Library Loot – We Meet Again!
Went to the library. Got three books. Here they are:
- Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane – This is Lehane’s sixth book in his Kenzie and Gennaro series. It’s a sequel to the early novel, Gone Baby Gone. I’m a fan of the series so I’m looking forward to getting stuck in.
- Cinnamon Kiss by Walter Mosley – I’ve never read a Walter Mosley novel and so pick this one up. It’s from the Easy Rawlins series.
- Luka and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie – Haven’t read any of his books, saw this and I’ve heard good things about it.
Library Loot (The Online Edition)
I didn’t get any new books from the library as I still have most of the books from last time to read. I did, however, reserve a couple from the online library portal.
- Empire Falls by Richard Russo – I’ve had this one by tbr list since last year so I thought might as well reserve it. It one the Pulitzer in 2002 and I’m quite excited to read it.
- The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro – I wrote a post on this book. I just thought it sounded interesting and got it on a whim. Hope it’s good!
- Grendel by John Gardner – Another from my tbr list. This is a re-telling of Beowulf through the eyes of Grendel.
- Night Passage & Trouble in Paradise by Robert B. Parker – I’ve read two of his books and enjoyed them so I got some more.
The Monthly Review: February
Reading Review
I’ve had a mixed reading experience this month, most of the books I’ve read haven’t stood out. A couple were disappointing, I expected to enjoy them more than I did. I would probably say that Dune was the most disappointing and perhaps the worst book I read in February. I abandoned one book which was Leviathan Wakes.
I’m hoping in March that I’ll have a better reading experience. There’s a couple of books that I’m looking forward to reading especially Libra by Don DeLillo. I’m enjoying Half Blood Blues although my reading has slowed down in the last couple of days, so I need to pick the pace up.
The best book I read this month was Darkness Visible by William Styron. I should have the review up either this week or the next (probably next week).
Blog Review
I’ve had a good month for blogging. I’ve got back into the swing of things and I’ve been able to post nearly everyday. I’ve reviewed ten books this month which is cool. I’m scheduling my reviews now so whenever I feel like writing a review I’ll write a couple of them because sometimes I don’t feel like writing anything but at least I’ve got something to post.
I reviewed the following:
The Matisse Stories, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time & The Tales of Beedle the Bard
Review: Three Books
Just quick reviews here:
In The Matisse Stories, A.S. Byatt produces three short stories that have been inspired by a Matisse painting. The first story follows a middle-aged woman coming face-to-face with her own morality culminating in her wrecking a hair salon; the second follows an editor and her failed painter husband and their maid and the third follows a conversation between two academics, one of which has been accused of sexual assault by a student.
The connection to Matisse isn’t specific; apart from the last story, but each story is incredibly focused on every little detail. Byatt does — wait for it — paint with words, slowly moving over a scene as if she’s studying a painting, inch-by-inch. While she certainly isn’t lost for words, I found the writing to be overwrought — it’s description without any plot and it didn’t offer me anything. I found it very dry, she never varied her sentences so it was just this prevailing sense of plodding along reading description after description of every single thing.
It wasn’t really my cup of tea.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a two, unconnected, short stories. The first — which is the more famous of the two, being made as an anime and a couple of live-action films — follows Kazuko who is accidentally exposed to a scent that allows her to time travel. The second is about Masako who is determined to find out why she’s so petrified whenever she sees a mask.
These are extremely slight, almost threadbare tales that offer nothing. It’s written in a simplistic manner, offering no depth for the characters. It’s very much like reading a summary of events. You’d be able to read it in about 30 minutes but you’ll get no substance out of it. It isn’t even good for escapism. Meh.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a collection of fairy tales from the Harry Potter universe. You’re not going to find anything groundbreaking here. They aren’t that great and not very taxing but as a quick read you could do a lot worse.
Review: Dune
Author: Frank Herbert
Title: Dune
Published: 1965
Pages: 608
Dune is pretty much seen as one of the, if not the, seminal pieces of science fiction literature. Unfortunately, this raises the expectations of the reader and ultimately, it failed to live up to mine. The plot follows House Atredies who are sent to govern Arrakis — a desert planet that produces the most valuable commodity: melange. They have taken over from House Harkonnen but the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen has set up the Duke Atredies to be assassinated.
The first quarter, even the first half of the novel was fine; Herbert does a fine job of setting up an intriguing plot that gives you hope that it’ll lead to something. There’s not much tension — you’re pretty much told what we’ll happen — and the constant forays into characters’ thoughts come across as corny. They reminded me of those bad American soap operas where you can actually hear the character think. The novel is a strange sort of mixture of science fiction and fantasy and Herbert does a good job of describing this futuristic cum medieval court setting. And it is impressive world-building that he created even if it’s pretty much everything but the kitchen sink. For a stunningly better written novel that takes place in a quasi-medieval setting look no further than A Canticle for Leibowitz.
However, once the assassination of Duke Leo Atredies takes place and Paul and his mother have escaped into the desert the story delves into a myriad of slop. Herbert obviously did a lot of research; there’s things about mediation, psychology, religion, anthropology, but it all comes across as if he just threw it all in without much thought of what it’s doing there. I know people will probably say that it’s a highly intelligent novel and I’m sure Herbert was a clever guy but I just never got the impression that the novel was anything other than a run-of-the-mill hero narrative. The plot really isn’t very complex and often it seems the only reason it is perceived as being this labyrinth story is because Herbert does a poor job of explaining anything. I’m not a great fan of appendixes and glossary in fiction because it often seems like the author isn’t a good enough writer to weave the information into the main story.
None of the characters amounted to anything other than one-dimensional. You can’t identify with anyone because, even when we can read their thoughts, Herbert 
always keeps them at a distance. Paul and Jessica’s frame of reference is too wishy-washy to hold onto and the other characters never get a chance to do anything but move the plot along. Paul comes across as an obnoxious, whiny brat that you fail to see why anyway would want to follow him. Herbert said that one of the themes of Dune was humanity’s tendency to follow a charismatic leader. Yet, Herbert wrote Paul as so anti-charismatic that this idea becomes laughable.
Plus, it’s pretty much a simple case of good guys versus bad guys. The Harkonens are your typical “Hollywood” bad guys. They are gluttonous, murderous, deviants. The Baron Harkonen can’t be just a man who wants power (or something, his motivation is unclear) he has to be fat and a homosexual. The Attredies are essentially honourable and a decent lot. The Fremen who are supposed to be these mystical, “one with the desert” nomads are your typical kind of hocus-pocus foreign types. I always have my misgivings whenever an author appropriates a foreign language — in this case, Arabic — because it’s mostly used as a way to mysticise them. Herbert often sprinkles in Arabic or faux-Arabic to create some semblance of mystique about these people.
In the end, I’m really not sure why I actually finished this novel. I can understand why people would love the novel but it just didn’t do anything for me. Plus, it’s far too po-faced for me. There is no humour, no laughter just a endless sludge through a world of miserable poo-poo heads.
Oscars 2012: The Actual Winners
WHHHHAAA BOOO BOOO
Meryl “the winner of countless over dramatic and unsubtle performances goes to” Streep. Watching it made me realise that Glenn Close really deserves to win an Oscar one day. Also, let’s hope that Michelle Williams gets one soon – great in Blue Valentine, great in My Week with Marilyn.
Apart from that the awards were pretty much run-of-the-mill Oscar stuff and pretty predictable. Hugo won Best Cinematography which, I’m sorry, was ridiculous. Yay for Midnight in Paris. Obviously Gary Oldman wasn’t going to win but bloody hell first nomination. Of course Man or Muppet was going to win, I mean Real in Rio? seriously?? Christopher Plummer…no surprises, same with Octavia Spencer.
And Best Picture went to the film that absolutely no one would have predicated would win. I doubt most people had even heard of it…something called The Artist. Yeah. No surprises there.
It was pretty decent, Crystal did a good enough job and you had the typical, cringeworthy scripted banter although I liked Emma Stone (how can you not) and Ben Stiller little skit. They really need to stop with the whole tributes for the Best Actor/Actress. Also, the montages explaining how great the movies are…yeah, we get it films are magical where dreams come true. Best moment? When Dean Pelton won an Oscar and struck that daft pose Angelina Jolie made…
Library Loot
Wahey, got me self a library booty! Me hearties!
- Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan – (This intrigued me ever since reading about it on Farm Lane Books.)
- The Killer is Dying by James Sallis – (I read Drive last year, liked the style and wanted to try another of Sallis’ work.)
- The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter – (I wasn’t that impressed by The Magic Toyshop but I thought her short story collection, Fireworks, was impressive at times.)
- Painted Ladies & Sixkill by Robert B. Parker – (I read Night & Day last month and found it an easy, enjoyable enough read. It was good enough for me to seek out some of his other books)
- The Accident by Ismail Kadare – (Looked interesting.)
- Libra by DeLillo – (I’ve liked what I’ve read from DeLillo)
Oscars 2012: Why Wern’t These Films Nominated?
Oscars always makes mistakes, that’s a given. And every year they nominate films/actors that shouldn’t have been and ignore the ones that should have. Here are a list of films and actors who should have got nominated this year.
- Drive & Ryan Gosling
Drive should have been nominated for Best Picture and Gosling should have got a nod for Best Actor.
- Michael Fassbender for Shame
The film wasn’t all that great but Fassbender really knocked it out of the park. If Oscars ever make an award for Best Actor Who Gets His Bits Out in a Film, then Fassbender would have been a shoe-in.
- The Skin I Live In
Bloody hell this was a great thriller
- The Adventures of Tintin
Why the hell wasn’t this nominated for Best Animated Film??? Rango got nominated…even bloody Puss in Boots got nominated. Ridiculous
Oscars 2012: Part Two
Here’s part two of who should win an award:
Best Original Song
- “Man or Muppet”
- “Real in Rio”
Man or Muppet from The Muppets
Best Actress
- Glenn Close
- Viola Davis
- Rooney Mara
- Meryl Streep
- Michelle Williams
It’s either between Rooney Mara in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn. Both of them, I thought, brought their respective roles to life. Mara with her ability to be both vulnerable and antagonising. Williams for her spot-on portrayal of Marilyn Monroe, which never descends into a one-note impersonation. It’s doubtful they’ll win but Michelle Williams, if she continues like this, will eventually win an Oscar.
To be honest, I’d be okay with any of the nominees winning as long as it isn’t Meryl “pantomime acting” Streep.
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
- Kenneth Branagh
- Jonah Hill
- Nick Nolte
- Christopher Plummer
- Max von Sydow
It’ll probably be Christopher Plummer who will win the award, he gives a good performance in Beginners. Nick “raspy voice” Nolte might just beat Plummer to the bald headed statue. Jonah Hill has no chance although I didn’t mind his performance in Moneyball, it just wasn’t exactly light the world on fire stuff. I wouldn’t mind if Kenneth Branagh wins it. His performance as Laurence Olivier in My Week with Marilyn was, like Michelle Williams, just the right side of impersonation.
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
- Berenice Bejo
- Jessica Chastain
- Melissa McCarthy
- Janet McTeer
- Octavia Spencer
I really don’t know what Melissa McCarthy is doing there. I would like Jessica Chastain to win it but for The Tree of Life instead of The Help. She was marvellous in Tree of Life.
Review: The Act of Roger Murgatroyd
Author: Gilbert Adair Title: The Act of Roger Murgatroyd Published: 2006 Pages: 304
This is the first in a trilogy centred around the fictional mystery writer, Evadne Mount who has written novels such as The Timing of the Stew, No Murder in the Title and The Proof of the Pudding.
The story revolves around an apparently impossible murder at the fflolkes (their surname is not capitalised) Manor at Christmas. Raymond Gentry, invited by the fflolkes daughter — who immediately gets under everyone’s’ noses, is found dead in the attic with the door locked and the windows barred. The guests decide to call upon retired Chief-Inspector Trubshawe who questions all the guests together.
Obviously, the title alludes to the classic Agatha Christie novel, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, but it is also a parody of all the classic whodunnits of the past. You have all the elements: an impossible murder, a large house, terrible weather, servants, a collection of English gentility all of whom have skeletons in their closets, and the obligatory drawing room reveal of the murderer. And you have Evadne Mount, whose very flaws — her boisterous ability to make everything about her novels — is the very thing that governs her appeal. I was both exasperated by her constant need for telling about the plots of her stories and humoured by them.
The Act of Roger Murgatroyd is witty and charming. While it does poke fun at the old fashioned whodunnit, it never descends into mud slinging. There were flaws; none of the characters really amount to much depth — mostly there for parody purposes — and there is not much difference between characters’ voices, they all speak in that refined, English upper-class accent. Occasionally, I was getting tired of the novel sometimes it dragged on as Adair tended to waffle.
Saying all that, I did enjoy it and it works as whodunnit — without the reader having to be knowledgeable about what it’s referencing. Plus there is a great moment when Evadne Mount is explaining how the murder was done, she makes a comment on the mounting tension for the a reader of her novels when they come to reveal of the murderer, where they must keep their eyes from scanning ahead lest they inadvertently spoil it for themselves. I found myself doing the same thing.
In the end, I enjoyed this and probably will read the second book in the trilogy at some point.
Review: Screwtop Thompson
Author: Magnus Mills Title: Screwtop Thompson Published: 2010 Pages: 128
This is a collection of short stories by Magnus Mills. I won’t write a long review for this as I thought the collection was pretty insubstantial. Most of the stories were too slight and perhaps I’m missing something but most of them seemed to descend into nothingness.
There were a couple of stories I enjoyed and there was some nice evocative writing. It was plainly written but Mills’ does have a good eye for writing atmospherically. Plus, some of the stories are suitably absurd and there is a sense of unease underneath the humour which I quite liked.
In the end, I would say that this collection is so-so.
I Abandoned This Book, I Abandoned This Book, I Abandoned This Booooook
I’m giving up on Leviathan Wakes by James S. A Corey.
I really thought I’d enjoy it. It’s an action space opera and it’s got spaceships and wowsers galactic political intrigue! I tried to get into it, I gave it a chance and made it passed hundred pages but nothing doing I’m afraid. I was beginning to skim read and when I say skim read I mean skip pages. Ah well.
A Damned Conjuror Starts Lecturing 
