2009 in Review

My New Year's Resolution last January was to read two books a month for a total of 24 books a year. I ended up with 38 total books read, and since it is highly unlikely I'll finish anything by midnight tomorrow, here's a list of what I've read this year.

38.The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (5/5)
37.The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald (4/5)
36.Up in the Air by Walter Kirn (3/5)
35.The Other Queen by Phillipa Gregory (2.5/5)
34.A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon (2/5)
33.Extremely Loud and Incredibility Close by Jonathan Safran Foer* (5/5)
32.Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger (4/5)
31.Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger (3.5/5)
30.Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (3/5)
29.The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (3.5/5)
28.The Wild Things by Dave Eggers (4/5)
27.Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery (1/5)
26.The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown (2/5)
25.The Farewell Waltz by Milan Kundera (3/5)
24.The White Queen by Phillipa Gregory (4/5)
23.Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier* (5/5)
22.Slowness by Milan Kundera (2/5)
21.Ignorance by Milan Kundera (4/5)
20.Netherland by Joseph O'Neill (4/5)
19.Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling* (5/5)
18.Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling* (5/5)
17.The Further Adventures of a London Call Girl by Anonymous (Belle De Jour)(2/5)
16.Belle De Jour by Joseph Kessel (1.5/5)
15.Immortality by Milan Kundera (3/5)
14.The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera (3/5)
13.The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera (5/5)
12.Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote (4/5)
11.We Thought You Would Be Prettier: True Tales of the Dorkiest Girl Alive by Laurie Notaro (1.5/5)
10.The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (2.5/5)
9.Romance of a Shop by Amy Levy (4/5)
8.The Five People you Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (4/5)
7.Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen (3/5)
6.Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (4/5)
5.When the King Took Flight by Timothy Tackett **
4.North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (2.5/5)
3.Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (5/5)
2.When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris (4/5)
1.Animal Farm by George Orwell (3/5)

Most Read Author - Milan Kundera (6)
Favorite New Reads - the Unbearable Lightness of Being, The Bell Jar, Pride and Prejudice
Least Favorite Reads - North and South, We Thought You would Be Prettier, The Further Adventures of a London Call Girl, The Lost Symbol, Gourmet Rhapsody
Longest - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Shortest - Breakfast at Tiffany's

Ratings are out of 5
*Rereads
** Academic Reading that I can't judge on an unbias level

December Reading 4/2

The Bell Jar
Sylvia Plath

Esther Greenwood is an overachiever who is quickly losing her mind. She has a scholarship to her college as well as summer internship at a magazine in New York City. She has some quarkie traits and weird opinions of men, especially of her kinda sorta boyfriend, Buddy. When she doesn't get her second summer scholarship to take a writing class she goes off the deep end, thinking about suicide, being unable to eat, read, write and sleep.

I seriously enjoyed The Bell Jar. It was like falling down the rabbit hole with Esther. Her actions, while not always rational don't often make the reader question them as they are reading. This incredibly solid decent into madness had me questioning my own sanity a few times. She's not annoying, which is a rarity on the crazy characters front. It was a quick, funny and thoughtful read that left me amazed. Some of the minor characters were annoying, but since everything was through Esther's prospective it is understandable. The progression of the story was very natural, just enough time passed so that one was aware it was happening, but there weren't huge gaps of time missing and all relevant information that didn't happen in the linear storyline was told in flashback or new headlines. There is obviously so much of Plath in this novel and it's really heartbreaking that she died so young. Definitely worth the read.

Story
****

Structure
***

December Reading 3/2

The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald

Nick Carraway, originally from Minnesota has spent quite a bit of time on the east coast. After fighting in World War Two and going to Yale he decides to spend a year in New York. He winds up living in a bungalow near his second cousin once removed, Daisy and her husband Tom, a man he went to Yale with. He also lives next to door the mysterious Jay Gatsby, who is throwing elaborate parties ever weekend. Tom is the witness to a summer's worth of drama in Long Island with secrets, old loves and huge tempers.

When I picked up The Great Gatsby for the first time four days ago I didn't really know what to excpet. Recentlly many people had told me I would enjoy it, but never gave me a reason why. When I got the book as an early Christmas gift a few days ago I was more interested in what was the big deal with this 'classic' then with the story or the characters but that quickly changed. There is something very simple and beautiful in the way Fitzgerald made these characters. They're all so tragically flawed, but you feel for most of them at one time or another. Gatsby is intriguing, it's hard to tell when he is being honest, but that doesn't really matter, it's just who he is. it's a short book, but it moves quick. It's refershing to see the 1920's in a way that doesn't focus on the family, World War One (well, more than it does) and music. A great read.

Story:
***
Structure:
****

December Reading 2/2

Up In the Air
Walter Kirn

Backflap:
Ryan Bingham's job as a Career Transition Counselor - he fires people - has kept him airborne for years. Although he despises his line of work, he has come to love the culture of what he calls "Airworld," finding contentment within pressurized cabins and anonymous hotel rooms. With a letter of resignation sitting on his boss's desk, and the hope of a job with a mysterious firm, Bingham is agonizingly close to his ultimate goal, his Holy Grail: ONE MILLION FREQUENT FLYER MILES.

Review:
Up in the Air isn't the gem that I was hoping it would be, but that being said it was still a quick, enjoyable read. Ryan is a fairly average character that even a light reader would recognize. He doesn't form lasting attachments, reminisces about his childhood and has odd qualities that makes the reader relate to him and think he is a bit odd all at once. The real momentum behind Up in the Air is the Airworld Ryan lives in. It is vibrant and something that I have rarely seen explored in fiction. Even Ryan's job is interesting, and watching him read people is fun and engrossing. However, about 3/4 of the way through the book everything slows to a glacially pace and the ending leaves a lot to be desired but overall a decent read. Looking forward to seeing the film.


Story:
**1/2
Structure:
***1/2

December Reading 1/2

The Other Queen
Philippa Gregory

Summary:
In the last novel of Gregory's Tudor series we follow Mary Stuart (Mary Queen of Scots) as she is captured by the English and left with George and Bess Talbot, a newly married high noble couple. We follow them from castle to castle, running from possible raids and war, and under Queen Elizabeth's advisors Cecil constant watch. The reader follows Mary on her quest for freedom, George's inner turmoil over serving one Queen while loving another and Bess's worries over status and finances.

Review:
I guess you could call me a loyal Gregory reader. I've read the majority of her Tudor series and have read the first book in Plantagenet trilogy. Usually I can find more than a few faults with her novels, but the story is usually enough to overlook large historical inaccuracies and underdeveloped characters. Unfortunately every character in this novel is grating. Mary is pompous, vain, and irritating as she repeats the same choirs of "you must free me, you can't kill me, aren't i pretty". Bess is the stereotypic nagging wife, who can not go a section without worrying about her land, and talking about the money that is being lost, and all the while George is gripping with his love for Mary, while serving Elizabeth and making stupid choices the entire time. Between the three of them there is not one redeemable quality, and that is really the tragedy of this story, not the massive number of executions, the religious persecutions or the historical inaccuracy's. Not one of Gregory's best works.

Story:
**1/2
Structure:
***

November Reading 5/2

A Spot of Bother
Mark Haddon

Summery:
The story revolves around the Hall family. The family consists of George, a hypochondriac who is convinced he has cancer even though his doctor has diagnosed him with eczema. Jean, Georges wife, who has been having an affair, Katie, their daughter, who is a single mom who is getting married to Ray, who George and Jean think is the wrong man for her and Jamie, Katie's gay brother.

Review:
Haddon (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime) had much to live up to with A Spot of Bother, and I don't think he lived up to expectations. The Hall family is stereotypical and kind of dull. They each have their problems and one goes from siding with George to Jean to Katie to Jamie to even Ray. By the end it's hard to tell who you should care the most about, or weather you should care about any of them at all. With that being said, this was by no means a terrible book, just mediocre, and that, I think, is the real crime in this novel. Nothing specatular happens, but it's good for a rainy day read.

Story:
**
Structure:
***

November Reading 4/2

Extremely Loud and Incredibility Close
Jonathan Safran Foer

Summery:
Oskar Schell lost his Father two years ago during 9/11. He wears his heavy boots all the time trying to cope with his death until one day he accidently knocks over a blue vase and finds a key with the name Black written on it. Oskar thinks finding the lock to the key could bring him closer to his father so he goes on a search of every Black in New York City. Oskars most trusted person is his Grandmother, a woman with her own sad story from Dresden. Her husband, Oskars Grandfather, left before his son was born. Now with the past and the present colliding there are heartbreaking stories told from every direction.

Review:
The middle of last week Foer spoke at one of the Chicago Public Libraries and I decided to go, knowing from the start that I do not want my beliefs about food changed. (His new book, Eating Animals, is about factory farming and his choice to stay a vegetarian.) What I was surprised to find as he read sections of his work of non-fiction was how poetic his stories of his family were, which leads me to why I decided to go back and reread one of my favorite novels.

The three stories (Oskar, Thomas, and the Grandmother) and all unique and compelling. Foer has a way of making his characters real while setting them in intense and terrible situations. Every time I reread one of my old favorites I get slightly panicked that I will have outgrown them. I am pleased to say that once again that wasn't the case. I may be older, but Oskar is still easy to relate to. Thomas's stories are still beautifully tragic, Foer takes you on journeys that you may not want to always go on, but you enjoy none the less. The purposes of the pictures is clear, but often times they are unnecessary and sometimes unsettling. A great read.

Story:
****
Structure:
***

November Reading 3/2

Franny and Zooey
J.D. Salinger

Summery:
The Glass family is messed up. The first section consists of Franny visiting her boyfriend, going off on rants about phoneys, religion and English Departments across the country before having a breakdown and passing out. Zooeys story takes over where Franny's leaves off. Franny is sleeping on the couch as he reads an old letter from one of his brothers in the bath. His mom barges in berating him with questions and musing. Zooey eventually does talk to Franny showing his intellectual, egotistical side, talking about religion and calling Fanny out on her Jesus Prayer, leaving her in tears before he goes to impersonate his brother in a phone call to Franny.

Review:
I truly enjoyed this novel, if you can even call it a novel. One thing I have always loved about Salinger is how real his characters are, even when they are completely fucked up in the head. Franny's self doubt and Zooeys pompous attitude make for intriguing interactions with everyone they come in contact with. The whole of the Glass family is fascinating, if not tragic, making me want to delve deeper into their story.

November Reading 2/2

Her Fearful Symmetry
Audrey Niffenegger

Summery:
Julia and Valentina are twins, just like their mother Edie and her sister Elspeth were, except that Edie had a falling out that has separated them for 21 years. When Elspeth dies and leaves her London flat to Julia and Valentina with the instructions that they must live there a year before they can sell the flat, and that their parents may never step foot in it. Julia and Valentina move to London and realize they are more different then they thought, with the help of a ghost and their neighbors.

Review:
Having been uninterested in the Time Travelers Wife, I was surprised to find myself drawn to Her Fearful Symmetry. Niffenegger makes the existence of ghosts acceptable, and her characters real. The premise is just far fetched enough to keep readers interested, and the writing style such that you'll be reading for hours without realizing it. The twist at the end is regrettable, weird, and a little sad. Definitely worth a read.


Story
***1/2
Structure
****

November Reading 1/2

Sense and Sensibility
Jane Austen

Synopisis:
Mr. Dashwood dies, leaving his second wife and daughters with little and his Son Norland. While the Dashwood woman are in the process of finding a new home, John Dashwood and his wife Fanny move into Norland. This is where Elinor meets Edward, who she falls in love with. The Dashwood woman move to Barton, where they are close to Mrs.Dashwoods intrusive cousins. Colonel Brandon loves Marianne, Marriageable thinks he is to old to be in love, among other things. Marianne falls in love with Willoughby and acts without thinking while Elinor silently pines for Edward. Theres drama everywhere, Edward is secretly Engaged to someone else, Willoughby leaves and the girls go to London, where there is even more Drama. Marianne gets worked up and sick. Everyone ends up with the right person. pretty much typical Austen

Review:
Earlier this year I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time and was really looking forward to reading more Austen. Sense and Sensibility did not live up to the high standers I had set for it, but It was a good read. The slow start describing the family situation ruins the race of the story and makes it very had to get into. I had a problem with Marianne as a character, but I can see how she could be endearing to some. In short this was a classic worth reading.

Story
***
Structure
***

October Reading - 2/2

Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger

Oddly good. Holden is interesting, but not particularly likable. He holds the feelings we all have out in the open. Of course he is crazy, too. S uprising how interesting a story of a boy who gets out of prep school after prep school can be, but pimp beat downs, suicide, and nuns can make for an interesting story. The perfect story for those who are trying to find themselves amongst a sea of their peers.

Story
***
Structure
***

October Reading - 1/2

The Wild Thing
Dave Eggers

Based on the children's story by Maurice Sendak and the screenplay Eggers wrote with Spike Jonze Max is brought to life in a modern world, with a single mom, and idealized dad and a typical teenage sister, not to mention the new man in his mothers life. Max is every kid that didn't get all the attention he needed and created imaginary worlds to establish some control. Where Eggers really succeeds is bringing a childes spirit to the story. Max, while an idealistic nine year old, seems logical, or at least as logical as one can hope a nine year old to be. The Monsters are terrifying and endearing, depending on what is happening. Eggers claims his novel varies from the film, saying that this is his version of Max, not Maurices or Spikes.

Structure: ****
Story:***

September Reading 5/2

Gourmet Rhapsody
Muriel Barbery

The most revered food critic in the world only has 48 hours to live. How will he spend it? Unfortunately, not in a very interesting way. He is on the search for the "taste" that has alluded him all this time. The story switches between him looking for this taste, and his family and friends speaking about him. And since he was a total asshole his entire life. His children hate him, people who have worked with him hate him, some pets like him, but that's about it. I was very disappointed with this story on so many levels. The story had true potential, it just never gets anywhere close to reaching it.

Structure:
***
Story:
*

September Reading 4/2

The Lost Symbol
Dan Brown

Oh, where to start. Mr Brown (Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons) tries his sand at yet another Robert Langdon book, this time set in the depths of Washington DC. So who is the terrible Villain? Mah'lah aka Zachary, a crazy tattooed man in the search of the Masonic "secret". The Secret is fairly dull, the supporting characters are annoying, except for Katherine Solomon who is studying Noetic Science.Of course crazy tattooed man becomes an issue of national security, but we only find out the reason at the end, Robert runs from the CIA, but ends up working with them.
Dan Brown isn't a great writer, but he usually good with coming up interesting, thought provoking material, however Lost Symbol is more irritating than interesting. Some advice Mr. Brown? Either come up with a better conspiracy or stop writing books centering around a character that, despite all he's seen is unwilling to believe in anything.

Structure
**
Story
**

September Reading 3/2

Farewell Waltz
Milan Kundera

I know, I know, another Kundera, but this one was much different from everything else I have read of his so far. It was good, very character driven with a solid fast paced plot. Quick witted, it was a very enjoyable read.

Story: ***
Structure:****

September Reading 2/2

Alice In Wonderland
Lewis Carroll

I never saw the movie as a child, and knew realitivly little about the story before I started reading. I do have to say that for such a short book, it's so repetative. She grows, she shrinks, she grows she shrinks, so on and so forth and nothing is very interesting. I justt if It was something I have grown up with I would enjoy it more, but I really really didn't. I hear that Through the Looking glass is a better story, but I don't think I'll be putting much trust in Carroll again very soon.

Structure:***
Story:**

September Reading 1/2

The White Queen
Phillipa Gregory

Not exactly a high brow read, but as the first book in the Plantagent (I'm still updating from my phone, spelling error will appear) series it is solid. The plot centers around Elizabeth Grey, who ends up marrying Edward IV while he is still fighting for the thron. It also encompases the missing Princes in the tower and pretty much everything that happened in Richard III. All in all a good quick read.

Structure:***
Sory:***

August Reading 4/2

Girl With a Pearl Earring
Tracy Chevalier

I was a little concerned when i picked this up for what must have been at least the 7th time. The spine was in bad shape and it felt like it was going to crumble to pieces in my hand and I was a little worried that I might have fonder memories of my favorite book in place of the actual content. My worries proved to be unwarranted. As always a quick read, with a great story, good characters and something charming that I can never really put my finger on. Griet isn't always likable, but she is relate-able. Plus it's hard to not find artists attractive. After the 233 pages you feel as if you have been walking invisably along side Griet, navigating a life in 17th century Holland. A must read on my list.

Story: ****
Structure:****

August Reading 3/2

Slowness
Milan Kundera

If your into a short romp into the realm of politicians and scientists and writers, this is your cup of tea. however, i am not. It presents so interesting ideas, the chief of which being that everyone preforms for their own invisible audience, especially politicians. Alright characters, alright story, nothing special.

Story **
Structure **

August Reading 2/2

Ignorance
Milan Kundera

Surprisingly good, short novel. It's just about these emigres returning home after the fall of Communism and how the people the story centers around have been gone for 20 years and have other lives, but no one back in Prauge cares that they aren't the same people. Really good,quick read.

Story ****
Structure ****

August Reading 1/2

Netherland
Joseph O'Neill

All around a decent book that took far to long to read. It's half really different love story half New York immigrant expose'. Hans, the Dutchman who the story centers around is easy to care about, when people hurt him, you feel hurt, but that doesn't mean you don't start kicking yourself when you see him do stupid things. What I found the most interesting was this view of events, like 9/11 and the 2003 blackout from someone the city, who felt the need to defend it even though it wasn't really his. It's hard to tell if the main story here is Hans trying, giving up and then going full force into his marriage, or if it's about Cricket, or if it's about Hans and Chuck. Highly recommend it.

Story: ****
Structure: **

July Reading 5/2

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
JK Rowling

Hallows not Horcruxes. This was my first time rereading Deathly Hallows since it came out two years ago. I had remembered being unimpressed, annoyed and slightly disappointed in the story, the writing and the fact that Harry was a Horcrux. Upon rereading everything seemed to have more meaning. This is truly a masterfully crafted series. I will say that I could do without the long chapters of the trio going from woods to woods with no direction, no good conversation and no real plot movement. The epilogue is as cheesy as ever, and nothing is as sad as Dobbys funeral and Freds death.
This will end my Harry Potter craziness for the summer. See you in 2 years, Sorcerers Stone!

Structure:***1/2
Story:**** (not because it's all so great, but I give credit where credit is due, and there is far to much going on for it not to be acknowledged)

July Reading 4/2

The Further Adventures of a London Call Girl
Belle De Jour

Calling this stupid chick lit would be doing it a favor. The first, as my review states, was good and a quick fun read, this was the opposite. While it was still a relatively quick read, that was more my determination to be done with it than with it being enjoyable. So different from what I expected. Let's just say marketing this as the second Call Girl novel is a bit much considering Belle now works in an office, takes up with an ex boyfriend who she cyberstalks (albeit rightly) and a 2 month vacation to South America. Not enjoyable, not fun. It was like reading a really bad memoir of some incredibility unimportant, uninteresting person.

Structure:
****
Story:*

July Reading 3/2

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
J.K. Rowling

My favorite in the series, just enough humor and side story to make the gravity of the Voldemort situation more tolerable. Cried from when Dumbeldore died till, well, till the end. I hate Fleur as much as I hated her in Goblet of Fire, Ginny is awesome, Harry is not as irritating, I enjoy all Weasleys.There isn't really much to about Harry Potter that hasn't been said. I did enjoy the movie, but I see how much was left out. I always love going back with the Pensive thing.

Structure: ****
Story:****

July Reading 2/2

Belle De Jour
Joseph Kessel

The most and really only interesting part of this novel is that it was written in 1926. Severine is inoccent and proper. She comes off cold and slightly childish, but she becomes a prostitute because of some odd fantasy thing. She seems very weak, both physically and mentally. I guess I don't have very much good to say. It wasn't poorly developed but the characters were unlikeable. The most endering turned out to be a ganster who was willing to kill for Sevrines love.

Stucture:***
Story:**

July Reading 1/2

Immortality
Milan Kundera

A novel born out of a gesture observed from a middle aged woman to her swim instructor. I've got to say, Kundera is nothing if not thought provoking. I did love reading about Goethe and Bettina, and then about the immortal Hemingway and Goethe. Though I wouldn't want Agnes life, it is interesting, her husband is dull, her daughter typical and her sister a self centered bitch. I suppose some would relate to Laura more, but I'm not that dramatic or self involved. Things repeat, a man obsessed with the number of lovers he has emerges and it turns out the only one that mattered was Agnes. The most confusing thing really was Kundera inserting himself into the story and interacting with Paul, and his friend Av...Averuan(yeah that's not right but i'm not going to look it up) wanting Laura and using Paul as an lawyer.

overall not bad, not my favorite. It did give me a lot to think about

Stucture:***
Story:***

June Reading 2/2

The Book of Laughter and Forgetting
Milan Kundera

I'll admit i didn't enjoy this nearly as much as i enjoyed ULoB, but it was still very good. A compilation of 7 stories, seemingly unrelated until you get to the forth story, the one i enjoyed most, where Kundera explains that they are all for and about Taminia. I wasn't a huge fan of the children island, or the first lost letters, but not because they were poorly written. Kundera has this way of making characters real. I was just telling this to Kirsten, all be it in a less clear way, but Kundera really gets to the grit of the human condition, they may not be perfect and not likable, but they're real, and it's amazing and comforting.
Story: (on average) ***
Structure:****

June Reading 1/2

The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Milan Kundera

If you've spent any time talking to me this past week, you've probably heard me raving about this book. I won't go as far to say I loved every second of it, I could have done without The Grand March, but even there there are many great points being made. Here is a quick summary:
Tomas is a Czech surgeon and he meets and falls in love with Tereza. Tomas also has a slew of mistresses, most important of which is Sabina, Sabina gets Tereza a job as a photographer in Prauge at the same magazine she works for, Russians invade, T2 get a dog, everyone goes to Switzerland, Tereza is still unhappy, moves back to a now sealed Prague with the dog, Tomas follows her and writes a letter comparing violent communists to Oedipus, he is essentially blacklisted, can't practice medicine. Sabina begins and affair with a married man, Franz, who is mostly a dreamer, he ends up leaving his wife for her. Sabina dose not approve of this and leaves him and goes to France. Tomas an Tereza move to the country. Everyone dies, including the dog.

Structure: ***1/2
Story: ****

May Reading 4/2

Breakfast at Tiffany's
Truman Copote

Ok, so it's really a Novella but putting that to the side I can honestly say this story was everything and nothing i expected all at the same time. While Holly is described as a blonde who looks all of 12 I could not help thinking of Audrey, who captured the essence of her to a T. The ending was an odd sort of Tragic, but I have to admit, closure is rare in real life, so it shouldn't appear any more readily in fiction. The first person account from...I don't think his real name is ever mentioned, let's call him Fred, give's Holly this beautiful shading that makes her real and flawed but lovable.

In short, Loved it, probably not enough to make me read In Cold Blood

Structure: ***
Story:***

May Reading 3/2

We Thought You Would Be Prettier: True Tales of the Dorkiest Girl Alive
Laurie Notaro

Now, given the title and my need for something light and fun to really kick off my summer reading I picked this ...this...this book of essays in the hopes of finding something Sedarisesk between the pages, what i found were mediocre stories a little to long to hold my interest and which tended to veer off topic as soon as they started to get interesting. The first half of the book is decent, but nothing spectacular, Doing America -about Notaro's first book tour, Attack of the XL Girl- a shopping experience gone wrong, and It's Fun to Stay at the YMCA- a charming tale about flipping off an 8 year old are all enjoyable segments, but they are more than counteracted by things like...well the list is to long to make. Needless to say this wasn't exactly what I was looking for, and when in want of a fun essay collection I would like to suggest that anyone reading head for Sedaris or Crosley, both who deliver on a relatability and enjoyability front.

Structure: ****
Story: **

May Reading 2/2

Secret Diary of a Call Girl
Belle de Jour

Book the lovely show with Billie Piper is based off of. Interesting, not as much sex as one would assume. a lot of London, people, and relationships. A great, quick read. Has pretty much distracted me from homework all week. Not sure I'd recommend it to anyone who would end up reading this besides Jasmyn, but hey, maybe you guys will surprise me. Not much else to say, Girl is kind of like me, if, you know i was a sex crazed prostitute in London, but like's lists.

Structure ***
Story ***

May Reading 1/2

Picture of Dorian Gray
Oscar Wilde

So, I've got to admit, from the start i was a little taken aback by the homoerotic undertones going on, but I got over that because, well it's Wilde, and everyone has been telling me I'd love this book since the beginning of the semester. Turns out it wasn't really my cup of tea, it's an ok story, written fairly well, but really as soon as the portrait started changing i started getting very bored. I can see why people have enjoyed Dorian Gray, I guess it just wasn't for me
Structure: ****
Story: ** 1/2

April Reading 1/2

Romance of a Shop
Amy Levy

Four sisters lose their father in 1880 and decided to open a photography studio to keep themselves instead of separating. All of the sisters have distinct, real personalities. Kind of like a Victorian Sex and the City, each sister has a man who want's her affection, sometimes more than one. It's short, to the point, and a fun read. I recommend it to anyone who has a few extra hours (Emily I think you'd really enjoy this.) A lot of cultural references, so footnotes help, but it's obvious that this was on the edge of socially acceptable.

Story: ***
Structure:*

March Reading 4/2

The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Mitch Album

I wouldn't have bought this had it not been on sale and i had a gift card, but it was a good, quick read. Not to sad, but it made you think, and i think it was just what i needed right now. The idea that the worst thing you could ever think is that you were useless and alone could go a long way in our socity. Really strong story

Story ****
Structure ***

March Reading 3/2

Girl, Interrupted
Susanna Kaysen

Another required read
For a memoir it was fast pasted, and didn't dwell on the fact that everyone was mentally ill, It dealt with the people, not the disease's they apparently had. Nothing is played up for pittys sake, though i'm sure a few violent episodes were thrown out. Straight up good writing, quick read. The bit at the end about the Vermeer struck me as something I would say. I could do without the paperwork between chapters, but i guess it is fitting for this purpose

Story: ***
Structure: ****

"The other two are self-contained paintings. The people in them are looking at each other -- the lady and her maid, the soldier and his sweetheart. Seeing them is peeking at them through a hole in a wall. And the wall is made of light -- That entirely credible yet unreal Vermeer light.
Light like this does not exist, but we wish it did. We wish the sun could make us young and beautiful, we wish our clothes could glisten and ripple against our skin, most of all, we wish that everyone we knew could be brightened simply by our looking at them, as are the maid with the letter and the soldier with the hat.
The girl at her music sits in another sort of light, the fitful overcast light of life, bu which we see ourselves and others only imperfectly, and seldom."

March Reading 22

Wuthering Heights
Emily Bronte

I don't even know how to classify this, I guess the best way is the most fucked up love story ever. The oddest characters ever, but very well written. Catherine love's Heathcliff, Heathcliff loves Catherine, but Catherine also kinda loves Edgar. Heathcliff marrys Isabella, Catherine dies while giving birth to Cathy, Heathcliff still love's Catherine and hate's Edgar, Isabella dies, Heathcliff gain's a Son, Linton. Cathy loves Linton, Heathcliff hate's Linton and Cathy, Heathcliff forces Linton and Cathy to get married, Linton Dies, Edgar dies, Cathy hates everything, Heathcliff hates everything that isn't the idea of Catherine, shit goes down, Cathy hates Hearton, Cathy loves Hearton, Heathcliff dies, Everyone lives happily ever after?

Story ***
Structure ****

When the King Took Flight

A historical account of King Louis XVI flight from Paris till he was captured in Varanna and brought back to Paris. The decisions of the National Assembly, How the Parisians and people in the country felt of the Kings flight, ending of course with the death of everyone. Not exactly light reading, but interesting.

Content ***
Structure **

Febuary Reading 2/2

North and South
Elizabeth Gaskell

So, think Pride and Prejudice, but with a lot of death, unlikeable characters, and a kind Mr. Darcy. Margret Hale is uptight, self important and beyond unlikeable. It take's her parents, God-father, and several friends dying to make her even mildly tolerable. Not a good pair with Pride and Prejudice. End's as one would expect, with a pissed off want to be lover, and Margret and Thornton together for the last half a page. The rest of the characters are irritatingly shallow, unable to think for themselves, or are so involved with themselves that they don't see the big picture. Not a favorite
Story: **
Structure:***

Febuary Reading 1/2

Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen

I am seriously amazed at how much i loved this novel. Like seriously, one of the best things I've read in long time. The first time since To Kill a Mockingbird that i really enjoyed something i was assigned to read. I guess there isn't much more for me to say on the matter, because everyone else has already read it.
Structure ***
Story ****

January Reading 2/2

When You Are Engulfed in Flames, David Sadaris

As the world probably knows, i am not a fan of memoirs, self help books and various other forms of non fiction, but Sadaris is the exception to my rule. A pleasant read, The majority of the stores are broken down enough that you can comfortably read them in a short sitting. All but the last, and my personal favorite Smoking Section. I always find addictions fascinating, and the way Sadaris writes of the start and finish of his weezing life is hilarious and heart felt. On a side note: Antique houses, bad art, and going to Tokyo to quit smoking. All fantastic in my mind.
Sarah's Rating: Structure: A
Story: A-

Animal Farm, George Orwell

Not going to go into long description's for a short classic. Animals represent Stalinist Russia. A very quick and interesting read. I must say that the Russian History class i took has made for some interesting insight into a lot of things, but especially this.
Sarah's Rating: Structure: A
Story: B+

The Project

Picture this: January 2009, I decide that I need some plausable New Years resolutions. One of them being to read 2 books a month for the year and review them in my LiveJournal. As the year progressed so did the amount I read. I've already surpassed my goal of 24 total books this year, but that isn't going to stop me from seeing how far I
can take this.

This blog is dedicated to what I am currently reading, the books I have read in the past, and most importantly the reviews of each of the books.