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:***