Book #7: A Storm of Swords: George R.R. Martin

Hello fellow avid readers.  There is a lot that I have to say about this book; it may contain spoilers if you haven't read it.  It may contain spoilers if you are watching the TV show.  I don't know because I haven't watched it yet - I was waiting until I finished the book, and now the moment has finally arrived.  I'm not usually one of those "I have to read the book before I see the movie types."  In fact, I started reading the books after I started watching the TV series, but OH MY GOD THE BOOKS ARE SOOOOO GOOD!!!  The writing is clear, concise and easy to get through - it's just lengthy as hell.  For example, this book is over 1100 pages, and that doesn't take into account all the good extra stuff about the houses found at the end.

You would think that by the time you get to the third book in a series the plot gets boring, but no. There are about a thousand twists that occur in this book that I was completely blind sided by.  From the second book, we still get to see the story from Davos, Caitlin, Tyrion, Sansa, Arya, Samwell, Jon, and JAMIE.  We get to see the story from another Lannister - the broken hero with reasons, who nobody listens to.  He does one major bad deed in his life and it follows him around his life; but he is broken, and we get to explore his transformation into the new Jamie Lannister. It's definitely interesting and unexpected.  There may be other characters' points of view, but I can't remember off the top of my head and my book isn't near me.

First, I am going to give a few character summaries and what they went through during the course of this book, and then I will give you what I thought a main theme of the book was.  So again, SPOILERS MAY BE CONTAINED WITHIN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES.

Sansa:  Oh, Sansa.  Where to begin?  A lot happens with her, remember she is only 12/13 years old, so she is still very young.  However, we do see some character growth and we see her becoming more of an independent thinker.  Thinker, would be the key word.  She doesn't really act on any of her thoughts.  She plans to act but she always hesitates, which puts her in a sticky situation.  Although, maybe if she would act impulsively she would have died at the end of the story.  But she doesn't.  She does get married though, and you will never guess to whom, but it's definitely a shock - she's kind of a bitch to him to, and he tolerates it.  Absolutely nuts.

Arya: Arya is as scraggly as a girl as ever.  She is 8/9 in the story (I always forget with her) and she kills like it's nobody's business.  I don't even think she questions herself as to whether or not she is doing right, she just knows what needs to be done.  She doesn't yet realize that she is a Warg, but she is shifting into her wolf's skin when she sleeps.  Following catastrophic events, she falls into a deep depression and the most unlikely of heroes helps her out.

Tyrion:  Craziness.  Plots, twists, turns, scheming.  He does it all, and it ends up biting him in the ass.  Oh, but don't worry, he gets revenge in the end.  Like seriously, the last 2 or 3 pages of the story, but it is definitely a game changer.

Cersei:  Well, she really isn't in the story.  Except for like little background decisions, and we see how she just really, really wants to be a boy, and should have been a boy because she has more scheming things than anyone.

Samwell: I love Sam.  Everyone loves Sam.  Sam almost dies, but ends up saving some people.  Does he find his courage?  He claims no, he claims Gilly gives him courage, but by the end of the story you can't help but notice how ballsy he really is.

Jon:  Jon also almost dies, A LOT.  He is a cloak-changer, a warg, a lover, a killer but you definitely see him develop his leader skills.  I just hope he can save everyone from the Others.  (I also can't wait to see some of the scenes in the TV show 'cause I know they're gonna be steamy!)

Jeoffry:  He gets married!  There are a lot of marriages in this story.  Possibly one for every death?  But he marries someone not really in the story (well the first two), and she seems like a super badass and she comes with a lot of weaponry.  But ya know during this story Jeoff is his usual ass self.  And he's only 13.  Could you imagine what type of king he's going to be like?  I feel like another Mad King is in the making.  Oh and guess what, JEOFF is the one who sent the dagger to kill Brandon. To impress his "father," King Robert.

Petyr:  He is a sneaky son-of-a-bitch, and I kind of wonder how much control he really has over everything in "the game."  At the end he reveals some of what he's had his hand in...and I can think of someone he will put his hand in.  (ewwwww, gross, sexual!)

I don't know, there are so many characters in this book.  Some that die, some that seemingly die, one that came back from the dead.  It seems like there are weddings and feasts and betrayals left and right.  It's insanity.

Oh yeah!  That reminds me - so the Lord of the Light plays a huge role in this book, and it's really complicated and I don't want to go into it, but Stannis and Melissandre are definitely the ones in the background that are (I predict) gonna kick some major ass.  Also, Stannis is the rightful heir to the throne, so super big motivator...

One thing that occurs over and over in this book is that author is not afraid to kill main characters.  I believe that eight of the main characters die in this story, which is what usually doesn't happen in books.  The first couple were a real shock, and you would think by not the shock value fades.  I think this is a real unique approach to writing because we are taught from childhood that if you are "good" and you fight "evil" you will live a healthy and prosperous life; real life isn't like that at all.  What I also love about this book is how much philosophy of good and evil you can take from this book.  If you have ever taken a philosophy class that is one of the great questions to ponder, what makes "good" and what makes "evil?"  Is it the agreement of the majority of society creating the rules to govern what is good and evil?  Is it something that just is?  Is something more inherent that we just "know" to be right?  Whatever you think it is, you have to acknowledge the possibility that a person can be seemingly evil, but do good deeds; a person can also seem good in the eyes of others, but do evil things to create the overall good for the majority of people. It all depends on what side of the coin you are on as to how you view people/things as good and evil.  And that brings me around to my original point.  This book brings into light the reasons and intentions behind a lot of the "bad" characters actions and you see how they were things gone awry.


Ciao for now!

Murder, anyone? Book #5

Red Herring: A Joe Gunther Novel by Archer Mayor

Fact: Archer Mayor is a real life “Richard Castle.”  I am not even kidding.  Besides being a novelist, Mayor is a state medicolegal death investigator, a volunteer firefighter/EMT, AND a detective.  For the Sheriff’s department.  Awesome.

However, there is a big difference between the author ‘Richard Castle” and Archer Mayor.  I mean, besides the fact that Mayor is a real person.  That difference is this book is very well written (books like “Nikki Heat” suck in terms of literature).

Now, I’ve not really read a lot of mystery/murder books.  In fact up until this book, the only ones I’ve ever read have been Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels (Sherlock Holmes).  I’ve also concluded that maybe this isn’t my genre of book, but as I mentioned before, this one is well written.  It kind of reminded me of a TV crime show episode, just happening at a slower pace.  Until the last two chapters, then all of a sudden shit hit the fan, and it was super intriguing.

This story takes place all over Vermont, but it focuses in Brattleboro.  A murder happens to a little old lady.  Seemingly she was raped; but was she?  Another person commits suicide with a brand new cord, and a stool that is too short?  A kid, seemingly with a belly full of booze, takes a corner too sharp on his way home from work in West Leb to Thetford, or does he?  How are these people connected, and what is going on that is devastating to such a small place right before a very important election?  These questions and more will be answered if you read about this mystery that is plaguing the poor countryside of Vermont.

If you enjoy mystery novels, you should definitely check out Archer Mayor and his Joe Gunther series.  If not, check it out anyway.  It’s a relatively small book and shouldn’t take more than a week to read if you have the time.

A MUST READ!! (Book #4)

The Casual Vacancy: J.K. Rowling

This book is not like J.K. Rowling’s previous books.  And in case you have been living under a rock this past decade, she is the brilliant writer behind the Harry Potter Series.  Let me be clear, she is not necessarily responsible for the movies (I dunno about the logistics behind the movies); people tend to have mixed reviews about the movies.  But I have found that people who have those mixed reviews haven’t read a single book.  Or they read the first book and claimed that it was childish—but as any avid Potter fan will say, “when you read the books you start at age 10, and you grow up with Harry and his friends…”  Well, something to that effect.  Anyway, that is part of the genius behind Rowling.  Her characters are complex people who grow up and learn from things that have happened to them; they make mistakes and don’t necessarily choose what seems like an obvious solution.

This book takes place in the British country area of Pagford and Yarvil.  There is a definite sense of realism and modernity, with the characters aptly using things such as social media, (i.e., facebook).

“The Casual Vacancy” is a social commentary on today’s society; and it’s not big picture (super political level/whole country), it’s little picture (small town, neighborhood sort of thing). Now, I am not too familiar with everything that is going on in the UK, but throughout the world there is a lot of socio-economic turmoil; a huge deviation formally known in the US as the 1% versus the 99%.  People are constantly pre-judging everyone that appears to come from a “lower class,” and as a result people kind of get stuck in their economic situation.  What I love about this book is how it emphasizes the roles that are forced on children and how they react to this illusion world that their parents live in; there are actions to their consequences, but it is definitely satisfaction to see their parents idealistic world fall apart.

Spoiler alert : Barry Fairbrother dies (but it’s okay you will read it in the first chapter).   As the book progresses, you get the sense that he is part of the “1” that fought for the “99.”  He tried to make people see past their own prejudices and stereotypes, by showing that with nurture and support anybody can do anything; but if there is a whole town of people, including your own family, telling you that you are a worthless whore, you will start to believe that is all you can become. 

What Rowling did with this book, was take this one fighter for the unwanted and she killed him.  It is really interesting to see what kind of effect this has on this small community of Pagford (and to a lesser extent Yarvil).  It seems as if Fairbrother was the lynch pin of the town, and if you take away the lynch pin, shit hits the fan, as you will see when you read this book.

Hopefully, this intrigued you enough to want to read the book.  If it didn’t, you should read it anyway, because it is well written, captivating, and interesting even if you don’t get a lot out of it…which you should, because otherwise you suck.

Book # 3: Persepolis 2...say whaaaat?

Book #3: Persepolis 2: Marjane Satrapi

I am fairly sure, my avid readers, that you are thinking what I am thinking—another book, really?  Before the end of January (well, by the time you read this/I post this it will be February)…

However, as this book is a graphic novel, it isn’t what you would consider a slow read.  The graphics are very enjoyable, though, and you should take the time to look at them.

“Persepolis 2” is actually a combination of the original books 3 and 4, but when the book was translated from it’s original language, they (the omnipresent they) decided to combine into one book.  This book isn’t a newer one; in fact it is kind of funny how I stumbled onto this find.

So there I was, sitting in a steam sauna, steaming it up, waiting for 15 minutes to go by when I noticed a magazine.  I picked it up, glanced through it and saw a review for “Persepolis.”  Seems interesting enough.  When I looked at the date when the magazine was printed it was from 2007 (obviously the gym’s magazine was a little dated); the book was originally translated in 2004.  I ended up putting it on hold at my local Multnomah County library the next day.

All of the "Persepolis" books are really interesting to read.  I believe that when the author wrote it she wrote it to inform white people that not all middle easterners are terrorists - of course she doesn't say it quite so forthright in her interviews, but I do have an English minor and I can read between the lines: this book is for all the ignoramuses out there who are internally racist.  Now of course I know this doesn't apply to all you who are reading this; you are much more cultured.  And a lot has happened in the last 10 years, so that there are more people who understand culture and its various functions, even though we cultured may sometimes be more silent in the crowd.

With that tangential rant in mind, you should read this book.  It is really well written and captivating.  The author goes through many trials in her life, including identity crises (moving form an eastern culture to a western culture, growing up, etc.,), and several devastating losses that no child should endure, but happens more often than people care to admit.

Enjoy this book, and if you have any recommendations for me I'd be happy to read them.

Peace and read with fervency!

Book #2 Game of Thrones: Need I say More?

So, as some of you may know I am slightly obsessed with "Game of Thrones."  Maybe you don't know this, but I am sure you will find out soon enough.  I love Game of Thrones, the HBO TV Show, and "Game of Thrones" the book by George R.R. Martin.  I mean, I became so excited about this TV show that I contacted some form of a producer/director/manager of the TV series to see if I could become an extra -- unfortunately only people with an international insurance number (aka Brits) are only allowed to be extras.  But I am fairly certain that if it weren't for my nationality, I'd be all up on the TV show as an extra!

First of all, this is one of those rare combinations of book meets TV show where it works.  It follows the plot, the characters don't deviate from the descriptions in the book, and the blood, gore and sex you see in the TV show are actually described in the book.  I was kind of surprised by this because there is a lot of raunchy stuff.  It's even more descriptive in the book than the show.  (Oh and just FYI I saw the show before I read the book.)

As with many book to TV show productions, there are some things left out.  For example, in the book you get a lot better read on the character Bran.  The book better describes his thoughts and desires.  It's a hard thing to communicate on TV, however, the actor portraying him and the crew involved in production, still manage to do a phenomenal job.

The only other major difference in the book versus the TV show (that is currently in mind) is that the characters in the book are a lot younger.  The character of Daenerys Targaryen is supposed to be a 13 year old girl, and when she becomes pregnant it is on her 14th name day; however, I am sure due to a lot of legal reasons and disturbances to the general public, you can't watch on TV a 13 year old girl go through what is essentially (initially rape), and being beaten and molested by her brother.   Even though they don't show this on the TV show, you do watch her character evolve into a woman and a strong Kaleesi.  (In general, the children on the show are older, with a few exceptions.)

That is one of the reasons why the book and the TV show work so well - the character development is believable, and it's really interesting to see how certain characters (like Tyrion Lannister) react to certain situations.  It's not necessarily what you would consider a "normal human reaction," i.e., when The Kingslayer pushes an 8 year old boy out of a tall castle window.  Tyrion Lannister is probably my favorite character in both the book and the show, because he is to some extent an underdog.  But he is so fucking smart and manipulative, it is fun to watch and read about.  He is clever, like most of the Lannister family, but he isn't necessarily evil.  However, I've only read book one, so I'm not sure how the war will affect his personality.

The other thing that I really love about this book is that it is not a difficult read; it's really long, but the language used isn't so convoluted and embellished like you find with some fantasy novels. Another enjoyable aspect is that there are characters that you find yourself despising.  A good book always has someone that the reader dislikes; that is one thing that really torments me and disturbs my reading habit.  If there is a character that I don't like and I think they are being really stupid, I get frustrated and stop reading.  I think overall the book took me something like 2 weeks to finish, so the time frame isn't too bad.  It would probably vary depending on your reading habits.

I hope you all enjoy and check out this book.  If you have little impressionables, don't watch the TV show with them!

Read on!
-Jackie

#GeorgeRRMartin #gameofthrones

What Not To Read

So as most of you know, vampires are everywhere.  EVERYWHERE!  Of course not in real life, I mean on the shelf.  The shelf of a bookstore the shelf of a movie store--vampires have officially taken over main topic events, and while sometimes it works I find it often does not.  Especially when you read a vampire novel that has been translated from another language.

Now you have to understand I didn't choose this book (what book you ask? well you will find out).  It was left in my apartment's "free book" book shelf.  The cover and the title caught my eye, so I thought, hey, why not?  "Let Me In" (aka "Let The Right One In") sounds like it could be a good book about something, and on the cover there are two kids, holding hands looking towards the woods standing in snow.  For some reason it didn't dawn on me that this would be a vampire book.  Mainly because most vampire books are about sex and stuff.  Is this one?  I don't know, I didn't finish it.

Here is why this book doesn't work.  It is translated from it's original language, Swedish, to English.  Whenever you translate a book of course there are going to be misunderstandings; however, there have been many novels translated from one language to another and have been translated well - this just isn't.  Whenever I read a book I read it for enjoyment.  As soon as I find myself with a pen in my hand, scratching out words and rewriting the sentences in the correct tense, I realize it's time to give up.

Another reason why this doesn't work is because it's slightly disturbing.  I mean, I get it.  It's hard to put in a shock and awe factor in today's modern, fucked up society, BUT that doesn't mean you should be gross and write about messed up things.  Try being creative instead of writing about how this 12 year old boy hates life so much he imagines himself killing people (it's with fleshy details).  I got to Chapter "Friday" before I gave up and decided I didn't need this.

If this sounds interesting to you, go ahead and read it.  Maybe let me know how it goes, but I'm fairly certain it loses a lot in translation.

Book # 1 in 2013: This is How You Lose Her

I've decided this year that I am going to try harder to write a review on each book that I read (which should also help me keep track of how many I've read and what they are about), and I realize could potentially be a lot of writing.  However, I need the practice and the discipline, and to be able to follow through with one of my thousands of writing projects/ideas.  That being said, some of these may be really sloppy until I figure out a good rhythm and how to write a solid book review.

This is a review of Junot Diaz's book "This Is How You Lose Her."  Junot Diaz is best known for his novel, "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," which I've not read, but have heard good things about.

Anyway, as you may have guessed, "This Is How You Loser Her" is about how Yunior, the main character of the story, loses the love of his life.  Yunior is Dominican, moved to the states as a child, and grew up in the United States' Dominican culture.  It is written in a semi-autobiographical form, although I don't think it is necessarily a reflection of Junot's biography.  (In fact, I know nothing about Junot Diaz.)  The book begins with the author expressing the idea that all Dominican men are the same, they have this "gene" that ends up ruining relationships, because they can't help themselves but to love and fuck women.  The story then continues with small stories and interludes of events in his life that possibly influenced his behavior.  At times we see Yunior through the eyes of the women he is sleeping with, which brings a really interesting perspective.

If you don't have a good grasp of the Spanish language, I don't recommend reading this because Junot code switches throughout the entire book (code switching is when you use one or more words of one language throughout your dominant language.  For example, if you use Espanol in a sentence like this, esta es considered "code switching").

This book overall is really interesting; however, it takes about 100 pages before you can really get into the story.  I felt like when this book started to get good was when it was finished, but that is probably just the writing and artistic style of this particular author.

Why not give it a read, it's relatively short and easy to get through if you have few days off.  It took me four days of off and on reading.

Enjoy!

Oh, also if you have any feedback of what you would like to see in book reviews in the future, that would be great.