Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
25 March 2011
Filed under Book Reviews, Books Going to Film, Challenges for 2011
Tags: Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert
This story is about Liz Gilbert, who having divorced her husband and being fresh out of a romance on the rebound decides to take a year out and have some ‘me’ time. The book is split into three because Liz visits three places. Italy – to eat, India – to pray and Indonesia to love (or be healed).
To be honest this book wasn’t really for me. I guess I should have thought about it a bit more beforehand really, it’s an autobiography after all and you can’t really expect to read such a book without reading a lot about the person writing it. I think I was expecting or hoping for a lot more interaction with the people from these three places and to learn a little bit more from them about their culture and I never felt like this happened.
Clearly Liz Gilbert is a very intelligent woman. She writes really well and obviously undertakes a lot of research because she really knows her ‘stuff’. She is also witty and obviously likable (as she seems to have no problem making friends no matter where she goes). So, why isn’t this for me?? I don’t know really. I think I found it overly self-indulgent and, in fact self pitying. Here you have Liz, she is clearly an attractive and successful young woman, she has just gone through a divorce BUT, in fairness, this was her own decision followed by a passionate yet doomed relationship on the rebound. Okay, going through a divorce and a failed romance is stressful and I totally appreciate that fact however I just felt that Liz never really tried to move on. She sort of wallowed about in misery and in fact seemed to enjoy being overly dramatic. It just reached a point where it all seemed a bit like attention seeking. She then has the luxury to be able to take a full year out travelling to three amazing places. Most people will never have the chance to be able to do something so exciting or life changing and yet I felt that Liz never seemed happy or to appreciate what she had. I guess I just found it difficult to relate to her and I was really disappointed to not have more information about the places involved. Italy was my most favourite part of the book and after that the rest felt a bit too much like a chore.
However, I can see why this has been such a popular story and as I say Liz Gilbert definitely has a way with words. I have no doubt that a lot of people will greatly enjoy this book (and obviously have already done so as it’s sold millions of copies and been made into a film!) but for me it was a bit of a struggle. That said, I would still check out other novels by this author.
Rating C
Eat Pray Love
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
21 March 2011
Filed under Book Reviews, Challenges for 2011
Tags: Stephen King, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Just finished reading The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King. This is a short story and not in the usual style of SK. In this story Trisha whilst walking in the woods with her mother and brother veers off the path (really to avoid their constant bickering) and becomes lost.
To quote the cover “The world had teeth and it could bite you with them anytime it wanted. Trisha McFarland discovered this when she was nine years old. Lost in the woods. Trying not to be terrified, trying not to let herself think that sometimes when people got lost in the woods they got seriously hurt. Sometimes they died.”
I think this is a good story well told and a very easy quick read. Personally speaking I could have sometimes done without all the baseball references but that’s simply because I don’t know enough about the game to make them interesting for me. But I can see that this, and Tom Gordon, who is Trisha’s hero, are her lifeline whilst she is lost in the woods. Basically, Trisha is a likeable girl, almost ten year’s old and of the ‘keen to please’ variety. Thankfully, once she realises that she is lost she at least manages to apply some common sense to help her survive.
This book totally draws you in as you go through all Trisha’s harsh lessons and experiences and you really feel for her as she struggles on with an ever increasing number of challenges. Not least of all the feeling that she is being watched…
I suppose, in terms of criticisms, I think that somehow I never got the real feel for Trisha’s fear. I think she coped amazingly well for a nine year old trapped in a huge forest with no food, water or shelter and no idea how to get back to civilisation. But, I think that I would have been more scared than Trisha was, particularly sleeping alone in a forest – it really is pitch dark at night (I’m a bit of a wuss I suppose)! Of course, she was trying to keep herself together and not panic but I think the story could have played a bit more on the fear she would experience especially when she begins to realise that she is being followed by some sort of creature.
In terms of the ending. I have mixed feelings. I think I would have been happier to keep this more of a story about Trisha’s ever increasing fear and paranoia rather than what it did eventually turn out to be. Which isn’t to say the ending was bad and as I say it’s a very compelling read in that you want to find out what happens to Trisha and you’re willing her on.
On the whole a good story.
Rating C+
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Now reading….
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, by Stephen King. Not read any Stephen King for a good few years. This is a bit of a step away from his usual type of book about a girl who gets lost in the forest. Sounds creepy, so lets see….
White Cat by Holly Black
18 March 2011
Filed under Book Reviews, Challenges for 2011
Tags: Holly Black, White Cat
Just finished reading White Cat by Holly Black. I loved it. It’s so original.
Okay, this is told by Cassell. Cassell is a 17 year old boy who comes from a family of workers. Workers are people who have magic – not like with pointy hats, wands and broomsticks but with the ability to pass on their magic simply by touching someone. Unfortunately Cassell isn’t a worker and this makes him an outsider in his own family (as all his family are gifted). He’s sent away to school after his mother is sent to prison for working (which is illegal after all) and the story kicks off with Cassell waking up on the roof of his building after sleep walking and subsequently being suspended from school (as they think he may have been trying to jump)!
I loved the way this was written. You’re dropped straight into the story and pick it all up as you go along. Cassell, from the start just seems to go from one bad situation to the next. He might not be a worker but he’s been brought up learning how to work a con by his very adept mother. The pages just kept turning, fast. I didn’t bother trying to second guess what was going to happen – there was no point the story just moved so quickly it was like riding along on the crest of a wave. One thing after another. I was gripped. I wanted him to GET OUT OF THERE NOW. Then I wanted to find out what was going on. Then I was shocked, dismayed and horrified – by what was going on. Then I still wanted him to GET OUT OF THERE. (But I guess that would have been the end of the story so I I’m glad that he didn’t!) And this plot twists and turns like a twisty turny thing – how on earth did Holly Black come up with all this. So refreshingly different. Great Urban Fantasy.
Magic/meets mafia/meets the perfect con. And I liked Cassell, I can’t wait to see how he develops in the next book – and, thankfully, I don’t have too long a wait for that which is always a good thing.
This is a gritty read and it’s not shy of a bit of violence but this is tempered by a fast moving plot, a sound leading character and a few laugh out loud moments.
I really didn’t know what to expect with this book, it being such a step away from the fey series penned by HB which I really enjoyed, but this was a really pleasant surprise.
I await Red Glove with eager anticipation.
Rating A+
White Cat
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison-Allen
15 March 2011
Filed under Book Reviews, Challenges for 2011
Tags: Sarah Addison-Allen, The Girl Who Chased the Moon
The Girl Who Chased the Moon is a lovely tale that borders on fairytale.
Primarily it tells the story of Emily who, after losing her mother, returns to the small town of Mullaby to live with her grandfather Vance. The story also involves Julia – who has also returned to Mullaby following the death of her father to wind up his affairs.
The town of Mullaby turns out to be nothing like Emily could ever have imagined and totally like everything Julia was trying to forget.
This is really a book about self discovery. It reflects back to Julia’s teenage years and shows the struggles she had, acceptance of her peers and notice of her father, eventually becoming a loner who defended herself by using unconventional clothing and made herself feel by self-harming. It is also a discovery for Julia, who has always tried to emulate her mothers behaviour, only to find that she wasn’t everything she seemed.
I loved the way this story is written, it’s so magical and the suspension builds throughout as you try to uncover the secrets of this town and its inhabitants. It certainly keeps the pages turning. The descriptions of the food and cakes are amazing and there are two romances – really, what more could you ask for?? Three? maybe (or is that just being greedy!)
In terms of criticisms I would say that I wasn’t totally satisfied with the final explanation of the Coffey mystery. And I suppose the ending was a little too contrived (but in a good way). I could also have done with a little bit more spookiness.
But, I would definitely read other novels by this author and I would recommend this novel. I enjoy novels that are told in a slightly enchanting way.
The Girl Who Chased the Moon
Rating B
