Book reviews written by treal

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Displaying 1-10 of 38 reviews

Red Harvest

by Dashiell Hammett
- Rated 5 stars
“Excellent, influential hard-boiled detective story.”

treal wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
The Exorcist

by William Peter Blatty
- Rated 4 stars
“The Power of Christ compels you to read this book!”

treal wrote this review Thursday, January 12, 2012. ( reply | permalink )
Freedom

by Jonathan Franzen
- Rated 3 stars
“Uneven drama concerning the plight of the Berglunds dynasty. Readers will be annoyed by either the author's run-on exposition, the unlikable characters that inhabitant this tome, and/or the fact that the story meanders at a pace molasses slow.

The book has a few moments of delightful insights and descriptions; but a few moments of shining does not a diamond make.”

treal wrote this review Sunday, January 8, 2012. ( reply | permalink )
The Sign of the Four

by Arthur Conan Doyle
- Rated 4 stars
“"Quick Watson, the needle!" Sherlock Holmes is revealed as a self-destructive junkie who is at wit's end whenever he's not busy with a case. Another ingenious layer of characterization from one of the finest, flawed character detective in the history of Engish literature. ”

treal wrote this review Sunday, January 1, 2012. ( reply | permalink )
Sky Burial

by Xinran
- Rated 4 stars
“Excellent little novella concerning the unexpected paths true love can take you.”

treal wrote this review Tuesday, December 27, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
Never Let Me Go

by Kazuo Ishiguro
- Rated 4 stars
“What exactly does it mean to be a duplicate of another living being? Do clones have souls? Is your life a lie or does it lie something deeper? What happens when you only have questions, and not enough direction for answers?

These are the types of quandaries set up by Mr. Ishiguro's short, but powerful, science fiction novel for those that don't like science fiction. It has it's faults, sure, but the strength of his literary convictions far surpasses the thin plot and lack of memorable supporting cast. ”

treal wrote this review Monday, December 12, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
The Big Book of Weirdos (Factoid Books)

by Carl A. Posey, Gahan Wilson
- Rated 5 stars
“A fantastic introduction to the weird, neurotic individuals that helped to create the sometimes shaky foundations of human civilization. From despots to dreamers, these are the individuals that have left a unique mark on humanity; at times a blotch, other times strangely beautiful. The only downside to this book is that it was too short of a read(hence not actually 'Big'), and not comprehensive(chances are you won't find your personal weirdo favorite in it). Still worth searching for as it's been out of print for a little over twenty years. ”

treal wrote this review Monday, November 21, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
Revolutionary Road

by Richard Yates
- Rated 3 stars
“A powerful drama on a disintegrating marriage as seen through a time that no longer exisst, and a space that seems all to invasive. By no means a light book, this epitomizes the Age of Anxiety as only a man of Mr. Yates generation can portray. ”

treal wrote this review Wednesday, November 9, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
The Island of Dr. Moreau

by H. G. Wells
- Rated 5 stars
“What to take from this novel: Not to go on all-fours; that is the Law. Are we not Men?

”

treal wrote this review Thursday, November 3, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
Anthem

by Ayn Rand
- Rated 3 stars
“Cleaver premise, which was executed poorly. Perhaps Ms. Rand's longer works have a bit more power in them. ”

treal wrote this review Tuesday, October 25, 2011. ( reply | permalink )