This starts off with an interesting premise, but unfortunately goes steadily downhill from there. It eventually devolves into the most tedious daily rThis starts off with an interesting premise, but unfortunately goes steadily downhill from there. It eventually devolves into the most tedious daily recital of weather reports, mood analyses, and chore lists, salted with the most heavy-handed foreshadowing I’ve ever had the misfortune to encounter, and bitter ruminations on the pointlessness of human existence. What I find most troublesome is the assessment of some that this constitutes some sort of feminism. Feminism that consists of a complete obsession with the minutiae of a daily agricultural life and a nihilistic attitude towards humanity as a whole isn’t for me. ...more
This is a magnificent novel! It’s completely engrossing; with characters one just wants to spend lots and lots of time with, and an atmosphere and envThis is a magnificent novel! It’s completely engrossing; with characters one just wants to spend lots and lots of time with, and an atmosphere and environment so detailed and rich. This is the beauty of historical fiction at its best, the artistry of completely immersing the reader in the time period, the graceful mix of points of view and narrators, the period details so effortlessly depicted. And such a compelling story! Such a beautiful contrast between the richly detailed storytelling and the oh-so-ambiguous story. Great artistry here!...more
This was such a wonderful surprise for me, never having heard of her before. Eight stories, none the least bit predictable, although with each one sheThis was such a wonderful surprise for me, never having heard of her before. Eight stories, none the least bit predictable, although with each one she was able to tease me a bit, get me thinking that I knew where it was going, but it never was! Real, charming people in pain and trouble dealing with life’s blows – good, good, good stuff!...more
Nope, this did next-to-nothing for me. A dull meandering start, a few instances of momentary potential interest, all left lying unexplored, and then aNope, this did next-to-nothing for me. A dull meandering start, a few instances of momentary potential interest, all left lying unexplored, and then a meandering pointless finish....more
This is a great collection of essays, showing Atwood’s humor and wit and joy in the themes of Canadian literature. It’s an interesting analysis of manThis is a great collection of essays, showing Atwood’s humor and wit and joy in the themes of Canadian literature. It’s an interesting analysis of many of the same themes that can be seen running through her own work – and it’s a lot of fun to read just for the sense of connection it gave me to Atwood the real person (who wears earrings that match her lecture topic!)....more
There’s a calmness about this that I found quite comforting. It’s a quiet little book that pleased my need for atmosphere and character. It’s a pleasaThere’s a calmness about this that I found quite comforting. It’s a quiet little book that pleased my need for atmosphere and character. It’s a pleasant, quiet, cozy comfort of a read that perfectly fit my mood while watching leaves fall and eating Thanksgiving leftovers (both were absolutely yummy and delicious!). A slow-moving character study that left me delighted. A mythical tale told in a science fiction setting, with notes of deep humanity and sweet humor....more
A fun, compelling adventure, with a cute format. Cute will only get you so far though, and at times I wearied of it and wished for some more meaty chaA fun, compelling adventure, with a cute format. Cute will only get you so far though, and at times I wearied of it and wished for some more meaty character development instead, but overall, this was quite satisfying....more
Toni Morrison has a simply beautiful voice, and a simply beautiful way of telling a story. Yet, unfortunately, this was a bit of a disappointment for Toni Morrison has a simply beautiful voice, and a simply beautiful way of telling a story. Yet, unfortunately, this was a bit of a disappointment for me. It starts off with a collection of damaged voices, and I so wanted to follow these voices further, but about half-way through the narrative switches to the third person and nothing grabbed me quite as much after that. Still, Morrison, even not at her best, is still so much better than almost anybody else! I’ve decided I need to mull this one over a bit and then give it a reread. There’s a richness here, particularly in her imagery, that I suspect won’t be leaving me for a long time....more
A fantastic romp through a land more fey than faery itself, with even the language itself being put to use in service to the fantastical; descriptionsA fantastic romp through a land more fey than faery itself, with even the language itself being put to use in service to the fantastical; descriptions of such otherness that I was left in awe, many times far too rich for my blood. Weird, odd, and fantastical beyond anything I’ve ever read, only barely tethered to any sort of reality at all. Such a delicious exercise in creativity!...more
A rather simplistic parable about the ethical superiority of an agrarian life, peopled with wooden characters. There’s nothing subtle here, but insteaA rather simplistic parable about the ethical superiority of an agrarian life, peopled with wooden characters. There’s nothing subtle here, but instead lots of hitting the reader over the head. (If her characters weren’t so lifeless though, there might actually be some interesting observations here about the role of women in pre-revolution Chinese society.) Even more troubling though is the paternalistic tone that underlies this work, the detached gaze upon the “noble savage” and the resulting complete disregard for the Chinese contribution to civilization. One review described this as “a universal tale of the destiny of man.” I don’t buy this – I find this fundamentally to be a racist view of the “simple” life, one that the author believes the “lower races” might wish to emulate – but one that she believes a thinking educated European might occasionally envy, but never truly desire....more
Goodness, but I enjoyed this! Although I understood this to be a first draft of Mockingbird, it really is a completely different story, a completely sGoodness, but I enjoyed this! Although I understood this to be a first draft of Mockingbird, it really is a completely different story, a completely satisfying sequel. I imagine she wrote this and her publisher/agent/editor said, “But I want to know what happened earlier.” The earlier story may be more polished, but it is also simpler, this is far more complex, far more controversial, far more painful. We see so well her pain in confronting her father’s flaws, because we have all already come to love Atticus Finch – it hurts. I almost didn’t read this, wondering about the ethics of its publication – I am so, so, so, glad that I did! How was this left to molder for 50 years?!...more
This (so far) is my favorite book of Atwood’s poetry. I simply connected with this in so many ways! First of all it’s a beautiful little book; aesthetThis (so far) is my favorite book of Atwood’s poetry. I simply connected with this in so many ways! First of all it’s a beautiful little book; aesthetically it had me from the very first moment. And in the end it gave me more unmixed pleasure than any of her other volumes of poetry. So many of the poems spoke to me. They felt rich and mature and real with no facile silliness; there’s lots of intriguing oddness here, delightfully engaging puzzles as well, and some that made me cry. This is a lovely book of poetry, in every way possible, and I want to own it and read it all over again....more
This has the fascinating quality of appearing to be three entirely different stories; on one level it’s a realistic and humorous contemporary novel abThis has the fascinating quality of appearing to be three entirely different stories; on one level it’s a realistic and humorous contemporary novel about friendships and toxic relationships, on another level it’s a fairytale, a morality play about three innocents confronting evil, and then on a third level it’s a psychological drama where no one can be trusted. At the same time it is told through three different points of view, and with each point of view the author and the reader are immersed in a completely different, completely believable reality. Reading this while fluctuating between reality, fairytale and psychodrama, and seeing these layers from three different points of view, was a truly layered immersive experience! This is rich, valuable, and satisfying! ...more
A satisfying end to the adventure – lots of fun with aliens – although this all felt much more like fantasy than science fiction – and a nice romance A satisfying end to the adventure – lots of fun with aliens – although this all felt much more like fantasy than science fiction – and a nice romance too. It was a fun way to spend a weekend. ...more
Okay, the characterization’s a bit thin, but with such a grand non-stop adventure I didn’t really take the time to care. It’s an exciting, page-turninOkay, the characterization’s a bit thin, but with such a grand non-stop adventure I didn’t really take the time to care. It’s an exciting, page-turning plot, with some lovely romance thrown in, and I completely enjoyed myself. Of course this takes up right where the first book ends, and makes no attempt to tie up any loose ends, this is simply part 2 of the Saturday afternoon matinee and you’ll have to tune in next book to see how it all turns out....more
This was so much fun, deliciously funny and yet completely real; laugh-out-loud hilarious and yet a lot of pain as well. She reaches into the agony ofThis was so much fun, deliciously funny and yet completely real; laugh-out-loud hilarious and yet a lot of pain as well. She reaches into the agony of adolescence so beautifully and yet with such an amazing sense of humor....more
I loved this story. I was particularly engaged by the narrative technique – it is told partly in the third person and partly in the first person, yet I loved this story. I was particularly engaged by the narrative technique – it is told partly in the third person and partly in the first person, yet it becomes clear that the first person narrator is also the third-person narrator, and yet you can’t help but realize that he doesn’t really know all the facts, he is simply speculating, which adds to the fact that this entire story is just speculation inspired by real people. Here we have a group of white folks (the single male narrator and a married couple) living among indigenous peoples and the overwhelming note is their ignorance about the unknown. Their unknowingness about the people they’re observing, the unknowingness about the right way to observe or participate or question, the single man’s unknowingness about what’s going on in the couple’s marriage, his telling the story after the fact from his biases and assumptions, yet those same opinions are not seen in her behavior. They’re guessing, he’s guessing, we know as little about our “subject-matter” as we do about those around us. And it’s just a grandly absorbing story that I didn’t want to put down!...more
An oddly quirky reading experience, full of the most unusually delightful descriptions and metaphors. The story simultaneously manages an immediacy anAn oddly quirky reading experience, full of the most unusually delightful descriptions and metaphors. The story simultaneously manages an immediacy and an absurdist lack of reality that is very discombobulating....more
Full of facts, some cool, some scary; she starts out with a pleasantly chatty whimsical narrative style that made me willing to persevere through the Full of facts, some cool, some scary; she starts out with a pleasantly chatty whimsical narrative style that made me willing to persevere through the less amusing bits of this. Sometimes we just want to put our hands over our eyes and refuse to see or hear. I want to keep all the good news and forget the bad....more
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