Review A Book

Yesterday, I completed One Hundred Years Of Solitude by Gabriel Garcìa Màrquez, and surely, to say it most simply, fell in love. I mainly decided to read this novel, having read Love In The Time Of Cholera by the same author; and, though One Hundred Years Of Solitude does not quite dominate the latter, I still found the tale amazing!
Based partially on the author's own life, the story tells of a small town struggling through generations with superstition and gypsy-like magic, and eventually leading to the revolutions that all nations endure - madness, war, domination of political groups, etc. Few authors, however, write with the passion that Gabriel Garcìa Màrquez writes in - saturated with emotion.
For anyone interested in the author, I would highly recommend both One Hundred Years Of Solitude and Love In The Time Of Cholera.
My rating: 10/10.

The day before yesterday, I completed Mind of my mind by Octavia E. Butler

The story revolves around Doro and Mary. Doro, who crossed time effortlessly slipping in and out of host bodies and pausing only to breed, hoping always to father an empire and with his daughter, Mary, the empire was born and Mary became the magnetic mistress of human destiny.

The novel is suspenseful and interesting but it's only draw back is that it is not written very well, I mean use of language is not very good but it contains a very good plot.

I like this book very much and it has gotten me into Science-Fiction. I am looking forward to read other works by Butler.

I just read Blindness by Jose Saramago. The punctuation in the book is sometimes confusing, the use of commas instead of periods, but that makes the book read fast. Also the story is good, a realistic view on what happens when a disease will struck a country. It's worked out in a way which is suprising, I didn't expect the things that were happening and on the other side, the things that happen are realisitic and you could wait for it. After all, it's a very good read, sometimes that good written that you can imagine what happens (the most disgusting parts).
Rating: 9/10

I completed Constant Friends by Angela Doherty last night. I believe that it is a very good read. It is mainly about love, hatred, war, abortion, Catholic believes in Ireland from 1940-1965 and poverty. In the start, it was quite an enjoyable read. In the middle, it seemed even more interesting but in the end, it got poignant, sick and complex mainly because of wars and killings but still I liked it quite a lot.

I will rate it 8/10. Everyone who is interested in Irish Literature should read it.

"Owen Noone And The Marauder" by Douglas Cowie wants to be a rock'n'roll novel, thinks it says something about the role of rock music in society, "Hope I die before I get old" and yada yada yada.

It's actually "Wayne's World - The Novel", except without the jokes, without the babes, and without anyone even as remotely rock'n'roll as Alice Cooper.

So clichéd I can't even hate it. 2/5.

I read Of Mice and Men last weend, and I thought it was a very good read. Quick and easy to read, as well as having a great story and a powerful message. The one criticism that I had, however, was that the majority of the characters, particularly Lennie and Curley, were far too 2-dimensional. Lennie is just an absolutely pure, innocent, simple being who has no flaws whatsoever: he is eternally well-meaning and simple and does not have the capability to be anything else other than well-meaning and simple. Even with the greatest heroes like Odysseus they still have that one flaw (Odysseus' flaw being the fact that he's a pompous, self-obsessed twat), so that we can believe that he is stronger and smarter than everyone else and all-around godlike because he still has that flaw that gives him a touch of humanity. Lennie, however, has nothing of that and as a result you don't really feel that he's a human at all, just some weird freak creature. Maybe you could argue that he's not so much a human as a symbol, but still...

(Spoilers)
And I wasn't really sure whether it was fair enough to sympathize with him in the end. He definitely didn't deserve to get killed, but really, he was a very dangerous person, well-meaning or not, and I certainly would not like to hang around him. I mean, he killed someone, for God's sake. And in the end it was better that George did it, mercifully and together with him at the last moment, than Curley, who would have probably lynched and tortured Lennie.

I just finished reading The Catcher in the Rye // Sharon Kay Penman: Dragon's Lair // Mark Twain: The Prince and the Pauper. I enjoyed reading all of them, most so The Catcher in the Rye. If you haven't read it, do so.

The Life of Pi by Yann Martel.

Many of you will be familiar with this book. I had heard of the title, and a fortnight ago, I saw it in a second-hand bookshop. I found that it hadn't been reviewed in this thread, and since I'm going to have an English exam in a couple of weeks featuring a "write a review"-assignment, I thought I'd give it a go! :)

The book begins with an Author's Note, wherein Martel tells us how he was inspired to write this story, and how he met and interviewed the protagonist, Piscine Patel. The Note is reminiscent of the preface of a 19th century novel that informs you about the curious circumstances under which the author came into possession of the 'manuscript', and assures you of the authenticity of the events and characters. Even though Martel's preface might be tongue-in-cheek, it adds an interesting additional layer to the narrative, and the art of storytelling is a key concern in this book.

The rest of the story -- comprising exactly 100 chapters on 400 pages -- is narrated from the point of view of Pi (and occasionaly interrupted by the voice of the author describing his meeting with Pi and his family). Pi is one of two sons of an Indian family; the father is a zookeeper in Pondecherry, a former French colony in the South of India. In the first part of the book, we learn about the two great passions of Pi: zoology and theology. As a young boy, Pi becomes fascinated with and devoted to Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Unbeknownst to his spiritual guides and his family, Pi worships at the Christian church, the Mosque and the Hindu temple. Pi's musings on the three religions and zoology (and the combination of the two) are beautifully written in a settled, yet passionate voice, and deliver much food for thought. They also set the tone for the spiritual (and zoological) journey Pi is about to embark on.

In the second part of the story, we are told how Pi's father was forced to shut down the zoo, planning to travel to Canada and sell his animals. The family -- Pi is only a teenager -- travels on a Japanese cargo ship. Then, tragedy strikes: a storm sinks the boat. Nobody survives except Pi, who manages to pull himself unto a rescue boat. Soon, he realises he is not alone: to his horror, he discovers that underneath the tarpaulin lurks Richard Parker -- the zoo's Bengal tiger. Pi's journey on the sea lasts for more than 200 days. He tells us how he managed to survive and, most importantly, how he managed to stay alive in the face of the tiger. Pi does not kill it (he considers it, but the plan strikes him as too risky); instead, he decides to subdue the tiger, to mark his territory and assert his role as the dominant animal. The story thrives on many strange encounters: a school of flying fish and other sea creatures, a mysterious island, another ship, and the enduring struggle to keep Richard Parker under control. At last, the boat arrives safely on a beach; Richard Parker trots into the jungle, never to be seen again. The epilogue tells us about an interview between Pi and a Japanese insurance company inquiring into the circumstances of the disaster. Martel adds an interesting twist to Pi's account of the events, which I won't give away, of course -- suffice it to say that this book is full of choices (not the least of which are the choices of the reader) :)

The theme of the book is an intruigingly crafted, and seriously playful mixture of the spirit of animals, the spirit of faith and the spirit of literature and narrative. It is at once a good piece of sailor's yarn and an allegory; readers are immersed in and sympathise with Pi's fate, but might still detect a more sinister, and more profound outlook on his thoughts. There is an ambiguity in Martel's story which reminded me instantly of the most famous tiger-piece in English literature, "The Tyger" by William Blake:

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare sieze the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art.
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

If The Life of Pi does not, as promised in the preface, "make you believe in God", at least it will make you believe in the power of storytelling! :)

Regards,

Raven.

Yesterday, I just finished reading Dubliners by James Joyce, a collection of numerous short stories, though I had to read them very slowly, unfortunately, keeping quite busy with final exams in school.
Despite the challenge of reading a lot of Irish slang, I still found some of the short stories slightly difficult to read without placing a lot of thought and meditation into his writing; James Joyce, of all writers, seems very psychological, always deep in thought, and whimsical. Of the short stories, I would probably consider A Little Cloud, Grace, and A Painful Case.
My rating: 9/10.

'Redemption' by Wayne Sharrocks

'Redemption' is a no-holds-barred psychological thriller that captivates from the start.
This absorbing tale is a tasty confection of love lost, betrayal and vendettas. The author exhibits a unique blend of dark horror, sharp wit and flawless storytelling. It's truly a sublime read-an appealing mixure of dark psychology and sensual gothic prose.
Betrayal, intrigue and menace lie within every page to create an amazing tale. It's compulsively readable-a strikingly original work with dazzling scenes, vivid personalities
and a well crafted plot. With twists and turns galore this dark tale kept me hooked until the very last page.

This morning, I finished reading The Gift, a collection of poetry by Hafiz, translated by Daniel Ladinsky.
Feeling very reminiscent of Rumi, both categorizing as Sufi poets, I found much of Hafiz's poetry deeply philosophical, introspective, some humorous, and very reflective; needless to say, he also inspired me greatly with an immense writing binge to compose lots of poetry, while getting that creativity flowing. Some of his poetry seemed a little too religious for me at times, but I can certainly perceive his attempt at objectivity, especially while referring to God/Allah/Yahweh and co. as multiple alternative terms, such as Friend, Beloved, Generous Merchant, etc. Regardless, I could not but offer my highest reverence for his thoughtful, metaphysical poetry.

My rating: 9.5/10.

Hey mono. Tomorrow is Friday and time for a new poem of the week. Would you want to post a poem from the collection you just read for the week's discussion?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Virgil

Hey mono. Tomorrow is Friday and time for a new poem of the week. Would you want to post a poem from the collection you just read for the week's discussion?

---

Possibly, yes. I would have great difficulty choosing a favorite out of the collection of poetry, but will certainly attempt finding one.
Thanks for the offer, regardless. ;)

2004 by fs

So, one acting group of our school made a poetry programme on the book and won a special prize for the most sincere weltschmerz. We had the fortune of hearing the programme some time ago and so, we took the book of poetry from the library and started with it. It is in estonian and hasn't been translated to english, so we take the freedom of translating some lines.
Fs starts with quite a long and ironic vers libre about estonians and who they are. All of his poems are in vers libre and *gasp* without capital letters.
He wirtes about how passionate estonians are, like italians, but inwards. It doesn't show out. The poem ironically stresses on keeping ones feelings in and not opening up to the world.

Quote:

---

and therefore one must
make small windows to a house
what good is there anyway
in outside
and walls must be thick
slate is our wealth
heavy, faceless and grey
we are single-minded and laborious
if you still didn't understand
then i'll repeat
hard liquors and culture
they keep alive
otherwise we would freeze to death
or go insane
passionate as we are

---

The motto of the collection is an exerpt from "1984".
We don't know how it is exactly in english, but it is the part where O'Brien tells Winston how they have defeated and broken him and destroyed hisself-esteem and made him betray everything and asks if there is anything he hasn't betrayed.
Winston replies that he hasn't betrayed Julia and O'Brien agrees.

It fits exactly. The collection is heavy on painful irony and existential jokes, dealing on the darkness city life (death is carried with big cars/day is dim/stone is grey/electricity gives no love) and depression and of death and evil luring behind the door, of disgrace and vulgarity, of the painfulness and heavyness of seasons, but there is a lightbeam, a hope and remembrance of woman(s) he loved/loves (both physical and spiritual love) In the strongest and most powerful poem of the collection that culminates the whole book, he says finally out the only thing that matters despite all. The poem is called "And only one question remains" and i think that after mono, we would like to try to translate it and post it as the poem of the week.

10/10. Honestly.

Hello! I am writing an essay on Neil Ferguson's "Spinach". The problem is that I cannot find any critical essays on this particular short story. Can you help me with a useful link? Thank you!

Finished Faulkner's "Sanctuary". This wasn't nearly as complicated as "Absalom, Absalom!", which I read a few months ago. Of course, it still is Faulkner so it took some work to figure out what was going on, but the style is a little easier to digest and the story is a little sensational. I've also gotten into the habit of requesting a few pieces of literary criticism from the library that I either read along with the book or just after finishing it and this has really served to increase my understand of subtle points, historical context, etc.

The Long Walk By Stephen King

Novel is about a walk, the walk of terror, the path which can lead you to death. Every year on the first May, boys meet for an event known throughout the whole country as "The Long Walk." The main story focuses on Ray Garraty, a teenager. He knows the rules, everyone does and that after three warnings, they will get the ticket, the death ticket and guess what? Throughout the whole walk, there can be only one winner so Garraty has to compete even among his friends, a difficult task, isn't it? See the results of competition by reading this novel...

I will consider this novel very exciting and suspenseful, a very good read and it is especially for those people who call Stephen King, good-for-nothing. In this novel, Stephen King comes up with a very good style which forced me to love the suspense in it.

It surely deserves 10/10. Three Cheers for The Long Walk! :banana:

Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

This novel is a classic published in the late 1940s. It tells the tale of a group of people, most of them living in central Florida. The book is written as a narrative, changing from person to person. The Russians send lots of nuclear missiles onto the U.S. completely destroying most of the major cities and military bases. This book tells of a group struggling to survive in an uncontaminated zone, when all of Florida has been declared a contaminated zone. They must fight against hunger, disease, radiation, high-way men, and other problems. The electricity has gone. The phones don't work. The radion has almost stopped. No food is available for purchase, nor any medical supplies. No gas means no cars. And yet, somehow, they manage to survive.

I found the book very interesting, a good page turner, though it was possible to put it down. The book is well written. I liked the way it changed from person to person, so more perspectives are shown. The story has a good plot, and Frank thought up a good, and realistic ending. It raises good questions. What would happen if this was real?

I'd give this book 10/10 :D

The Deadliest Denial - By Colleen Thompson

I really liked the book. After i read the final chapter I was just shocked. So if you're looking for a good suspense thriller, check it out.

Here's the synopsis:

The worst day of Calire's life begins with a 5:00am knock on her door, the summons every cop's wife dreads. But instead of telling her Spence is gone, killed in the line of duty, hist sergeant has even worse news for Claire. Her husband is in jail. For murder. And there is irrefutable evidence that the person he really wants dead is her .

But betrayal turns to terror when Spence skips out on his bail and someone begins vandalizing her horse ranch. In the fury of a Texas thunderstorm, her husband reappears with a story that sounds all too credible and a seductive magnetism Claire has never been able to resist. Is her refusal to turn him in, her need to believe in his innocence, nothing but... The Deadliest Denial.

Rampage - William P. Wood

This courtroom drama was so so, I guess. Part of me wanted to just stop reading it but I wanted to put it down due to some parts just dragging on and on and on. It would of been a much better book if the author had knocked off 100 pages or so that just ran on with little accomplishment.

I think what attracted me to the book was reading the synopsis stating how DA Tony Fraser was going to be responsible for bringing down justice of these atrociously violent murders. What I didnt realise was that the murders would have been completed early on in the novel, leaving nothing but courtroom blabble. Maybe I should of realised it from the start... I didn't.

Lullaby - By Chuck Palahniuk

This is the first book I've read by Chuck Palahniuk. Imagine there was a lullaby pubished in a book of poems that whenever it was read to someone they would instantly die.

I was drawn to it from the first chapter and just had to read it straight through. Although, there were a few points in the novel that I was kind of hoping he would speed it up a tad but the ending really made up for it. It was so bizarre and twisted that I dont think that anyone could have predicted what was going to happen.

I'm going to read some of his other novels sometime very soon. I heard Haunted was pretty interesting to say the least. Has anyone read it?

Cell, by Stephen King

I was worried at first when I started to read it that the storyline was going to be too in sync with movies like Dawn of the Dead or 28 Days, but the small differences prove big in the end. It was definitely an enjoyable read, it raised many questions for me about how people define evolution and the "dominant species." It definitely was not what we consider a sane human today in this story.

The ending threw me, definitely. I would say it was evasive but I'm sure others are thinking "genius!" I probably would have done the same thing and prayed for more people to vote "genius" than "loserish," though.

Last night, I finished reading Jude The Obscure by Thomas Hardy.
As swiftly as a few authors have graced me, this book bumped Hardy into the list of some of my favorite authors, and some of his narrative style with the twists-of-plot remind me much of D.H. Lawrence, another favorite of mine.
The novel Jude The Obscure compelled to express nearly every emotion: I felt depressed in many parts, happy in others (and even laughing), and angry in certain chapters (anyone who has read this likely understands). Very few novels have had this immense effect on me, which impressed me only further. The storyline, plot, very in-depth characters with individualized psychology, surprise turns in the story - all excellent!
Unfortunately, I have had very little exposure to Thomas Hardy, but this certainly inspires me to read more of his fiction soon (as I have read a considerable amount of his poetry - also worth reading). Needless to say, I fell madly in love with this novel. :nod:
My rating: easily 10/10

East Of Eden By John Steinback

I read this book for Book Club. It was surely worth-reading. The story is mainly based on two families; Hamilton amd Trask. This novel portrays the human characteristics in a very good way and makes the reader to want to know more about the characters or questions and statement like this arise in reader's mind:
"Oh, wouldn't it would have been lovely if I would have met Smauel Hamilton?" or "If I would have met Cathy, I would have killed the *****"

Along with good character-formation, in this novel you will see good writing. The writing style is very good, especially the style of narrator is very, vey interesting.

Without any doubt, this wonderful book deserves 10/10. :banana:

To find more discussion about this book, visit this thread.

Earlier today, I finished reading Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe. I read this primarily because I read Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe a few years ago, and, needless to say, fell in love with the story. Of course, finding the older English rather difficult to fully understand, Marlowe coming from the age of Shakespeare, the helpful footnotes, introductions, and explanatory notes helped immensely. :nod:
The plot proceeded the same as Goethe's Faust with a few exceptions, partially because I think Goethe existed more in the well-renowned Romantic era. Overall, though I have difficult comparing the two objectively, I think I liked Goethe's version more, mainly because . . . well, Goethe composed it, but I must give Marlowe many kudos for such originality, multiple allusions, poetic style, and containing so much in such a short play.

My rating: 9/10. ;)

Yesterday, I finished reading A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce.
Finally, I have found a book by James Joyce in which I did not have to do a lot of research in order to understand! :D Sometimes, I found this book particularly difficult to follow, as the plot wandered sometimes, but many parts of the novel seemed like very in-depth, incredible philosophical discourses, especially on aesthetics. The last part of the last chapter (as a ***SPOILER***) consisted of journal entries, which I thought very interesting; finally, the reader can see deeply into the mind of the main character, Stephen Daedelus.
Considering the name of the main character, the many, many allusions to Metamorphoses by Ovid did not surprise me, particularly to the tale of Icarus and Daedelus. Other popular allusions referenced St. Thomas Aquinas, whose aesthetics greatly interested me (perhaps another book to add to my mini-library soon).
In summary, I thought the novel incredible - the masterpiece of James Joyce (though I have yet to read only Ulysses by him), and a great representative to flight-of-consiousness literature.

My rating: 10/10.

Yesterday, I finished reading The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli - a very short, quick read, but saturated with thought. No doubt, nearly everyone knows of the Machiavellian ethics - the way of coercing and owning one's power over pampering and such spoils. As said in another thread, I mainly wanted to read it because it seemed a book frequently referenced, but not read as often.
Though I cannot quite agree with some of Machiavelli's philosophy, I have no doubt of his very superior intelligence; and I think the era in which he lived inspired his thought more than anything (he definitely had a strong affinity for politics and history). Despite his rather obvious immodesty, I felt the author had a lot to say, and definitely something worth reading; then again, I frequently feel I can learn more from someone of whom I disagree, rather than agree. Nonetheless, regardless of seeming labeled to have inspired the 'devilish ethics' in his time, I consider him one of the many great, older Italian authors.

My rating: 8.5/10.

The last book I read was "Romeo and Juliet"... gosh... it's so dramatic o.O But it's kind of nice... tragic ending though... abit like... you die I die sort of thing... haiz... most of you should know this play by William Shakespeare XD

During my summer stay in France I completed Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne.
As a child I always wanted to become a marine biologist (that was before I knew that this involved dissecting animals, too :D) and I had read this novel somewhen in middle-school, but now I wanted to re-read it and see what impact it would have now that I'm a bit more familiar with literature than I was then.
The book is about a professor and his servant taking part in a voyage on a ship that is to find out the truth about a mysterious monster that emerges at different places all over the world. However, they are thrown overboard by a shock and get picked up by the "monster", turning out to be a huge metallic ship, the "Nautilus", built and governed by the famous Captain Nemo. The Nautilus holds a great many wonders and the newcomers get to the depths of the ocean by accompagning Nemo on his voyages to the Indian coast, the Mediterranean, and even the South Pole.
I definetely don't regret having taken up the book for a second time. It is amazing how Jules Verne must have had some kind of foresight when describing the way the Nautilus operates by means of electricity, their diving suits, Nemo's measuring instruments, etc. that come very close to our technical devices today. The account of the marine life the heros encounter is also quite intriguing, although I found that especially these passage tend to be a bit lengthy at times, zoological names of fish being specified over three pages and such (maybe Jules Verne wanted to make clear that he definetely has done a lot of research :D).
The travels of the Nautilus and the crew, however, are quite exotic and interesting to read. The professor allows the reader to explore the Nautilus and the abyss of the ocean through his eyes and gives an insight into the unique personage of Nemo, who really remains unforgettable as a character after having read the book.
My rating would be 7/10.

Earlier today, I completed reading Tess Of The D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy.
I read this slightly longer novel many years ago, probably at an age of which I did not understand it fully; having read Jude The Obscure (by the same author) very recently, I recalled wanting to read Tess again to make further my comprehension.
The language itself flows like poetry, and, despite Hardy's verbosity that could make Dickens' literature look vaguely described, the words alone define the art of the novel. In terms of a plot, the novel seemed to proceed in circles quite frequently, and exclude some parts of time that I thought important; otherwise, the storyline unfurled with suspense, ethical dilemmas, and much of the deep, introspective thought of the author, shining through the main title character.
Though overall I must say that I enjoyed Jude The Obscure more, Tess Of The D'Urbervilles certainly provides a definition of art in turn-of-the-century literature.

My rating: 9/10.

I Am Lord Voldemort By Nemesis

Today, I have read the best Harry Potter fanfiction of my life and that is I Am Lord Voldemort By Nemisis. Someone told me about it a year and a half ago. I looked at the given link but it was no longer there as author had removed it and then yesterday, someone asked me about some good Harry Potter fanfics and I suddenly remembered it. I really wanted to read it so I used way back machine and finally found it!

It's a great fanfiction, about Lord Voldemort's years at Hogwarts and how he changed from an innocent (not really innocent but far more innocent that he was later) boy into a dark wizard. It's a great read, style is very much similar to that of Rowling's and I am really thankful to Nemisis for writing it.

It was written in 2001, I think. And I have noticed that old fanfiction writers are better than those who lurks around today, writing nothing but slash between Snape and Harry.

Oh well, this fanfiction (a kind of book as it's very long) deserves 10/10!

Ah I see that someone had just finished Joyce's, A Portrait. I am reading about halfway through it at the moment and I love it. But I finished Joyce's grander and infinitely more difficult Ulysses just today, quite the toil and trouble. Well worth it though, for the relaxing nature it gives to read a more relaxed book such as "A Portrait" right after it/at the same time. I feel after reading Ulysses I will approach and divulge the more difficult in the literary world with more ample preparedness, and possibly training? To those who can consume Ulysses readily and wittingly I commend you, that power is beyond me, but the beautiful and intricate meanderings of the narrative allusions, poetry, and wit drew me to work for what I was reading and it was rewarding nearly everypage

André Gide’s Straight is the Gate strikes me as a story of tortured and self-sacrificing love that only a European could write: it’s all muted shades of feeling and delicacy. To me, this is Chekhov territory, and this just doesn’t compare—that said, it does have a number of beautifully realized moments and the occasional burst of emotional truth that makes it worth reading.

I've just read Slaughter house 5 Or The Children's Crusade by Kurt Vonnegut. There is this satirical tone he employs; it's quite appealing, to me anyway. I think that his choice of approach , this "black humour" kind, adds an element of tragic reality to the whole portrayal of the Dresden bombings...
It was a pleasant read , not too long and not too short

Yesterday, I completed reading a book including Notes From The Underground and The Double by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Having always loved Dostoevsky, and enjoyed several of his novels (Crime And Punishment, The Brother Karamazov, and The Idiot), I expected nothing less than genius, and certainly read more of the author's profound talent in literature.
Much like how Jean-Jacques Rousseau and St. Augustine wrote their Confessions, I thought the same of Notes From The Underground, but not, of course, the thoughts of Dostoevsky himself, and the fact seemed obvious. Parts of it seemed rather lewd, invasive, and well thought, yet more involved with late Sophism than the logic I would subscribe to and prefer.
The Double started somewhat slow-paced, yet soon enough, as goes the nature of Dostoevsky's fiction, picked up with all sorts of whims, expressions of inevitable human nature (in a dark way), and the author's often dark, brutal honesty. Overall, it seemed well written, but, thus far, nothing quite dominates The Brothers Karamazov.

My rating: 10/10.

Gothic horror fiction mmmm... exquisite. I have just completed reading Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. This novel explores quite thought-provoking and perhaps controversial themes such as ... aestheticity (not sure about spelling), homosexuality, and hedonism, etc. The narrative is impressive, though I found myself very much in disagreement with many, or most, of Lord Henry's critiques/views concerning "beauty" and life in general.
Nevertheless, a delightful read, definitely worth it.
:nod:

Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte
A governess's story.

I felt like I couldn't sympathize with the main character (Agnes). She sounds snobbish just because she happens to be a daughter of a reverend and is, by that time's standard, "educated." There are a few occasions when she humbles herself, but her consistent holier-than-thou attitude can be annoying. Her pupils are even more annoying, though, so you can't help siding with her anyway.

There's no real plot, and this in fact sounds too much like an autobiography. I'm sure Bronte did a good job in portraying how important education is to every social class, but as a whole, not too enjoyable. Bronte was smart and perceptive, I'll give her that. (At least, some of her sarcastic comments are amusing. :p)

As I began reading Cuba, I Remember You by Oscar M. Ramirez-Orbea, I was intrigued by the unusual layout of the pages. The collection of short stories is presented in both English and Spanish in a way that is easily read and followed.

Although I have never been to Cuba-and probably never will go there-the author took me there with his descriptive words of the island, houses where he lived, introduction of family members, vivid images of childhood friends, and other memories of his life before and after the revolution. I was surprised to see the introduction, acknowledgements, and dedication all combined; however, this was effective and served as an overall introduction to the intriguing and informative stories.

The author begins his writings on a light note as he describes his Aunt Carmita whom he calls a character with an eccentric personality, but does so with strong feelings of respect and love. His description of her as she attempted to sing classical opera brought tears of laughter to my eyes. When this beloved aunt died at the age of ninety-two in California, having been forced to leave Cuba years earlier, the author relates how her death marked the end of a period in his life-the end of an age.

Dr. Ramirez-Orbea, who was forced to leave Cuba at the age of ten, realized that with her death and that of other family members, he needed to do something to keep these people alive through his words. He didn't want the memories to be lost with the passing of time. Thus he began writing an extensive journal for his private use, and this book contains selected content from this journal.

The author's relationship with others is paramount to the stories that he tells. Though it is definitely not a political or historical book, we see some aspects of both as his stories unfold through narrative that is written with deep feelings and honesty. Love is the thread that binds all the stories together-the love of a small child for his homeland, parents and relatives. His experiences, before and after the revolution, are told in a truthful and often humorous way, but there is no doubt that they eternally impacted his life.

As he relates memories of his grandparents' house-a home for all-as well as the more modern house into which his family moved, readers see the world clearly through his young eyes. As an adult, the author uses his talent for writing to share both the bad and good memories of his early years in Cuba. There were terrifying experiences and situations-ones that he was happy to leave behind when he came to America. Still, they do not take away the memories of the way it once had been.

Cuba, I Remember You is a book about family, love, relationships, and survival in difficult circumstances that all readers will find to be a wonderful reading experience. Family photographs illustrate the 14 short stories, making the narrative even more interesting. It is a personal story, and though autobiographical, it is a fascinating book, blending humor and love with adventure and reality. The author succeeds in giving his family and homeland immortality through written words. This is a MUST READ!

This morning, I finished reading Ulysses by James Joyce. Usually, I would not read such a challenging book so swiftly, yet I could hardly place the book down to rest my eyes.
As with any book I have read by the same author (Dubliners, A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man, and Finnegans Wake), Ulysses posed an immense feat to comprehend, and I found that out of all of his books, A Portrait . . . probably read the most simply.
Before reading Ulysses, I made it a point to review The Odyssey by Homer, hoping it may help, but, I warn everyone, it merely helped with the several abstract allusions made by Joyce. Regardless, this seems a gem of stream-of-consciousness literature, and its challenge appears far worth the diligence of attempting to comprehend the difficulty of James Joyce. The plot, itself, wanders, and, though a rather long book, takes place over a small amount of time, mostly showing multiple events in different places. Throughout the fragmented sentences, the peculiar descriptions, and allusions, however, one reveals the brilliance and uniquity of the plot - of moral dilemmas, science, adultery, and culture.

My rating: 9.5/10.

I'm kind of cheating here, since this wasn't technically the last book I've read, but I did read it fairly recently and have to mention it as one of the all time greats - Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. This is not for the casual reader. The unabridged version is well over 1,000 pages, and Hugo takes many side trips into history, scene descriptions, etc. But the journey is well worth it - this could be a book that changes your life. The story of Jean ValJean is the story of the transformation of a soul.