Tag Archives: book reviews

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Posted by melydia on June 4, 2009 None comments

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron: I confess, I didn’t do this as a twelve-week course. I tried a couple times, but realized that I was never going to be able to set aside three months for a self-guided class, so I went ahead and read it straight through. I suspect I waited too long, as I am not creatively blocked anymore. The ideas in the book are very good – the morning pages in particular are a useful habit to have. I wish there was a little less God talk, but the cover did warn me that this was a “spiritual journey” so I can’t really complain. The thing is, so many of the things attributed to God don’t have to be – for instance, unblocking your creativity doesn’t necessarily mean that God’s giving you more opportunities, just that you’re more open to spotting and pursuing said chances. But anyway, if you want to be more creative and just can’t seem to get yourself to do it, try this out. It certainly can’t hurt.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan

Posted by melydia on June 3, 2009 None comments

The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan: This is the third of Tan’s books I’ve read, and follows a similar pattern to the other two (Joy Luck Club, Kitchen God’s Wife): rebellious American daughter of misunderstood Chinese mother, culture clashes combined with generational differences, mother’s secret childhood in China eventually is revealed to daughter, understanding ensues. Luckily, Tan’s lyrical prose helps the formula remain fresh. The ending was unfortunately not as tight as it could have been; things were too tidy to be realistic, as if Tan were rushed to get the story out the door. I kind of think that if it were only the mother’s story it would have been good as it stands, without mentioning the daughter at all. But it was still a good read – up until the end.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Seize the Night by Dean Koontz

Posted by melydia on May 23, 2009 None comments

Seize the Night by Dean Koontz: This is the second Chris Snow book, after Fear Nothing, and the character has finally found his own voice. One of my complaints in the previous novel was Chris’s lack of a personality: he acted differently depending on who he was talking to. This time, however, he’s far more consistent, as are the other characters. Unfortunately, the plot surrounding him is far weaker. Koontz can’t decide what to use as the Big Bad, so he throws in a little bit of everything: sociopathic serial killer, genetic engineering, time travel, evil government/military types, etc. It gets a little silly after a while. Chris’s XP (a genetic disorder which means he can’t handle UV light) is almost forgotten for most of the story, which is a little strange considering how many times there are talks about fluorescent lights blinking on and, more importantly, the infrared goggles. Perhaps Koontz doesn’t know this, but IR goggles require a digital screen, meaning that Chris basically put a small computer monitor against his eyeballs which are supposedly so sensitive he can’t sit too close to a television. But oh well, that’s certainly the least of the inconsistencies in these books. Chris Snow is a great character, as are his buddies (Sasha, Bobby, Roosevelt, Doogie, Orson); I just wish they’d been given a better plot to play in.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Out of the Fallout by Veronica A. Mullen

Posted by melydia on May 18, 2009 None comments

Out of the Fallout by Veronica A. Mullen: Self-published novels are, in general, self-indulgent and extremely hard to follow. Luckily, Out of the Fallout is an exception to this rule. It is rife with typographical and grammatical errors, but if you can look past that you’ll find a surprisingly engaging story. The plot is rather complex, set in a post-apocalyptic world where the chemical and biological weapons of the last war caused unexpected psychic abilities in a large portion of the population. Jason and Michelle, however, are two of the extremely rare “natural” psychics. They live at The Psychic Research Center, a cross between a school and a laboratory for juvenile victims of the psychic virus, where children are kept apart from the “normal” population in order to be studied and to learn to control their newfound abilities. Jason and Michelle, though prized by the scientists as test subjects, are ostracized by the rest of the children. Michelle’s unusual behavior – in response to spending her formative years held hostage by a serial killer – makes her even more of a target. The story chronicles their lives over several years, from teenagers to adults, as Jason struggles to find normalcy and Michelle withdraws ever more deeply into herself. The ending completely lost me – the random forays into Greek mythology, the unexplained bird creature, the bizarre dreams, the abrupt conclusion – but otherwise I enjoyed this one. If another edition ever comes out – one where the second half of the book is as detailed and engrossing as the first – I will certainly pick it up. In the meantime, I’ll keep an eye out for Mullen’s future works.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

Posted by melydia on May 15, 2009 3 comments

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman: A far more detailed and extensive alternate universe than I’ve seen in a while. I can’t decide what time period it’s supposed to take place in, as there are guns and telephones and arrows and zeppelins. Perhaps it’s a sort of steampunk. Anyway, every person has a daemon, which is in the form of an animal, and is more or less their soul. Scholars have discovered a new elementary particle, referred to as “Dust,” and it is causing quite a stir. When Lyra’s best friend Roger is kidnapped by the mysterious Gobblers, she and her daemon must journey north to rescue him. Lyra is a charming, if brash, little girl and the characters she meets are marvelous. I really enjoyed this one, and am a little sad I can’t rush off to read the next in the series, as the ending leads right into it.

I came into this expecting something somewhat controversial but didn’t really find anything. I can almost see the bristling of the Catholic Church over this – except at the very beginning of the book there is mention of Pope John Calvin, implying that the Church of this book doesn’t particularly resemble the real one. But oh well, some people get quite bored unless they have something to be offended by.

The original title of this book was Northern Lights, which is far more fitting, as the item to which I assume the title is referring is not a compass at all. Publishers are funny things.

Moominsummer Madness by Tove Jansson

Posted by melydia on May 11, 2009 None comments

Moominsummer Madness by Tove Jansson: Simply delightful. I am a longtime fan of the Moomins, a collection of unusual-looking critters whose calm and pleasing outlook on life is a pure joy to read. This time around, a flood washes through Moominvalley, forcing the Moomins to find a new home in a floating theater (though they don’t know what a theater is). The humor is gentle but fun. I can’t wait to read more of Jansson’s books, including the comic strip collections.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

Posted by melydia on May 10, 2009 None comments

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier: A blunt look at the sometimes dark and brutal nature of teenagers. Jerry Renalt is a freshman at Trinity Catholic High, a school run by monks and The Vigils, a gang of upperclassmen whose main function is to pull pranks and assert their superiority. I must say, this had one of the most unexpected plots I’ve come across in a long time. I didn’t see the various twists and turns coming, least of all the ending. I can kind of see why this is controversial, though no more so than, say, Lord of the Flies. Both reveal the animalistic natures of children, a trait we don’t often like to admit even to ourselves.

Centauri Dawn by Michael Ely

Posted by melydia on May 6, 2009 None comments

Centauri Dawn by Michael Ely: I have never played the video game on which this book is based (Alpha Centauri) nor its more famous predecessor, Civilization. This probably hampered my enjoyment. Though you do not need to be familiar with the games to understand the plot, I suspect that anyone not obsessed with the game will feel much the way I did: meh. Basically, Earth is tearing apart itself with war so a colony ship is sent off to another planet. It breaks up in space and each pod, holding roughly one thousand people and one leader, lands on a different part of the planet. The leaders are the diplomat, the warrior, the farmer-hippy, the economist, the professor, and two others I can’t recall just now. Anyway, they each found their own groups following their personal philosophies, thus creating large numbers of walking stereotypes. The warriors (who call themselves Spartans, natch) are the most grievous offense here, obsessing over honor and battle even more than your average Kling-on. They are not in the least bit sympathetic, fighting the other groups for no more reason than they feel like it. The author makes some weak attempts at motive but it’s not convincing. In short, this is not something I would recommend to a lover of science fiction…or to anyone, in fact, except those who simply cannot get enough of the Alpha Centauri universe.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Fear Nothing by Dean Koontz

Posted by melydia on May 1, 2009 None comments

Fear Nothing by Dean Koontz: Chris Snow has a genetic disorder which causes UV light to inflict permanent and cumulative damage. Thus his life is necessarily lived between dusk and dawn. Soon after his father dies from cancer, Chris starts running into a bunch of weirdness and people not telling him things. There’s a lot of vague talk of the end of the world, of people “becoming,” and not a whole lot of straight answers. Chris spends his time running from suspicious-acting friend to suspicious-acting friend to find out The Truth. I remember really liking this book when I first read it a few years ago, but this time I felt more lukewarm. Chris didn’t have a whole lot of personality, flipping from surf bum to intellectual to philosopher, depending on who he was talking to. This would be a good book for someone new to bio-thrillers. As for me, well, it was a decent way to spend the commute, but I won’t be reading it again.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

The Once and Future King by T.H. White

Posted by melydia on May 1, 2009 None comments

The Once and Future King by T.H. White: I thought I’d read this for a class in high school, but I know now that I did not. This lengthy tome is actually four books in one. “The Sword in the Stone,” which inspired the Disney film of the same name, is the charming story of Arthur’s childhood with Sir Ector, Kay, Merlyn, and the rest. Easily my favorite of the four. Next is “The Queen of Air and Darkness,” which introduces the Gaelic Orkney clan, headed by Morgause. It’s probably the funniest book, between the silliness of King Pellinore’s lovesickness and the darker humor of the Orkney sons’ desperate attempts to get their mother’s attention. “The Ill-Made Knight” was my least favorite. It’s all about Lancelot and his unending angst. “The Candle in the Wind” more or less wraps up the Lancelot story, with a sometimes irritating amount of commentary on how much better everything and everyone was back in those days. I wish the story could have gone all the way through Arthur’s death and successor, but by and large I could see why this is considered one of the quintessential books on Arthurian Legend. I could spot the inspiration for many other works, from Excalibur to Monty Python’s Holy Grail. If you’re a fan of Arthur, I would definitely recommend reading. If you only have a passing interest, just read “The Sword in the Stone.” It’s delightful.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

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