1. The storyline.  Sadly, I didn't find the story itself all that interesting.

-
As you can see, I don't have a "dislikes" section for this novel.  Yes, I was disappointed with the storyline, but overall this book was a quick, enjoyable read.  Sara Gruen is definitely on my list of favorite authors, and I hope to read her first two novels when I get the chance.  Now that I have read three of her novels, I will say that Water for Elephants is my favorite, followed by Ape House, and then At the Water's Edge.
-
Recommend?  Yes, but I would recommend reading Water for Elephants or Ape House first if you haven't already.

#63: Darcy's Temptation

Jeffers, Regina: Darcy's Temptation. Berkeley: Ulysses Press, 2009. Print. 515 pages.

-

SETTING: Majority at the Darcy's country estate, Pemberley, in the county of Derbyshire, but also in London, Bath, and other areas.  
-

SUMMARY: Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy have been in a blissfully happy state since marrying three months ago.  They are expecting their first child and have settled comfortably into Pemberley as husband and wife.  Their lives could not be more perfect, especially after their rocky courtship, but an evening outing turns everything upside down, breaking their happy home apart, seemingly beyond repair.

-

FAVORITE QUOTE: "'Great loves never die, my Katherine.'  He stroked the back of her head.  'Your sister and Mr. Darcy have a great love.'  He lifted her chin to look deeply in Kitty's eyes.  'Some day we will write the story of our own great love.'" - Chapter 9, page 170.

-

This is the second book I checked out from the library, obviously picked because I love the novel it was inspired by: Pride and Prejudice :)  I usually make a fair attempt at not giving spoilers for the books I write about, but this one cannot be helped, mostly because I want to mention specific parts of the plot line that I liked and disliked.  So... SPOILER ALERT!  I won't give away the ending, just a few minor plot details. 
-

Things I liked about this book:

1. Pride and Prejudice inspired!  Any such books, even if written poorly, are fun for me to read.  The story line for this novel was entertaining, but a little overdone.  It was written in Jane Austen's style, and I enjoyed that.  However, there is a lot of mention of Elizabeth and Darcy's desire for each other, and that is very much not in the style of Austen.  And I purposely write "desire for each other" because, funny enough, the author never explicitly mentions sex.  She definitely alludes to it using 19th-century British literature language, and this made these scenes even more entertaining to read because of the knowledge that it would be incredibly improper to write about this topic if this story were actually written in the 19th-century, even if it was in the appropriate language style.
2. Elizabeth and Darcy's love.  Still just as precious even when written by a different author, and this author did a great job preserving their love in her sequel.
3. The storyline.  It wasn't the best, but it was good enough that I was hooked after about 100 pages and couldn't put the book down for the last 400.  I was desperate to know how the story ended and whether or not everything ended up okay, especially between Elizabeth and Darcy.
4. Elizabeth shoots Mr. Wickham!  Such a hateful and selfish man.  I was glad Elizabeth kicked him and Lydia out of Pemberley.
5. Kitty as a supporting character.  The other Bennet sisters do not take on much of a role in the story, but I'm glad that out of all of them, it was Kitty who had a part.  Kitty and Jane are tied for my second favorite Bennet sister, and that Kitty has a happy ending was nice to read.  I also liked that the author chose to make her character more in line with Elizabeth's than with Lydia's, and showed the reader the step-by-step change in her personality.
6. Elizabeth's and Darcy's characters.  The author maintained the same traits they are known and loved for, but expanded on them in a way I really enjoyed.

-
Things I didn't like about this book:

1. The predictability of the story line.  I don't mean the specifics; moreso when the ups and downs were going to occur.  It was really obvious when something bad was going to happen, and then when and how that would resolve.
2. The beginning was boring.  I almost put this book down because the first 50 or so pages were so blah.  But since it is a sequel to Pride and Prejudice, I kept going.  I'm glad I did because I ended up getting really into the story, mostly because I needed to know how it ended.
3. Elizabeth and Darcy name their twins Ella and Lucas.  There was an explanation for this, but I didn't think the names fit very well.
4. Ms. Donnelly's character.  She's a hypochondriac and a stupid woman.  She's central to the drama in the book, but her character was poorly written.  I thought that part, being the climax of the novel, should have had a stronger character at its center.

-
Overall it was a stupid storyline, but I enjoyed it.  This book isn't going to become a classic, but it was a fun read and I am glad I found it at the library.  I enjoyed it more than Death Comes to Pemberley, which I read earlier this year, because I was more hooked to this story line.  If this story went in a different direction than it did, things would have been very tragic.  There was more to lose in this book than there was in Death Comes to Pemberley, which is why I enjoyed reading it more.
-
Recommend?  Yes, but definitely read the classic if you haven't yet.

#60: The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel

Scott, Michael: The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. New York: Random House, Inc., 2007. Print. 369 pages.

-

SETTING: San Francisco, California, but some parts are in other cities in California.

-

SUMMARY: Sophie and Josh Newman have always had anything but ordinary lives.  The twin children of archaeologists, they've lived their entire lives moving around the United States, going on one adventure after another with their parents.  But their lives are meant to be even more unordinary.  Everything is turned upside down in a matter of seconds when they find out the owners of their local bookstore, Nick and Perry Fleming, are not only hundreds of years old, but magicians protecting a very old magic.

-

FAVORITE QUOTE: "'To remain unknown in this modern world: that, indeed, is real power...'" - Chapter 4.

-

A while back I was looking for a fictional series to read that could give me as much enjoyment as the Harry Potter series did.  I searched through numerous lists, and many of them recommended The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel.  I tried to find it at my local library a few summers ago, but was unsuccessful.  I forgot about it until recently, when I saw it at my school's bookstore and decided to finally give it a try!
-

Things I liked about this book:

1. Magic!  I love books that deal with magic!
2. Easy read.  I actually started this book two weeks ago, but I was reading other books at the same time, so it took me longer to finish than it otherwise would have.  It's a book written for young adults, so it is very easy to read and follow along.  If you're looking for something that doesn't require a whole lot of thought, this book might be an option.  A side note: most of the books I've been reading recently probably count as beach reads.  I promise when I have time off in a few weeks I'll read some thought provoking books.  
3. Each person's aura has a different odor.  The good characters have nice smells, while the bad characters have putrid ones.  I really liked this concept.
4. Historical references.  The author did a great job incorporating major historical events into the story line.  
5. Takes place in San Francisco.  He incorporated some of the touristy spots into the story.  It's always fun to have stories take place in familiar parts.
6. Hekate, the three-faced elder.  I liked the concept of her character.  She ages throughout the day, taking on three faces: (1) a young girl in the morning, (2) a young woman in the afternoon, and (3) an elderly woman in the evening.  But throughout all of these changes, her eyes remain the same, and the description of her eyes is pretty scary.
7. The use of necromancy.  Creepy!  

-
Things I didn't like about this book:

1. That the author spells the word "alchemyst" instead of "alchemist."  I get that he's trying to use the old timey spelling, but it bothered me.  My brief Google search taught me that the world "alchemist" is from either the French alchimiste or Medieval Latin's alchemista.  Neither of these have a "y" in them, and through my preliminary search I actually didn't find that the medieval spelling of the word was with a y.  He was trying to be original and give the book that extra flair, but I didn't like it.
2. Josh Newman.  He was really annoying.  Super whiny and talked at all the wrong times.
3. Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel changed their names to Nick and Perry Fleming in order to fit in better.  These changes aren't too far from the originals.  Yes, it makes it easier for the reader to identify who they are from the beginning of the book, but as far as making themselves anonymous from those trying to find them, not the most creative choice.
4. Slow at some parts.  I found myself feeling bored more than once while reading the book.

-
Overall, I'd say this book was okay.  It felt really slow at times, and by the end I was just rushing to finish it.  It wasn't really all that interesting, and I am disappointed with it.  It was on so many lists that said it would satisfy the reader in a way similar to Harry Potter, and it definitely did not.  I'm still on the lookout for another series that will give me a sense of awe and wonder while reading it, like I experienced while reading Harry Potter, and I would love any suggestions.  I've tried Lord of the Rings and A Song of Fire and Ice, and although the books are written well, it definitely didn't give me what I was looking for!

Also, with all the studying I have going on right now, this will probably be the last novel I read for the next 6 weeks! :(  Will hopefully be back in August with more posts!

-

Recommend?  Meh... If you haven't read the Harry Potter series (I am judging you just a little bit right now if you haven't...), then of course read those books first!  If you have read those books, and you have a lot of time, then by all means read this book.  I, however, am stopping right here with this series and have no plans to read the second one.

#53: Longbourn

Baker, Jo: Longbourn. New York: Random House LLC, 2013. Print. 332 pages.

-

SETTING: 19th-century England, primarily in the Eastern county of Hertfordshire.

-

SUMMARY: The servants of the Bennet household are faint shadows in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  But in Longbourn, the servants are at the forefront as protagonists of a story that details the ongoings of their day-to-day lives while the Bennet girls are busy with marriage and men.

-

FAVORITE QUOTE: "She would have been content with so little.  She would have been content with just his company." - Volume 3, chapter 16, page 298.

-
I recently finished another set of exams and decided to give myself a little break the first weekend of my new rotation.  I set about to find a new novel to read and had THE hardest time.  I spent well over an hour at the bookstore!  A part of it is that I don't like buying books and so I wanted to make sure this purchase was worth the money.  I was desperate to find a good read, but finally ended up settling for this book.  I say settled because it was exactly that.  I needed a book, and since this is a P&P inspired book, I figured even if the story line and writing were terrible, I'd still enjoy it to some extent.
-

Things I liked about this book:

1. The story line.  I really liked it!  It had a beginning, a middle, and an end that were all very satisfying.  Even though this book is based off of another, the author's story is her own and she gets all the credit for creating it.  She didn't just take an already written story and extend it.  She took the novel and used it as background for her own, completely unique, story.
2. The writing.  This author writes very well and it was a pleasure to read this book.
3. The flawless incorporation of the original Pride and Prejudice as the back story of this novel.  It was done very tastefully.
4. Sarah, the protagonist of the novel.  She's a strong, independent character, and although I found her to be a little annoying in the beginning, I really loved her by the end.
5. The details.  The author includes a lot of detail in describing the life of the servants in order to make it a very obvious contrast to the lives of the Bennet family.  I LOVE P&P, but I can't deny that the main issue in the story is pretty ridiculous when life as a whole is taken into consideration.  The lives and worries of the servants provide a much better window into 19th-century England since that is probably what the majority were experiencing.  If the reader is looking for a better representation of that time period, then this book is undoubtedly a better source compared to P&P.
6. Mr. Bennet's character.  Mr. Bennet is my least favorite Bennet.  He is lazy, uninterested, and selfish, and this book does a great job of really bringing those traits out.  It's true that this point is biased; someone who loves Mr. Bennet's character would argue that this portrayal is an injustice.  In my opinion, his character in this book better fits my idea of him versus the original.
7. Wickham is still a grade-A ass.

Things I didn't like about this book: 

1. Occasionally referring to Mr. and Mrs. Bennet as "Mr. and Mrs. B."  It was annoying and seemed lazy.  None of the other characters had their names abbreviated.

-
I finished reading this book in a little less than a day.  I really enjoyed it, but I think I sped through it so quickly because I was just hungry to read.  I hadn't read anything good for a few weeks, and as soon as I decided I liked this story, I couldn't stop.  This book is a mixture of suspense, good writing, and cozy, a combination I haven't found in a long time.  I enjoyed this P&P inspired book much more than Death Comes to Pemberley, which I wrote about a few posts back, or Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which I read a few years ago and thought was absolutely terrible (the author basically took P&P and randomly added some zombie scenes.  It was one of the worst books I've ever read.).  I know there are many more P&P inspired books out there, and I will probably give them a try sometime soon.  I think I'm in an Austen/Austen-esque mood at the moment...

-

Recommend?  Yes!

#50: Death Comes to Pemberley

James, P.D.: Death Comes to Pemberley. New York: Random House Inc., 2011. Print. 291 pages.

-

SETTING: October 1803 to June 1804, primarily at Pemberley, the Darcys' home in Derbyshire, and also in London proper.

-

SUMMARY: The night before the Darcys' annual October ball, Lydia Wickham, who is never an invited guest at the Darcys' home, pays them a surprise visit.  Distressed and hysterical, Lydia informs the company assembled at Pemberley, which includes Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth, Jane, Mr. Bingley, Georgiana, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and the young lawyer Henry Alveston, that her husband, George Wickham, has been murdered!  Thus begins the race to solve a mystery that isn't as it seems...  

-

FAVORITE QUOTE: "Since guilt is more commonly felt by the innocent than by the culpable, the atmosphere was less of expectation than of anxiety." - Book 3, Chapter 6, page 132.

-

In my last post I wrote about my intention of finding a really great book, something that would serve as both leisure reading and a brain exercise.  That didn't really go as planned.  While browsing for a book, thinking I'd go for a classic, I came across this novel, a sequel to my favorite novel of all time: Pride and Prejudice.  You can imagine my excitement!  It's like something resurfacing from the dead, similar to the excitement I experienced when I heard that The Hobbit was being made into a film.  What you thought would never come back, suddenly does.  And yes, I bought this book.  A very rare occurrence!

-

Things I liked about this book:

1. It's a continuation of Pride and Prejudice!  When I first saw the book, I immediately knew that even if it sucked, I would still enjoy it for the sole reason that it uses the characters from my favorite novel (unless, of course, the author completely butchered it).  This book has been out for nearly four years, so I'm sure you're asking, '"if you're such a fan, how did you not know about this book before?"  A very good question.  I love P&P, as well as Austen's other novels, but not so much that I'm a part of the huge Jane Austen community that's out there.  Being a part of a group like that, although I think it must be a lot of fun, isn't really my style.  So apart from having read P&P a bunch of times, I haven't done much else with it.
2. It's written in the style of Jane Austen.  There's a word for this: "pastiche."  Learned something new!
3. The characters maintain their personalities.  This point made the book very enjoyable for me.  To see these characters brought back to life in such a smooth way was great.
4. The new characters created by the author.  They fit in with the P&P bunch very well.
5. Harry Alveston.  He's a great character with great character.
6. Elizabeth and Darcy's love.  So romantic!

Thing I didn't like about this book:

1. The plot.  It had a lot of potential, but, overall, I found it pretty boring.  True, the plot of P&P isn't anything crazy, but that story has a theme to it, and that is what I fell in love with.  This book, from my understanding, started out as a fanfiction piece by the author, and was then published as a novel.  I'm sure many fanfictions are complex, but this wasn't one of them.  I barely had to think while reading this novel.
2. The repetition from P&P.  The author uses a lot of novel time to regurgitate the main events from P&P.  It's unnecessary, in my opinion.  If someone was reading this book without having read P&P first, then yes, it is helpful, but even then it is still superfluous.
3. George Wickham.  This isn't an issue with the book, but I still don't like him.  I like him even less now than I did prior to reading this book, which is something I didn't think was possible.
4. The future of the Wickhams.  The author gave too easy a solution.  This point is vague, I know, but if I say more it'll ruin the ending.

-

This book wasn't that great, but I certainly did enjoy it, solely because it's based off of P&P.  The author did a great job of staying true to the characters created by Austen, and added in her own characters very flawlessly.  I read a lot of reviews about this book and they were all glowing.  If these reviews were fueled by the excitement the readers felt at this being an attempt at continuing a beloved classic novel, then I understand where they were coming from.  Objectively speaking, though, this novel was very basic and in no way complex.  Another book that barely requires the reader to use their brain.  

-

Recommend?  Yes.  Even though it wasn't anything great, I enjoyed reading it.  If you like P&P, this book will, at the very least, entertain you.

*I labeled it as "19th-century british lit" so this book will come up with my reviews of P&P.  It's obviously not 19th-century literature :P

#45: The Hound of the Baskervilles

Doyle, Arthur Conan: The Hound of the Baskervilles. London: Penguin Books Ltd., 1986. Print. 236 pages.

-

SETTING: London, England and Dartmoor in south Devon, England.

-

SUMMARY: The most recent baronet of Baskerville Hall is found dead, presumably having died of a heart attack.  A close family friend, however, believes his death is due to a centuries old family curse resurfacing.  Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are implored to investigate the mystery and ensure the safety of the next Baskerville in line to adopt the position of baronet.

-

FAVORITE QUOTE: "'...You interest me very much, Mr. Holmes.  I had hardly expected so dolichocephalic a skull or such well-marked supraorbital development.  Would you have any objection to my running my finger along your parietal fissure?  A cast of your skull, sir, until the original is available, would be an ornament to any anthropological museum.  It is not my intention to be fulsome, but I confess that I covet your skull.'" - Chapter 1, pages 8-9.

-

I finally made time to visit my favorite used bookstore in DC!  And I came away with not only this treasure, but an Agatha Christie novel as well (which will be my next read)!  I was looking for a comfortable, relaxing read, preferably a mystery by an author I already liked.  It's probably terrible to say this, but I wasn't in the mood to try something new and take a chance at being disappointed.  Sherlock Holmes novels definitely fit into the "books I'm guaranteed to enjoy" category :)

-

Things I liked about this book:

1. The ease with which the story is delivered.  I've always been satisfied with the Sherlock Holmes novels and short stories because they are narrated in such a smooth and easy-going manner.  It's a relaxing read, and that's exactly what I was looking for.
2. Dr. Watson as the narrator.  It's a great choice for a narrator, as compared to using a third person narrator or Sherlock Holmes himself. 
3. Sherlock Holmes' activities during the entirety of the novel.  He is a sneaky man who isn't afraid of denting another character's pride in the name of solving the mystery. 
4. The Stapleton family.  I won't say more...
5. The ending.  As is seen in all of the Holmes stories, Doyle provides a nice synopsis of the entire story from Holmes' point of view.  It ties everything together very nicely, and supplies the reader with any details they may have missed.  It's like the pretty, pink bow on the package.

-

Things I didn't like about this book:

1. NOTHING.  I got exactly what I was looking for :)

-

This review is pretty sparse, but there isn't much else I feel like I need to share about this novel.  These types of story lines are simple and easy to follow, and, for lack of a better word, they are comfortable.  When life gets too busy, I like that comfort of having the perfect book at hand for my leisure-reading.  This novel met all of my criteria for such a book, and I couldn't be more satisfied.  I'm excited that I already have another such novel at hand!  The rest of this year will be very busy, and I will definitely look to these types of novels to provide me with a much needed distraction from everyday life.

-

Recommend?  Yes!

#44: Inferno

Brown, Dan: Inferno. New York: Anchor Books, 2013. Print. 611 pages.
-
SETTING: Florence, Italy.
-
SUMMARY: Robert Langdon, the famed Harvard University professor of symbology, once again is at the center of a mysterious adventure.  After waking up at a Florence hospital with no recollection of how he arrived there and a head wound of unknown origin, he, along with Dr. Sienna Brooks, a physician who was caring for him at the hospital, find themselves rushing around Florence trying to solve a mystery that is somehow connected to Dante's Inferno.   
-
FAVORITE QUOTE: "When it came to the circumstances of the world, denial had become a global pandemic." - Epilogue, page 610.
-
I am very sorry to inform you, dear readers, that I actually read this book two months ago, and thus have forgotten many of the points that I wanted to share with you.  I started off the school year much busier than anticipated, and am only finding time now to create the blog entry for this novel.  I will do my best to recollect as much as I can! 
-
Things I liked about this book:

1. The integration of real life organizations and resources into the story line.  This aspect is what I admire the most about all of Dan Brown's novels.  He takes real life entities and places them in a fictional setting, with the end result of creating a story that seems like it could actually play out in reality.
2. The transhumanist movement as a main topic of the novel.  I didn't know about transhumanism at all before reading this book, and I was inspired to research the topic after finishing the novel.  To what extent I agree with their goals and theories is something I will not expand on here because it'll probably amount to an essay's worth of writing.
3. The infectious disease aspect.  I won't say anymore because I don't want to ruin the story!
4. Going off of the last point, having the head of the WHO as a main character.
5. Sienna Brooks' character.  She is incredibly badass.  Misguided, without a doubt, but totally awesome.

Things I didn't like about this book:

1. The way Robert Langdon solves the series of clues in the novel.  A constant joke among my classmates is the way that Dr. House figures out his patients' ailments.  Something very incosequential is usually occurring, for example he'll be tossing a baseball up and down.  The baseball will then proceed to drop and roll along an empty hallway, and once it stops, he'll find a sudden spark of inspiration that leads him to the right diagnosis.  Langdon's process of unraveling clues is equally ridiculous at times.
2. This novel wasn't as exciting as Dan Brown's previous novels in the Langdon series.  This could be because his formula for writing these books is becoming old and predictable.  His outlines for all four novels are very similar, and considering I have read Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code more than once, I think I'm becoming adept at predicting what the next step in the story will be.  I will admit, however, that I did not have enough skill to predict the climax or the ending of this novel.  So there is still some intrigue left in the way he creates his stories. 

-
For as long as I'll live, I can confidently say that I will read every single fictional novel that Dan Brown will publish until his death.  The same can be said of novels published by JK Rowling and Gregory Maguire.  There are some authors who, even if they have a formula for their books, write novels that I find myself eager to finish.  I have a feeling of contentment while reading them, and sadness upon finishing them.  It's like coming home to a familiar place, with something new added to it that's fascinating and exciting, and once you have to leave, you can't help but feel a little sad.  
-
Recommend?  Yes.  Even if it's the 10th novel in the Langdon series and absolutely predictable, I'll still recommend that you read it because Dan Brown's writing style is one that I enjoy.

#43: The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader"

Lewis, C.S.. The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader." New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1952. Print. 210 pages.

-

SETTING: Narnia!  New and unexplored parts of this fantastic land are introduced in this third book.

-

SUMMARY: The two youngest Pevensie children, Edmund and Lucy, find themselves back in Narnia, this time accompanied by their incredibly annoying and rude younger cousin, Eustace.

-

FAVORITE QUOTE: "And just as there are moments when simply to lie in bed and see the daylight pouring through your window and to hear the cheerful voice of an early postman or milkman down below and to realise that it was only a dream: it wasn't real, is so heavenly that it was very nearly worth having the nightmare in order to have the joy of waking, so they all felt when they came out of the dark." - Chapter 12, page 157.

-

Previous posts:

• Book 1: http://artemisiaeupraxia.blogspot.com/2014/06/39-lion-witch-and-wardrobe.html
• Book 2: http://artemisiaeupraxia.blogspot.com/2014/06/40-prince-caspian.html

I had this SUPER strange urge to read a Charles Dickens novel while I was studying for my board exam, and so I picked up A Tale of Two Cities at the library.  I started reading it and, about seven pages in, I was sooooooo bored.  There was about a ten month period when I was in grad school where all I was reading was classics, and I really enjoyed them.  I think when I was studying for the board exam, I didn't actually want to read a Dickens novel, but was moreso nostalgic for the calmness that I was enveloped in during that time period in grad school.  Anyhow, I realized super quickly that reading a Dickens novel was going to be a slow, tedious, and not in the least bit enjoyable process at the moment, so I put it down and grabbed the rest of the Narnia books.  Like the post for the second book in the series, I'm going to just list some points I'd like to share about this book.

-

1. I didn't find it as interesting as the first two books in the series.  I think the main reason is because the wonder that was there of exploring this new fictional world was not as strong in this book.  Another reason is that I missed having all four of the Pevensie kids in the book.  
2. I realized that this entire time I was reading "Pevensie" as "Pensevie."  Similarly, until the first Harry Potter movie came out and I actually heard Dumbledore's name, I read "Dumbledore" as "Dublemore."  So sad.
3. Eustace is the most annoying child in the beginning of the book.  If I have a child like that, I will have failed as a parent.
4. The author paints such fabulously vivid pictures of the various lands and islands the group of travelers visits.  Each area is very diverse and, considering this book is pretty short, the author does a great job of including a lot of detail while managing to be brief.
5. The chapters "The Magician's Book" and "The Dark Island" were my two favorites.  They were, in my opinion, the most imaginative and fun to read.
6. I'm really sad that this is it for Edmund and Lucy.  It's sad to see characters suddenly leave.

-

I've already started on the fourth book, but I have to admit that I'm becoming bored of the series... And there are a total of seven books!  Hopefully I persevere, and more importantly, am able to read them efficiently enough to finish the series before the semester starts.

-

Recommend?  Yes, since it's part of a series.

#42: The Casual Vacancy

Rowling, J.K.. The Casual Vacancy. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2012. Print. 503 pages.

-

SETTING: The town of Pagford in South West England.

-

SUMMARY: The Parish Council of Pagford has been long divided over the issue of whether or not to separate themselves from the bordering, lower socioeconomic community, known locally as "The Fields."  After Pagford Parish Councillor Barry Fairbrother's death, the small town is sent into a frenzy, with each side of the Fields issue rallying to get one of their own to fill Fairbrother's Council seat.  

-

FAVORITE QUOTE: "Gavin saw a grave purely as a marker for the place where a corpse was decomposing; a nasty thought, yet people took it into their heads to visit and bring flowers, as though it might yet recover." - Part 5, Chapter 10, page 453.

-

I had a vague memory that J.K. Rowling recently published her first novel since completing the Harry Potter series, and I was able to find a copy at the library.  I had absolutely no idea what to expect, and was actually quite worried I'd be disappointed because, let's face it, how can you top Harry Potter?  Seemed like a worthwhile venture nonetheless, so I took the chance.  

-

Things I liked about this book:

1. The detail!  The main storyline is actually quite simple and nothing to fawn over.  But Rowling's ability to draw the reader in with wonderfully detailed script and dialogue, just as she did in the Harry Potter books, was again made evident in this novel.  I immediately became absorbed into this book, staying up late at night to read just one more chapter, because she manages to make you fall in love with certain characters from the start.  You're rooting for some, and vehemently want others to fail as retribution for their horrible nature and acts.  This book had nothing to do with magic, but her writing ability creates magic from everyday occurrences.
2. The characters.  This novel has real characters.  Going off of the first point again, Rowling's inclusion of such detail, from describing personalities and emotions to the physical surroundings, gives the reader a very realistic feel for the characters.  She creates people you would very likely encounter in everyday life.
3. The discussion of social issues.  Rowling incorporates a number of very important social issues, including drug abuse, child neglect, rape,  and self-harm, to name a few, into the story in a very fluid and beautiful manner.  
4. The build up to the ending.  This novel is a masterpiece, written with such beautiful structure, and the ending is pure finesse.
5. The Sikh family in the story.  Pagford is a very small, mostly white town with one prominent Sikh family.  The family faces deep rooted racism from certain community members because they see the family as different and a threat to the Pagfordian ways.  Rowling does an exemplary job describing the life of this family, and does so in a knowledgeable way.
6. The writing.  It's beautiful.  I've never appreciated a book as much as this one.  

-

There isn't a single thing I didn't like about this novel's writing, content, etc..  Instead, here is a list of characters I didn't like in this book:

1. Shirley Mollison: her self-centered behavior is ridiculous.  She's oblivious to everything but herself.  I wanted to smack some sense into her.
2. Howard Mollison: her equally ridiculous husband.
3. Simon Price.  Abusive SOB.  I would have been very happy if he had been carted off to prison at some point.  But to Rowling's major credit, she portrayed this character in a very realistic way and the manner in which his part of the story concludes is unfortunately what probably happens to most abusive partners and parents.

-

Rowling is a genius.  Her talents create pure magic.  This book is, to put it simply, beautiful.  I think I've used that word to describe the book at least ten times in this post.  I can continue gushing about how much I LOVED this book for hours.  I am so impressed by Rowling's writing ability, and I wouldn't be surprised if this novel is adapted into a movie.  If she writes another novel, I will be sure to read it ASAP.

-

Recommend?  YES!!!!!  One of my top ten favorite novels ever, without a doubt.

#40: Prince Caspian

Lewis, C.S.. Prince Caspian. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1951. Print. 184 pages.
-
SETTING: The magical land of Narnia!
-
SUMMARY: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy find themselves unsuspectingly transported back to Narnia, this time to find the magical world drastically changed from how they had left it one year prior.
-
FAVORITE QUOTE: "'That's the worst of girls,' said Edmund to Peter and the Dwarf.  'They never can carry a map in their heads.'

'That's because our heads have something inside them,' said Lucy." - Chapter 9, page 99.
-
As mentioned in the previous post (http://artemisiaeupraxia.blogspot.com/2014/06/39-lion-witch-and-wardrobe.html), this is my chosen series for the summer.  This is going to be a fairly short post because much of what I wrote for the first book is applicable to the second book.  Instead of the usual list of likes and dislikes, I'm just going to create a brief list of points I'd like to share.
-

1. Edmund becomes a much more likable character.  I actually respected him this time around.
2. There seemed to be more references to Greek and Roman mythology versus Christian stories in this second book.  However, this could be a biased observation.  It's very possible that this time around I paid more attention to the mythology references because I missed so many of them in the first book.  The Christian allegories were pretty straightforward, as they were in the first book.
3. One allegory that I thought was cleverly portrayed was the whole concept of having faith in something you cannot see, specifically referring to the four siblings' faith in Aslan and his presence even when he was not in front of them.  The author is paralleling this to the Christian tenant of always believing in Jesus, even when Christians do not feel (or "see") his presence.  Even though I'm not Christian, I fully appreciate the author's writing skills and his ability to portray this concept so smoothly.
4. Doctor Cornelius' character.  He was integral in shaping Caspian's character and maturation into adulthood.
5. The adorable names some of these characters have!  Reepicheep, Trufflehunter, and Trumpkin, to name a few.  Such cute names, and yet they're pretty deadly characters...

-
I'm going to take a break before starting the third book in the series, (1) because I don't have it on me and (2) I have three other books lined up to read.  I will pick up the third book very soon, no worries!  Also, I think my summer reading is going to go much slower than planned... Why?  World Cup!  Between two and six hours (depending on who is playing) are dedicated to soccer every day!
-
Recommend?  Yes.

#39: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

Lewis, C.S.. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1950. Print. 154 pages.

-

SETTING: 95% Narnia, 5% in their guardian's home.

-

SUMMARY: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, four siblings sent to live in the countryside for their own safety during World War II, find themselves in a magical world that they can only access via an ordinary looking wardrobe in their caretaker's home.

- 

FAVORITE QUOTE: "'Wherever is this?' said Peter's voice, sounding tired and pale in the darkness.  (I hope you know what I mean by a voice sounding pale.)" - Chapter 10, page 84.

-

I finally made my way to the library!  And picked up a nice variety of books, this time based on authors I like.  This book was a somewhat last minute decision.  I've been wanting to read a children's/young adult series from beginning to end for a while now.  I was looking to read Michael Scott's series, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, but they didn't have the first book :(  Randomly, I remembered that I'd never finished The Chronicles of Narnia.  I remember reading the first book in the series a long time ago, and I might have read The Magician's Nephew too at some point.  Anyhow, there were plenty of copies of all the books in this series, so this has become the chosen series of the summer.  It should be a quick finish considering the novels are fairly short and simple, since they were written for kids.

-

Things I liked about this book:

1. Fantasy!  I love fantasy fiction!
2. The numerous allegories.  As a kid, I had no idea what was going on.  One of the main motivators to read this entire series was to see what I would pick up now, as an adult.  The Christian allegories were a straight shot; I was able to identify and understand those very easily, mostly because I'm familiar with the main Christian stories.  The references to Greek and Roman mythology, on the other hand, were a little lost on me, sadly because I don't have much memory for the mythology I learned in school.  I understood them after I did some research and read about those connections.  
3. The ending.  It's brings the story full circle in a way that I thoroughly appreciated.
4. The professor!  He's the man charged with caring for the children, and he's such a fabulous, open-minded character.  He doesn't have much of a role in the book, but the few appearances he makes are noteworthy.
5. It's written so well, and is definitely a story-teller's story.  As you're reading the book, it feels like you're actually sitting in front of someone who is telling you the story, someone who was there to experience the entire journey, down to every last detail.  It's like in books and movies, where a scene is described in which children are sitting around the town elder, listening to his adventures from his youth.  The fabulous way in which this book is written is probably one of the reasons it is still so popular today. 

-

Things I didn't like/found funny about this book:

1. That the four main characters' speech changes at the end of the novel: "Then said King Peter (for they talked in quite a different style now, having been Kings and Queens for so long)..." (p.150).  I thought it was a weird, funny, and somewhat unnecessary detail to incorporate into the story.  Perhaps it was to emphasize just how much time had passed between the main battle and the ending of the novel?  But that point could have been made very clear without the strange speech change.
2. Edmund.  His character had a purpose, of course, but he was so bratty and annoying.  

-

Funny thing I learned while choosing this book at the library: there's a dispute as to which order you should read the books.  There are those who argue you should read them in the order they were published, while others say chronological order is the way to go.  I sat down on the library floor and researched the pros and cons of both orders (yay smart phones!), and liked the argument for reading them in publication order better.  Via chronological order, the reader gets to experience the story in an orderly timeline from beginning to end.  But when read in publication order, the reader gets a step-wise introduction to this magical world, in the way it came to the author's head.  Publication order seemed more genuine, and so that is what I stuck with.  

-

Recommend?  Yes!

-

PS - I really enjoyed the author's introduction to this book, so I'm going to share it below:

My dear Lucy,

I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books.  As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still.  But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.  You can then take it down from some upper shelf, dust it, and tell me what you think of it.  I shall probably be too deaf to hear, and too old to understand a word you say, but I shall still be

your affectionate Godfather,
C.S. Lewis

#24: My Sister's Keeper

Picoult, Jodi: My Sister's Keeper. New York: Pocket Books, 2004. Print. 500 pages.
-
SETTING: Upper Darby, a fictional town in Rhode Island, in the year 2004.
-
SUMMARY: 13-year-old Anna Fitzgerald was specifically conceived to be a perfectly matched blood and bone marrow donor for her terminally ill sister, Kate.  When faced with having to donate a kidney to Kate, Anna decides to take legal action against her parents to become an emancipated minor.
-
FAVORITE QUOTE: "It is that someone had to go, and Anna took my place." - Epilogue, page 498.
-
After an entire 6 weeks, I finally picked up a book!!!!  Since beginning this wonderful love affair with books, I can't remember going longer than one week without reading at least a chapter of a novel.  And here an entire 6 weeks have passed, and I cannot begin to describe how much joy just holding a novel has brought me today!  I actually started reading this book last December and only had the epilogue to go, but life stepped in before I could finish.  I picked this book up from a second-hand bookshop I found in DC (finally got myself to one!), and it has a surprisingly great collection with fantastic deals.  This one cost me an entire quarter :)
-
Things I liked about this book:

1. The way it's organized.  The story is presented from the perspective of multiple characters as first-person narratives.  Each character gets multiple chapters of their own to describe their side of the story, so the reader is presented with a comprehensive view of the thoughts and emotions felt by each character.
2. The story line.  It's interesting and fresh, and a type of story that I haven't ever encountered before.
3. The emotions!  The story just pulls you in and tears at your heart.  And it almost made me cry!
4. It gave me a new perspective on parenting, and life in general.  The story made me think about the concept of fairness in life, and the importance of being open-minded regarding others' situations before judging or criticizing them for their decisions.

Things I didn't like about this book:

1. The weak character development.  With the length of the book and the way it is organized, I expected to know much more about the characters than I did by the time I finished the novel.
2. Sara, Anna and Kate's mother.  This isn't a fault with the book or story line, but I disliked Sara's character very much because I was biased towards Anna (as I'm sure many readers were), and it made me upset that Anna's life was the way it was. 

-
I have decided I will never ever ever ever ever read a novel with a similar story line.  Never.  Again.  I can't say I disliked the novel because it had many great qualities, but the horrible emotions that I faced while reading it were a bit too much for my liking.  There's already enough pain and suffering in reality, and, for me at least, books are meant as an escape from the everyday dealings of life.  So with that in mind, I'd rather not escape to a land of grief, sorrow, and death with no happy ending (at least in my opinion this book did not end happily).
-
Recommend?  Maybe.  But most likely not.

#23: Ape House

Gruen, Sara: Ape House. New York: Random House, 2010. Print. 303 pages.
-
SETTING: The Great Ape Language Lab in Kansas City (a fictional institution inspired by the real Great Ape Trust in Des Moines, Iowa) and the fictional town of Lizard, New Mexico.
-
SUMMARY: An explosion at the Great Ape Language Lab seriously injures Isabel Duncan, a researcher at the lab and the individual the six bonobos at the lab trust the most.  Journalist John Thigpen finds himself captured by the story not only because of its journalistic potential, but also because of his keen interest in better understanding the beautiful and yet very strange (at least to him) relationship between Isabel and the bonobos.
-
FAVORITE QUOTE: "It had not escaped John that the bonobos had managed to acquire human language, but that humans had not crossed over in the other direction." - Chapter 27, page 215.
-
I read Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen a few years ago and remember absolutely loving it!  I meant to watch the movie when it was in theaters, but it somehow slipped by and I keep forgetting to rent it.  Doesn't matter very much, I guess, considering the book is always better!  Anyhow, I saw this book at the library and because it's by Sara Gruen and I liked the cover art, I decided I'd probably enjoy it at least a little bit :P.
-
Things I liked about this book:

1. An interesting read!  I finished this novel very quickly.
2. It's about animal rights and the ethical treatment of animals.
3. It inspired me to do my own research on the great apes.  Any book that wants me to learn more about the subject at hand is great.  
4. Going along with #3-- the author definitely wrote a successful book.  At least, she did with people who responded to the book in a similar way as me.  The point of this novel is to raise awareness about nonhuman great apes (humans are a subcategory of the great apes) having basic human rights.  This was a topic I had never even thought about before, and this book got me thinking about it!

Things I didn't like about this book:

1. There isn't enough character development.
2. The story could have been developed much better!  While reading the novel, I got the feeling that the author was rushing to finish the manuscript and forgot to think about key parts of the plot.  There are holes throughout the story while reading it, and it would have been great if they could somehow magically get filled.
3. The side storyline with John Thigpen and his wife definitely felt underdeveloped and like it was haphazardly thrown in.

-
Although the storyline is a little lacking, this novel is great!  I applaud the author for going on this journey.  A novel is hard enough to write, but having a greater purpose behind writing the novel must have made it even more difficult.  I definitely enjoyed Water for Elephants more, probably because it had a magical feel to it, but Ape House will definitely receive an equally hearty recommendation to read.  I've decided I need to do a better job about educating myself on the topics of animal research and animal rights so I can develop my own stance on the many subcategories that fall below the two.  I also really like the quote I chose as my "favorite quote" from the novel.  It really makes you think...
- 
Recommend?  Yes!  Also read Water for Elephants.