Kath's 59 & 60
#59 - The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
I couldn't quite bring myself to read this one, so I listened on C.D., since I do enjoy snorting at Brown (I actually DID enjoy Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, the latter actually having been read pre-hype by moi). It had the same problems as all of Brown's other books - boring characterizations and too much TALK (Show, don't tell, Dan Brown! C'mon!). Plus the attempt to mystify the Masons? Hard to take seriously since my Grandpa was one and what I know about them mostly has to do with the Christmas party he always took me and my sibs to. To me? Masons=Santa is ON THE ROOF and dixie ice cream cups with little wooden paddle spoons, the latter eaten in their "oh so secret" lodge room. Seriously. (Ah, memories! I miss you Grandpa!) At one point I did think Brown was going to do something absolutely SHOCKING, which I won't spoil here, but, of course, he didn't. It wasn't a terrible read, but it so wasn't worth all the hype. And since it hasn't been a runaway best-seller as far as I can tell (at least in comparison to DC...
#60 - Forget Me Not by Isabel Wolff
Second in my glom of all of Wolff's backlist. Another bittersweet read. The romance was a little bit incidental, but, again, it felt like you were just folded into someone's life in London and how can you go wrong with that? The heroine had another interesting career (garden designer) and the supporting characters were genuine. Like it a lot, although not as much as A Vintage Affair (it likely suffered from the "First as Favorites" comparison, since it appears that Wolff has a formula - heroine changes careers after big tragedy or change in life, dates someone totally unsuitable who SEEMS perfect - and unlike in some chic lit, you can actually see why she's fooled at first - then wraps everything up neatly but not perfectly, because life isn't perfect). Anyway, if you're looking for good chic lit, you can do far, far worse than Isabel Wolff.
I couldn't quite bring myself to read this one, so I listened on C.D., since I do enjoy snorting at Brown (I actually DID enjoy Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, the latter actually having been read pre-hype by moi). It had the same problems as all of Brown's other books - boring characterizations and too much TALK (Show, don't tell, Dan Brown! C'mon!). Plus the attempt to mystify the Masons? Hard to take seriously since my Grandpa was one and what I know about them mostly has to do with the Christmas party he always took me and my sibs to. To me? Masons=Santa is ON THE ROOF and dixie ice cream cups with little wooden paddle spoons, the latter eaten in their "oh so secret" lodge room. Seriously. (Ah, memories! I miss you Grandpa!) At one point I did think Brown was going to do something absolutely SHOCKING, which I won't spoil here, but, of course, he didn't. It wasn't a terrible read, but it so wasn't worth all the hype. And since it hasn't been a runaway best-seller as far as I can tell (at least in comparison to DC...
#60 - Forget Me Not by Isabel Wolff
Second in my glom of all of Wolff's backlist. Another bittersweet read. The romance was a little bit incidental, but, again, it felt like you were just folded into someone's life in London and how can you go wrong with that? The heroine had another interesting career (garden designer) and the supporting characters were genuine. Like it a lot, although not as much as A Vintage Affair (it likely suffered from the "First as Favorites" comparison, since it appears that Wolff has a formula - heroine changes careers after big tragedy or change in life, dates someone totally unsuitable who SEEMS perfect - and unlike in some chic lit, you can actually see why she's fooled at first - then wraps everything up neatly but not perfectly, because life isn't perfect). Anyway, if you're looking for good chic lit, you can do far, far worse than Isabel Wolff.