Soulless by Gail Carriger

Summary:

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette. Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart? SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.

My take: 4 looks
And just when I thought I was sick of werewolf and vampire books! This is a completely new take on the story. It's the nineteenth century and supernaturals are out of the closet in London.

Alexia is a heroine for all heroines. She is brash, smart, witty, fashionable and has one serious parasol. Throw in an overbearing mother, a stalwart best friend and a handsome earl and you get the idea. The writing here is clever and challenging. I highlighted so many words in this book that I smiled each time I ran across a new one. Here are a few:

comestible - an item of food
peregrination - travel or wander from place to place
addlepated - lacking in common sense

See how fun? it's good storytelling and wholly satisfying in the end. I am glad this is a series!

Highly recommended.

666 Park Avenue to be a Television Series

I read with interest that one of my recent reads was to be made into a television series. The book 666 Park Avenue certainly has all of the key components of a hit show: money, witches, sex and serious in-law issues.

However, this is the description of the series:

666 Park Avenue is an upcoming American drama series created and produced by David Wilcox and based on the novel of the same name by Gabriella Pierce. The series follows a couple who learns that the Manhattan building complex that they just moved into, including its upscale tenants, might be possessed by a mysterious demonic force.

The Shelfari description of the book:

What if your mother-in-law turned out to be an evil, cold-blooded witch . . . literally?

Ever since fabulously wealthy Malcolm Doran walked into her life and swept her off her feet, fledgling architect Jane Boyle has been living a fairy tale. When he proposes with a stunning diamond to seal the deal, Jane can't believe her incredible luck and decides to leave her Paris-based job to make a new start with Malcolm in New York.

But when Malcolm introduces Jane to the esteemed Doran clan, one of Manhattan's most feared and revered families, Jane's fairy tale takes a darker turn. Soon everything she thought she knew about the world—and herself—is upended. Now Jane must struggle with new found magical abilities and the threat of those who will stop at nothing to get them.

My question is, why would TV executives not even come close to the story in the book, but make it about the house? The house is demonic? No it isn't. Lynne Doran, the matriarch of the Doran family is demonic. There is a huge rift between her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Jane Boyle. There is no Jane Boyle in the TV version, but there is a Jane Van Veen, who is the new co-manager of the building (along with Henry Martin who is not in the book). Might Martin be Van Veen's love interest, where the book's love interest in Doran's son, Malcolm?

And the husband of the matriarch is a non-entity in the book. If I remember correctly, he is a milquetoast, hen-pecked, do-as-he-is-told pushover. In the series, however, the husband is played by the formidable Terry O'Quinn. With this casting, you know he will be more of a force in the story.

<sigh> It's all very confusing. It doesn't seem to even fit the bill of being "inspired by the novel", much less "based on the novel". That is poppycock. The book is so well done and interesting on its own merit; why do this? Only the idiots in Hollywood could screw up an already good thing.

Good for author Pierce, though. I hope she got a big payday out of this because they are raping her text. I will pass on this one out of respect for the original.

Joy of Books, Books, Books

I have come to an odd conclusion. Perhaps this is a natural progression for bibliophiles everywhere, but it has taken me somewhat aback.

The very act of obtaining a book is just as fulfilling and satisfying to me as the actual reading of a book.

Does this statement catch you off guard, as well?

Is it possible that I glean just as much satisfaction from the book itself, quite separate from the story contained within?

To hold a book thrills me.

To download a book to my hard drive and see it appear on my iPad makes me smile.

To see a book in the mailbox from a fellow PaperBackSwap member increases my pulse.

To browse the rows of books at the library and find a book spine that appeals to me fills me with happiness.

I own well over 1500 books, counting all media types. It will take me years to read them, if I ever read them all. And yet, I cannot have enough. I want more.

Does this make me selfish? A hoarder? Is there a 12-step bibliophile program? This must be how the alcoholic feels. How the binge eater feels. The anorexic who can never be thin enough. And yet these are all phycial addictions. What I have is a mental addiction.

Books! Books! Books!

Gore Vidal: 1925-2012

Gore Vidal has passed away after a long bout with pneumonia.

Vidal started writing in the 1940s, but I didn't happen upon him until I was in a book club in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where the assigned book was his 1992 Live from Golgotha: The Gospel according to Gore Vidal.

I found the book to be heretical and blasphemous. I also found the writing to be so beautiful, fluid and compelling that I purchased a copy years later from a discount cart.I have not reread the book, but it sits on my shelf.

Vidal was, in my estimation, a pompous, intolerant ass. His vitriolic discussions with William H. Buckley (another pompous, intolerant ass) are the stuff of legend. However, when he kept his mouth shut and his pen on paper, he was at his best.

The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomons

Summary:

It's the spring of 1938 and no longer safe to be a Jew in Vienna. Nineteen-year-old Elise Landau is forced to leave her glittering life of parties and champagne to become a parlour maid in England. She arrives at Tyneford, the great house on the bay, where servants polish silver and serve drinks on the lawn. But war is coming, and the world is changing. When the master of Tyneford's young son, Kit, returns home, he and Elise strike up an unlikely upstairs-downstairs friendship that will transform Tyneford--and Elise--forever.

My take: 4 looks
I was prepared for more of a war/Nazi/Holocaust book but was pleasantly surprised with a wonderful story of a woman who happened to be a Jew during the worst of times in history.

Elise is used to a privileged life in Vienna. Her family seems a beautiful, artistic and safe haven for the four members. As the "ugly duckling" of the family, she is the first to leave when war threatens their country and being even a non-practicing Jew is hated.

England is a different world. Different weather, smells, customs and language. She is thrust into a life of service, setting fires, pouring tea and scouring outdoor steps. The members of the house accept her and she learns to live in this place, while worrying about her family as they are desperate to leave Vienna.

Through all of this, war looms with the hint of what England must have endured. The daily lives of the characters continue as Solomons weaves the tense feeling of war with the excitement of making new friends and falling in love.

The book is based on the actual place of Tyneham, which was "requisitioned" for the war by the British government, promised back to the landowners when the war was over; however, it became a "compulsory purchase" in 1948 and remains in use today for military training. Many of the structures had been in families for generations and are now either demolished or in disrepair. The author's great grandmother and great-aunt are the basis for the characters Elise and Margot in the book.

Highly recommended.

Maeve Binchy: 1940-2012

Maeve Binchy has passed away. I remember seeing the movie "Circle of Friends" starring Minnie Driver and Chris O'Donnell, igniting in me the desire to read the book.

The book was, of course and as it always is, better.

So started my love of Maeve Binchy books. She was a Dubliner, and she wrote of quirky, endearing and entertaining tales of Irish living.

I will read one of her books, in her honor, and treasure the time she was with us.

Thr3e by Ted Dekker

Summary:

By all accounts seminary student Kevin Parsins is leading a good, if not virtuous, life. But like all people, Kevin has his secrets. And someone wants them revealed.

While driving home from a day at graduate school, Kevin receives a call from a mysterious stranger who calls himself Slater. Slater demands Kevin confess his sin in the next three minutes or the vehicle he is manning will be blown to pieces.

Thus starts a harrowing chain of events. After narrowly escaping his exploding car, Kevin continues to receive phone calls from Slater, each with another riddle, another consequence, and another three minutes to confess his sin.

The problem is Kevin is unsure of what that sin might be. And Slater's cycle won't stop until he figures it out.

My take: 3 looks
By all accounts, I should have figured this one out. It was twisty, yet familiar; shocking, yet predictable. That alone deserves three looks from me. I think I may have dated Kevin years ago. A mild-mannered man-child who simmers just below the surface. After reading Thr3e, I am glad I shed myself of him.

This was a very fast book for me to read. My eyes flew over the words without compromising my comprehension. I think that fully describes the depth of the novel. It is not Sherlock Holmes by any stretch, but is entertaining enough for me to read more by this author over time.

Reading at the speed of murder!

Reading at the speed of murder - what a GREAT book title that would be! A bibliophile who solves murders. Has this been done, and if no: WHY NOT?!

It occurred to me last night, as I am ripping through my latest read, Thr3e by Ted Dekker, that I am reading it much faster than my last few books.

Why? I wondered. This book is a thriller and is fairly fast-paced. You know how, when you were a teenage driver, you would drive faster if there was a fast song on the radio? I remember speeding up every time "Hazy Shade of Winter" by The Bangles came on.

I think it's the same thing with reading. Crime and Punishment was a character study. The Tiger's Wife was a character study. Thr3e is an action-induced-rollercoaster-ride of a book. My eyes fly over the words as my mind trips over phone taps, exploding cars, murderous riddles and painful flashbacks.

Isn't it funny how I read at the speed that the book sets? I wonder if other readers are prone to this. Tell me!

Bookshelf

I remember when I was adding books to my Shelfari bookshelf and I was so excited to add that one book whch would take me to 500 books on the shelf. Then I was excited to add the book to take me to 1,000.

Now, I hardly ever look at the number, knowing deep down that there will always be more to add than I can ever know, and safe in the fact that my TBR shelf will always be greater than my Read shelf.

There is comfort in this.

The Call by Yannick Murphy

Summary:

Murphy presents a beautifully written novel about a family of five in rural New England, told through the charming, witty, and loving voice of the veterinarian father.

My take: 5 looks

LOVED this one! I am so glad that I own it, too. This is a book that I will read and read.

First, the main character is a veterinarian in a very rural area, where they don't even get good television reception. The radio goes in and out, sounding like spacement are transmitting messages. The flow of the book is in paragraphs detailing one of several prompts: Call, Action, What the Wife Cooked for Dinner, What the Kids Said to Me When I Got Home...and on and on. I love the flow of this and the clever writing style. It was very easy to follow, progressed the story nicely and indicated mood, scene and internal thought.

The Call was also a very real portrayal of family life. There are spats, tiffs, laughter, a crisis, family time, dinners, another crisis, tears, hospitals. It is one-day-at-a-time living at its best. There are no rose colored glasses here and no tidying up at the end. We never learn what the spaceship is doing (Yes! There is a spaceship). We never find out who volunteers for the Head Potty Cleaner job. Does the dog ever have puppies? What did the doctor say about Dorothy's leg?

It was like James Harriot, taken down a few notches and made much, much more real. I will read everything by this author.

Highly recommended.

Finished with the Summer Reading Challenge!

That's not actually me breaking the tape, but Erika M. of my fabulous Bibliophile group. I am the one right behind her, pumping those arms (and notice that I look a little thicker than the others - HA!).

The result is the same - I FINISHED the Bibliophile Summer Reading Challenge!

This was a lot of fun for me. I don't know if I was just in the mood to read or if the leader, Vonnie, hit upon especially fun categories. It was more than likely a combination of the two.

To update:

1. Read 3 BOTM books from June-August and MUST participate in one of the books' discussions. *NOTE: If you participate in ALL of the books’ discussions, you will receive an extra raffle entry*
- Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut (June)
- The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht (June)
- The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde (July)

2. Read a book that has a summer theme in the title.
- The Beach Girls by Luanne Rice

3. Read a book that has ONE of the sundae colors on the cover: brown, yellow, and pink.
- The Next Thing on My List by Jill Smolinski (pink)

4. There are many adventures during the summer. Read a book tagged “adventure”.
- Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

5. Read a book that’s a Bibliophile member’s favorite.
- Forever Odd by Dean Koontz (Terry B's favorite)

Mini Challenge #1 : Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover: Read a book that only got your attention because of its cover. This challenge ends Saturday, June 23rd.
- Christmas at Harrington's by Melody Carlson

Mini Challenge #2: 21st Century: Read a book from the list of "100 Best Books of the 21st Century" from Avery on the Airwaves. This challenge ends Thursday, July 5th.
- Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

Mini Challenge #3: Going to the movies: Read a book that has been turned to film. Ends July 15th
- I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

Mini Challenge #4: High School Reunion: Read a book most people read in high school but you haven't read. Ends on July 26th
- Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

And there are more challenges coming, so I am already excited about that. When the winner is announced, that will be just a bonus. It's the reading that is the prize!

The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde

Summary:

Jasper Fforde does it again with a dazzling new series starring Inspector Jack Spratt, head of the Nursery Crime Division Jasper Fforde’s bestselling Thursday Next series has delighted readers of every genre with its literary derring-do and brilliant flights of fancy. In The Big Over Easy , Fforde takes a break from classic literature and tumbles into the seedy underbelly of nursery crime. Meet Inspector Jack Spratt, family man and head of the Nursery Crime Division. He’s investigating the murder of ovoid D-class nursery celebrity Humpty Dumpty, found shattered to death beneath a wall in a shabby area of town. Yes, the big egg is down, and all those brittle pieces sitting in the morgue point to foul play.

My take: 3 looks
This book was very character-heavy. Too much so, I thought. It was becoming almost a drudge to read to the end of the 283 pages. I would recommend an organizational chart, nursery rhyme chart, map or something to help keep everyone straight.

While it was extremely cumbersome (and the reason for not giving it four looks), it was so incredibly cleverly written that I was in awe throughout most of the book (and the reason for not giving it two looks). What imagination Fforde has! This is my first book by him, but I have his collection for Nook and will read more. After a break. I need a palate cleanser after Dostoyevsky and this one!

Jack Reacher: This one is a REAL reach.

Size matters. If anyone tells you otherwise, they are just trying not to hurt your feelings. And your size doesn't measure up.

Let's talk about Jack Reacher. This super-human character from author Lee Child has some very specific physical characteristics:

• 6' 5" tall
• 50-inch chest
• weighing between 210 and 250 pounds
• muscular physique
• exceptionally strong
• ice blue eyes
• sandy blond hair

Who does this bring to mind?

I'm thinking Chris Hemsworth. Thor! Yeah!
David Beckham. Sexy but hard-edged! Yeah!
Michael Dudikoff. American Ninja! Yeah!
Jason Statham. The Transporter! Yeah!

These are just a few. You know who does NOT come to mind?

Tom Cruise.

Remember Anne Rice's "Interview with the Vampire" movie? She personally asked Julian Sands to be the vampire Lestat. Do you remember who received the role?

Tom Cruise.

This is what Anne Rice had to say about that: Cruise was "no more my vampire Lestat than Edward G. Robinson is Rhett Butler" and the casting was "so bizarre; it's almost impossible to imagine how it's going to work". She later recanted, I am assuming because the director and producer of the film went ballistic at her lack of support. I can't imagine that she ever really liked Cruise in that role.

Jack Reacher? I think not.

Tom: Size DOES matter, my man. And you do NOT measure up.

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Summary:
Crime and Punishment focuses on the mental anguish and moral dilemmas of Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov, an impoverished ex-student in St. Petersburg who formulates and executes a plan to kill an unscrupulous pawnbroker for her money. Raskolnikov argues that with the pawnbroker's money he can perform good deeds to counterbalance the crime, while ridding the world of a worthless parasite. He also commits this murder to test his own hypothesis that some people are naturally capable of, and even have the right to, do such things. Several times throughout the novel, Raskolnikov justifies his actions by connecting himself mentally with Napoleon Bonaparte, believing that murder is permissible in pursuit of a higher purpose, only to find out he "... is not a Napoleon."

My take: 2 looks
While I read this book, I kept thinking, "This is just a very verbose retelling of Edgar Allen Poe's short story A Tell-Tale Heart".

That may be a bit simplistic, but at the heart, they are the same. Both men commit murder for the stupidest of reasons, albeit different. Both men are crazed and even more so afterward, becoming paranoid. Both men break at the end and confess. The difference is, Poe was able to tell his version in a compelling short story while Dostoevsky must have been paid by the word.

I found a few things irritating and hindered the flow, but perhaps that was the intention. The most glaring, cumbersome and repetitive was the mood swings of the main character, Raskolnikov. I would think that if it were a literary tool, his swings would have been more pronounced later in the story, as his situation progressed. However, he was bipolar from the beginning with no apparent trigger.

Another odd recurring action was men falling in love with Dunya, Raskolnikov's sister. Three men over the course of the novel fell for her. She was either very beautiful, which I didn't perceive, or they were in desperate times.

Why this book is such a studied classic is beyond me. Even as verbose as it is, it is well-written (if I can say that about a translation) and not beyond reading. However, I didn't enjoy the read and found that I finished it out of a sense of responsibility. I hold fast to my thought that Poe's short story is much more worth the time and analysis. To do the same thing in a fraction of the words, and 23 years earlier than Dostoevsky gets my attention.

Read if you have to, but I cannot recommend it.

On this date in 1951...

On this date in 1951, the Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger was published.

The main character, Holden Caulfield, made earlier appearances in a few of Salinger's short stories, sold as many as ten years before this book.

It has held the distinction of being both the most censored and second most taught book in public schools. It is among the top ten most challenged books. A teacher was fired in 1960 for assigning it.

It is rife with teenage rebellion, expletives, drinking, implied homosexuality, smoking and sex.

While not really a coming-of-age novel, there is debate on whether Holden Caulfield matures at all throughout the story. Some believe he does not while others believe that he reaches a new level of self-awareness.

I read this book in college and remember very little of it. I remember that Holden was somewhat of a misanthrope, whiny punk. I was relatively unimpressed. I may read it again at some point, benefiting from my adult perspective. Perhaps I will see more than surface writing the second time around.