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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
Kristen M has commented on (55) products
Charlotte Markham & the House of Darkling
by
Michael Boccacino
Kristen M
, January 01, 2013
Charlotte Markham is the name of the governess to Paul and James Darrow. She is also a widow, working for a widower in a home where death is no stranger. Still, nothing can prepare Charlotte or the Darrows for what lies in wait for them past the mysterious mist in the forest. And the choices they make once they find themselves in the House of Darkling have the ability to destroy the entire world as we know it. As is probably obvious, "the world as we know it" in this novel isn't really the world as we know it at all. For us, the veil between life and death is a solid wall and there is no coming back. But Boccacino, inspired by his mother's words and thoughts as her health declined due to cancer, imagines that it is a much less tenuous barrier that can be pierced by mother love. With a heavy dose of the supernatural and some horrific happenings, he brings this dark Victorian tale to life in such a way that may make readers worry that some part of the story could in fact be real. Charlotte is a formidable heroine whose intelligence and moral strength keeps her interesting and the things experienced by Mr. Darrow and the boys seem only too real, especially as I watch family members also dealing with the loss of a young parent. I can't recommend this book enough. If you are like me, able to stretch your imagination to embrace another bizarre existence beyond our own, you'll likely be a fan of this book.
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Oracle of Stamboul
by
Michael David Lukas
Kristen M
, January 07, 2012
This is a simple, somewhat cozy read that is nevertheless thought-provoking and fuels a desire to learn about the interesting city of Stamboul and its history. It has wonderful pacing and language and Eleonora is a charming young heroine. The characters around her are also quite engaging, including her host in Stamboul, the charming but fatherly Moncef Bey. This is a fascinating point in history -- the slow disintegration of a once all-powerful empire. The character of Sultan Abdulhamid II was intriguing and I would love to learn more about him at some point. This story has a touch of magical realism but it is basically the tale of an extraordinary child whose talents lead her to become entangled in a critical point in history. It's the sort of novel that has you impatiently waiting for the author's next offering.
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Sherlockian
by
Graham Moore
Kristen M
, January 01, 2011
Graham Moore's first novel is a well-researched and imaginative journey into a brief period in the life of Arthur Conan Doyle and also into the modern community that worships his most well-known creation, Sherlock Holmes. As is the case many times with dual setting novels, one of the narratives in this book is stronger than the other. The Victorian one is quite wonderful. Moore did a stellar job with the Victorian voice and the story that unfolds is really well done. It explores Conan Doyle's ambivalent feelings about his creation, his personal life and that of his friend and fellow (but unappreciated) author, Stoker, and the women's suffrage movement of the time. And luckily, though not quite as good as the past narrative, the present one gains momentum as the story moves forward and I found myself strongly invested in Harold's plight as well. He is a sympathetic but odd character and you really hope that things work out for him. I think that Moore has a fantastic career ahead of him if he only improves from the high bar that has been set by The Sherlockian.
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Winter In Madrid
by
C J Sansom
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
Though this book was not predictable -- and even had a somewhat surprising plot twist near the end -- it was a foregone conclusion that all of the characters would not make it out unscathed. With the types of people that they had to interact with and the system that they had to work in, life was difficult for both the haves and have-nots during this time. I have read one other book by Sansom (Dissolution) and I appreciate his style and the amount of research he does. This isn't your typical spy or war novel with sex and profanity and senseless violence. It is a well-presented fiction that takes place in a time in Spain's history that was all too real.
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September Society
by
Charles Finch
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
This is a very satisfying sequel to A Beautiful Blue Death. Lenox's doctor friend McConnell assists him again but he also takes on an apprentice, Dallington, a younger son of a titled friend. They are both interesting characters and add depth to the story. Lenox himself is a very noble and likeable character, a sort of anti-Poirot. He is a detective for the sake of the clients, not his own ego, and is therefore willing to share his information with the police and the family members. He is also in love which is quite endearing.
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The Conqueror: A Novel of William the Conqueror, the Bastard Son Who Overpowered a Kingdom and the Woman Who Melted His Heart
by
Georgette Heyer
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
Heyer's main character, Raoul de Harcourt, appears to be fictional but her depiction of William and of the political strife of the time seems quite accurate. While this book wasn't a page-turner, it definitely held my interest and was well-written. I wouldn't mind reading another historical fiction about William the Conqueror in the near future to get another perspective on this amazing man.
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Revelation of Fire
by
Alla Avilova
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
This book was difficult to begin as the translation from Russian didn't always have the best flow or syntax. However, once I got going, the translation either got better or I stopped noticing. The mysticism and spiritualism in the book are based on many Eastern philosophies and are simple to understand and were thought-provoking. The analysis of solitude was quite interesting. The book also gives some brief insight into Russian history, relative to the Orthodox church, but this wasn't a main focus.
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By The Pricking Of My Thumbs
by
Agatha Christie
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
Tommy and Tuppence go to visit Tommy's elderly aunt in a rest home and Tuppence ends up talking to a batty old woman who talks about a dead child in the fireplace. They leave without a second thought but when Tommy's aunt dies a few weeks later and they have to return to the rest home, Tuppence decides to follow up with a nagging feeling about the old woman. When they find out the woman has been moved out of the home, Tuppence becomes suspicious and sets off on an adventure to locate the missing woman. This book was enjoyable, especially as Christie does a great job of writing bright and capable older characters.
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Drood
by
Dan Simmons
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
Simmons obviously did copious amounts of research and he has possibly included every biographical fact about Dickens and Collins that is available. He has written a very tangible portrait of London, especially its seamy underbelly, in the late 19th century. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book as I thought I would. Many of the highly positive reviews I have read of the novel mention that the reader hasn't read much or any of Dickens or Collins books. I, on the other hand, have read many of their stories and I just didn't find the writing convincing as the work of a 19th century novelist, especially Collins, whose style I am very familiar with. The writing isn't bad, it just isn't this particular novelist's voice. I also disliked the way that Dickens and Collins were portrayed. I have read books where some of my literary heroes, both fictional (Sherlock Holmes) and non-fictional (Edgar Allan Poe), have been turned into villains but they were still always written as true to character. This book takes liberties with the character and habits of these men to a degree that I was uncomfortable with. I worry that this book will give people false impressions of these men and their works. I did enjoy the way that Simmons incorporated novels such as Bleak House and The Moonstone into the book. There were some interesting insights into the books and the process of writing a serialized novel. I also appreciated the emphasis on some of the social issues of the time -- the same issues that Dickens himself wrote about -- especially poverty. This was a unique story but I think that some parts were just a bit too far-fetched and violent and the ending seemed rushed. After over 750 pages, I would have appreciated a bit more closure. If you haven't read any books by Charles Dickens or Wilkie Collins and are interested in them, go pick up a nice Oxford edition and read the biographical information at the beginning. If you want a Victorian thriller and don't mind if the characters are true-to-life, this book is for the most part entertaining.
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People of the Book
by
Geraldine Brooks
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
This is a story that moves through time, beginning in 1996, shortly after the end of the Bosnian war, with a woman asked to restore the Sarajevo Haggadah -- a Jewish prayer book unique in that it contains illustrations and that it survived since the 1400s when it was created. As Hanna, the art specialist, discovers various clues to the history of the book, we are transported back in time to hear the imagined stories behind those clues. We also learn of the plight of the Jews in various times in history. Though we read about significant abuse and loss, we also read of the kindness of strangers, the strength of faith and a belief in a better future.
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Tales from the Five Kingdoms 01 Robe Of Skulls
by
Vivian French
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
Robe of Skulls is the simple story of girl hates step-father and step-sister, girl runs away with bat (the animal, not the wooden stick), step-sister takes chase but ends up teaming with sorceress, they kidnap princes and turn them into frogs, girl gets help from another prince to save the day. Pretty standard, right? This is a very interesting new world with magical creatures, talking animals, werewolves and witches, and lots of royalty. It started off a bit shakily but found its stride and was great little story.
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The Mysterious Affair at Styles: The Mysterious Affair at Styles: A Detective Story
by
Agatha Christie
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
This is a locked-room and poison murder mystery with a simple motive of inheritance. However, there is a large cast of characters each with their own secrets and missing alibis. I enjoyed the characters and didn't quite discover the solution although I saw past some of the dead ends that came up during the course of the story.
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Reluctant Widow
by
Georgette Heyer
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
This is a fast-paced narrative with plenty of exciting dialogue. Lord Carlyon's younger brother Nicky had me laughing out loud a few times. Carlyon's cool sarcasm brought to mind the line delivery perfected by Cary Grant in many of his roles. The only thing I have a problem with it its classification as a "romance" as the only romantic part of the book is in the last four pages and solely consists of a proposal and a kiss (which you will know is coming pretty much from the start of the book). I fear that many readers would choose not to read this book if, like me, they have a prejudice against browsing the romance shelves.
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Bleak House
by
Charles Dickens
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
If any book title seemed designed to detract readers from approaching a book, I believe it would have to be Bleak House. However, it turns out that Bleak House has some amazing characters, a mysterious plot and relatively little of Dickens' legendary long and tedious descriptions. The first two chapters of this book are difficult to get through but you become completely engaged in the story in the third chapter when Esther begins her narration. As in all other Dickens stories, we receive his social commentary, discover kindness and dignity among the lower classes and shamefully bad behaviour by some who could afford to act better. I'm glad that I finally read this novel and would suggest it to anyone who enjoys Dickens and has a couple of weeks of free reading time.
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Duchess Of Bloomsbury Street
by
Helene Hanff
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
This book has all of the spunk and wit that we discovered in 84, Charing Cross Road but also with an amazing sense of fulfillment and wonder as Helene finally gets to discover the England of her books and dreams.
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84 Charing Cross Road
by
Helene Hanff
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
This is a collection of letters between New Yorker Hanff and the employees of the Marks and Co. bookstore in London, especially with one Frank Doel. For twenty years, Hanff orders old and rare books from London and becomes friends with Doel, his co-workers and his family. She sends them care-packages of meat and eggs when they are suffering through rations after WWII. She sends friends to visit the bookstore when they travel abroad. But unfortunately Hanff is never able to save enough money to take her own trip to England to meet these friends. This is a very short book, only 97 pages, but it is so incredibly sweet and funny that it is worth the time reading it. It gives insight into some everyday lives that we otherwise would never know about.
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Beautiful Blue Death
by
Charles Finch
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
This was not a very suspenseful mystery but it was smart and Charles Lenox and his friends and family are very likeable characters. I will definitely read the second book in this series, The September Society. There is a hint of a romance brewing that I need to follow!
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(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)
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Simon the Coldheart A Tale of Chivalry & Adventure
by
Georgette Heyer
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
This is a fast-paced book -- quite different from many historical fictions. Heyer doesn't show off all the historical research she did by writing elaborate descriptions. There aren't any long battle scenes to bog down the narrative as there are in some other historical tomes. Heyer really focuses on her plots and it makes for a satisfying read. If you need a good initiation into historical fiction, I strongly recommend this one.
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Righting the Mother Tongue: From Olde English to Email, the Tangled Story of English Spelling
by
David Wolman
Kristen M
, May 26, 2010
This book is equally interesting for those who love spelling and those who hate it. It includes a brief history of printing, dictionaries and spell-check. We hear about those who have campaigned for phonetic spellings and those who wanted to remove evil French and Greek influences from the language. There is even a discussion of the modern effect of text messaging on the language. This book is not very long so nothing is too in-depth, just right for a general history for anyone mildly interested in this topic.
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(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
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Conan Doyle's Wallet: The Secrets Within
by
McNamara Patrick
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
I was hoping that this book would have more of a history of spiritualism in modern times but it does briefly tell the stories of some famous cases -- enough information to allow one to do more research on the subject if you were interested. The Conan Doyle biography is disjointed but comprehensive and again is a good introduction to the subject. Most of the book actually belongs to McNamara's own views on the afterlife, the materials of which we are made and the ability of anyone who desires it to become a medium. The only major complaint I had about this book was that it was quite poorly edited. There were sentence fragments and superfluous punctuation all over the place which detracted from the reading experience. However, the author makes the point that if we put out positive thoughts and feelings, we receive positive feedback in return so I will recommend this book to anyone interested in this subject and hope that you end up with a second edition!
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Spiritualist
by
Chance, Megan
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
This story was engaging and well-written but I was a bit annoyed by the plot. After a short while, I started wondering if Chance was going to take the predictable route as to whom the murderer would turn out to be and I was right. This was still an enjoyable book despite the compulsion to shout "I knew it!"
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(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
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Righting the Mother Tongue From Olde English to Email the Tangled Story of English Spelling
by
David Wolman
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
This book is equally interesting for those who love spelling and those who hate it. It includes a brief history of printing, dictionaries and spell-check. We hear about those who have campaigned for phonetic spellings and those who wanted to remove evil French and Greek influences from the language. There is even a discussion of the modern effect of text messaging on the language. This book is not very long so nothing is too in-depth, just right for a general history for anyone mildly interested in this topic.
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(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
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Murder on the Eiffel Tower: A Victor Legris Mystery
by
Claude Izner
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
Victor Legris is no detective and honestly is barely tolerable as a man. The story begins with a seemingly random murder in a trainyard and continues to a murder on the Eiffel Tower during the 1889 World Exposition. Victor Legris is a peripheral character, a bookseller, who becomes entangled in the murders when he sees links between them and his new love interest, Tasha, and his mentor and father-figure, Kenji Mori. Victor doesn't know who to trust and alternates between trying to rule out his friends as suspects and believing that they are cold-blooded murders. Legris is a rude, arrogant, self-centered twenty-nine year old man. He treats his friends badly when it suits him and he frequently walks away during the middle of conversations. He never really looks for answers -- he is too busy chasing skirt. The only reason he has any success in finding clues is that he happens upon them. He never once logically thinks things out and never takes a moment to evaluate what he already knows. It was hard to get through this book as I did not find myself sympathizing with any of the characters.
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The Ghost Writer
by
John Harwood
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
This story was simply one where nothing was as it seemed. It took a clever direction and led to multiple layers of suspense. The only complaint I had was the quick and slap-dash ending. I feel like there were too many questions left unanswered for me at the end but I still enjoyed the read to that point!
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The Dark Lantern
by
Gerri Brightwell
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
This book seems to have been written without a lot of direction. If one or maybe two of these plot lines had been chosen and had been fleshed out, this would have been a much more satisfying book. The writing wasn't bad except for the tacky and gratuitous sex scenes and sexual references.
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False Colours
by
Georgette Heyer
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
The characters in this book are fun and complex and the story is far-fetched but also believable. The only problem I had with this book was the slang. There were times in this book when I couldn't quite understand what they were getting at because of the heavy use of period slang. But the story was fun to follow and I appreciated that the characters were smart and resourceful.
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Maltese Falcon
by
Dashiell Hammett
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
This book is well-written but as in all period detective fiction, a little bit of it is lost to a modern reader due to the use of jargon and current affairs references. Still, this is worth reading if you have any interest in 90 year old detective fiction or in The Maltese Falcon film.
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A Vengeful Longing
by
R. N. Morris
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
This is a great mystery that offers some clues along the way so that the reader can participate in the investigation. Of course, Porfiry is methodical and still brilliant so most of the pleasure of the book is in reading how he chooses to go about the solving of the crimes. As in Morris' first book, the descriptions of Czarist Russia are vivid and inviting, sometimes in a revolting sort of way. It is no surprise that Porfiry must follow leads into some of the seamiest areas of St. Petersburg and, as we journey with him, one can almost smell the foul odors, see the crumbling buildings and witness the sad, vacant looks of those who have given up expecting anything from life.
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Sister
by
Poppy Adams
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
This is a strange but satisfying book. The original British title, The Behaviour of Moths, is a much more pertinent title but I guess it's too stuffy for American readers so we get the vague title instead. It is a very interesting read from a non-standard point of view.
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We Interrupt This Broadcast with 3 Audio CDs 10th Anniversary Edition The Events That Stopped Our Livesfrom the Hindenburg Explosion to the Virgi
by
Joe Garner
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
These are incredibly moving historical milestones and I will admit to choking up and even shedding some tears as I listened to the audio tracks. This would be a fantastic gift so keep it in mind for anyone with an interest in American history. The book and CDs are of the highest quality and the emotional experience is profound.
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Creepers
by
Joanne Dahme
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
This was Dahme's first novel and unfortunately it showed a bit. There was nothing wrong with the plot of the story and I definitely enjoyed it. However, it seems that the book needed some more input from an editor. The story was supposed to be told from the perspective of a young teen girl but her vocabulary level rose and fell mysteriously. There was a strange overuse of italics and proper names and a lack of contractions. It just wasn't believable as the voice of a 13 year old. One cool thing is that the book has a stationery-like feel with ivy-printed pages and a variety of fonts for different voices.
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Murder in the Museum of Man A Norman de Ratour Mystery
by
Alfred Alcorn
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
I first read this book about 10 years ago and I remembered really liking it. When I recently re-read it, I was rather bored. The book was written by an ex-museum employee so I'm sure that there were a lot of caricatures that would be hilarious to museum-types but to me it just seemed like a lot of self-important, flat characters. As I was reading I kept hoping for things to escalate a bit more but they never quite did to my satisfaction.
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David Copperfield
by
Charles Dickens
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
Much of the value of David Copperfield is in the well-written and diverse characters. Each of the characters has something to add to the story which is why David, in starting the book, uses the words that he does -- that he may or may not be the hero of his own story. This book is often overlooked because of the simple title and the prejudice against Dickens but it is really a fantastic story.
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20000 Leagues Under The Sea
by
Jules Verne
Kristen M
, March 02, 2010
Verne obviously did extensive research -- reading field guides and naturalists' notes -- and then he regurgitated it all into a 400 page book. What I thought would be a quick, entertaining read turned out to be a two week trudge through listings of fish species and depths in each ocean around the world. If I hadn't studied marine biology, I would have been completely lost during most of the book. Even the parts that should have been exciting -- being trapped under a glacier, sailing through boiling seas, being attacked by a pod of giant squid -- were written with the same level of excitement as the descriptions of the meals on board the Nautilus.
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84 Charing Cross Road
by
Helene Hanff
Kristen M
, February 07, 2010
This is a very short book, only 97 pages, but it is so incredibly sweet and funny that it is worth the time reading it. It gives insight into some everyday lives that we otherwise would never know about.
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Dissolution
by
C J Sansom
Kristen M
, February 07, 2010
I thought that this one was well put together with a good plot and tone. It was a little slow-going to start and didn't really have much build-up until the very end but it was still engaging and interesting. The topic is the dissolution of the British monasteries after the rise of the Church of England. This particular Benedictine monastery happens to be the site of the murder of a government official and Shardlake is sent to investigate. This isn't a time period that I have read a lot about so I feel like there is more to learn from Sansom.
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The Mysterious Benedict Society (Mysterious Benedict Society #1)
by
Trenton Lee Stewart
Kristen M
, February 07, 2010
Sometimes I dearly wish that certain books had been written 20 years ago when I was a kid. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart is one of these books. It was totally enjoyable now but I think it would have been even more so had I been able to read it in my youth. This book is the first in a series and I think it will be a good standard for the new generation. It is empowering and puts a lot of emphasis on thought and reasoning but also values personality and physicality. Every kid will find someone to relate to and look up to in the Benedict Society.
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Glass of Time The Secret Life of Miss Esperanza Gorst
by
Michael Cox
Kristen M
, February 07, 2010
This book was all that I hoped it would be and more. As a sequel to The Meaning of Night it is fantastic. I was worried that it would have the same tone and be too similar but it was a different kind of book. I think that this book also gives enough information that it works as a standalone book as well. However, I strongly suggest reading them together as it will be a much more fulfilling experience.
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We Have Always Lived in the Castle
by
Shirley Jackson
Kristen M
, February 07, 2010
There was such a palpable feeling of sadness during the entire book. I don't think I have ever read something quite like this. Jackson is certainly very good at making one feel while reading. It's somewhat disconcerting. I think this is the sort of book that you read once but are affected by for the rest of your life.
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The Remains of the Day
by
Kazuo Ishiguro
Kristen M
, February 07, 2010
This book is slightly humorous in that Stevens is so unable to relate to normal human interactions. He thinks constantly of opportunities to practice "banter", which he believes is required to interact with his new American employer. The book is also very sad when you begin to realize that the entirety of this man's life is spent outside of himself, in service to others. He doesn't notice when others are trying to interact with him in a social or personal manner and indeed, he even discourages it when it does happen. This story is a portrait of a bygone era and a bygone profession.
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Fragile Things Short Fictions & Wonders
by
Neil Gaiman
Kristen M
, February 07, 2010
There are stories about children and depraved adults, the living and the dead, the fictional and the surreal. Some of the stories made me uncomfortable, some perplexed me and some amused me. These are definitely stories for adults with adult topics. There are also poems including one which is the best I've read in a long, long time -- The Day the Saucers Came. It's funny and preposterous and heart-rending all at once. I didn't finish every story in this book but that's the freedom you have with a book of short stories.
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Story Of Lucy Gault
by
Trevor, William
Kristen M
, February 07, 2010
This book read a lot like a short story (Trevor's specialty). A very long time period was covered in less than 250 pages but I didn't feel like anything was missing. It was a good study in emotion, blame and coping and did a good job of showing the different points of view and effects of a single choice.
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(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)
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Luck of the Loch Ness Monster A Tale of Picky Eating
by
Aw Flaherty
Kristen M
, February 07, 2010
This is a silly story with fantastic dark illustrations by Scott Magoon. The worm is a little odd looking but the cool, creepy color scheme and the atmospheric ocean liner scenes are a pleasant change from some of the other primary color-based picture books.
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Murder On The Leviathan
by
Boris Akunin
Kristen M
, January 29, 2010
This novel is something of an homage to other mystery writers including Agatha Christie, Wilkie Collins and Arthur Conan Doyle. Wilkie Collins was the first author to write a single novel in multiple voices. This book also tells the story from multiple viewpoints, although oddly never Fandorin's view. Akunin also writes a scene where Fandorin uses his powers of deduction to identify other passengers on the ship in a very Sherlock Holmes-esque way. Murder on the Leviathan is a fantastic book and is highly different from the first book in the Fandorin series. Akunin is very good at writing in different styles and different voices. If you want to read one book in the series, this is a probably the best and a good stand-alone story.
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(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
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Roald Dahls Book of Ghost Stories
by
Roald Dahl
Kristen M
, January 29, 2010
These aren't stories written by Roald Dahl but the top fourteen short stories that he thought were the spookiest ever written. Now, most people would read a few dozen well-known stories and choose a few for their anthology but Roald Dahl says that he read seven-hundred and forty-nine stories to find these good ones -- and they are fantastic! All of the stories in the book are creepy and they are each so different from the other that it's a very interesting read. I strongly recommend this if you are looking for some good ghost stories.
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(4 of 7 readers found this comment helpful)
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David Copperfield
by
Charles Dickens
Kristen M
, January 29, 2010
Any summary of this novel will be lacking because much of the value of it is in the well-written and diverse characters. Each of the characters has something to add to the story which is why David, in starting the book, uses the words that he does -- that he may or may not be the hero of his own story. This book is often overlooked because of the simple title and the prejudice against Dickens but it is really a fantastic story.
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Great Expectations
by
Charles Dickens and Robert Douglas-Fairhurst
Kristen M
, January 29, 2010
I have always liked the characters in the book, especially Pip and Miss Havisham. They are believable and well written in their various voices. The story never feels forced even when some parts of it are in the realm of the fantastic. The descriptions of the various parts of England are vivid. This book is good on so many levels that it's really worth a read. Some people have a fear of Dickens but I think it is unfounded. He has a sense of humor and a real understanding of all levels of society.
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Partners In Crime
by
Agatha Christie
Kristen M
, January 21, 2010
This book has an overstory but is essentially a collection of short stories with each case Tommy and Tuppence take on. One thing I liked was that they incorporated the techniques of the detective stories that they had read in their time -- including Poirot in one story. I really enjoyed the format of this book as I think Christie is fantastic with the short mysteries.
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(1 of 2 readers found this comment helpful)
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The Interpretation of Murder
by
Jed Rubenfeld
Kristen M
, January 21, 2010
This book had a few flaws that kept me from totally enjoying it. First, the characters, on more than one occasion, use sarcasm. The problem with this is that it's hard to read sarcasm. I couldn't help thinking that this probably worked better as an audiobook. Second, there are few modern male authors that don't creep me out when they write about sex. This book didn't even really have any actual sex in it but there were references to body parts and such and it was just so awkward and almost immature that it was off-putting. I mean, he used the words "down there". Awkward. Finally, I just felt that the book needed some more editing for flow. The book is less than 400 pages long but for some reason it had five "Parts". These weren't for scene change or time change purposes as the book happened in about a week and the story skipped between different narratives throughout the parts. I'm not sure what the point of the parts was. Also, there was a bit too much movement between narratives and there were some superfluous characters. This should have been a bit more polished. The copy I have of this novel has a review from Matthew Pearl on the back, whose books I have enjoyed. Now that I re-read the review, it's very well crafted to not actually say that it's a good book but to say that the plot is compelling and that the ideas of the book are intriguing, which I totally agree with.
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Winter Queen An Erast Fandorin Mystery
by
Akunin, Boris
Kristen M
, January 21, 2010
Akunin is a fantastic writer but I also give credit to the translator of this book, Andrew Bromfield. He does an admirable job of translating this book from its native Russian. It is an insightful look into 1876 Moscow and also a strong start to a great series!
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Blackest Bird: A Novel of Murder in Nineteenth-Century New York
by
Joel Rose
Kristen M
, January 18, 2010
Joel Rose is a very dry, factual writer. There was an entire section of the book that seemed almost identical to a non-fiction book I read about the same subject. This story was interesting in one way -- as the first time I read a historical fiction about Poe that built a personality for his aunt/mother-in-law, Mrs. Clemm. I think that this could have been made into a much more interesting story but it brought in too many characters and then dropped a solution in your lap at the end that was not very satisfying. Also, Rose uses four whole pages of his own novel to reprint "The Raven". It seems like cheating.
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The Beautiful Cigar Girl: Mary Rogers, Edgar Allan Poe, and the Invention of Murder
by
Daniel Stashower
Kristen M
, January 18, 2010
This is a very thorough and well-written historical book. It not only chronicles the investigation into Mary Rogers' death but also Poe's attempts to solve the crime himself through his story "The Mystery of Marie Roget". This was an interesting book mainly because it detailed the start of the organized and government-run police force in New York City -- changes brought about, in part, by the public uproar over the Mary Rogers case.
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What Do You Do With A Tail Like This
by
Steve Jenkins
Kristen M
, January 18, 2010
This book has an introductory page for each body part (i.e. nose) with five close-ups and then the next page has a one sentence description for each picture that identifies the animal and what they do with their unique appendage. It has paper-cut illustrations that are quite stunning. Beware if you are squeamish though -- there are lovely tidbits such as the fact that horned lizards shoot blood out of their eyes. Oddly enough, it doesn't say why. (Wikipedia says that it's to confuse predators, if you were wondering.)
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Quincunx
by
Charles Palliser
Kristen M
, January 18, 2010
The synopsis of this novel should simply be this: "the story of a boy who becomes a man - in a field of rakes". You know this image from cartoons -- the unfortunate character steps one direction onto a rake that snaps up and hits him in the face and when he turns to go another direction, another rake is there to hit him in the nose again. This book was thoroughly engaging and though you knew the worst would happen -- because it kept happening -- you hoped in each situation that this would be the time that it worked out for young John Huffam. And it's this hope that keeps you going through this long but worthwhile story.
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Shadow of the Wind
by
Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Kristen M
, January 01, 2010
After rereading this book in 2009, I can definitely list it as one of my favorite books of the decade. The beautiful Barcelona setting, the strong but flawed characters and the smart plot are all part of a well-crafted novel that should remain relevant for years to come.
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