Finally Done -- After Four Years.
Four years ago, late 2001/early 2002, I bought a book: Anne Rice "Lasher" as part of my "expanding horizons reading project" to read other authors other than my comfort zone of Stephen King. This little self undertaking led me to several books, such as "The House of Sand and Fog," "She's Come Undone," "Toxin," and even "Whiteout" - but I found one thing - reading different genres, and sometimes just different authors proved difficult.
"Lasher" was one of those books - maybe even Anne Rice might even be one of those authors - that I have difficulty reading... as is obvious, taking nearly four years to complete a book that's just a smidgen under 600 pages long. The problem with Lasher is I wasn't expecting such a graphic novel... I knew Anne Rice wrote horror, and I knew a lot of her horror stuff had to do with vampires, but I just wasn't expecting to read what came with Lasher... This novel had the feeling of a disturbed and twisted romance novel at times, going from rape to murder to incest and just about everything in between.
From time to time, I've picked up Lasher to read a few pages, but I've never been able to read more than 3 or 4 pages in one sitting (without getting bored or put-off by the storyline) but a few weeks ago, I became resolved to finish this novel before going back to school - and I accomplished that goal.
Lasher is a novel that I have been more interested in putting behind me than enjoying - there were many times when I though I should just put the book on the shelf and be done with it, or throw it away, or do something--anything to put it out of sight... But, because of my determination, I finally finished it.
Rating: 4 out of 10
Definitely a book you need to be in the mood to read.
Fish Update
Well, I decided to separate Pascal from Hikari and Shadow - for now. Pascal seems to be stressed out over being moved - and with Hikari and Shadow being so energetic, it's causing Pascal to get quite defensive. Also, when I put that little bowl/cup thing into the tank for an extra hiding place for Hikari and Shadow, I didn't realize that it was just shiny enough that Pascal could see his reflection (he apparently has damn good eyes) which was causing him to keep fairing up and get aggressive.
I even found that pascal was seeing his reflection in the glass of his bowl - I sat it near my radio (that's on my desk - and black) and Pascal was able to use this like a primitive mirror - and kept fairing... At first, I had no clue what he was fairing at, or why - but now I think I understand, and maybe with this knowledge, I can help move pascal back into the large tank-- maybe.
I am a little worried about Pascal - I noticed some thin spots on his fins - that nearly look like holes. If he does have that fin rot disease, he may have already infected Hikari and Shadow - and I'll be treating three fish for this disease, including on betta that's locked up in such small quarters ... which will probably be quite difficult... Let's hope that he isn't sick, and that it's just some spots on his tail.
"Lasher" was one of those books - maybe even Anne Rice might even be one of those authors - that I have difficulty reading... as is obvious, taking nearly four years to complete a book that's just a smidgen under 600 pages long. The problem with Lasher is I wasn't expecting such a graphic novel... I knew Anne Rice wrote horror, and I knew a lot of her horror stuff had to do with vampires, but I just wasn't expecting to read what came with Lasher... This novel had the feeling of a disturbed and twisted romance novel at times, going from rape to murder to incest and just about everything in between.
From time to time, I've picked up Lasher to read a few pages, but I've never been able to read more than 3 or 4 pages in one sitting (without getting bored or put-off by the storyline) but a few weeks ago, I became resolved to finish this novel before going back to school - and I accomplished that goal.
Lasher is a novel that I have been more interested in putting behind me than enjoying - there were many times when I though I should just put the book on the shelf and be done with it, or throw it away, or do something--anything to put it out of sight... But, because of my determination, I finally finished it.
Rating: 4 out of 10
Definitely a book you need to be in the mood to read.
Fish Update
Well, I decided to separate Pascal from Hikari and Shadow - for now. Pascal seems to be stressed out over being moved - and with Hikari and Shadow being so energetic, it's causing Pascal to get quite defensive. Also, when I put that little bowl/cup thing into the tank for an extra hiding place for Hikari and Shadow, I didn't realize that it was just shiny enough that Pascal could see his reflection (he apparently has damn good eyes) which was causing him to keep fairing up and get aggressive.
I even found that pascal was seeing his reflection in the glass of his bowl - I sat it near my radio (that's on my desk - and black) and Pascal was able to use this like a primitive mirror - and kept fairing... At first, I had no clue what he was fairing at, or why - but now I think I understand, and maybe with this knowledge, I can help move pascal back into the large tank-- maybe.
I am a little worried about Pascal - I noticed some thin spots on his fins - that nearly look like holes. If he does have that fin rot disease, he may have already infected Hikari and Shadow - and I'll be treating three fish for this disease, including on betta that's locked up in such small quarters ... which will probably be quite difficult... Let's hope that he isn't sick, and that it's just some spots on his tail.