Nicole D (aka Coyotemusic)

• Rated 4 stars

“This is a book for fans of Winterson. It's a book for those who struggle with belonging. For those who have adopted, been adopted, or have adopted out. It's about about looking for oneself, and maybe not finding what you thought you would.

If I was a person who wrote in books, all my copies of Winterson's works would contain highlights of her outstanding passages. She's the most quotable author I've read. The way she expresses her thoughts is magical and poetic.

Reading this book feels like a catharsis in progress, and while I appreciate the beauty of it, I'm not sure how relatable it is. I've you've read Winterson's Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (if you haven't you should before reading this memoir), you know that Winterson grew up in an evangelical household. Her mother was crazy and her punishments abusive. It was hard to see the love in their family.

This book is almost stream of consciousness - it's philosophical, sometimes meandering. Sad. At one point, it bordered on suspenseful, at least for me. It touches on madness, and sexuality, and literature and words.

A very worthy read for Winterson fans, but if you've not read her previously I'd definitely start with one of her fictional works.

”

Nicole D (aka Coyotemusic) wrote this review 3 days ago. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“
This is possibly the most solidly 3-star book I've ever read. It was just so ... "Just OK." I read "Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name" by this author, and there was something about it (no idea what, I've completely forgotten) which was compelling enough to want to read more of her work. I do remember it having "stark prose."

This book didn't have "stark prose" at all. Which I found odd because it seems a style thing more of a choice thing. Anyway, I ramble.

It's two years after the death of her husband and Yvonne still hasn't completely come to terms with her grief. She goes to Turkey, the locale of their honeymoon, to try to - I don't know - open herself up to her healing process? Throughout the course of her Turkey trip, we are enlightened as to some back story which deals not just with her relationship with her husband, but also with her children. The son a star, in every way, the daughter an alcoholic screw-up. Oh and while she's there - spoiler alert - even more grief happens.

The best parts of the book were the parts about Turkey itself. It's a place I want to go, and now even more so.
Especially here:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Cappadocia_Chimneys_Wikimedia_Commons.jpg

Sometimes I think authors build books around places they want to spend time. Other than that, this book was pretty pointless, and I can't say I'd recommend it to anybody, but it certainly wasn't unpleasant. - Also, I never understood what the title had to do with the book. I might have missed something. ”

Nicole D (aka Coyotemusic) wrote this review 5 days ago. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Several years ago I went through a period of obsession about Van Gogh. I needed to learn as much as I could about him until I felt saturated. I've also been fortunate enough to see a number of his paintings. Naturally my examination of Van Gogh exposed me to his contemporaries, so going into Sacre Bleu it was like meeting up with old friends.

Add to that, the comic genius of Christopher Moore and it was a recipe for success.

You can tell that Moore is passionate about art. A tremendous amount of research went into this book, and it added a real authenticity to the story. But make no mistake, this is a Christopher Moore novel! There will be: 'male anatomy' jokes, bad language and a supernatural element. And I love it!

I think that art lovers and non-art lovers alike will appreciate this book. I cannot imagine closing this book and not wanting to get yourself to the closest museum (or the furthest, as the case may be - I'd love to visit the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia) at your earliest opportunity. Moore's passion is contagious.

The characters were really fun; Toulouse-Lautrec my favorite! I'd love to see more of him in the future.

On another note, this is a book you want to get in hardcover. There are reproductions of artwork in the book, and from what I understand the hardcover will contain color photos. The paperback advance reader copy had black and white pics. I don't know what the Kindle version will have, and if it will be different on Fire but I'm somebody will comment on it as soon as it is released electronically.

An enjoyable romp through 1890's Paris, with a little something extra. Definitely fun and recommended. ”

Nicole D (aka Coyotemusic) wrote this review 9 days ago. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“
audio read by the author
ABRIDGED - which I should have noticed BEFORE I listened, rather than after

Well, now that I realize I have listened to the abridged version of this book the comments I planned to make may not apply - so take this with a grain of salt.

My general impression based on what I heard is that the author went into his year of taking the bible literally looking for the "funny." And some of it was, in fact, funny. It reminded me a lot of David Sedaris. Some laugh out loud moments, but mostly smile or smirk inducing. But I think the funny could have happened more naturally had he not tried to be funny.

A tremendous amount of research went into this book, and I felt that what ended up as a pretty superficial product. It seems to me that there should have been a lot more depth of experience, and I'm guessing what I was looking/hoping for was abridged out.

The author did a fine job of reading his own book. He has that New York Jewish voice that is perfect for this kind of memoir. That being said, I can't recommend the abridged version because I have to think I really missed out on some of the meatier moments of his experience.
”

Nicole D (aka Coyotemusic) wrote this review 12 days ago. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“
It started with the sex tape. 4 students (3 boys, 1 girl) in a dorm room of a private high school in Vermont. Leaked on the internet, the ensuing scandal left a path of destruction in its wake.

This is probably realistically a 4-star book, but my reaction was 5 star. I was completely enthralled. It was very fast paced, and though it was one of those books where the end is revealed at the beginning, it was still pretty suspenseful.

Coincidentally, this book had multiple narrators like the previous book I had read. In this book, it really works. 2 years after the scandal a researcher sets out to conduct a study on the effects of alcohol on male students in secondary schools. The book is composed of a series of 'responses' to this query - the testimony of those closely or remotely associated with the scandal. Shreve did a really good job with creating individual voices for each of her narrators, and I wasn't often confused about who was speaking.

I don't go out of my way to read Shreve, but I might have to re-think that. I do like her, and am very glad I picked this up when it was $2.99 for Kindle.

Recommended. ”

Nicole D (aka Coyotemusic) wrote this review 13 days ago. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 2 stars

“A Pomegranate seed for my thoughts?

You can have them for free.

I read and liked Edghill's Queenmaker, and I'm a fan of biblical fiction. The story of Solomon and Sheba is only 13 verses of the bible. According to the author, "The great love story of Solomon and Sheba comes not from the Bible, but from three thousand years of romantic folklore...."

I'm not sure if Edghill's attempt was to stretch the 13 verses into 400+ pages, or if she was working off the legend, and at this point, I couldn't care less. This book was a hot mess.

Parts of the book were readable, and the issues I had with it were primarily poor decisions made by the author with regard to the structure of the book, not the story or the writing per se.

Such as:

A massive and rampant overuse of italics.
Multiple narrators - at least 15? One of them dead.
Dialog both anachronistic and trite

The various narrators had me constantly turning to the front to the book to try to figure out who was speaking. Was it Baalit or Bilqis? Abishag or Ahijah? I couldn't keep them straight. To add insult to injury, they all had redundant, whiny, italicized inner monolog. It got to the point where I started thinking in italics. i.e. King Solomon seems like a really good guy. (italics)Solomon sure is a good guy. It's too bad he has to be in this book.(/italics)

The other issue with the changing narrators is we were told everything twice. Baalit entered the Kings chamber. Change to POV Solomon, Baalit entered the chamber. Blah. Blah. Blah. Words with no purpose. It took 140 pages for Solomon and the Queen to even meet.

Readers were twice treated to "something" for thoughts ... "A pomegranate seed for your thoughts" - which I obviously cannot get over, and "a pinch of incense for your thoughts." Upon meeting the Queen Solomon proclaimed "Great minds think alike", and and one point one of the lesser (forgettable) characters started out their chapter with "Familiarity breeds content; so claimed an old proverb" - Hmmm ... Solomon was around somewhere between the 7th - 10th century (BC or BCE), and the quote - "Familiarity breeds CONTEMPT" is first documented in the first century AD or CE. Ergo --- not ancient at all, but futuristic.

That kind of mistake in writing and editing drives me bananas.

Nitpicking aside, this story could have stayed 13 verses in the bible, and I would have been perfectly content never to know it. The story was slow, the characters hard to distinguish from one another, and structure didn't work at all.
”

Nicole D (aka Coyotemusic) wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“
I've read this story before. Sassy girl from a small town in the South can't wait to get out of town. Ends up in a new place surrounded by quirky people who become her family. I don't know what it is about these stories, but I love them. This reminded me of "Where the Heart Is" or one of Joshilyn Jackson's books. Southern Fiction.

The characters were great, and I don't know how a little kid who barely does anything the whole book could be so endearing, but she was.

I loved it, and it's definitely inspired me to try more Kingsolver. I know there's mixed reviews on Pigs in Heaven, but I'm going to give it a try, and I'm on the list for Poisonwood Bible as well. Maybe I'll like them, maybe I won't, but I'm very glad I read this. ”

Nicole D (aka Coyotemusic) wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“
My stepfather has this cache of popular fiction from 20-30 years ago, and he keeps sending these books to me. They are gross. Like the kinds of books you want to wear gloves to read. They aren't jumping off the shelf saying "read me, read me."

This book books is really dated. Published in 1973 it starts out like this: "Or look at it this way. Psychoanalysis is a permanent fad."

Stew has named his "Id" Blodgett, and Blodgett has the hots for his mother-in-law who isn't his wife's biological mother, and is only 10 years older than Stew. It's funny. And even dated, it's funny.

Sitting at breakfast one morning they are discussing the potential sexual orientation of one of their friends, the MIL says:

"You mean he could be AM/FM"

"Oh Jesus Mother." In dealing with motherisms especially hard to bear, Dolly drew on one of her mother's own most expressive mannerisms. Shutting her eyes, she put her hand to her face, like a claw, and sat a moment as if rallying her forces for contention with something threatening to shatter her last reserves. They were a theatrical family. "Mother, it's AC-DC. Not AM/FM."

This book reminded me of The Ginger Man, if the Ginger Man was about middle-class, suburbanite, American, WASPs.

A fun read.
”

Nicole D (aka Coyotemusic) wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“
This is one of those books that has its own language, and it takes a little bit to get started. There are no explanations; it throws you right into the deep end. I generally don't read the backs of books, but in this case I recommend doing so.

Set in Thailand in a world where resources both natural and unnatural have been destroyed through plagues which were bio-engineered, and then mutated. Not only did these plagues kill a larger percentage of the world's population, but they also rendered most foods inedible. The "top dogs" in the global economy are the "Calorie" companies. This is a society entirely focused on survival - always looking over their shoulders to see what form of extinction may come next.

I enjoyed the world Baciaglupi created. Thailand was a really fascinating locale for this story. It was a different take on dystopia.

What I didn't like about the book were the characters. Sheesh. It was really hard to root for anybody. These people were ruthless, and that ruthlessness made them a bit one-dimensional for me. The author tried to throw in some redemptive bits at the end, but it was far too late. I honestly don't know if it was a flaw in the development of the characters, or if it was deliberate.

Overall, good - but I wouldn't rush to read more like it. ”

Nicole D (aka Coyotemusic) wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“
I guess this is a modern day take on Russian mythology or fairy tale. Since I was unfamiliar with the characters, I'm not really sure. I liked that aspect of this book. It was a bit wholesome for my tastes overall, however.

The characters were sweet, and the story was good, but dios mio - it went on and on and on and on and on. Way too much detail, and way too much repetition. And WAY WAY too much religion. i know Card is quite religious, but this was knock you on the head overt.

Honestly, I didn't think I was going to make it through. It took me at least half the book to finally like it. I'm glad I finished it, but it's not something I'd go out of my way to recommend.
”

Nicole D (aka Coyotemusic) wrote this review Monday, January 16, 2012. ( reply | permalink )