Saturday, May 30, 2015

The Buried Giant


The Buried Giant
Kazuo Ishiguro
3/5


Published 2015

First Sentence
"You would have searched a long time for the sort of winding lane or tranquil meadow for which England later became celebrated."
Publisher's Description:

"You've long set your heart against it, Axl, I know. But it's time now to think on it anew. There's a journey we must go on, and no more delay..."

The Buried Giant begins as a couple set off across a troubled land of mist and rain in the hope of finding a son they have not seen in years.

Sometimes savage, often intensely moving, Kazuo Ishiguro's first novel in nearly a decade is about lost memories, love, revenge, and war.

Dear Reader,

I'm going to have trouble with this one, writing the review and trying to piece together the puzzle my brain is in. Ishiguro is well known and I've been wanting to read something by him for a long time now. I thought, 'hey, why not this one?', well... I now I have an answer to that question. I made a mistake and realize I need to read one of his more well known books, "The Remains of the Day" or even "Never Let Me Go" with a little hesitation. Am I the person for Ishiguro? Maybe I'm missing something? I hate being left out!

For those of you who don't know, this is Ishiguro's latest novel and was hyped up because of his fanbase and past success. I've heard through the grapevine that many of his fans felt let down by this book, which has me breathing a sigh of relief. Maybe there is nothing magical to get in this one? Or maybe it is SO subtle that it flew right over my head (which is much better than not being able to understand). The book was stuffed full of anecdotes and ponderings over memory. I pretty much took away that this book was dealing with memory and loss of memory in its entirety. The setting of the story (although exciting and fantastical) gave the story too much pull in the wrong direction for me. I wanted more adventure, more excitement, less of the boring bits. The characters are losing their memories little by little throughout the book, when they finally figure out why... we get fascinating interaction between the two (trying to remember and yet learning to fill in those gaps).

This book did make me reflect on how much would change if certain memories were plucked from my brain. I love this concept and felt very strongly to it while watching, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" but for some reason, when you add dragons, woodland creatures and King Arthur, the last thing I want is to overly think about psychology or the brain (fascinating as that is). Now, I love me some fantasy and this hit many of those itches - the boatman of death, King Arthur, dragons, lore... but the story held back a little. I remember thinking that maybe Ishiguro wanted to create a story set in this land but of the normal folk, the boring folk... then they introduced another group of characters and that ruined that theory for me. I was much more attached to the older couple than any of the others. I wish it would have stayed with them throughout the story. I'm going to stop here because I'd rather not give too much away but I do want to mention how charmed I was listening to this audiobook and hearing the husband call his wife "princess" all the time, it gave me girly butterflies.

Happy Reading,
AmberBug

The Buried Giant

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Friday, May 29, 2015

Never Let Me Go


Never Let Me Go
Kazuo Ishiguro
4 / 5

Published 2005

First Sentence
"My name is Kathy H."
Publisher's Description:
As children, Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy were students at Hailsham, an exclusive boarding school secluded in the English countryside. It was a place of mercurial cliques and mysterious rules where teachers were constantly reminding their charges of how special they were. Now, years later, Kathy is a young woman. Ruth and Tommy have reentered her life, and for the first time she is beginning to look back at their shared past and understand just what it is that makes them special--and how that gift will shape the rest of their time together.

Dear Reader,

Well, this was my first Ishiguro (I have Remains of the Day lined up as well; I had difficulty deciding which audiobook to start with!) and I feel like there was definitely a lot of hype for it to live up to. Well-deserved hype, but...would I have loved this book just a little bit more had I stumbled across it, and not expected so much from it? Probably, yes. Because I think I DID love the book. It was charming and sentimental and I adored the conversational tone that Ishiguro wrote from Kathy H’s point of view - and I was quite impressed by the author’s ability to write young women! But. There was the expectation built in. Which really upsets me, because I enjoy reading books that people have already read & loved. It makes me feel certain that I will find something worthwhile in between the covers. (I defer often to the “wisdom of the crowd” on Goodreads!) And it does work out well that way - I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that I ended up hating that others adored. But, I have fallen into this situation several times, where too much hype makes me want more from a book than the book can give me. Le sigh!

However. That is not to say I didn’t love this book! It had such a great concept (I feel as if I can’t spoil it, though! - so talking about this book will be mighty difficult). I give Ishiguro a lot of credit for taking a current trend and imagining a truly possible (and somewhat horrifying) future. I just wish I had come up with it, myself! He did a wonderful job with character development; I enjoyed how the reader grew up with the students at their private school. I wanted to befriend Kathy and I wanted to kick Ruth in the teeth for her manipulative ways. Tommy just always seemed rather...slow to me. Perhaps that was just how the reader portrayed him, but I really got the impression he was somewhat dimwitted. Maybe Ishiguro just meant to convey a feeling of innocence around that character, who knows. 

And they were all so innocent of their actual futures. It was tragic, and certainly moving when they finally realized what was going on. You want desperately to believe that we, humanity, would never do such a horrific thing, but...it’s frighteningly easy to see that as one possible future for us. Man oh man. 

Great slow reveal, and while the climax wasn’t terribly startling, it was a strong resolution to a long-running puzzle. I enjoyed this book and certainly look forward to more Ishiguro!

Yours, 
Arianna

P.S. This isn’t related to the review, but wanna know one thing that really bothered me? The fake cassette tape that they sent out to promote the film adaptation looked NOTHING like Kathy H had described it. Why would they not recreate the image that the author had described, since it was his invention?!? So weird.


Never Let Me Go

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Thursday, May 28, 2015

BEA 2015 - Day 2

BEA 2015 - Day 2

Dear Reader,

So, we are back from Day 2, and exhausted!

For the time being, we wanted to give you a taste of our day - a photoghraphic explanation of why we are so freaking tired. This is just a sample of our day (the few times we stopped to snap a pic) but it should show you the whirlwind of activities that we engaged in today:

The Special Guest this year was China, and there was a large section on the floor devoted to the language.
So many gorgeous materials - we wished we knew how to read Chinese!

Meet Tug the Tooth! Mostly we took the photo because we thought the dolls were adorable.
Plus, teeth always remind me of my dentist brother-in-law!

A promising upcoming book that we noticed while standing in line for Ernest Cline (sorry for the blurry...).

Ernest Cline himself signing away! We can't wait to read Armada.

Anthony Marra signing his new book of short stories.

Harry Potter paraphernalia!

From the same super fun booth.

One of the most fun author photos we've ever been involved with.
And, bonus - the book features an octopus!

How cute is this book?!?

A goodie (it was delicious) to promote Holidays and Celebrations
from Taste of Home publishers.

Again, this was just a taste of our day - we've got so much more to tell you! We had such a wonderful time, and we will post more soon!

Yours,
Amber & Arianna

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Armchair BEA 2015 - Introduction Questions - Arianna


Armchair BEA 2015

Introduction Questions

Arianna

Hi, gang!

Well, the BEA is upon us, and that means things are getting going with Armchair BEA, as well! Amber & I are on-site correspondents again this year, so we'll be sharing any fun content we come across to bring the experience back to those at home.

For now, though, it's time for the annual Introduction Questions:

(Some of these we answered last year, so I will try not to repeat myself.)

  1. Why do you love reading and blogging?
    Well, because I love reading, and blogging gives me a venue through which to connect with a huge audience and emote about the books I love (and hate, I suppose). I love the ability to bond with someone halfway around the world who also loves the same author or the same incredible moment from a book. Books are such a common ground, and have been for centuries. The fact that we can pick up pages written by a long-dead poet and have shared experiences about the words through both time and space? Incredible.
  2. What does diversity mean to you?
    Diversity is open-mindedness, the willingness (and choice) to learn about others - be it their background, their culture, their ideals - wherever they are coming from. To not stick to the same old thing, even if that thing is the limit of your comfort zone. Sometimes you end up loving that book you never thought you'd connect with.
  3. What book are you reading right now?
    Book? As in, singular? Yeah, no. That almost never happens. But the one I am currently most focused on is Seveneves by Neal Stephenson, my favorite author. (I am hoping to see him at BEA this year, in fact!) While I always love his books, this latest one is really much stronger than a few of his past endeavors, so I can't put it down.
  4. What book are you most looking forward to reading this summer?
    Probably Felicia Day's, because hearts. There are quite a few that I cannot think of off the top of my head, actually (too early, not enough coffee), but I've pre-ordered that one, so it is clear I am ready to read it!
  5. If you were stranded on  deserted island, what author would you want to bring with you? Why?
    Oh, so many, but I might have to return to Neal Stephenson with this answer. The man knows so much about so much. He could probably figure out how to keep us alive, and more importantly, also build a spaceship that could get us off the island. (I say spaceship and not boat because, well, spaceships are awesome, but this is an example of the above & beyond the man comprehends and can share with us plebians.)
I wish I could take a shelfie! I am not at home, but I definitely will upon our return.

For now, I will leave you with this shot of us from the Staten Island Ferry yesterday afternoon:



Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Pre-BEA Adventures (and Literary NYC)



Dear Reader,

We are having an awesome time in New York City so far! We arrived on Sunday night after a whirlwind day of packing & driving. We are staying in a lovely apartment in Brooklyn, right on Atlantic Ave. Here is a shot Amber took of the place shortly after we arrived:


The place is much bigger than last year's, and we even have access to a roof deck with a pretty great view.

Yesterday we had the pleasure of visiting Sweet Revenge (cupcake & beer/wine pairings!) in the West Village and Rudy's in Hell's Kitchen in amongst our wanderings. Marsha (our dear friend & a frequent guest blogger) came down to join us for the afternoon, and we had some great adventures!

We couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this with the readers!
The author of the Statue of Liberty's famous caption.

We have been putting together a list of some places we'd like to check out while we have a few days before things start up at the Javits. Some we've already been to and are eager to revisit, others we're eager to explore. Of course, most of them have a literary theme:



And some non-literary places we are excited for:


Of course, we won't see everything, but it's always good to have many options!

Do you have any other suggestions for us of things we ought to see or do? 

Yours,
Arianna

N.B. I have to apologize: we've been compiling this list for a couple of years now, and I know we relied heavily on posts related to Google searches on "literary nyc" and the like. If you are the author of one of those posts, thank you! And please let us know so we can give you credit.

The Night Circus


The Night Circus
Erin Morgenstern
4 / 5


Published 2011

First Sentence
"The circus arrives without warning."
Publisher's Description:
The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called "Le Cirque des Reves," and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway--a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love - a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per-formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Dear Reader,
I was so incredibly (and surprisingly!) enchanted by this book. I have to laugh at myself, because I would never have actually picked the book up - I wasn't originally interested in the content, and too many of my friends (and trusted book sources) gave it terrible reviews! But I ended up reading it anyway because I made a silly mistake. I decided that I wanted a little more structure to my reading, and so I decided to tackle a list that looked manageable: the Book Riot Readers’ Top 50 Novels on Goodreads! Now...I should have looked more closely. I didn’t realize that some of the books on the list only had ONE or TWO votes!! Whoops! I guess I should have known better when a lot of more excellent books than those on the list didn’t make the cut, but I think I was so encouraged by my being very close to finishing the book list - I felt like it was such an attainable goal! As it is, I only have 6 left on that list to finish, so I still may work towards it. Besides, I am so glad that I did pick this one up. I was so thoroughly charmed by it! I understand why there are entire wikis devoted to the novel, and a huge fanbase out there. 

Morgenstern truly draws you into the world of Le Cirque des Reves: you can see and smell and taste and feel everything that she describes, and you feel as if you are a visitor, yourself! I wanted to be there alongside the characters, experiencing the same magic. While I wasn’t as drawn in by the personalities or even the plotline, I did love the circus itself - perhaps as a character unto itself. Which was the entire reason the book won me over. As it did for many others, the main love story feel kind of flat for me, but no matter.  The competition that the entire plot hinged upon? Not really all that interesting or intriguing to me. So I am not certain what it was that kept me coming back. Or what made me love the book so. Perhaps I was simply, literally enchanted by it! I think my favorite people were the Reveurs, those who like me were drawn by the siren call of the circus. The black, white, and red magic of it all. 

Like I said, though, don’t read it for the story. There really isn’t much of one! I think the period was written really well, and I think I loved all of the scenes which were described in such rich detail: dinner parties, individual circus tents, tearooms, workshops. Victorian England and turn-of-the-century New England. Swirls of color and whiffs of scent are what my mind truly recall of the book. Perhaps with a strong story, this would have been a 5-star book for me. As it was, I am still glad I mistakenly “coerced myself” into reading it!

Best,
Arianna

P.S. I almost forgot to mention that it was read by Jim Dale, who also read a favorite audiobook of mine, The Boy with the Cuckoo Clock Heart. Perhaps that was originally what kept me reading! I adore his reading voice.


The Night Circus

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Saturday, May 23, 2015

Make Something Up: Stories You Can't Unread


Make Something Up:
Stories You Can't Unread

Chuck Palahniuk
4.5/5


Published May 2015

First Sentence
"My old man, he makes everything into a Big Joke."

Publisher's Description:

Stories you'll never forget—just try—from literature's favorite transgressive author

Representing work that spans several years, Make Something Up is a compilation of 21 stories and one novella (some previously published, some not) that will disturb and delight. The absurdity of both life and death are on full display; in "Zombies," the best and brightest of a high school prep school become tragically addicted to the latest drug craze: electric shocks from cardiac defibrillators. In "Knock, Knock," a son hopes to tell one last off-color joke to a father in his final moments, while in "Tunnel of Love," a massage therapist runs the curious practice of providing 'relief' to dying clients. And in "Expedition," fans will be thrilled to find to see a side of Tyler Durden never seen before in a precursor story to Fight Club.



Dear Reader,

Yes! Chuck is back. This story collection renewed my love for his storytelling capabilities. I don't know why but his past few books haven't been connecting well with me. There was a moment there that I wanted to chuck this against the wall (breaking my paperwhite) just because he starts off with some pretty terrible stories. Thankfully, as you trudge along, the light gets brighter and brighter. I don't know how else to do this but break down my thoughts in order by story. This should be in order but won't contain my thoughts on EVERY story - more of a progression of how I felt.

Knock-Knock - Not a strong story, this paved the way for my unhappiness on a huge level, I started thinking I would have to quit Palahniuk for good.

Huge skip of stories here because I was so frustrated and annoyed with them.

Eleanor - This story was really unique with the language, it was bad english mixed with some highly intelligent words. I even noticed the character would sometimes use words incorrectly which made it into a fun game for me, trying to find them.

How Monkey Got Married - Great story that reflects on how ridiculous humans are with commercialism and American life (very Palahniuk ala Fight Club).

Zombies - I loved this story, had some of the best quotes, "We're basically big animals, evolved to break open shells and eat raw oysters, but now we're expected to keep track of all three hundred Kardashian sisters and eight hundred Baldwin brothers. Seriously, at the rate they reproduce the Kardashians and the Baldwins are going to wipe out all other species of humans." Seriously, everything about this story was awesome, probably a favorite from this collection. I have some interesting thoughts about this the delve into the plot a bit, so if anyone would like to discuss, let me know.

Loser - Another fantastic story. This collection starts off like a train wreck but quickly switches over to deliver some of my favorite stories. This one is a must read - being on a gameshow while tripping on acid!?

Romance - This has got to be one of the funniest short stories I've read in a long time. I'm not talking about this one, just read it.

Cannibal - Back to the smutty - getting old Chuck... this talent, blarg... wasted! Thankfully the other stories overpower this because I just didn't understand his intention here.

Phoenix - Read and reviewed this already here.

Fetch - A haunted tennis ball? Where has this story been all my life?

Expedition - Love! Love! Love! This dark turn Palahniuk takes here is soooo good, I need more of this. I think he needs to pull a horror story out of his bag of tricks next.

So there you have it folks. Great stories, worth reading and buying. For those Fight Club fans, many references stuffed in. I would recommend this to any Chuck fan, especially those that have lost the faith in him. This one should restore that within all fans. I dare you to try it.

Happy Reading,
AmberBug

Make Something Up: Stories You Can't Unread

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Thursday, May 21, 2015

BEA 2015 - Books to Check Out

This year Book Expo America has a TON of books that look interesting.

This is just a few of the many good books coming out this Fall.











1. Armada by Ernest Cline

2. Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart


3. City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg

4. Cleopatra's Shadows by Emily Holleman

5. You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day

6. The Lost Landscape by Joyce Carol Oates

7. The Last Pilot by Benjamin Johncock

8. Listful Thinking by Paula Rizzo

9. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

10. Purity by Jonathan Franzen

11. Seveneves by Neal Stephenson

12. 100 Years of the Best American Short Stories by Lorrie Moore & Heidi Pitlor


Are you coming to BEA? Maybe we'll bump into you! What books are you looking forward to grabbing?


Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Gilead


Gilead
Marilynne Robinson
3.5 / 5


Published 2004

First Sentences
"I told you last night that I might be gone sometime, and you said, Where, and I said, To be with the Good Lord, and you said, Why, and I said, Because I'm old, and you said, I don't think you're old. And you put your hand on my hand and you said, You aren't very old, as if that settled it." 
Publisher's Description:
Twenty-four years after her first novel, Housekeeping, Marilynne Robinson returns with an intimate tale of three generations from the Civil War to the twentieth century: a story about fathers and sons and the spiritual battles that still rage at America's heart. Writing in the tradition of Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman, Marilynne Robinson's beautiful, spare, and spiritual prose allows "even the faithless reader to feel the possibility of transcendent order" (Slate). In the luminous and unforgettable voice of Congregationalist minister John Ames, Gilead reveals the human condition and the often unbearable beauty of an ordinary life.

Dear Reader, 

I know I was supposed to love this little book. I found it beautiful, and moving at times. But it was so slow. For such a slim volume, it felt like it took me ages to read. And it was so religious! It just wasn’t my cup of tea. I was able to look past the religiosity because I didn’t feel as if that was the writer’s point, but it was glaringly there all the while, as the book detailed three generations of preachers. 

With her spare prose, the author manages to write some very memorable moments. She reminds me quite a bit of Faulkner. I felt the wideness of the prairie and the smallness of the town and of John’s life in every sentence. He never strayed far from Gilead, but that suited him. He was a preacher to a small congregation in a small and weary town, one which had an auspicious history but which now feels dusty and run-down. Quiet. Unassuming. And for John, home. 

John Ames had a simple way about him, finding joy and beauty in the world, and I did appreciate that about the book. He found joy in the simple pleasures and noticed the smallest wonders, which is a thing I strive for always, and so I found a kindred spirit in him in this. I think I would have loved to have spent some time just sitting with the narrator on his front porch.

I liked the juxtaposition of the town’s beginnings and the book’s ultimate conflict (if that is what Jack’s story amounted to), but I feel as if it just wasn’t enough for me. I got drawn in by the stories of John and his father and grandfather, all three very strong personalities in their own ways. But I found I just stopped caring, and I don’t have much interest in what happens to John’s son, when he finally begins to read the pages. The story was quaint, and sweet, and touching. I’ll give it that. And it had a lot of promise. But I just didn’t feel as if I was able to take anything away from it. And I think that should be the point of any book. Don’t you?

Yours,
Arianna

P.S. Not that it should sway you one way or the other, but, just so you know -- this is one of Obama’s favorite books.

P.P.S. Full disclosure: I read this for my book club. Would I have picked it up anyway? Probably. It’s been enjoyed by many. And it's a Pulitzer Prize winner, after all.


Gilead

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Friday, May 15, 2015

The Life and Death of Sophie Stark


The Life and Death of Sophie Stark
Anna North
2.5/5


Published May 2015

First Sentence
"When Sophie first saw me, I was onstage."

Publisher's Description:

Gripping and provocative, The Life and Death of Sophie Stark tells a story of fame, love, and legacy through the propulsive rise of an iconoclastic artist.

“It’s hard for me to talk about love. I think movies are the way I do that,” says Sophie Stark, a visionary and unapologetic filmmaker. She uses stories from the lives of those around her—her obsession, her girlfriend, and her husband—to create movies that bring her critical recognition and acclaim. But as her career explodes, Sophie’s unwavering dedication to her art leads to the shattering betrayal of the people she loves most.

Told in a chorus of voices belonging to those who knew her best, The Life and Death of Sophie Stark is an intimate portrait of an elusive woman whose monumental talent and relentless pursuit of truth reveal the cost of producing great art, both for the artist and for the people around her.



Dear Reader,

I fell in love with the cover of this book. I kept seeing it pop up and finally gave in and requested it from Netgalley. Unfortunately, the cover was striking but the story itself didn't live up to it. First of all, the cover doesn't relate to the story at all, that face looks like a child or teen to me, not a grown woman (which is what the majority of the book is about). Sophie Stark was the focus, but her story is told through a variety of cast surrounding her (brother, girlfriend, husband, etc). I've come to realize that I must not like this style of writing that much because I never seem to connect with a book that uses this device.

This format made it really hard for me to get back into the book everytime I put it down. Each chapter changes hands to reveal another aspect of Sophie and usually introduces another character to tell the tale. Being the chapter reader that I am, I usually read this in those chunks and it felt a little like reading short stories with the same characters. I would have been fine with that but this isn't what the book was trying to do (or at least I don't think so).

The strongest storyline for me was between Sophie and her girlfriend (who appears in multiple chapters - unlike some of the others) and Sophie and her brother. I learned more about Sophie during those times, possibly because they were the closest to her life. Sophie herself was something else, her quirky and leech like personality was really interesting and was what probably got me to the end. Every relationship she touches, she leeches the life out of that person and she begins to realize this, which adds a little more depth. However, the character developed very slowly and I didn't care for the lack of plot. If this is a building device for a character driven story, it wasn't strong enough... it could have been helped with a stronger plot line. Just my opinion though, I'm interested in what others think.

Happy Reading,
AmberBug

The Life and Death of Sophie Stark

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Tuesday, May 12, 2015

The Lightning Thief


The Lightning Thief
(Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1)

Rick Riordan
3.5 / 5


Published 2005

First Sentence
"Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood."
Publisher's Description:
Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse-Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends -- one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena -- Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.

Dear Reader,

Okay, this book was so much cooler than I expected it to be! I had of course heard the name before, from the popularity of the books and the release of the movie in the past few years. However, I had kind of written it off as yet another Harry Potter-ish fandom, which I wasn’t terribly interested in joining. Luckily, though, I have a coworker who is a big fan of the series and talked me into picking up the first one. Will I read further in the series? Probably not, unless someone presses the book into my hands. (I am also told they get better, which does intrigue me…) Am I glad I read that first one, though? For sure!

I had no idea (despite the series name) that this was a book all about the Greek gods, which is a topic I’ve been fascinated with ever since I was gifted a copy of D’Aulaires’ Greek Myths when I was little. I used to love reading & rereading those stories! What kid isn’t fascinated by the legends of Zeus and his (often petty) pantheon? Which is why I think this story works so incredibly well: those who already know & love the stories will latch onto the books quite quickly and become big fans; those who haven’t yet studied them in school will totally jump at the chance after they’ve become familiar with Percy and his gang! I love it. It makes me understand why these books were so popular with middle-grade reluctant readers. (It helps that Percy is easy to identify with, having been a “problem student” and diagnosed with ADD, which is explained as being one of the things he’s inherited from his immortal parent.)

The book pulls you in immediately by giving you action right off the bat: the reader watches Percy realize something strange is going on...when he slays his algebra teacher with a ballpoint pen. Sounds intriguing, right? And it just gets better! I loved how the author unrolled the story, revealing things to the reader as Percy discovered them. Riordan’s take on the Greek gods and how they have survived (and changed) in this day & age are great - usually amusing and often pretty spot-on. I particularly loved his characterization of motorcycle-riding bad boy Ares! 

Cross-country adventures (with quite a few bumbles). Warring gods who might cause the end of civilization. Satyrs who wear fake sneakers. Glimpses of familiar favorites, such as Medusa and the Sirens. Abandoned water parks. Revenge on jerkwad stepdads. And the entrance to the Underworld being located just under LA. What’s not to love?

I think this book (and perhaps the whole series) are a wonderful choice for anyone, but particularly for those young boys who haven’t yet discovered the joys of reading. I can see Percy winning many fans, for years to come.

Yours,
Arianna

P.S. I don't know how long this will last, but it appears the Kindle version of this book is $1.99 at the moment!


The Lightning Thief

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