First of all, let me saw that these are far from "professional" reviews. I've been reading a lot lately and these are just the thoughts on what I have been reading. Feel free to take all with a grain of salt. Or the whole bucket. Or take every word as fact. Whatever you think....
I just started reading At Home- the newest Bill Bryson book. This is a very clever concept, especially since his last book (A Short History of Nearly Everything) encompassed nearly everything. This time, he takes his own house and writes about it. He starts by setting the scene- what is going on in 1851 when his Victorian Norfolk house was built. Then he gets a little closer- what exactly makes a house or a home distinguishable from any other building and how is that reflected in history. Then we enter the house- what is significant bout the hall which at one time was the whole house and now is demoted to a place where you leave your hats and boots. Then we move into the kitchen. This is the chapter that I'm on right now. It's different from his usual travel books which are filled with funny vignettes and stories. Not that this is a bad thing- it's far more academic but it still has the Bill Bryson touch, which I look forward to in each chapter.
I was first introduced to Roddy Doyle's book in Brit Lit when I read The Woman Who Walked Into Doors for our final project. It was a harrowing experience, one that Sonya and I still laugh about now that we are years removed from it. But I was so glad to be introduced to his writing. I ate up his books that summer- Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, A Star Called Henry, The Commitments, the Snapper, the Van, etc. I discovered last summer that there was a sequel to The Woman Who Walked Into Doors called Paula Spender which was so great because I got to see what happens to Paul after her experiences in TWWWID. I found The Deportees in the short story section of the Summertown Library and picked it up. What is unique about The Deportees is that there are all stories that are less than 800 words and have the theme of race and racism in Dublin. There is a another sequel to the Committments where Jimmy Rabbitte gets a new band together- except that nobody can be Irish. One is about a daughter who brings home a Nigerian to dinner and the father has an internal conflict about possibly having a black son-in-law. Another one is an experience that two friends put on- she is black and he is white and in a wheelchair. Which one won't be followed while they attempt to shoplift? There stories were all unique- some were better than others but because they were so short, it was easy to move on from a story that you may not have liked.
I found an excerpt of this book on the Inklings blog and a few months later stumbled upon it at the Summertown library. I picked it up anticipating to like it since I pretty much like everything that has to do with Narnia (except for that annoying love story between Caspian and Susan in the newest Narnia movie... ew...) and ended up despising it. The author is a literary critic who love Narnia as a child, then discovered its religious overtones, ended up feeling betrayed and started to hate Narnia. Now she's re-reading them as a literary critic. Now, I'm sorry that she felt betrayed and maybe it's because I love Narnia but I think you can still enjoy the books even with the religious themes. It doesn't mean that it's not a good story. That aside, I just didn't' like her writing style. There was no organization- I never knew where she was heading with her chapter groups. She was very critical of both Lewis and Tolkien and name-dropped every page it seemed. She just was non-stop whinging and about halfway through, I just wanted to throw the book across the room and return it to the library. I found that I was disliking the author so much that I couldn't look past her annoying-ness to even want to listen to her argument. Blech.
I tried, I really tried. I got through maybe the first 150 pages and just couldn't keep going. What the hell is going on in this story? Isn't it supposed to be a modern day Odyssey in Dublin? I got none of that, but maybe it happens after the first 150 pages. I still have twelve days before it's due so maybe I'll give it a try but really, will my life be more enriched if I do? Nay.
I have been waiting so long for this and it didn't disappoint. God of the Hive brought back my favorite characters along with some new ones. It was definitely different than the other Holmes and Russell stories. I wasn't OK with how Russell and Holmes don't even meet face-to-face until the at least 200 pages in. The thing that drew me into the Russell books initially and not having that was hard. But, I was able to kind of look aside that, think of it as a different sort of book and enjoy the story. Laurie's descriptions were incredible and so visual- I felt like I was on the rickety ship over to Holland, I felt like I was in a plane crash (I think I may have had some bruises :) ), I could picture Robert Goodman's cabin and the surrounding wilderness and am really close to wanting to go and track it down and live with the Green Man (yes, I know that once again I am confusing fiction with reality). I didn't love how quickly the pace went- sometimes my head was spinning with keeping everything straight, especially with all the newspapers. Holmes would be reading a newspaper which Russell had read two days before and I'm sure it'll take another reading to keep everything straight. I felt that it was really creative how Russell and Holmes were kept in the dark for so long yet are still able to do their job- they don't know what the other is doing, they have no idea where Mycroft is, they don't even know that they're fighting a different villain than they think (the previous villain dies in like the first ten chapters). I just wished that we could have learned more about the new villain, the enigmatic Mr. West. (Also, an aside- anyone know that Holmes story the Greek family takes place in? I'm so bad with my original Holmes knowledge...) I was heartbroken when I found out about Mycroft. I knew that the things that he was involved in were never fully above ground- I mean, you can't have that much power and be able to just snap your fingers and get all this information in seconds without having some sorts of strings to pull- but at the same time, it's still heartbreaking to see the relationship between Russell and Mycroft ruined. He was always the solid member of the Holmes trio (Russell included) and they had gotten so close during Language of Bees. It's so hard to see their relationship broken. Overall, really enjoyed the new story and I'm excited to see what will happen in the next story with pirates and Portugal and Morocco. I first of all hope that Russell and Holmes get a long long rest. They've been run ragged since Letter of Mary and they deserve it. And as much as I like Damian and Estelle (although it's interesting that Russell doesn't really know what to do with Estelle but she seemed to have no problem with Jessica Simpson- maybe because Estelle is younger and also related to her), I'm hoping that it's back to Holmes and Russell, partners-in-crime (well, partners-in-solving-crime) with a great story with clues, maybe only a brief separation, some of that subtle husband/wife love that is so great in the Moor and Letter of Mary and Justice Hall (I love when she sits next to Holmes and rests her head on his shoulder when he comes back to JH after Marsh is shot), mended relationships and possibly some great costumes (I LOVE their costumes!). Overall again, though, bravo, Laurie, again you have given me a great way to spend several afternoons. I love your books!
I just started reading At Home- the newest Bill Bryson book. This is a very clever concept, especially since his last book (A Short History of Nearly Everything) encompassed nearly everything. This time, he takes his own house and writes about it. He starts by setting the scene- what is going on in 1851 when his Victorian Norfolk house was built. Then he gets a little closer- what exactly makes a house or a home distinguishable from any other building and how is that reflected in history. Then we enter the house- what is significant bout the hall which at one time was the whole house and now is demoted to a place where you leave your hats and boots. Then we move into the kitchen. This is the chapter that I'm on right now. It's different from his usual travel books which are filled with funny vignettes and stories. Not that this is a bad thing- it's far more academic but it still has the Bill Bryson touch, which I look forward to in each chapter.
I was first introduced to Roddy Doyle's book in Brit Lit when I read The Woman Who Walked Into Doors for our final project. It was a harrowing experience, one that Sonya and I still laugh about now that we are years removed from it. But I was so glad to be introduced to his writing. I ate up his books that summer- Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha, A Star Called Henry, The Commitments, the Snapper, the Van, etc. I discovered last summer that there was a sequel to The Woman Who Walked Into Doors called Paula Spender which was so great because I got to see what happens to Paul after her experiences in TWWWID. I found The Deportees in the short story section of the Summertown Library and picked it up. What is unique about The Deportees is that there are all stories that are less than 800 words and have the theme of race and racism in Dublin. There is a another sequel to the Committments where Jimmy Rabbitte gets a new band together- except that nobody can be Irish. One is about a daughter who brings home a Nigerian to dinner and the father has an internal conflict about possibly having a black son-in-law. Another one is an experience that two friends put on- she is black and he is white and in a wheelchair. Which one won't be followed while they attempt to shoplift? There stories were all unique- some were better than others but because they were so short, it was easy to move on from a story that you may not have liked. 
I found an excerpt of this book on the Inklings blog and a few months later stumbled upon it at the Summertown library. I picked it up anticipating to like it since I pretty much like everything that has to do with Narnia (except for that annoying love story between Caspian and Susan in the newest Narnia movie... ew...) and ended up despising it. The author is a literary critic who love Narnia as a child, then discovered its religious overtones, ended up feeling betrayed and started to hate Narnia. Now she's re-reading them as a literary critic. Now, I'm sorry that she felt betrayed and maybe it's because I love Narnia but I think you can still enjoy the books even with the religious themes. It doesn't mean that it's not a good story. That aside, I just didn't' like her writing style. There was no organization- I never knew where she was heading with her chapter groups. She was very critical of both Lewis and Tolkien and name-dropped every page it seemed. She just was non-stop whinging and about halfway through, I just wanted to throw the book across the room and return it to the library. I found that I was disliking the author so much that I couldn't look past her annoying-ness to even want to listen to her argument. Blech.
I tried, I really tried. I got through maybe the first 150 pages and just couldn't keep going. What the hell is going on in this story? Isn't it supposed to be a modern day Odyssey in Dublin? I got none of that, but maybe it happens after the first 150 pages. I still have twelve days before it's due so maybe I'll give it a try but really, will my life be more enriched if I do? Nay.
I have been waiting so long for this and it didn't disappoint. God of the Hive brought back my favorite characters along with some new ones. It was definitely different than the other Holmes and Russell stories. I wasn't OK with how Russell and Holmes don't even meet face-to-face until the at least 200 pages in. The thing that drew me into the Russell books initially and not having that was hard. But, I was able to kind of look aside that, think of it as a different sort of book and enjoy the story. Laurie's descriptions were incredible and so visual- I felt like I was on the rickety ship over to Holland, I felt like I was in a plane crash (I think I may have had some bruises :) ), I could picture Robert Goodman's cabin and the surrounding wilderness and am really close to wanting to go and track it down and live with the Green Man (yes, I know that once again I am confusing fiction with reality). I didn't love how quickly the pace went- sometimes my head was spinning with keeping everything straight, especially with all the newspapers. Holmes would be reading a newspaper which Russell had read two days before and I'm sure it'll take another reading to keep everything straight. I felt that it was really creative how Russell and Holmes were kept in the dark for so long yet are still able to do their job- they don't know what the other is doing, they have no idea where Mycroft is, they don't even know that they're fighting a different villain than they think (the previous villain dies in like the first ten chapters). I just wished that we could have learned more about the new villain, the enigmatic Mr. West. (Also, an aside- anyone know that Holmes story the Greek family takes place in? I'm so bad with my original Holmes knowledge...) I was heartbroken when I found out about Mycroft. I knew that the things that he was involved in were never fully above ground- I mean, you can't have that much power and be able to just snap your fingers and get all this information in seconds without having some sorts of strings to pull- but at the same time, it's still heartbreaking to see the relationship between Russell and Mycroft ruined. He was always the solid member of the Holmes trio (Russell included) and they had gotten so close during Language of Bees. It's so hard to see their relationship broken. Overall, really enjoyed the new story and I'm excited to see what will happen in the next story with pirates and Portugal and Morocco. I first of all hope that Russell and Holmes get a long long rest. They've been run ragged since Letter of Mary and they deserve it. And as much as I like Damian and Estelle (although it's interesting that Russell doesn't really know what to do with Estelle but she seemed to have no problem with Jessica Simpson- maybe because Estelle is younger and also related to her), I'm hoping that it's back to Holmes and Russell, partners-in-crime (well, partners-in-solving-crime) with a great story with clues, maybe only a brief separation, some of that subtle husband/wife love that is so great in the Moor and Letter of Mary and Justice Hall (I love when she sits next to Holmes and rests her head on his shoulder when he comes back to JH after Marsh is shot), mended relationships and possibly some great costumes (I LOVE their costumes!). Overall again, though, bravo, Laurie, again you have given me a great way to spend several afternoons. I love your books!
No comments:
Post a Comment