‘52 Books in 52 Weeks’ Category

  1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling

    May 30, 2009 by sassenach

    #20 of 52 – 52 Books in 52 Weeks

    No spoilers in this post.

    I finished reading this weeks ago, but am just now writing about it. Good grief, but this book was tough to get through! I feel like I flew through the first three in comparison. The book started off fine, but then all of the lesser plots got in the way. I found the section about the Quidditch World Cup really, really boring. And then all the teenage woecake started, with the whole Harry/Cho Chang/Cedric Diggory love saga going on. I understand that certain plot points were necessary to bring about other ones, but it just made the reading go more slowly for me. But I’ve heard repeatedly that J. K. Rowling writes *everything* for a reason, so I try to keep that in mind as I read through the less amazing parts.

    But! There was a turning point around page 500 or so, when the story became very interesting. Finally! At that point, I couldn’t put it down and finished the rest in pretty much one sitting. The ending was amazing and I immediately grabbed Order of the Phoenix and started it. In hindsight, I can see why the earlier portions of GoF were included because they brought the story to the place it needed to be by the time the ending came. I just hope that the future books don’t have as many slow moments. That being said, the ending really was fantastic, so I feel like the slow parts were ultimately worth it to get to that finish. The story arc has reached a place where certain elements will (hopefully) come rushing to a head, and that’s something very exciting to look forward to.

    I watched the movie not long after I finished GoF, and I enjoyed the movie version much more since a lot was cut from the book. The pace of the movie was much faster, but without losing the essence of the book.

    And now on to the next!

    Category: 52 Books in 52 Weeks, Reading | Tags: | 3 Comments

  2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling

    March 21, 2009 by sassenach

    #19 of 52 – 52 Books in 52 Weeks

    Note: spoilers follow.

    So far, this is my second favorite in the series (with book 1 being my favorite). I like this one because the storytelling continues to be imaginative, but the plot had a few twists that I hadn’t expected. I didn’t anticipate that Sirius Black was Harry’s godfather, though I had a feeling he might end up being a “good guy” character. At one point, I thought Hermione’s cat, Crookshanks, might be connected to Voldemort, but I was wrong about that.

    I’m so glad whenever good things happen to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, so I was incredibly sad for Harry when it turned out that he wouldn’t be able to go live with Sirius. I really detest the Dursleys, but I suppose I wouldn’t feel nearly as sympathetic toward Harry if he had great relatives to live with. The Dursleys just get worse with each book, and at times I do feel like the thread of their storyline is getting kind of tired. Maybe because I’m reading the books back to back in such a short period of time. I just feel slightly exhausted reading any scenes in which they appear.

    On the other hand, I’m not yet tired of the exchanges between Harry and Dumbledore–I always think of Gandalf from Lord of the Rings when Dumbledore is teaching Harry something.

    Slightly random but worth mentioning: I was delighted when Sirius gave Ron an owl, especially after the revelation involving Scabbers/Peter Pettigrew/Wormtail. (It is Wormtail, right? I get it confused with Wormtongue, which is from Lord of the Rings, I think?) But I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of Peter Pettigrew.

    Hermione is becoming one of my favorite characters. She’s very clever and I love that she has an active role in the story–she is just as important as the male characters, which is refreshing. She is no damsel in distress or anything. Especially in this book, her role was essential since Harry couldn’t have gone back in time without Hermione’s Time-Turner.

    A couple words about the movie adaptation: this is possibly my favorite movie of the series–well, after the first one, maybe. I rented the movie and watched it three times before returning it. I really loved it. The special effects are pretty amazing–Buckbeak especially. I hope we get to see him again.

    Whenever I finish another book in this series, I’m left with a content, happy feeling, mixed with the urge to read more. I’ve read a lot of books this year, and these are definitely in my top ten list thus far.

    Category: 52 Books in 52 Weeks, Reading | Tags: | 4 Comments

  3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

    March 14, 2009 by sassenach

    #18 of 52 – 52 Books in 52 Weeks

    Note: possible slight spoilers follow.

    I enjoyed this slightly less than the first book. I am hoping that the rest of the series aren’t too formulaic–Harry goes off to school, someone wants to kill Harry, danger ensues, Harry wins in the end, happy ever after. I mean, I like that Harry comes out a winner, but I hope that the following books branch out as far as the basic plot goes. I’m sure they won’t disappoint.

    So far, I’ve watched the first two movies, saving each movie till after I’ve read the corresponding book. I’ve been really pleased that the movies follow the books very closely. The movies are pretty fantastic–the actors are perfect, as are the special effects. I look forward to each one as much as I look forward to reading each book. Hopefully the movies continue to preserve the spirit of the books.

    I didn’t dislike Chamber of Secrets–it was another great read–but I think I’m just ready for some surprises and eager to see where the series is headed.

    Category: 52 Books in 52 Weeks, Reading | Tags: | 6 Comments

  4. The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult

    March 5, 2009 by sassenach

    #17 of 52 – 52 Books in 52 Weeks

    Oh Jodi Picoult, why so tortured?

    First, let me make it very clear that I think she is a great writer. I’ve read Picoult once before–The Pact–which was, similarly, a very well-written and engaging story…but really, really depressing. The Tenth Circle is pretty much the same.

    I like Picoult’s books because she writes about relationships and families in a very realistic way. I just wish I didn’t feel so suicidal after finishing her books. Well, maybe I’m being overly harsh. I suppose it’s good that I have such strong reactions to her novels–this is likely why her books are such excellent fodder for book club discussions. But in The Tenth Circle, I didn’t find myself connecting with any of the characters. They all remained, to me, slightly at a distance. They all, at times, seemed slightly mad. And there was something about them that was unreachable for me. It’s hard to describe.

    Also, at one point the story turns into a slight mystery/whodunnit novel, which I hadn’t expected and didn’t really enjoy, especially when the person is revealed at the end. I found that rather predictable and anti-climactic. I guess, ultimately, when I read a book, I want to find one character–at least–with whom I can identify, or otherwise care about in some way. Sadly, with this book, I didn’t. I found the whole plot unfortunate and pitiful, and I had the sense that something was missing. Now I realize that I just didn’t connect with any of the characters, so that left me with a very distracted, detached reading experience. At points in the second half to final third of the book, I felt the story was unnecessarily long and labored. It felt like work to keep reading.

    I will say, though, that Picoult used an interesting device that held my attention. One of the main characters is an artist, and the book is interspersed with the graphic novel he is drawing throughout the course of the story. The graphic novel compliments the plot, and I thought that was a unique addition to the book. Not only this, but I quickly noticed that there were randomly placed letters in each of the panels; turns out that the letters spell out a quote that sums up The Tenth Circle‘s theme. I managed to find all the letters (over 80, I think) and headed over to Jodi Picoult’s website to check and see if I got the quote right. (I did!)

    Despite that fun part at the end, unfortunately, I wish I could have enjoyed the book overall. I wanted to care about her characters more–especially since this doesn’t have quite a happy ending. It’s rather ambiguous, but when I was done, I essentially closed the book and moved on. Except to write this post, I haven’t given it much thought since.

    Category: 52 Books in 52 Weeks, Reading | Tags: | 1 Comment

  5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

    February 28, 2009 by sassenach

    #16 of 52 – 52 Books in 52 Weeks

    Yes, I am one of the few remaining people who hasn’t (yet!) read Harry Potter. All that will soon change, though! muahaha.

    What a great story! (Understatement of the decade?) I hesitated reading this for years (hi kc!) because I didn’t understand the appeal initially. Usually when something is as outrageously popular as this, I either A) shy away from it, or B) jump on the bandwagon with flying colors. In this case, I shied away for years, only to jump on board now. Figures.

    Anyway, I’ve got the rest of the series on order (hurry up, Amazon super saver shipping) because I enjoyed The Sorcerer’s Stone that much, and I see this series as being one of those all-time classics that I will re-read in the future. And while I’ve seen bits of the movies here and there, I really don’t have much clue about the overall future of the series, or how it ends, so that’s exciting. I hear that the books get darker and better as the series goes on, so I’m looking forward to that.

    Category: 52 Books in 52 Weeks, Reading | Tags: | 3 Comments

  6. Testimony by Anita Shreve

    February 23, 2009 by sassenach

    #15 of 52 – 52 Books in 52 Weeks

    Anita Shreve has always been one of my favorite authors. To me, her language is like poetry, and she creates characters that have stayed with me for years. My favorite book of hers is Where or When.

    In Testimony, she creates the story through about two dozen points of view–a multitude of narrative voices. And a pretty daunting task, I’m sure; but it’s one that she pulls off somehow. Some of the characters’ voices are so distinct that they leave a kind of footprint in my mind as I read. That’s rare, I think, for an author to achieve. This is why Shreve is one of my favorites, and why I’ll be reading several more of her novels in the coming months.

    (Note: in a nutshell, Testimony is about a group of teens from a prestigious private school who are caught after making a tape of an obscene nature [I'm trying to put this delicately, so as to avoid any freaky weird Google hits]).

    This was a difficult novel to read. Not for the subject matter–I was not shocked at the graphic opening chapter or the descriptions–but rather, the heartwrenching nature of the story tugged at me. Despite this, difficult as it was, I read on. And when I read the final words, I turned the page, wanting more answers–more explanations. I felt that some elements weren’t fully resolved, and I guess that’s ok, and possibly the author’s intent. Much like real life, things aren’t always tied up neatly. Questions do go unanswered. And we just have to accept it, and move on.

    There is one character in particular, a girl named Noelle, who I wanted to know more about. I felt sad for her, but curious about how things turned out. Is it strange to hope that things turned out all right for her? She is, after all, not a real person. But sometimes I read a book and one character in particular stands out for me. Momentarily, in the suspension of belief, they become real. And long after I’ve read the book, that character still stays with me. They feel, in some way, like an old friend. When I reread the book and revisit them, I pick up on things I may have missed before.

    Maybe this doesn’t make much sense. Anyway…I wonder in this story how certain characters fared in the end–ultimately–after the book is over. Noelle, Anna, Mike, and especially Silas, if things could have gone differently for him. It’s ok that some stories can’t have a happy ending. But I wonder how those stories might read, if they could.

    Category: 52 Books in 52 Weeks, Reading | Tags: | No Comments

  7. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

    February 17, 2009 by sassenach

    #14 of 52 – 52 Books in 52 Weeks

    Loved this book. My appreciation for Edith Wharton is solidified. Years ago, I read The Age of Innocence, but that had been the only novel of hers I’d read until now. The story of Ethan Frome is simple–heartbreakingly so. Ethan Frome is a broken man, someone tied to a place (his farm) and to a person (his wife), neither of which he loves. As a young man, he had had great dreams, plans for the future. But circumstances and life in general interfered, and tethered him to a hard, lonely life.

    When Ethan meets Mattie, his wife’s cousin, he slowly finds himself coming back to life. She gives him hope; through her, he begins to feel again. The tragedy, of course, is that they cannot be together. Ethan’s strained marriage prohibits him from the one happiness he needs, and craves.

    (These themes are reminiscent of The Age of Innocence–Newland and Ethan come from vastly different walks of life and social class, but their conflicts are the same.)

    I wasn’t shocked by the ending, but it certainly had a bitter irony to it. I think the appropriate adage, especially in light of the ending, is “Be careful what you wish for.” Life has a way of spiraling in every direction except for the path you most expect–and want. Sometimes, that works out for the good. And other times, all it does is create the most bitter of heartaches.

    (As a footnote: I decided to read Ethan Frome because the last book I read, The Awakening by Kate Chopin, reminded me so much of Wharton’s writing style. In turn, reading Ethan Frome reminded me of another of my favorite authors, Anita Shreve, who happened to write the foreward for my edition of Ethan Frome. Next, I’m reading a Shreve novel. It’s nice when books and authors intersect and overlap that way; it makes my reading list feel less random.)

    Category: 52 Books in 52 Weeks, Reading | Tags: | 2 Comments

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