Book reviews written by carlags

Everything Beautiful Began After

by Simon Van Booy

Rated 5 stars

“This extraordinary novel is written in language so beautifully elegant that, at times, it took my breath away. The references to Odysseus and Orpheus as well as the archaeological metaphors, illustrate the loneliness of Rebecca, George and Henry as they seek belonging in exotic, far-away places. As their lives intersect while running from their childhood secrets, each hopes to find redemption and peace, and connections that validate their existence. Van Booy is a young writer who has a deep understanding of love - all kinds of love; and to express that as well as he has here is a remarkable feat. ”

carlags wrote this review Sunday, October 30, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating

by Elisabeth Tova Bailey

Rated 5 stars

“I love this little book! At the ALA Conference this was one of many ARCs handed to me. When, a few weeks later, I was handed a very difficult medical diagnosis, I pulled this off the shelf, knowing that the author wrote this during her own prolonged recuperation. Snails. What did I care about snails? Nothing; but I learned that life is made up of infinite little minutiae which we most often neglect to observe. And I learned that observing those little critters or events is what makes our lives rich. We all know that, really - but Bailey reminds us in a gentle, amusing and charming manner. There is no doom and gloom here. This is a story filled with wonder and hope; of a tiny, most incredible creature; by a woman imbued with a huge spirit of survival. Just what I needed. ”

carlags wrote this review Sunday, August 29, 2010. ( reply | permalink )

Memories of My Melancholy Whores

by Gabriel García Márquez

Rated 5 stars

“I don't know of any other writer who conveys the passions of romantic love the way Gabriel Garcia Marquez does. There is nothing conventional about the subject of this little novella - a ninety year-old man who desires a very young virgin prostitute. The language is scrumptious; thick with the emotions of desire and regret. This novel has the best last paragraph ever written - loved it!”

carlags wrote this review Saturday, May 15, 2010. ( reply | permalink )

The Tricking of Freya

by Christina Sunley

Rated 4 stars

“This was a beautifully written book whose mysteries connect Iceland to its settlement in Manitoba, Canada. This story of an immigrant family brings to light intriguing facts about a country of which many of us are so ignorant. Having now read this novel, I know so much more than the media news concerning failed banks and erupting volcanoes. In this novel, New Yorker, Freya Morris, attempts to uncover her family's secrets by understanding the family's struggles in the scope of Iceland's cultural history. I loved when we were in Iceland - the physical descriptions of the environment were stunning. The scenes in Gimli, Canada were richly emotional, with wonderful, compelling characters. As a debut novel, this book was magical— it brought a stark, harsh landscape to life with amazing language.”

carlags wrote this review Tuesday, April 27, 2010. ( reply | permalink )

Pretty Birds

by Scott Simon

Rated 4 stars

“The war in Sarajevo was a tragic, horrifying series of events to which most of us in the world were unbelievably oblivious. As in "The Cellist of Sarajevo", the day-to-day descriptions of the basics needs of survival are devastatingly brutal. By centering the story of "Pretty Birds" around young, teenage, athletic girls, we are shown just how this war was fought not on battlefields, but on the streets and sidewalks of every town. It's certainly not a pretty story, but through Irena, the novel has a heart. Scott Simon's language is gritty and as a journalist writing his first novel, he pulls no punches - this is a story of war, after all. However, Irena and her family and friends bring to us a sense of the ordinary, every-day existence of the victims and their enemies. It speaks poignantly about friendship, dignity and humanity in the face of carnage. I liked the "Cellist of Sarajevo" a bit better, but we all need to know much more about this tragedy, and this novel is a lucid addition to the increasing number of books written about the many tragedies of a modern war.”

carlags wrote this review Wednesday, April 7, 2010. ( reply | permalink )

The Swan Thieves

by Elizabeth Kostova

Rated 4 stars

“Kostova is a fine writer—she slowly peels away layer after layer to uncover her characters and the plot. As in "The Historian", she takes her time to reveal her denouement. Now familiar with her writing style, I know that I will need to spend some time with her novels, that I will need to adapt to her measured cadence. I think the time is worth the effort. This tale of an art mystery of the Impressionism era in France, combined with the contemporary art, academic, and psychiatry worlds of New York and North Carolina is right up my alley and it did not disappoint me. My only complaint is that I feel somewhat dissatisfied with the unfolding explanation of Robert Oliver's mental illness; however, that's a minor issue. This novel delivered the story I wanted and I enjoyed spending time with it.”

carlags wrote this review Saturday, February 20, 2010. ( reply | permalink )

Indignation

by Philip Roth

Rated 4 stars

“Philip Roth is one of my favorite writers. I love his gritty, spare and very male voice. It doesn't matter that I don't really like Marcus; I understand him. Roth conveys the tumultuous mid-century era in a empathetic fashion that, at the same time, condemns religious bigotry, the waste of human life in war, and the self-important arrogance of academia. As in his other works, I am always intrigued by his portrayals of American family life, whether in urban Newark or in the fast-developing suburbs. Thank goodness Roth is a prolific writer - there are still many more novels left for me to read, particularly those rooted in Newark.”

carlags wrote this review Tuesday, December 29, 2009. ( reply | permalink )

Loving Frank

by Nancy Horan

Rated 5 stars

“I bought my copy of Loving Frank at Fallingwater. I was so moved by that house that I feel compelled to know as much as I can about FLW. This novel is primarily about Mamah's relationship with Frank, told from her perspective. Horan writes about two very complex individuals, passionate not just about each other, but about art and literature and the natural world that surrounds them. Horan doesn't sugar-coat their decisions; Mamah's choices may not even resonate well with many people today. I appreciate this author's ability, with limited resources, to paint a rich, compelling picture of two flawed, eccentric and intelligent characters. And, she conveyed for me wonderful descriptions and analyses of FLW's architecture - parts of what she illustrates for the reader, I saw at Fallingwater.”

carlags wrote this review Sunday, December 20, 2009. ( reply | permalink )

Anil's Ghost

by Michael Ondaatje

Rated 2 stars

“This is my first Ontdaatje novel. I was rather disappointed. The language is wonderfully lush and poetic, no question. The horrors of the Sri Lankan civil war, as told in this novel, will stay with me for a long time. Yet, I stayed with the reading because I believed that IT would happen, but it didn't. I've read many, many books, and consider myself fairly well-read in a wide range of literary material; however, I can't figure this book out. At the end, it left me feeling let-down. I didn't get it. I didn't care much about Anil or Sarath. I don't know - I feel perplexed, perhaps a second reading is necessary, and yet there are so many other books out there needing to be read (and enjoyed).”

carlags wrote this review Monday, December 21, 2009. ( reply | permalink )

Fieldwork

by Mischa Berlinski

Rated 4 stars

“This is a very good book; a debut novel, well-paced and full of energy. It is really an old-fashioned story - exotic locales, murder, clashes of cultures - told from various viewpoints and at various times. Berlinski presents a very clear balance between the anthropologists' roles and the missionaries' goals in gaining understanding of a remote Thai tribe. I loved his telling of the linguistic difficulties that arise in peoples who do not have a written language. The misunderstandings of language and customs were treated with humor and compassion. Above all, I loved the lush, rich botanical descriptions. If there was anything I had a problem with, it was the ending. This isn't a who-dun-it but a why-dun-it, and that kind of fizzled for me. But, the novel, in its entirety, is wonderful and I can't wait to read Berlinski's next book.”

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