Kim's Review of Black Swan Green by David Mitchell

294 pages, library, hardback
published in 2006
started 3/29/07, finished 4/5/07

First Sentence: "Do not set foot in my office."

Reason for Reading: The NYT Notable Books Challenge

Summary(from Amazon.com):
For his fourth novel, two-time Booker Prize finalist Mitchell (Cloud Atlas, etc.) turns to material most writers plumb in their first: the semi autobiographical, first-person coming-of-age story. And after three books with notably complex narrative structure, far-flung settings, and multiple viewpoints, he has chosen one narrator, 13-year-old Jason Taylor, to tell the story of one year (1982) in one town, Worcestershire's Black Swan Green. Jason starts with the January day he accidentally smashes his late grandfather's irreplaceable Omega Seamaster DeVille watch and ends with Christmas. The gorgeously revealed cast includes Jason's brilliant older sister, sarcastic mother, blustering dad and a spectrum of bullies and mates. Jason's nemesis is an intermittent, fluctuating stammer: some days he must avoid words beginning with N; other days, S. Once he is exposed, the bullies taunt him mercilessly; there is no respite for the weak or disabled in Black Swan Green nor, as the realities of Thatcher's grim reign begin to take their toll, in England writ large.

Thoughts:
I had a hard time getting into the book at first because of all the British slang, but I quickly got used to it and got lost in the story of Jason Taylor. There were parts that made me laugh and some that made me cry-who can give better praise than that? A true coming of age story in every sense, each of the 13 chapters reads like its own short story. I am sure everyone remembers what it was like to be 13, where everything is "epic" (as Jason would say). This book captures that feeling beautifully. Some of the best chapters are Jason just being a boy, traveling through the woods to find a lost tunnel, playing games on the frozen lake with friends. But Jason is also very perceptive for a 13 year old. He writes poetry and becomes obsessed with the Falklands war for a bit. And he is all too painfully aware of the slow motion divorce his parents are going through. And through it all, he is battling his own personal demon-his painful stutter (or "Hangman" as Jason calls it). His main goal in life it to hide his stutter from his classmates-and what happens when his secret finally comes out is exactly what Jason feared would happen all along. This was a great book. I would definitely recommend it.

Favorite part:
Some of my favorite chapters are "Spooks", where Jason creeps through the neighbor's backyards in order to join a "secret society"; "Souvenirs", where Jason spends two memorable days with each of his parents; and "Solarium", where Jason meets Madame Eva van Outryve de Crommelynck, who teaches his a few things and who is not at all what she seems.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Kim's Review of Lisey's Story by Stephen King

509 pages, library, hardback
published in 2006
started 3/13/07, finished 3/19/07

First Sentence: "To the public eye, the spouses of well-known writers are all butinvisible, and no one knew it better than Lisey Landon."

Reason for reading: For the NYT Notable Books Challenge

Summary:
Lisey Debusher Landon lost her husband, Scott, two years ago, after a twenty-five year marriage of the most profound and sometimes frightening intimacy. Scott was an award-winning, best selling novelist and a very complicated man. Early in their relationship, before they married, Lisey had to learn from him about books and blood and bools. Later, she understood there was a place that Scott went-a place that both terrified and healed him, that could eat him alive or give him the ideas he needed in order to live. Now it's Lisey's turn to face Scott's demons, Lisey's turn to go to Boo'ya Moon. What begins as a widow's effort to sort through the papers of her celebrated husband becomes a nearly fatal journey into the darkness he inhabited.

Thoughts:
Believe it or not, Stephen King has written a love story! Oh, don't worry, the Stephen King we have come to know and love is still here, but the underlying love story between Scott and Lisey is just plain wonderful. And the reader gets the feeling this is a very personal book for Mr. King, near and dear to his heart. What I really enjoyed was Scott and Lisey's "secret" language. Anyone in a relationship knows there are phrases or words that you only use with each other and that only you will understand completely. King captures that beautifully. I have to admit, though, it did take awhile to get used to this language because a lot of things are not explained right away. But, if you are patient, you slowly find out the meaning of these words and phrases and how they tie in with Scott and Lisey's past. Words like "bool" become common and flow off your tongue after awhile. Stephen King is known for the thrills and chills he puts into his books, and this one is no exception. When Scott's past and his "long-boy" and Boo'ya Moon are finally fully revealed to the reader, it will send shudders down your spine. I haven't read a Stephen King book in probably 10 years, and I found that I still enjoyed him after all this time.

Favorite part: To me, the best part of the book was the relationship between Scott and Lisey.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Kim's Review of The Uses of Enchantment by Heidi Julavits

354 pages, hardcover, library
published in 2006
started 3/9/07, finished 3/13/07

First Sentence: " The following might have happened on a late-fall afternoon in the Boston suburb of West Salem."

Reason for reading: for the NYT Notable Books Challenge

WARNING: If you have not read this book, there may be spoilers in this review. Read at your own risk!

Summary:
In late afternoon on November 7, 1985, sixteen year old Mary Veal was abducted after field hockey practice at her all girls New England prep school. Or was she? A few weeks later an unharmed Mary reappears as suddenly and mysteriously as she disappeared, claiming to have little memory of what happened to her. Her socially ambitious mother, a compelling if frosty woman descended from a Salem witch, is concerned that Mary has somehow been sullied by the experience and sends her to therapy with a psychologist named Dr. Hammer.
Mary turns out to be a cagey and difficult patient. Dr. Hammer begins to suspect that Mary concocted her tale of abduction when he discovers its parallels with a seventeenth century narrative of a girl who was abducted by Indians and who caused her rescuer to be hanged as a witch. Hammer, eager to further his career, decides to write a book about Mary's faked abduction, a project her mother sanctions because she'd rather her daughter be a liar than a rape victim.
Fifteen years later, Mary has returned to Boston for her Mother's funeral. Her abduction-real or imagined-has tainted many lives, including her own. When Mary finds a suggestive letter to her mother, she suspects her mother had planned a reconciliation before her death. Thus begins a quest that requires Mary to revisit the people and places in her past.

Thoughts:
This was a very confusing, but very intriguing book. I kept thinking I was missing something the entire time because while I understood the surface story, I just wasn't "getting" it. And I still don't understand most of what happens in the book, which is why I can't wait for someone else to read it so we can discuss. Each chapter falls into 3 sections: "What Might Have Happened" (which focuses on Mary's "abduction" in 1985), "Notes" (which focus on Mary's therapy sessions with Dr. Hammer following her "abduction") and "West Salem" (which is the present day). I found I enjoyed Mary's therapy appointments with Dr. Hammer the most and the "abduction" story the least. I keep putting abduction in quotes because I am still not exactly clear on what happened and who is actually narrating those parts of the book. Is this Mary's actual version of what happened, her fantasy of what happened or even Dr. Hammer's version of what he thinks happened? It is all very confusing and almost dream-like. I found I could not connect with Mary at all and I found her rather annoying most of the time. She did not take any responsibility for her actions then didn't understand why people couldn't forgive her. All in all, I have no idea what to think of this book, although I found it somewhat intriguing at the same time. This is a tough one to recommend.

Favorite part:During one of Mary's therapy sessions with Dr. Hammer, they do a role reversal, with Mary playing the Doctor and Dr. Hammer playing Mary. It was a very interesting and entertaining exchange.

Rating: 2.75 out of 5

Kim's Review of The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Note: To read a great review of this book or to participate in a discussion about this book, go here

241 pages, library, hardcover
published in 2006
started 3/6/07, finished 3/8/07

First Sentance: "When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of the night he'd reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him."

Reason for reading: I read this as part of the NYT Notable Books Challenge

Summary:A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food-and each other.

*WARNING: If you have not read the book, there are spoilers below. Read at your own risk!

Thoughts:
This was my first McCarthy novel, so I did not know what to expect. I had heard great things about the book so I had hoped that I would love it, too. And I actually did end up enjoying it very much. McCarthy definitely writes sparse, beautiful prose. No one can argue with that. I felt like I was traveling in this devastated, hopeless world with the father and his son (so much so, that when they found that bunker full of food and supplies, I almost cried, I was so extremely relieved and happy for them and wished they could stay forever!). I thought this was actually a wonderful story about love and how love can get you through almost anything; or at least motivate you to keep on going when all seems hopeless and pointless. As for the ending (I know there is a lot of talk about this so I will throw in my two cents): my first reaction was that the people were "bad" and wanted to take the boy and eat him. But then I thought about it and if this group had been following the father and son all that time, they could have easily ambushed them whenever they wanted to, and they didn't. The man also let the boy keep his pistol and he wrapped the father's body in the blanket , which was a nice gesture, when they could have just taken him and eaten the body. So, I do think that those people were there to help the boy. Did I like the nice, pat, hopeful ending? I would have to say (even though I am in the minority), that I did like how the book ended. It gives us hope that the boy will be OK and that is fine with me after so much sadness.
Now, I do have to say (even though I will be booed and hissed at for saying it), I enjoyed Paul Auster's "In the Country of Last Things" (another postapocalyptic novel) a little bit more than this book. I guess I am the type of reader who needs a little bit more plot to go with her prose :0)
All in all, this was a very good read and I would definitely recommend this book to people.

Favorite part:
I already mentioned the I loved the part where they found the bunker full of food and supplies, but the part where they found the house with the people in the basement was a great part, too. It was so creepy and disturbing that I couldn't forget about it for the rest of the book! And I became like the little boy; whenever the father wanted to open another door, I was scared they would find more people!

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

Yikes...Kim's Non-Review of The Emperor's Children

So, after 10 days and only 160 pages, I am officially giving up on "The Emperor's Children". I hate to do this, but I could not get into this book at all. The characters were all pompous, self-centered and immature and the plot dragged on and on for me. And with so many other great books waiting for me, I decided to throw in the towel. Maybe someone else will have better luck. I will be interested to see who else reads this one and who may have a different opinion of it than I do. Anyway, I am off to start "The Road" tonight! I have a feeling this one will be much better :0) Happy Reading!

How is it going?????

So, who all here is currently in the middle of reading one of your selections for this challenge? I am reading "The Emperor's Children" and it is going veeerrrryyy sloooowww for me....I just have not had the time to read! It is becoming very frustrating since I find that I must be able to read big chunks of a book at a time in order to remain interested. I am hoping to get a lot of reading done this weekend, though (keeping finger's crossed!). So, what are you all reading right now? Has anyone finshed a book for this challenge yet? Have a great weekend!

Kim's List....

Hello there! I am excited to join the challenge with you all :0) I just thought I would pop in and post my list of what I am going to read for the challenge...there are definitely some great books to choose from, but the following books were the ones that caught my eye! I am looking forward to discussing these book with everyone!

The Echo Maker by Richard Powers
High Lonesome by Joyce Carol Oates
Black Swan Green by David Mitchell
The Uses of Enchantment by Heidi Julavits
Golden Country by Jennifer Gilmore
Skinner's Drift by Lisa Fugard
The Dissident by Nell Freudenberger
The Lay of the Land by Richard Ford
The Keep by Jennifer Egan
The Dead Fish Museum by Charles D'Ambrosio
Alentejo Blue by Monica Ali
The Translator by Leila Aboulela
Arthur & George by Julian Barnes
The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud
The Inhabited World by David Long
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiren Desai
Lisey's Story by Steven King
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson

I have already started to read "The Emperor's Children"...happy reading everyone!