Fiction backlog!
and in wonderful news, I've finally fallen in love with an author again.
First we had: All The King's Men by Robert Penn Warren. I tried this book because it was recommended to me by a "pal," and I'm certainly not sorry I read it. It reminded me that books do exist where characters are 3d... I think I finished this sometime in the beginning of March. Rating: ***
Then I read Wicked by Gregory Maguire, on the recommendation of a friend. I liked the premise of it, and how the author went about making a fairytale villain someone we could care about. But the plot itself seemed overly contrived, and I fell out of it on numerous occasions. Like during the entire last part of the book, where everything ceased to make sense for the end goal of fitting in with the fairytale we know. Shame. Finished: 3/24/11. Rating: **
Now for the good stuff: She Came to Stay by Simone de Beauvoir. Love love love love love love love. Love. So in love with the main character, Francois. She makes everything, including the overdramatic nature of the rest of the book okay. Francois is truly the vehicle for expressing de Beauvoir's existentialist philosophy -- and Beauvoir manages this in a tender way that's delightful to read. Finished: 3/31/11ish. Rating: ****
Since I loved She Came to Stay so much, I thought I'd try another Beauvoir book. I next went to The Blood of Others, which struck me as being much more of a philosophical novel. I was disappointed because I felt like the characters were vehicles for philosophy, Ayn Rand-style, instead of being flesh and blood like in She Came to Stay. Finished: 4/10/11. Rating: ***
I'm so happy I've found an author I love again...
First we had: All The King's Men by Robert Penn Warren. I tried this book because it was recommended to me by a "pal," and I'm certainly not sorry I read it. It reminded me that books do exist where characters are 3d... I think I finished this sometime in the beginning of March. Rating: ***
Then I read Wicked by Gregory Maguire, on the recommendation of a friend. I liked the premise of it, and how the author went about making a fairytale villain someone we could care about. But the plot itself seemed overly contrived, and I fell out of it on numerous occasions. Like during the entire last part of the book, where everything ceased to make sense for the end goal of fitting in with the fairytale we know. Shame. Finished: 3/24/11. Rating: **
Now for the good stuff: She Came to Stay by Simone de Beauvoir. Love love love love love love love. Love. So in love with the main character, Francois. She makes everything, including the overdramatic nature of the rest of the book okay. Francois is truly the vehicle for expressing de Beauvoir's existentialist philosophy -- and Beauvoir manages this in a tender way that's delightful to read. Finished: 3/31/11ish. Rating: ****
Since I loved She Came to Stay so much, I thought I'd try another Beauvoir book. I next went to The Blood of Others, which struck me as being much more of a philosophical novel. I was disappointed because I felt like the characters were vehicles for philosophy, Ayn Rand-style, instead of being flesh and blood like in She Came to Stay. Finished: 4/10/11. Rating: ***
I'm so happy I've found an author I love again...