Monday, August 31, 2009

a choice between truth and repose

Angelica
Arthur Phillips

Well, it's that time of year again, a time when quiet and relaxation are replaced with work and stress. That's right, summer's over, and I'm headed back to school. As a result, things have been pretty quiet around here. Progress on that stupid resolution is slow, and non-educational reading has been pretty nonexistent.

That said, I was able to read Angelica, and the fact that I was able to read it despite having so much "real" stuff to do is a testament to the novel's awesomeness. In fact, once I started it, I wasn't able to keep my mind on much else.

Angelica's one of those novels that gives readers the same story from several different perspectives, and even though I've read plenty of books that use this technique, I've never before encountered it done to such effect. The result is a twisting, serpentine version of what is true that illustrates how contradictory the truth can be.

Although the specifics differ with each version, the setup is always the same. Victorian England. A family torn apart by powerful forces. A mother fights for the survival of her daughter. But what, you're probably asking, is happening to the child. Well, now, that remains to be seen.

Angelica is part mystery, part ghost story, part psychological examination -- and no part disappoints. Each person's version of the truth is correct, even though it might differ from the account of another. I sympathized with each character, and I was fascinated by how each person's version of the truth was somehow correct, even as it totally differed from the other accounts.

In a nutshell: Saying more will ruin the fun; you'll just have to take my word for it. Angelica is a powerful, unforgettable novel that shows how totally different perceptions can be equally accurate.

Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars




Monday, August 24, 2009

Why are vampires cheap dates?

The Strain
Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan

This month, I reviewed The Strain for the mighty Pajiba.

If you're worried The Strain is simply another vampire novel, you should at least know the authors had the good sense to make them angry and hungry, not kissy and concerned. To read the review in full, click here.

In a nutshell: It's a cheap thrill and a good time. I'm looking forward to the next installment due in 2010.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars


(The answer to the riddle in the title? Because they eat necks to nothing! Hardy har har.)





Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Reunited, and it feels so goooood

About a year and a half ago, I posted this lament for a lost friend. Well, cue the chorus of angels (which I actually heard last night), for I have found my old friend.


um, why are they singing Miss New Booty??


I had been reviewing and restacking my library, ruthlessly culling books to be removed from my library. As much as I hate to get rid of books, I have more than a few that simply do not deserve shelf space in my life. (Larryisms, I'm looking at you.)

Anyway, I was debating the merits of one particular book when, lo and behold!, my old friend fell into my hand.

The gods be praised!




Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Reading Resolution: July Update

Another month down -- time to check the progress on ye olde resolutione:


RESOLUTION TITLES READ IN JULY: 6

Dick, Philip K. Martian Time-Slip
Fforde, Jasper. The Fourth Bear
Hall, Steven. The Raw Shark Texts
King, Stephen. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Sijie, Dai. Mr. Muo's Travelling Couch
Stewart, Mary. The Ivy Tree


NON-RESOLUTION TITLES READ IN JULY: 2

del Toro, Guillermo and Chuck Hogan. The Strain (review forthcoming)
Smith, Tom Rob. The Secret Speech


TOTAL TITLES READ IN JULY: 8

CURRENT RESOLUTION PROGRESS: 33 / 88

TOTAL BOOKS READ IN 2009: 49

Are you a virgin?

Mr. Muo's Travelling Couch
Dai Sijie

You know what? There are some books that defy a serious review. This is one of them. Allow me to present to you Random Facts about Mr. Muo's Travelling Couch:

1. Mr. Muo REALLY wants a virgin.

2. This book was part of my reading resolution.

3. I didn't really care for this book.

4. While a lot happened in the novel, not much ever seemed to happen. Puzzling.

5. This book has appeared under the (much better, in my opinion) title "Le Complexe de Di," or The Di Complex (much like the Oedipal complex that so fascinates Muo). I prefer the other title, as it emphasizes how another's desires influence Muo. In all honesty, though, I probably wouldn't have cared for the book no matter what title it had.

6. I much preferred Sijie's Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress.

7. Oh well.

In a nutshell: In finding a virgin to offer to the wily Judge Di, Muo hopes to free his love from prison. While this sounds interesting, I couldn't must a care for anyone in the bok.

Bibliolatry Scale: 2 out of 6 stars