In the Woods

In the Woods Tana French 4/5	Published 2007 First Sentence "What I warn you to remember is that I am a detective."
Publisher's Description: A gorgeously written novel that marks the debut of an astonishing new voice in psychological suspense. As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children. He is gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours. Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a 12-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox (his partner and closest friend) find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past.
Dear Reader, Have you ever been disappointed by a thriller/mystery? Me too! This is NOT that. I can guarantee you that you'll enjoy this (even if just a little bit). Just look how cool that cover is?! Yes, this is a series and as I've stated before... I'm not that into those. I'm not even sure if I'll continue on with this series (The Dublin Murder Squad) but I'm glad I picked this one up. The most upsetting thing was that the underlying mystery won't be solved in this book (or maybe in any other? Not sure?) ugh, I feel jipped. The setting for this couldn't be cooler (and by cool, I mean perfect for a murder mystery), a nice little town in Dublin surrounded by a dark forest. While I was reading this, I could almost see the dew soaked air and the thick bands of fog masking the view. I'd expect everything to be damp all the time, but I'm not sure why. Setting aside, the characters had depth but holy smokes I wanted to choke them numerous times. I couldn't handle the love story - if I could change anything in the book, it would be that. I don't want to give anything away and be mad at me all you want if I destroyed this for you by mentioning it has a romance.  The mystery itself was really well planned out and executed. I was caught off guard and didn't "guess" correctly. I really want to know what happens with Ryan and his past, it almost seemed supernatural but how? That question alone is smart of French to do... holding back because who wouldn't want to find out that mystery? I was mostly reading this wanting to figure out what happened to him... who cares about the girl in the woods? Eh, whatever. I guess I'll have to pick up the next one at some point. Happy Reading, AmberBug

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Olive Kitteridge

Olive Kitteridge Elizabeth Strout 3 / 5	Published 2007 First Sentence "For many years, Henry Kitteridge was a pharmacist in the next town over, driving every morning on snowy roads, or rainy roads, or summertime roads, when the wild raspberries shot their new growth in brambles along the last section of town before he turned off to where the wider road led to the pharmacy."
Publisher's Description: At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town of Crosby, Maine, and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance; a former student who has lost the will to live; Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and her husband, Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.  As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life–sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition--its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.
Dear Reader,  Yeesh. This book should have been called “Everybody Cheats, Sometime” (with a nod to R.E.M., of course). I couldn’t get past how every single character in the book seemed to either be cheating on their spouse or wanting to. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m the biggest cynic I know, so I don’t think it’s necessarily unrealistic! I just would get my hopes up with each story that it would finally be one with a solid couple for once, and then: nope! Foiled each time. This didn’t influence my rating very much, but it was definitely the thing that stuck out the most! I have had this book on my Audible account forever; I wish I recall why I had added it, specifically. I did finally pick it up though because of the many comparisons to Kitchens of the Great Midwest, and I understand the connections people made: both books tell the story of one woman through the eyes of many others.  I did love the weaving of the stories of the people who reside in a small town in Maine, each interacting in some way with Olive Kitteridge. It was certainly a New England book. And there were some memorable characters and situations. Olive wasn’t my favorite, by a long shot - she was cranky and ornery 99% of the time. But she was definitely a strong character! And it makes sense why the book ultimately revolves around her - the ending sentence really does tie it all up nicely.  This book had the feel of a collection of stories, with the neat added bonus that they often subtly referred to one another. Despite some of the difficult subjects it tackled, t felt cozy and the perfect thing for a snowy day in front of the fireplace. Yours, Arianna

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The Name of the Wind

The Name of the Wind Patrick Rothfuss 4.5 / 5	Published 2007 First Sentence "It was night again."
Publisher's Description: Told in Kvothe's own voice, this is the tale of the magically gifted young man who grows to be the most notorious wizard his world has ever seen. The intimate narrative of his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-ridden city, his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a legendary school of magic, and his life as a fugitive after the murder of a king form a gripping coming-of-age story unrivaled in recent literature. A high-action story written with a poet's hand, The Name of the Wind is a masterpiece that will transport readers into the body and mind of a wizard.
Dear Reader, I am kind of stunned that I am finally done with this book. You'd think that once I got really close to finishing the 28+ hours of audiobook (!),I'd be anxious to speed through it, wouldn't you? Well, I started getting scared of having to write this review, and so I put off the last half hour for a few days! (Well, that and I also the files I downloaded from Audible had gotten a bit wonky, so I had to listen on my tablet - because I dropped my phone down a storm drain a few days ago - and that was awkward and difficult to deal with. But! All that is a story for another day....) In any case, I think I was so scared to review this (and yet so eager to read it) because this is one of the highest-rated books I've ever encountered on Goodreads. The highest-rated with hundreds of thousands of reviews, I should add. That means something. When you get a book with that many reviews, you tend to see a lot of love vs. hate in the reviews, but a 91% rating is almost unheard of for most books with more than a few readers! Needless to say, I had to check it out. (Apparently, Troy had also recently read & loved it, but...I had no idea at the time I picked the book out for myself.) Maybe I should actually talk about the book in this review, huh? (See how I'm putting it off?!) Well, it was a very solid, well-told fantasy story. I liked the strong weight it had on reality more than fantasy; the fantastical parts which came from Rothfuss' imagination were seamlessly written into the story, so that the reader never felt jarred by anything odd or out there. If someone ever wanted to be introduced to the fantasy genre, I think this would be a great stepping stone. A very beautifully woven story. Kvothe (the narrator) is not necessarily likable, and can often be annoying in his arrogance, but his biography rings true and his circumstances believable. From difficult beginnings and loss at an early age, the start of his life story (which this book encompasses) is full of adventure and uncertainty. It was an enjoyable book to read, despite its length. I think I would, however, have preferred to read it than listen - the narrator wasn't the best I've ever encountered, although he did a very good job with voices and accents and strange pronunciations. In any case - I actually don't really know WHAT to write about this book. I can recommend it, but I honestly don't have much to say about it. Perhaps that's because I've been so engrossed in it for over a month. Perhaps I need to step back a bit before I can really assess the book. I think I'll do that. I will try to come back to this review, I promise. When I've had a little time. 18 November 2014 Okay, I am giving this another go. Let's see - I have to say I really enjoyed the parts of the story which took place in Cote's tavern; they framed the story well and gave the reader a nice "breather". I also thought the story of Kvothe's idyllic childhood was quaint and charming. His parents seemed perfect, which of course they were in a young child's eyes. His work with Ben and how quickly he learned everything was an enjoyable diversion. I suppose that I felt the story itself kind of went south when Kvothe's life did, but I don't know why. I didn't enjoy the narratives of Kvothe dealing with the Chandrian or surviving in the big, bad city. I didn't love how he entered the university, nor how cocky and self-assured he could be. I was, however, charmed by the people he encountered and all of his stories regarding the taverns and his attempts at earning the Pipes, as well as his back-and-forth with Ambrose. Overall, I DID think the book was quite good; it was a comprehensively strong story and there were almost no parts which I tired of reading (the only one that comes to mind are the sidebar sagas which relate the stories of the gods - I didn't yet understand their importance in the grand scheme of the story). There was just something that kept me from LOVING it wholeheartedly. I wonder if that would change were I to continue reading the story in the sequel; perhaps as more things become fleshed out and connected to one another, I could really see the whole picture. I'll have to see... Thank you for your patience with me, Reader! Yours, Arianna

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The Clarence Principle

The Clarence Principle Writer: Fehed Said Illustrator: Shari Chankhamma 5/5	Published 2007 First Sentence "I was left behind in a dream I once had."
Publisher's Description: Embark on a surreal voyage into an unconventional vision of the afterlife. Clarence wakes to the aftermath of his own suicide and a hidden message spawns his journey beyond. Follow Clarence's twisted tale, as he meets whimsical characters whose fates are destined to intertwine with his. The Clarence Principle is an astounding graphic novel by new talents Fehed Said and Shari Chankhamma.
Dear Reader, Yes, yes, yes. I love the art, the dark comedic style, the quirky characters, and almost everything about this. This was quite some Graphic Novel, completely suited to my tastes. The Clarence Principle is a little bit Anime, slightly dark and mischievous, comical and cartoony with a handful of serious topics thrown in. The main character commits suicide (trust me, this is given to you RIGHT from the first page) and journeys to this dreamscape (a la Wonderland-esque). I love dark comical depictions done in a cartoony style, very Jhonen Vasquez (JtHM). If you don't know Jhonen Vasquez, please turn your eyes to this. I fell in love with his work on Johnny the Homicidal Maniac which then introduced me to the amazing Invader Zim and my obsession with that lovable dog/robot Gir. Bah, I miss all of that. Then I read this, and I remember everything I loved about all of that. Oh wait, I just realized this was published in 2007, which probably means that style I love so much as still "IN", and here I thought this was a comeback. Sad face. The story definitely borrows from "Alice in Wonderland" and takes a very grim topic (suicide and dealing with death) but brings it into this strange dream-like world. Every question seems to be answered with a riddle or another question. The creatures and people (if you can call them that) are so far from the realm of plausibility, it makes you think really hard about what might be going on here. The story doesn't feel cheap, it doesn't seem cliche either. My only complaint would be with the ending, but I won't get into that for fear of spoilers. As much as I liked the story of The Clarence Principle, the art goes beyond just liking it, I loved it. The black and white style worked really well with this one and didn't take away from it at all. I loved the cartoony skull faces, the anime human characteristics, the overly goofy clothing and gothic feel to everything. I could go on and on and on. So yes, this is perfect for me, which means I might be completely biased with this one. I would recommend this to anyone who appreciates a dark comedy, anime and/or that gothic comic style. Happy Reading, AmberBug

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Click

Click: One Novel, Ten Authors David Almond, Eoin Colfer, Roddy Doyle, Deborah Ellis, Nick Hornby, Margo Lanagan, Gregory Maguire, Ruth Ozeki, Linda Sue Park, Tim Wynne-Jones 3 / 5	Published 2007 First Sentence "'I can't believe your'e not going to open it!' Jason said. 'Don't you want to know what it is?'"
Publisher's Description: A video message from a dead person. A larcenous teenager. A man who can stick his left toe behind his head and in his ear. An epileptic girl seeking answers in a fairy tale. A boy who loses everything in World War II, and his brother who loses even more. And a family with a secret so big that it changes everything. The world's best beloved authors each contribute a chapter in the life of the mysterious George "Gee" Keane, photographer, soldier, adventurer, and enigma. Under different pens, a startling portrait emerges of a man, his family, and his gloriously complicated tangle of a life.
Dear Reader, I was really excited for this book. It had a lot of promise! So many great authors, and all working for such a great cause. And, I did love most of it - there were some great and beautiful "sub-stories", and the writing was beautiful. However, for those of you who have read A Tale for the Time Being, you'll understand what I mean when I say things got a bit unexpectedly weird. I was hoping for a great resolution to the mystery, but was pretty disappointed by what, ultimately, the explanation turned out to be. However, the characters almost made up for any of the story's shortcomings. I don't think I'll soon forget the tale of the girl and her mother who live alone on the seashore, or the one of the teenager who feels so alone in her despair until she meets a photographer who captures her story with a large piece of jagged glass. Or the Russian prisoner who receives unexpected kindness. I think the main characters - Maggie and Jason, and their grandfather "Gee" - framed the story really well. I'm quite interested to know if the authors all conceived the entire story together, or if they wrote their chapters in order, with no idea where the book would go (even if they tried to gently guide things one way or another). Knowing that would make the story even more strong to me, I think - knowing one way or the other. I remember trying to write a story like that once or twice in my past, and being disappointed to see where my partner had taken the tale I was trying to tell. Each author only gets so much control over the book, which I found endlessly intriguing - especially because, as a writer, I certainly love having control of my own stories! I'd recommend this to writers especially, because I think they'd be fascinated to watch how ten different authors approached the same novel. (And luckily, their different narrative styles don't disrupt the flow of the story in any way.) I think it was a very interesting read, just not quite up to the par I was expecting. Yours, Arianna

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Knit Two

Knit Two: A Friday Night Knitting Club Novel Kate Jacobs 2.5/5	First Sentence "It was after hours at Walker and Daughter: Knitters, and Dakota stood in the center of the Manhattan yarn shop and wrestled with the cellophane tape."
Publisher's Description: Five years after the death of the knitting store's owner, Georgia Walker, Georgia's daughter, eighteen-year-old Dakota, is running the knitting store part-time, but only with the help of the members of the Friday Night Knitting Club. (Published 2008)
Dear Reader, I am not sure that I would have read this book had it not been available as a free audiobook through my library's Overdrive subscription. I often stumble across books there and will pick up ones that I might not otherwise read, which is sometimes a great thing. I chose this one only because I had read the first book in the series, years ago - right around when it first came out, because someone (my sister?) gave it to me as a gift. I thought it was all right, but pretty indistinguishable from all of the "knitting circle" books that came out around that time: chick lit, about women who bond over knitting. I thought this was an interesting series, though, because not all of the women actually knit - there was more to the story than that. In fact, it was much more about the women's lives than their knitting. So I figured this sequel would be all right for a light summer read. And, it was! I enjoyed the easy prose and relatively simple story line. I am still kind of recovering from the final part of the audiobook--a knitting pattern and two recipes which followed the actual novel.  I couldn't believe that the narrator was reading "knit two, purl five, knit two, purl five, knit two, purl five, knit two, purl five," ad nauseam!  Who in the world is going to sit there pausing their audiobook every few seconds to knit or purl, then pressing "play" again?!  So, that kind of threw me off when I was just beginning to consider this review. I think I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if I remembered the story and characters better from the first novel; I feel like there were a lot of references to the prequel which I have long since forgotten.  However, I think the book stands well enough on its own, as I was still able to understand what was going on.  I did like that the main characters are a range of ages, from eighteen to seventy-eight, all struggling to figure out who they are.  It gave a sense of trueness to the book.  However, it wouldn't have hurt to have added a male knitter into the story!  I certainly know of several; they're not mythical, haha. Some - well, one - of the stories seemed a bit implausible, but at least the author gives a nod to its unbelievability (is that a word?).  And she explains it away as being a part of the magic that is the strong, female friendship that is formed over a knitting group.  This is something I've sort of experienced; I still keep in contact with my lovely girls from my former Boston knitting group, and so I do feel that sometimes knitting can bring people together.  This book lent a bit too much saccharine dreaminess to the idea, but hey - it's a knitting group novel, what do you expect? Overall, this was a fun summer novel.  Great to take up some time while I sat around and knit up a pair of wedding gloves for a friend, and a sweater for myself. Happy reading (and knitting!), Arianna