Review A Book

[QUOTE=Pen&Ink;297472]Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

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Just finished this a couple days ago. I loved it. I was crying at the end.:bawling:
I love the plot and over all story. I personally could have done without the 30 page retelling of the battle of waterloo, and sometimes it was a bit slow,but over all it was a really great book. ^_^ I would recommend it to anyone who has the patience to read such a long book.

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Pen&Ink,I read this very long book a number of years ago and thought it was the greatest book I ever read. I cried, too at the end. It is a magnificent read. I was fortunate a friend had all the volumes so I read it in it's entirety - wonderful!

Brainstrain, Other great novel "Tale of Two Cities" - absolutely a perfect novel, and as you stated a few posts back, it had so many elements you could relate to; it definitely had something for everyone. I adored it.

East of Eden -- John Steinbeck

I am so glad I was able to finish it, going by the number of pages; I had thought it will take me six months to complete the book, considering what a slow reader I am. But, it really was a good book, after a long time I have read such a book that made me want to read further, everyday while coming back from work I would think what will unfold next (Kite Runner was another book like this).

In the beginning, there were three parallel stories going on (Adam, Cathy and Samuel), I had no idea how eventually all the characters will meet and become a part of each other’s life so well. The beginning was very descriptive; something like the author is trying to set a stage for the whole drama to begin. At the back of my mind also I was trying to think how they all will meet, which made me eager to read further and see if that is what will happen.

The two main turning points in the story were – When Cathy landed at Adam and Charles home and when Adam planned to relocate. Falling in love and then betrayal was what changed the course of story, mainly, and other circumstances and people (like Lee and Samuel) helped greatly in binding the story till the end. These two people were like anchors in the story, like when one needs a piece of advice they look up to people like Lee and Samuel.

There were certain conditions that were symbolic also, or so I think. For example: - Cathy gets arthritis in her fingers. Although this condition can occur on anybody, but I was thinking what could be the reason? The explanation I could give myself was that since she did many dirty deeds using her hands, such as – setting her home and family on fire, shooting Adam, and perhaps that never ever lovingly held her babies in her arms. I thought it was symbolic.

The writing style of Steinbeck is so good. He doesn’t divulge all information. I mean he also makes the reader think and come up with their own ideas as to why certain things happened. At least in my case that happened or if not then of course it was my lack of comprehending what he was trying to say. For example: - When Adam went to see Cathy in her house – at the end of the meeting, he was smiling with content, which also made Cathy angry. It was never made clear by the author as to what exactly Adam was being content at? I wanted to know what went on in Adams mind at the point of time? Also, I was wondering why Cathy left everything that belonged to her to Aaron and not to Caleb.

But it was interesting to read the analogy later on – that Aaron might have felt the same way as Adam who inherited money that was ill-begotten and had to live off that money.

There were so many general philosophies too that I came across -- thou mayest; and how people deal with their insecurities all the time, like Caleb and his realization that its okay if one is not perfect; like Aaron’s dream world, out of which he never wanted to come to reality, and likewise many others.

The story ended in everyone being forgiven, so that they can start off afresh.

Rating -- 10/10

This is my understanding of the story, I am not a critic.

Diary of a Country Priest, by Georges Bernanos.

The book is the fictional diarz of a young priest in rural France. It is his first parish and he is utterly dedicated to it. Except doing his sacramental duties, he visits every family in the parish, teaches catechism, visits sick, tries to create a club for young man. But the world around him his hard, often cruel, not accpeting him, and he considers himself to be a failure. For example, he is very ill - at the end it is found out it was stomach cancer - and one sort of fine wine relieves pain a bit, but villagers began gossip that he's alcoholic. One of the kids he teaches catechism, about 13-year old girl, Seraphita, also enjoy spreading rumours about him at every opportunity. That's why the young priest considers himself a failure, poor instrument of God's grace. He would like to be as his friend, a priest in neighbouring parish, de Torcy, who is much more relaxed. Together they have long discussions about God and religion.

It is a novel that has both spiritual value and literary quality (and that's not seen that often). What I liked about it was, that it was very believable, realistic, giving you good impression of what priest's life is like, but also a picture of French society. It shows how empty is intellectualism without God, how Church fails to present God's love - but on the other hand, it shows a power of a man really dedicated to God.


But, I must also write a warning:
It is complex, quite difficult - one of those books that you either love or throw away as dull and boring. :rolleyes:

Personally I loved it - fell in love with Bernanos, in fact and now I'm going to find his other works. :)

10/10

Dark Forces edited by Kirby McCauley

I would call this collection more dark contemporary fantasy rather than horror, Kirby McCauley is a reknown anthologist but there is alot hubris surrounding this collection.

The some of the strongest stories were represented by Robert Aickman, T.E.D. Klein, Ramsey Campbell, though Aickman's contribution is comparitively weak especially the ending for the master of ambigious psychological ghost stories.

The very best were written by Russell Kirk, Manly Wade Wellman, Gahan Wilson, and the father/son duo Richard Matheson/Richard Christian Matheson. Coincidently, these four tales were a perfect balance of the macabre and laugh-out loud comedy. Delightfully sinister collection of winks and gasps.

Now for the bad, the rest of the bunch were very predictable neither shocking or scary and disappointing like the worst episodes of Tales From The Crypt.

But the biggest malefactor was Stephen King's novella The Mist, after 42 pages of pretty decent atmospheric build-up King finding his rthythm, character's developing and the typical witty anecdotes rolling when King suddenly pushes all stops and the story explodes into mayhem and green-blooded horrors. Though King's infrequently shines through in moments of disasterous gratuity or comic relief there is a moment when some voluteers amongst survivors of this castrastrophe holed up in a grocery store go to check the generator back near the docks and receiving, that had me anticipating the worst "Oh god.... oh no.... oh no" ........ "Eh?... what?... oh hell that's downright asinine!"

Stephen King and his excessiveness fumbles again.

There are many other horror anthologies and author short story collections I'd recommend before this one.

I give 3.5 out of 5 for a mostly disappointing collection from great authors and one seriously ridiculously overrated Stephen King novella.

the last book I read entirely was CELINE's Voyage au bout de la nuit (sorry, I don't know the english title). a book for depressive people who try to suicide without finding enough courage.

more seriously, a very interesting story and a very interesting way to tell it. does anyone know how the english translation is ?

Celine's journey on a boat at night?

:-)

I don't really know what you mean...

I don't think it's the english title. I would rather have imagined something like... no, I don't see anything. sorry.

Journey to the end of the night... wasn't really hard to find it, in reality.

Just finished: To Kill a Mockingbird, for my english class, I cried a bit.

Certainly better than what they had us read last semester, I know a lot of people may think this is the greatest book ever, but I don't ever want to read again Great Expectations.

The last book I read was The Good Earth, by Pearl S. Buck. It is set in pre-revolutionary China is about a poor farmer who rose to wealth. The book follows the farmer, Wang Lung, from his wedding day to shortly before his death.

I had never read anything about China before this, so I was pleasently surprised. The book is very well written and easy to read (it took me one day), but provides much to think about. I found myself most often wondering whether Wang Lung was actually happy with his life (I won't say exactly why since I would hate to spoil the book. I'm not sure how much to reveal), but that may just be from the fact that pre-revolutionary Chinese culture is so different from modern western culture.

I found The Good Earth to be a very worthwhile book. It isn't the sort that I would read over and over, but I'm glad I read it.

Victor Hugo - The Hunchback of Notre Dame; finished it late last night. A masterpiece, I highly recommend it to everyone.
The story is placed in Paris, somewhere about 1450., about a priest who got in love with beautiful Gipsy dancer and all tragedies that comes from it...A lot of unhappiness and death; it's a realism, so nothing strange actually. Very very interesting, many interesting ideas, great thoughts and quotes, and priest and his hunchback are really great developed.
Now I can't wait for Les Miserables( as Chris Rea would say; I'm looking for the summer...)

5 of 5, if I must.

The Moorstone Sickness by Bernard Taylor

Probably should have introduced myself to this author via one of his more popular works than this infrequently mentioned novel. A quiet English thriller in a quaint English setting. Slow build up but the pay off is excellent. Not particularly scary or suspenseful abit predictable yet capped with a great finish. The pace is the real toe curler here.

3 out of 5

Mother's Boys by Bernard Taylor

Now I know why Taylor is such a reknown name in modern British horror literature. The book is a deep plunge into the darkest day. One of the more exciting waking nightmares I've had the pleasure of reading. One part of the book basically serves as the centerpiece of events, sparked a shocking revelation, preceding and proceding that makes William Golding read like a child author. If you like syrupy feel good endings like say a typical Koontz novel? Don't look here. I'd advise against it. This book antes up the frozen marrow factor brilliantly! Simply awesome!

5 out of 5

The City of Fallen Angels - John Berendt

The author arrives in Venice a few days after the famous Teatro La Fenice burns down, he follows the story of it's rebuilding. The book is chockful of colorful characters he meets along the way. It's in the same vein as his other book , Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, but just as if not more entertaining.

4/5

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

I was pleasantly surprised by the book. It is the tale of a boy who finds a dragon egg. Eventually the egg hatches and both their lives are intertwined as the boy finds out he is one of the fabled dragon riders and he is actually a Very Important Person.
The only thing I had a problem with was that there were a lot of parallels between LOTR and Eragon. For example:
urgals=orcs
kulls=uruk-hai
Eragon=Frodo or Aragorn (I couldn't decide which)
Brom=Gandalf
Murtagh=Boromir
I don't know if that's just because I'm picky when it comes to LOTR but it irked me a little bit. Though I would still suggest it if you enjoy fantasy. 4/5

Last book I read was Umberto Eco's Feucault's Pendulum. The man's vocab is imense and his understanding of medieval history and philosophy is very impresive. The book is as witty as it is insightful. Character's are well drawn and individuated. It can get a little bogged down with litany of obscure occult factions which are woven into the tapestry as the three friends are drawn deeper into the world of the "Diabolicals", but this is not so discuraging as to ruin or even really interrupt the enthralling narrative of Casaubon.

Eco's writing reminds me strongly of Salman Rushdie.

Just finished "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck a couple of minutes ago. Great novel. Jerked a tear from my eye.