In the Company of the Courtesan, by Sarah Dunant

In the Company of the Courtesan
Sarah Dunant

When sixteenth-century Rome is sacked by those who hate the great city's sinful ways, the popular courtesan Fiammetta Bianchini and her dwarf, Bucino, barely escape and manage to flee the murder and mayhem. Nearly killed themselves (and much the worse for wear), they arrive in Venice, where they must try to survive and rebuild their wealth.

The story is narrated by Bucino, who is easily an excellent character. One flaw in the narration appears near the end of the first chapter, when the point of view shifts from Bucino to the boatman conducting Fiammetta and Bucino after their arrival in Venice. Considering that Bucino narrates the entire book except for this section, this shift in perspective really annoys me, as it seems out of place and highly unnecessary.

Despite this minor quibble, I really enjoyed the book: the writing is fluid and the story moves quickly along. I also loved the main characters (especially Bucino), and I truly wanted to see them succeed. The life of a Renaissance courtesan fascinated me, and it is clear that Dunant had completed a lot of research before writing this novel. It shows, but not pedantically. Rather, the city and its characters seem alive and intriguing.

My only other gripe is that In the Company of the Courtesan just seeks to entertain. It does not offer an explanation for the sufferings of the many, nor does it seek a greater understanding of death and sin. This novel is not great literature, as it does not assert human truths that will console the reader in a dark time (which is what I look for in a truly great book). Instead, it is simply a well-written story of two people trying to survive, and trying to survive well. This is a book that will enable one to pass a few hours in a time long past with characters too uncommon to be forgettable.

In a nutshell: In the Company of the Courtesan is an entertaining, lively read, with strong characters and a unique storyline. Not great literature, it is still worth your time. I bought it in hardcover, and I'm not disappointed. But will I ever reread it? Probably not.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars

The History of Love, by Nicole Krauss

The History of Love
Nicole Krauss

The History of Love surprised me in many ways, and I'm glad I bought it. This is definitely a book that must be reread to pick up the many clues and connections that appear throughout the book. The story revolves around two characters, an old man named Leo Gursky, who has spent his life pining for the love he lost after fleeing the Nazis, and Alma Singer, whose father has passed away, leaving her mother alone and depressed. Alma, named for a character in a book called The History of Love, searches for a man to make her mother happy, and her search leads her to Leo. (By the way, Leo is way too old for Alma's mother, so don't expect what you were probably thinking.)

Every chapter is either narrated by Leo, Alma, or by Zvi, the man who ostensibly wrote The History of Love. I was happy to see that each character's voice was clearly defined, unlike Haunted, where every character's voice was exactly the same. I was also really surprised at the way the characters came together at the end. Their convergence (and the facts leading up to it) is what causes the book to need a rereading, as I'm still not entirely sure what the ef happened during the last 50 or so pages.

The book's strength is the beauty of its prose, especially when Leo is speaking. He speaks like poetry, and his observations are both witty and sad. The book owes its beauty to Leo Gursky. For this reason alone, I recommend reading the History of Love.

One thing that annoyed me is that her style was uncomfortably similar to Jonathan Safran Foer (Everything is Illuminated; Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), who just happens to be her husband. The similarities between The History of Love and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close are too close to be ignored. Both involve children on a search; both involve dead fathers; both involve a character searching New York to solve a mystery; both employ the same quirky style, etc.

Despite this minor quibble, the book remains a beautiful mystery. I admit that I needed to surf some forums to answer some of the questions that remained after reading the book. As I don't want to provide any spoilers, I won't post them here, although feel free to comment if you've read the book and want to discuss.

In a nutshell: A wonderful book. A fast read that gives you a lot to ponder.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5.5 out of 6 stars

Eats, Shoots and Leaves, by Lynne Truss

Eats, Shoots and Leaves
Lynne Truss

I know I'm more than a little late catching this train, but oh well. I simply couldn't bring myself to buy this in hardback, and it only came out in paperback recently. I'm glad I made such a decision, because it was exactly what I thought it would be: a book about punctuation. Well, I actually thought it would be about grammar period, not just punctuation. Either way, I was not expecting the best book I ever read. I was right.

To be fair, Truss is quite funny and makes her subject matter fun. I enjoyed her witty anecdotes and snarky asides, but at the end of the day, this was a book about punctuation. And I'm an English teacher.

In a nutshell: It's about punctuation. The author is funny, but still...it's a book about punctuation. At least it is blessedly short.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars (5 for humor, 2 in general)

Haunted, by Chuck Palahniuk

Haunted
Chuck Palahniuk

Well, well, well. Chuck Palahniuk, I am pleasantly surprised. I'm so glad I decided to give you another chance, because after Lullaby, I had vowed never to see you again. I have some level of respect for you because Fight Club is one of my favorite movies, but I have a feeling that is less because of you and more due to Brad Pitt and Ed Norton. I mean, shit, did you SEE Brad Pitt in that movie? To wit:

Holy Moses.

Besides, Fight Club's cinematography was just brilliant. (I'm not really a person who uses a word like cinematography but it looks good here and makes me sound all artsy-fartsy.) At any rate, I have steadfastly refused to read Fight Club simply because the movie, in my mind, is untouchable (and because part of me believes that Palahniuk is really a shit writer who had a few good screenwriters). Mind you, it was Lullaby that made me think such thoughts, but I read a few intriguing reviews of Haunted and, on a whim, I purchased it. I'm glad I gave Palahniuk another chance.

The book's premise is interesting: a group of writers gather for a three-month retreat. Not surprisingly given Palahniuk's previous works, each writer is REALLY messed up. As in, this book gets REALLY disturbing. But it works. And I loved every second.

The book has three types of "chapters," if you will. First, there are chapters which involve the writers themselves, as they discover their retreat is not so much a retreat but more of a forced withdrawal from the world. They must write, dammit. Unfortunately, they enjoy their captivity and procrastinate all the more. Then there are poems about each writer. Only a page or two long, they concisely capture the essence of the character and relay important information. The third type of chapter is the character's short story, almost all of which seem autobiographical in nature.

Each story was quite interesting (and some, I repeat, are VERY disturbing), but I didn't mind the movement from story to retreat to poem, etc. The only downside was that I kept hearing every word narrated by Edward Norton ("Jack" from Fight Club). I at first thought there was a reason for that, that ultimately every word was being written by the same character, hence the reason they all sounded alike. Alas, that was not the case. I found this a minor flaw, however; the stories' memorable plots and and the novel's cutting critique of a society obsessed with fame are the real draw here.

But be clear: Haunted isn't, by any means, literature. There are the above-mentioned problems with the voice, and some elements aren't believable at all (which is saying something for a book like this), but Haunted is one hell of a ride. And this is saying a lot, considering how reluctant I was to read Palahniuk ever again.

In a nutshell: If you are easily sickened or disturbed, I'd stay away, but if not, go for it. It won't be the best book you've ever read, but it is entertaining and will give you something to think about. Again, Palahniuk is far from the Bard, but as long as you know that going into the book, you should be able to have fun with it.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4.5 out of 6 stars

Prep, by Curtis Sittenfeld

Prep
Curtis Sittenfeld

Because of Prep, Curtis Sittenfeld has been hailed as the second coming of Salinger, a writer who could relate tales of youth and awakening with a novelty that would make each angst-filled situation seem as groundbreaking as if it had just happened for the first time. With each page, she would not only describe heartbreaking situations of teenagedom, but would impart them with a universality, with such depth and philosophical insight, that she would not only be a new Salinger, but a new Shakespeare, revealing human truths too deep for the average mind to realize on its own.

Or at least that's the impression I got from all the reviews I read about Prep, which follows Lee Fiora through her stay at Ault School, a boarding school for the rich and snobby. On a scholarship herself, Lee has none of the financial accoutrements which accompany the majority of Ault's student body, and therefore Lee is an outsider. Of course, it doesn't help that Lee overanalyzes EVERYTHING (oh my god, was I really like this? Because I totally think I was. No wonder I was so miserable during high school. Ugh, it's all coming back; I thought I had repressed the 90s. Shit, why on earth did I pick this book up? And why is it SO LONG? I swear, I thought high school was only four years long--why does it seem this bitch has been at Ault for 40 frickin years???)

Sorry.

Anyway, the book wasn't that bad, but it wasn't that good. First, the good. Yes, it totally took me back to my high school years, and I didn't even attend a private boarding school. My favorite aspect of the novel was its ability to remind me of how hope-filled every moment was. Every night out, every dance, every class, every chance interaction in the hall or in the cafeteria could lead to something great, which in turn would finally lead to Happiness. Every second was so damn momentous, no wonder I plummeted into despair when nothing earth-shattering occurred. How could it, when I placed such expectations on myself? This leads me to my other favorite aspect of the book: it reminded me of how much it sucked to be a teenager and allowed me to be truly thankful that I am well past high school, and praise the lord for that, thank you very much.

Unfortunately, the novelty of returning to high school wore off somewhere around page 200. Sittenfeld should have been shortened the book by half; its length detracted from the book's strength, which is mainly scenes of high cattiness or extreme humiliation. Long passages of Lee's in-depth analysis of social hierarchies were overused and, after the first few, extremely boring. Yes, I get it. You have no friends because you think you are unworthy. You are on a scholarship and are therefore inferior. High school sucks, get older, get over it, shut up.

Ugh.

I guess my biggest gripe is not with Sittenfeld, who is not the one calling herself Salinger II. Rather, my beef is with the myriad critics and reviewers who duped me into buying what I thought would be a must-read, soon-to-be classic. Instead, Prep is an entertaining novel that will pass the time but will not leave you with the lasting impression of life-changing literature.

In a nutshell: Prep is usually funny but doesn't go beyond superficially entertaining. Lee Fiora is funny at first, but by the novel's end, you just want her to shut the hell up. Whiny brat. At least you'll be glad you aren't a teen again.

Bibliolatry Scale: 2.5 out of 6 stars