I started and finished A Sense of Direction in one evening; I couldn't really stop thinking about it, so I couldn't put it down. I found it...
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This is a dark, subtle coming of age story. The characters - codependent identical twins, their ghostly aunt, her younger boyfriend, and an obsessive neighbor - are more interesting than the story itself; to me, that makes a book worth re-reading. The way the characters are coupled and recoupled and uncoupled is what drives the story.
This wasn't the book I expected it to be, but I should know by now to expect a surprise from Ruth Rendell. The Rottweiler isn't really about a serial killer and it isn't a murder mystery - it feels more like an expanded set of short stories that are all linked together. I would call it a 'motive mystery.' I don't mind knowing who the killer is early on - being in that character's head or having that piece of information usually makes the story a bit creepier than a regular mystery. This wasn't as creepy as I wanted it to be, but a dark mood pervades the story in a different way. I disliked all the characters and suspected them of keeping horrible secrets or sinister motives. I am not satisfied with the resolution - I wish the last chapter hadn't been there at all, to leave an unsettled feeling after the end of the book.
Mr. Chartwell is a large, black dog with a dark, seductive presence. Esther is a lonely young widow. Churchill is facing retirement and the conclusion of his life's work. Their paths intersect. Chartwell is illness personified, visible on his own terms. The book is somehow light while dealing with heavy issues, and mysterious to the end.
Anya's the kind of teenage girl who smokes in the bathroom, but secretly wishes she was the kind who dated her school's star athlete. She's afraid that her Mom's cooking will make her fat, afraid that she'll be teased for being a Russian immigrant, and afraid that she'll embarrass herself in gym class. One afternoon Anya skips class, falls down a well, and finds a ghost.
This is a fun, quick, spooky read for teenagers or adults. While Anya's Ghost isn't quite a coming of age story, it shows how experiences - both supernatural and ordinary - can open our eyes to the people around us, and how blind to the motives and struggles of others we may be.
The Finkler Question is sort of a coming-of-middle-age. Julian works as a celebrity lookalike. He's divorced and unliked by his children, he envies his friends' recent widowerhoods, and he's been mugged by a woman. He wishes he was Jewish. I felt that because I was neither middle-aged, male, nor Jewish, I couldn't really relate to the characters - but I was fascinated by them. This book is funny, but I felt like I was out of the loop. I would say this book is worth a read for the Question itself, and any possible answer.
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sarah e has commented on (10) products.
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
sarah e, September 14, 2011
This is a dark, subtle coming of age story. The characters - codependent identical twins, their ghostly aunt, her younger boyfriend, and an obsessive neighbor - are more interesting than the story itself; to me, that makes a book worth re-reading. The way the characters are coupled and recoupled and uncoupled is what drives the story.The Rottweiler (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard) by Ruth Rendell
sarah e, September 6, 2011
This wasn't the book I expected it to be, but I should know by now to expect a surprise from Ruth Rendell. The Rottweiler isn't really about a serial killer and it isn't a murder mystery - it feels more like an expanded set of short stories that are all linked together. I would call it a 'motive mystery.' I don't mind knowing who the killer is early on - being in that character's head or having that piece of information usually makes the story a bit creepier than a regular mystery. This wasn't as creepy as I wanted it to be, but a dark mood pervades the story in a different way. I disliked all the characters and suspected them of keeping horrible secrets or sinister motives. I am not satisfied with the resolution - I wish the last chapter hadn't been there at all, to leave an unsettled feeling after the end of the book.Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt
sarah e, September 6, 2011
Mr. Chartwell is a large, black dog with a dark, seductive presence. Esther is a lonely young widow. Churchill is facing retirement and the conclusion of his life's work. Their paths intersect. Chartwell is illness personified, visible on his own terms. The book is somehow light while dealing with heavy issues, and mysterious to the end.Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol
sarah e, September 6, 2011
Anya's the kind of teenage girl who smokes in the bathroom, but secretly wishes she was the kind who dated her school's star athlete. She's afraid that her Mom's cooking will make her fat, afraid that she'll be teased for being a Russian immigrant, and afraid that she'll embarrass herself in gym class. One afternoon Anya skips class, falls down a well, and finds a ghost.This is a fun, quick, spooky read for teenagers or adults. While Anya's Ghost isn't quite a coming of age story, it shows how experiences - both supernatural and ordinary - can open our eyes to the people around us, and how blind to the motives and struggles of others we may be.
The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson
sarah e, September 6, 2011
The Finkler Question is sort of a coming-of-middle-age. Julian works as a celebrity lookalike. He's divorced and unliked by his children, he envies his friends' recent widowerhoods, and he's been mugged by a woman. He wishes he was Jewish. I felt that because I was neither middle-aged, male, nor Jewish, I couldn't really relate to the characters - but I was fascinated by them. This book is funny, but I felt like I was out of the loop. I would say this book is worth a read for the Question itself, and any possible answer.(0 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
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