Books of 2010: 001
First book of 2010.
Because I'm a huge stickler about reading the book before seeing a movie when a book goes movie, I read The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold.
Pros:
1. Seriously interesting storyline. I was totally engrossed from start to finish.
2. Well-done prose. There were several passages which stood out as exceptionally beautiful or insightful or both.
3. Fun range of characters. From Susie, the narrator, to lesser characters like her schoolmates Roy and Ruth, they were all unique and interesting.
4. I just mentioned characters, but I feel that two deserve a special mention - Lindsey, the younger sister, and Grandma Lynn. These two characters were strong and fabulous and very well-done. I cheered for Lindsey the whole way through.
5. She (Sebold) handled the rape and murder tastefully while still giving the reader the facts they need for the story.
6. An interesting and fresh take on "heaven' and the afterlife.
Cons:
1. I sometimes found the narration unrealistic for a fourteen year old who had just died. Sometimes too old sounding, often not sounding at all like someone who was DEAD. No sorrow at all. No anger or shame at what was done to her.
2. There were several threads to the story that I just didn't *get*. Maybe that's my fault and not the author's, but I just felt like they either didn't fit the story, didn't add to the story, or kind of just... petered off without really getting wrapped up.
3. There were a few characters and plot-lines of their that felt half-assed. Roy and Samuel could have been the same person as far as I'm concerned. Samuel had zero characterization and had zero purpose except to be in Lindsey's life and have an older brother who could drive. Roy was *almost* there... almost. Like we got 70% of him but she didn't give us that last 30%. All of his moments in the book sort of blur with Samuel. just Nice Male. That's it.
4. Next is Ruth. I think Ruth's story could have been 50/50 with Susie's. It was just as interesting, and definitely could have been delved into. Instead we got an 80/20 and we just got a glazing over of what Ruth went through. I'm almost angry for her character, for the story she didn't really get to tell.
5. Finally, Jack. I feel like he could have been - and was supposed to be - as heartbreaking as Brian Fitzgerald in My Sister's Keeper. But, like most of the book, I feel like his hurt and heartbreak was simply glazed over. A brief mention, the read supposed to fill in the slack. Or even in scenes where it was evident, such as when he smashed all of the boats, we're seeing him reacting to what he's feeling, but it still felt half-assed. Even as the character is raging and breaking things and very evidently making actions to go with what he's feeling, it still doesn't have the depth I've come to expect from the books I read. There was just some missing element. We see what he's doing yes, but why make us work so hard to connect it to feeling? Saying he felt it isn't enough. We need to feel it for him, see him feeling it every day - not just in this moment - see it so much more, feel it ourselves.
Overall, I'd give it a 4 of 5. I really did enjoy it.
Because I'm a huge stickler about reading the book before seeing a movie when a book goes movie, I read The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold.
Pros:
1. Seriously interesting storyline. I was totally engrossed from start to finish.
2. Well-done prose. There were several passages which stood out as exceptionally beautiful or insightful or both.
3. Fun range of characters. From Susie, the narrator, to lesser characters like her schoolmates Roy and Ruth, they were all unique and interesting.
4. I just mentioned characters, but I feel that two deserve a special mention - Lindsey, the younger sister, and Grandma Lynn. These two characters were strong and fabulous and very well-done. I cheered for Lindsey the whole way through.
5. She (Sebold) handled the rape and murder tastefully while still giving the reader the facts they need for the story.
6. An interesting and fresh take on "heaven' and the afterlife.
Cons:
1. I sometimes found the narration unrealistic for a fourteen year old who had just died. Sometimes too old sounding, often not sounding at all like someone who was DEAD. No sorrow at all. No anger or shame at what was done to her.
2. There were several threads to the story that I just didn't *get*. Maybe that's my fault and not the author's, but I just felt like they either didn't fit the story, didn't add to the story, or kind of just... petered off without really getting wrapped up.
3. There were a few characters and plot-lines of their that felt half-assed. Roy and Samuel could have been the same person as far as I'm concerned. Samuel had zero characterization and had zero purpose except to be in Lindsey's life and have an older brother who could drive. Roy was *almost* there... almost. Like we got 70% of him but she didn't give us that last 30%. All of his moments in the book sort of blur with Samuel. just Nice Male. That's it.
4. Next is Ruth. I think Ruth's story could have been 50/50 with Susie's. It was just as interesting, and definitely could have been delved into. Instead we got an 80/20 and we just got a glazing over of what Ruth went through. I'm almost angry for her character, for the story she didn't really get to tell.
5. Finally, Jack. I feel like he could have been - and was supposed to be - as heartbreaking as Brian Fitzgerald in My Sister's Keeper. But, like most of the book, I feel like his hurt and heartbreak was simply glazed over. A brief mention, the read supposed to fill in the slack. Or even in scenes where it was evident, such as when he smashed all of the boats, we're seeing him reacting to what he's feeling, but it still felt half-assed. Even as the character is raging and breaking things and very evidently making actions to go with what he's feeling, it still doesn't have the depth I've come to expect from the books I read. There was just some missing element. We see what he's doing yes, but why make us work so hard to connect it to feeling? Saying he felt it isn't enough. We need to feel it for him, see him feeling it every day - not just in this moment - see it so much more, feel it ourselves.
Overall, I'd give it a 4 of 5. I really did enjoy it.