I read this book for #GARbingo. I've never been a fan of Mr. Twain's writing and this book did nothing to change that opinion. Maybe if I had read thiI read this book for #GARbingo. I've never been a fan of Mr. Twain's writing and this book did nothing to change that opinion. Maybe if I had read this when I was a child, I would have liked it more ... although I doubt it. As an adult, I've read other books with child protagonists (e.g., Harry Potter, Because of Winn-Dixie) and loved them. I just didn't like this book.
As it is, while I appreciate the book as a classic, I simply couldn't get into this rambling story about a mischievous boy and his "adventures." Quite simply, I got bored. I found the episodic style to be a detraction. With no real plot, there was nothing that drew me into the story. I never connected to the characters or even cared what happened to them. As the story is told from a child's perspective, there's no real social commentary or any commentary on the time. And while certain things about childhood are immortal, other things are not, and this story demonstrates that in spades. But sadly, what is there about childhood in the mid-1800s is not enough to provide any solid context from a historical perspective.
In the end, I had to force myself to finish it and even then, I was skimming quite a bit of it. This book just wasn't for me.
Wow, I cannot understand the love and hype for this book. I gave it 1.5 stars simply because I finished it (sort of in a way). I read the first 2/3 ofWow, I cannot understand the love and hype for this book. I gave it 1.5 stars simply because I finished it (sort of in a way). I read the first 2/3 of the book one chapter at a time, and after one chapter, would have to put it down and go do something else, then force myself to pick it up again. Then the last 1/3 I had to skim for reasons below.
First off, the narrative choice didn't work. The bulk of the story is the housekeeper Nelly/Ellen (someone explain to me how Ellen becomes Nelly?) telling the history (as it mostly is history) of the characters. I get the entire concept that at that time, servants heard and saw a lot more than was realized. But seriously, you would think that Nelly was not just present at every conversation but completely got how each character felt and thought. And because it was Nelly regaling the tale, sometimes the dialogue got muddled so that it was hard to know if Nelly was speaking in the present to Lockwood or the other characters. And because this centers around Nelly telling Lockwood, I found it lacked any true action.
Next, there is no world building. We're given some dates and we're told the moors are gray and windswept. Yes, less is usually more, but a bit of detail might have been nice. Moreover, the moors were supposed to be a big deal (and Catherine certainly mentions them enough), but nothing happens on the moors.
Then the characters. Talk about nearly one-dimensional. I get that Heathcliff is supposed to be vile. But that was it. He had no redeeming characteristics at all. Catherine is shallow and manipulative. There's no growth, no development. Nothing. The only semi-likable character is Nelly, although her defending both Catherine and Heathcliff leave some room for doubt about her. And Lockwood, well Lockwood might as well not been there. He is merely a plot device.
But seriously, when the characters have no redeeming qualities, have no capacity for growth or change, how can anyone care about them? I certainly didn't care at all. I kept hoping they'd just kill each other and be done with it. Instead, I had to slog through 322 pages of narcissistic, insufferable drivel. And the abuse, both verbal and physical, of each other, the animals, and particularly the children is reprehensible.
Lastly, this book doesn't stand the test of time. Today, women have so many more options, more choices. While I know there are abusive relationships, we (as a society) have more options to get out from abuse. Mainly I wanted to scream at Catherine I, Isabelle, and Catherine 2. Yes, I get that at that time, women had little options and really were little more than property. But having grown up in the late-twentieth century, that's hard to empathize with.
As to why this has been deemed a great classic, a magnificent gothic romance, is beyond me. From my perspective, it's very easy to see that this was written by a sheltered young woman who never left her house because that's exactly how it reads....more
As an HSP and animal lover, I had a hard time with this book, although I understand why it's a classic.
The cruelty of the men, the land, and the timeAs an HSP and animal lover, I had a hard time with this book, although I understand why it's a classic.
The cruelty of the men, the land, and the times (the 1890s gold rush) poignantly shone through London's writing. London certainly captured the feel and the harshness of life on the Yukon during the days of the gold rush. Writing from the POV of Buck was masterfully done. It felt at times that London could actually communicate with dogs to so eloquently express Buck's POV. London also did a fantastic job illustrating the various personalities of the "masters" that Buck had from the inept to the cruel to the efficient to the loving.
While I appreciate that the book is a classic and admire the writing, I still had a hard time with this book. I despise any type of cruelty, especially to animals, and this book is rife with animal cruelty so much so, it was hard for me to read. So 3.5 stars for the writing....more
I have mixed feelings about this book. I didn’t love it. I didn’t even really enjoy it. I pushed through & skimmed several 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I didn’t love it. I didn’t even really enjoy it. I pushed through & skimmed several sections. I found the story too disjointed with 8 narrators. I get that it was supposed to be the daughters’ stories contrasted with their mothers’ stories. To illustrate the different generations and cultures, the Chinese-immigrant mothers and the Chinese-American daughters. But I had to keep referring to the character chart at the beginning because the voices all ran together. I felt the stories lacked distinctive voices. And the one story I found most interesting, about the abandoned twins, was the one that was dragged out until the very end. Overall, I’m really just glad I finished it, but I know this is not a book that will stick with me. ...more
About the best thing I can say about this book is that I finished it. Overall, not impressed. First, the alternating 1st person/3d person telling of tAbout the best thing I can say about this book is that I finished it. Overall, not impressed. First, the alternating 1st person/3d person telling of the story was distracting and did little for the story. Changing POVs from 1st to 3d is tricky and really, should be avoided unless it really adds value. Here, it did not add value and it ended up detracting from the story. And on top of the changing POVs, there are some ridiculously short chapters. (Even though there are 502 pages, this book has 90 chapters. NINETY. Some chapters as short as a page and a half.) At times I felt I was reading more of a movie script than a novel. For instance, going along with Alex's 1st person POV and then BAM! A brief 2-3 page change to MR or Jezzie's 3d person POV, and then back to Alex again. The short chapters with the changing POVs made for a choppy, disjointed reading that detracted from the overall story.
Second, Alex is the whitest black man. I'm not sure exactly why Mr. Patterson, a white man, would want to attempt to write about a black man who ostensibly grew up in inner city D.C.. But he did and did it relying on stereotypes. Poor black child sent to live with his tough, but loving grandmother after his parents died. He then overcame his humble, and at times juvenile-delinquent, beginnings to go on to college and then earn a PhD in psychology. Now a cop, he gives back to his community, which he still lives in, by volunteering at the local soup kitchen and providing free psych services. C'mon, I mean cliché doesn't scratch the surface of this trope.
Then on top of the cliché that is the main character, there was minimal character development. We were given hints of some tragic backstory (wife killed in drive-by, again cliché) and hints of his relationships, but no real substance to gnaw on, to make us care about Alex. I honestly found Alex to be boring. The rest of the characters were much the same—stereotypical tropes like the "evil mastermind" psychopath villain, the "suits" (the FBI), the grief-stricken parents, the "there-is-no-way my husband/co-worker/neighbor-is-a-psychopath" minor characters. All shallow clichés.
The plot moved fairly well at first, then it became over-complicated with the romance, the continual check-ins on MR, and the "big" plot twist. There were holes galore. There are random scenes that add nothing to the story and apparently are there just to add to the page length. Honestly, I was so bored with it all and just wanted it to be over. Again, the short, choppy chapters disrupted the flow of what might have been an okay plot, particularly if it had just focused on the main psychopath. But again, the random pointless scenes (e.g., the trial and all the paragraphs about the two opposing attorneys, the cross-burning) that offered little value to the rest of the story. Had these scenes added to character development or added any value to the plot whatsoever, okay then. But they didn't. These scenes were just filler. A good editor could have cut this book in half just by purging the waste.
Maybe Mr. Patterson has improved his craft since this book was published in 1992. He certainly has churned out the novels in the past quarter-century and based on the reviews here, I'm clearly in the minority opinion. But this book doesn't make me ever want to pick up another Patterson book. Two stars just because I finished it....more
I have never been a fan of Hemingway & this book didn't change my opinion. I find his prose cloying. I found myself not caring at all for the characteI have never been a fan of Hemingway & this book didn't change my opinion. I find his prose cloying. I found myself not caring at all for the characters. They didn't seem so much a "Lost Generation," but more selfish, childish, boorish drunks. At times, was hoping for a big, perhaps gory, death just to mix it up a bit. The best I can say is that I finished it and I did like it a smidge more than the Old Man and the Sea, but that's not saying much since I despised that book.
I read this because it's on PBS's Great American Reads list of 100 and I had never read it before. Now that I can say I have, I can go back to ignoring Hemingway....more
WoW! What a ride. I picked up this book and couldn't put it down. Friggin' fantastic from page one to the end.
As a kid of the 80s and a gamer geek, IWoW! What a ride. I picked up this book and couldn't put it down. Friggin' fantastic from page one to the end.
As a kid of the 80s and a gamer geek, I loved it. Brilliant references, fantastic plot, fun characters. Clearly this book isn't for everyone. The constant references not only to all things 1980s but all the technical gaming references could be irritating and even confusing. And I can see how the story would lose something if you don't get the references. But for me, it's a 1980s geek kids paradise read.
And I found that underneath all the 80s pop culture references lie a larger lessons. I thought the book was not just a fun ride, but well-done too.
Amazing story. I understand why it won the Newberry Medal. I'm going to have to marinate on it awhile before writing a review. But definitely worth reAmazing story. I understand why it won the Newberry Medal. I'm going to have to marinate on it awhile before writing a review. But definitely worth reading....more
Well, this is an unpopular opinion, but I loathe this book and ended up mostly skimming the last 1/3 just to get finish it. I abhorred this book so muWell, this is an unpopular opinion, but I loathe this book and ended up mostly skimming the last 1/3 just to get finish it. I abhorred this book so much, I had to keep putting it down and go read something else until I could stand to pick it up again. In fact, I read 8 other books between the time I started this one until today.
First, the unnamed second Mrs. de Winter narrator. I detested her. Insecure, obsessive, and co-dependent. Her constant need to imagine what everyone was thinking or saying about her (in the worst way) was too much. The narrator is given a scant backstory and the character development goes from wimpy, co-dependent, childlike irritant to well, nothing. She pretty much stays wimpy and co-dependent (view spoiler)[except for her standing up to Mrs. Danvers one time near the end about the cold versus hot menu (hide spoiler)].
The rest of the characters have about the same amount of development—virtually none. Maxim does come across as a patronizing, paternalistic jerk (although the reasons become a bit clearer at the end). Frank was just an appendage of Maxim. Mrs. Danvers was one-dimensional with her obsessive worship of Rebecca. And the rest are simply convenient for plot, decor, or dialogue purposes and basically unforgettable. The character with the most potential to be interesting or have some kind of development (Rebecca) is dead.
While there are some beautiful passages, I found the writing overall to be rather superfluous. The pacing is slow and plodding, with paragraphs of too much description or the narrator's rambling imaginings. The story is predictable and the book is clearly dated because of modern forensics because there's no way Rebecca's death would be ruled a suicide even after being in the water for a year.
The best thing I can say about this book is that I finished it. So 1.5 stars because I finished it. But I just can't label it as a classic. #GARbingo (Great American Read list)...more
Somehow I had managed to avoid reading this book and I have never seen the movie. I was never assigned this book in high school or college literature Somehow I had managed to avoid reading this book and I have never seen the movie. I was never assigned this book in high school or college literature classes and just never got around to reading it ... until now.
I picked up The Color Purple thanks to PBS's Great American Read (GAR). This book made the GAR List of 100 and I have been using that list as my summer reading challenge list (I originally only had read 27 of the 100—see my post on my GAR reading challenge here).
Tonight I finished The Color Purple and wow. I'm not sure I can write a review that will adequately express my thoughts about this book. I thought A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was a fantastic read, but The Color Purple was, in a word, incredible.
At first, I wasn't too sure about the epistolary style. But it worked brilliantly. And the characters were so well developed and so real—I almost felt that Ms. Walker was a historian writing about real people instead of historical fiction. I was swept into the story and couldn't put the book down until the last page. All I can say is if you haven't read it, read it. But please be forewarned, it is historical and there may be some triggers for some including domestic violence and rape. ...more