The Original: A Novel
by Nell Stevens
Deceptively entertaining read (5/25/2025)
I'm struggling to articulate why I liked this book so much--but sections of it are really staying with me which is a good sign. I particularly liked how the book began; with a resonant story that became a major plot point. I also appreciated the voice of the main character and how true to the character it was--highly descriptive, perceptive, but distant; removed from the action even as she was participating in it. It seemed that she engaged with the world through thinking about paintings, and the deep and nuanced descriptions of artworks were really great--in fact, I thought they were the most "alive" characters in the novel. None of the characters were likable, and I didn't exactly root for them, but I was invested in the trajectory of the story. Even though I figured out some major plot points before they happened, it didn't really matter--the characters themselves were not predictable which made it exciting.
The Land of Decoration: A Novel
by Grace McCleen
Suspending disbelief (3/28/2012)
I really wanted to like The Land of Decoration, but in the end, I felt that it really required too much faith on the part of the reader for the story to hold together.
Arcadia: A Novel
by Lauren Groff
A mesmerizing trip (11/28/2011)
This book really grabbed and held me; it is deeply involving and lyrically written. Told by a single character over four stages of life (childhood, adolescence, maturity, and old age), this is an absorbing tale filled with memorable characters. The story charts the rise, fall, aftermath and return to Arcadia, both a real place (a hippie commune in NY state) and a sense of connection among those who lived there. I think I will remember and muse on this book for a long time.
The Most Dangerous Thing
by Laura Lippman
There are many sides to every story (7/30/2011)
a fast enjoyable read, The Most Dangerous things sweeps the reader along from the first chapter. Told by many different narrators, I particularly liked hearing each different voice--and all of the rationalizations and inner narratives really helped flesh out the characters. There were a few times, however, when the story was being told by an omniscient narrator, which didn't work as well--although it moved the plot forward, it was hard to tell who was meant to be speaking, but this is a minor complaint. The central "mystery" moved things forward, but I was more taken by the flawed individuals in the story and how they defined their lives and the lives of others around them. A good summer read that I would certainly recommend.
Outlander
by Diana Gabaldon
An engaging & well-written romance (3/20/2011)
Outlander is an engaging and well-written historical romance filled with vivid battle and sex scenes. Despite it's strengths, however, it is too long, sags in spots, and could easily have been trimmed by several hundreds of pages. I did enjoy the book, but it took me forever to read (not my usual m.o.). I may read another book in the series, but I certainly won't run out to get the next book immediately
The Devotion of Suspect X
by Keigo Higashino
Lost in Translation (12/10/2010)
A very quick and engaging read, although the characters aren't very nuanced (not that they really need to be in a murder mystery)and the final chapter falls completely flat and undermines some of the book's good qualities. But the prose often seems stilted--could this be a problem with the translation? I didn't dislike the book, but can't really say I'd highly recommend it.
The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai: A Novel
by Ruiyan Xu
The Loss of Language (10/2/2010)
"The Lost and Forgotten Languages of Shanghai" is a lyrical, haunting, and engrossing book about how language and culture, and the understandings and misunderstandings that they engender, both tie people together and break them apart.
When the central character, Li Jing, has a brain injury that suddenly makes him unable to speak a word of Chinese (although he still understands it), his world, and that of his wife, father, and son, is thrown into turmoil. The parallel experiences of his American doctor, Rosalyn Neal, of isolation and connection are compelling, and ultimately heartbreaking. The book chronicles the characters' struggles, moments of connection, and missteps so seamlessly that you feel you are experiencing what the characters are experiencing. This is a book to be savored, and there is much to spark lively discussion.
The Postmistress
by Sarah Blake
Promise unfulfilled (8/31/2010)
The Postmistress started with promise--the first chapter crackled with sharply described characters and situations, and set up the expectation of an engaging story. Unfortunately, this made the book's sloppy descent, with predictable turns, murky motivations, and unsatisfyingly pre-determined ending all that more frustrating.
The Stuff That Never Happened
by Maddie Dawson
The Stuff That Never Happened (8/15/2010)
'The Stuff That Never Happened' turned out to be a much better book than I initially thought it would be. The first few chapters were unpromising; the characters seemed one-dimensional and thinly written, but luckily it turned a corner, and developed into an engaging read. In retrospect, the initial flatness of the characters turned into a well-thought out technique--capturing the way people who know each other over a long period of time can reduce each other to well-worn tics and mannerisms. This book might provide interesting fodder for book groups as it nicely probes different relationships and the expectations that come with them.
I Curse the River of Time
by Per Petterson
Haunting and engrossing (8/15/2010)
I have no idea how Per Petterson crams so much lyrical emotion into his short books; but it's nothing short of miraculous. I felt that I instantly knew his characters from their first words--somehow all the longing and self-deception is crystal clear, embedded in long, flat sentences that always leave their mark long after I've read them. I almost never read books more than once, but both I Curse the River of Time, and Out Stealing Horses are keepers to go back to again and again.
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