Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen

This is one from my TBR pile.  My sister gave it to me over a year ago and assured me that it was hilarious and that I would really enjoy it.  For some reason, I was dubious.  Despite the cleverly written back cover, I was sort of put off by the title.  So I just kept passing it by when it came time to grab my next book.

But a few weeks ago, some friends and I took a bus ride up to Philly to support the USA soccer team in their friendly match against Turkey before heading to the World Cup in South Africa.  It's a 3-hour drive each way, and I went prowling for a the perfect book to take with me.  Skinny Dip won the prize.

I got a good feeling when one of hte other bus patrons passed me and said, "Oh, that's a great book.  You'll love it."

This is a snippet from Amazon's review: 

Charles "Chaz" Perrone fancies himself a take-charge kind of guy. So when this "biologist by default" suspects that his curvaceous wife, Joey, has stumbled onto a profitable pollution scam he's running on behalf of Florida agribusiness mogul Red Hammernut, he sets out right away to solve the problem--by heaving Joey off the deck of a luxury cruise liner and into the Atlantic Ocean, far from Key West. But--whoops!--Joey, a former swimming champ, doesn't drown. Instead, as Carl Hiaasen tells in his 10th adult novel, Skinny Dip, she makes her way back to shore, thanks both to a wayward bale of Jamaican marijuana and lonerish ex-cop Mick Stranahan, and then launches a bogus blackmail campaign that's guaranteed to drive her lazy, libidinous hubby into a self-protective frenzy.

It's ridiculous.  It's over the top.  It's funny... Have you seen the Sprite commercial that focuses on a group of writers sitting outside a Hollywood studio?  They're all just tapping their pencils and looking lost.  But then a pirate ship, a panda, a cheerleader, and a martial arts fight all start falling out of the stratosphere, and when the main character takes a drink of sprite they all 'splash' into his imagination and you hear him say, "Ok, I got it.  We'll start with a cheerleader..." 

That's how I imagine Carl Hiaasen came up with some of this characters and plot devices.  They're just that ridiculous.  (For example:  A woman made independently wealthy because her parents died in a plane crash while transporting their juggling circus bear home from the specialist who needed to treat the bear's impacted tooth.)  But you forgive him.  Because it's just so entertaining.

So thank you Amanda.  I should have trusted you.

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick

I picked this book for my book club for two reasons.  1) It was a Hugo Award winner.  2)  It's an alternate history that looks at the world 20 years after WWII, but as if the Axis powers had won. The book follows several characters as they navigate their lives in a United States that has been parceled out to both Japan and Germany, with a buffer zone in the center.

Bottom line:  It was wierd.

I forced myself to finish hoping that it would all make sense at the end.  But it didn't.  It just left me with a very unsatisfying "huh" feeling.

Thankfully, I had some insight into one of the major plot devices because of another book I've been reading:  Watching the Tree by Adeline Yen Mah.  Thanks to Yen Mah, I sort of understood the I Ching (Book of Changes).   But Dick takes the I Ching and uses it in a completely different way than Yen Mah described.  Based on what little I know, I would say it was a completely wrong way.  (But I'll be the first to admit I'm not an expert.)

In addition to the the wierd and disjointed plot, I found the characters and the writing dry.  It was hard to root for any of them.  Maybe I'm just not into the storytelling of the time period.  But there it is.

Even with it's award and it's fame, I would skip this book.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

**Spoilers this time**

This may be considered as cheating in book-blog land, but I want to talk about all five Percy Jackson books together. Because to me, there really is one big story arc that ties them altogether. They’re broken down into very digestible pieces (which is good considering they are young adult adventure fiction), but to me, once you get going it’s hard to stop until the resolution in book 5.

I watched the movie before I embarked on the journey though the books. Because of that, in some ways The Lightning Thief was ruined for me. The movie changes quite a number of things from the book, and I was pretty distracted by them. Instead of being able to sit back and enjoy the extra characters (some of them quite important) and the different circumstances (some of them quite pivotal), I found myself impatient to get through to events I knew were coming. Probably not the books fault. If I had read it first, I’m sure I would have had a different experience.

One of things I really enjoyed about this series is that Percy Jackson isn’t the only hero. For example, in The Sea of Monsters, he isn’t chosen to lead (or even go on) the quest to recover the Golden Fleece. So for me, the Percy Jackson series shares more with Lord of the Rings than it does with Harry Potter. Why? Because each member of the Fellowship had moments of glory, and things that made them heroes in their own right. Frodo had to carry the ring, Aragorn had to claim the throne of Gondor, Glorfindel saved the day at Helm’s Deep, etc. I really like that in this series lots of the demigod children get the chance to shine and have their moment. Getting back to book 2. I love the character Tyson -- Percy’s cyclops half-brother. He can seem a little simple at times, but appearances are deceiving. He’s got the heart of a lion, and is constantly proving that a person doesn’t have to follow the stereotype. What a great character! And I adored the final line of the book. It was a game changer, and makes you want to pick up the next book and keep right on going. (That’s exactly what I did).

The final three books really string together. The big bad guy remains the same, and some key characters face challenges that span through the rest of the story arc to the end of the saga.

I think The Titan’s Curse was the first book I really truly enjoyed. Percy is off on another rescue mission (a common occurrence in the series). And for some reason, things started hitting their stride for me -- from the different characters to the pacing to the humor. I also love it because you get to meet Nico. He’s one of my favorite characters in the series. I really liked the way he grows and develops. He doesn’t walk an easy path, and I enjoyed watching his choices and character unfold.

The Battle of the Labyrinth gets heavier and darker in tone. Much more time is spent in the realm of the Underworld, so there are more eerie and spooky things. I didn’t notice at first because I was firmly in Rick Riordan land. But I found out that a friend’s daughter had started with the fourth installment, and was strongly discouraged from reading the others. That changed my perspective a bit, and I started seeing how it could be quite scary for younger readers.

After another cliffhanger ending, the fast paced plot that started in Titan’s Curse carries through the end of The Last Olympian. And while I liked the 3rd book a lot, I think the finale is my favorite. You learn a lot of back-story of Luke, Annabeth, and Thalia. And the theme of “family” comes full circle. **Big spoiler** I loved the theme of family that concludes in The Last Olympian. The love of family, even if it’s a family of choice and not of blood, is what helps Luke to make an important decision. The importance of family is a major bargaining chip in confrontations between Percy and several of the gods. And there is a strong message for parental support, attention, and involvement in the last book (really in the whole series). i.e. If the Greek gods had been more involved in their children’s lives, many things could have turned out differently. And I think Percy’s last big choice (and his reasons behind it) in the book would make for wonderful discussion with one’s own child.

Overall: I thought it was a satisfying series. True, it is a little juvenile in tone. But I think that’s completely appropriate since it’s meant for a younger audience. I liked the contemporary spin Riordan gives to classic Greek mythology. It was fun to remember (and learn more of) the tangled web of roles and relationships held by the Titans and Olympians.

One other thing I really liked: Each of the main characters has a “fatal flaw,” and each are given the chance to overcome it. As I mentioned before, I found Nico’s journey the most dramatic. But all the major characters – Percy, Annabeth, Thalia, Nico, Clarisse, Grover, Tyson, Luke – are given the chance to face their flaws and triumph (or fail *wink*) in turn.

And it will be redundant, but I love good message of love, family, loyalty, and selflessness. All are included in the Percy Jackson series. Add in the constant stream humor and action, and I think it makes for a wonderful literary adventure. It’s just plain fun…with a lot of heart to boot.

Cleaving by Julie Powell

"Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat and Obsession" is Julia Powell's second book. I picked it up because I was curious. I had seen the movie "Julie and Julia," and wanted to read more about the woman behind the movie.

Of course, the person Julie is much more complex than the character in the movie. In fact, I had to giggle over a quote by Amy Adams (the actress who portrayed Julie Powell in the movie). When an interviewer told her that Julie was coming out with a new book which talked about her extramarital affair, Amy exclaimed "Not my Julie! My Julie Powell would never do that."

But of course, the real Julie did. And as "Cleaving" recounts, it was not just a short term thing. Her affair truly was an obsession. It encompasses every part of her life.

"Cleaving" follows Julie's thoughts during an "Eat Pray Love" type year. She gets sick of her affair and decides to stop it (sort of), takes up butchery to get her mind off things, and ends up going on a trip to visit with butchers around the world to continue her soul-searching.

But like "Eat Pray Love," I don't know that the soul-searcher ends up any different at the end of the journey. Some of Julie's analogies and comparisons are pretty good, but overall, I was disappointed.  I probably wouldn't recommend this book to others.

One last note. At the end of her book, Julie writes this acknowledgment: "Most of all, I thank Eric and D. Writing your own story is easy enough; having your story written by another is hard. I am grateful down to my toes for you both, for your generosity and grace in handling a situation difficult and not of your choosing." I realize that in a way, Eric is probably simplified from his real-life self (then again, this book is very raw and an "overshare" in several places), but he's a saint. I can't imagine the sheer amount of grace, forgiveness, and patience this man has. I hope for his sake that the Powell's survive this storm and experience marital bliss once again.

The Boys are Back by Simon Carr

I'm discovering a love for memoirs.  Well, cleverly written ones anyway.  This one certainly fits the bill.   

This is what Amazon had to say:   

"So there we are, a father and two sons in a household without role models, males together in a home different from anything I'd known--an idyllic Lost Boys' world with a house full of children and as few rules as possible."

When Simon Carr's wife Susie lost her battle to cancer, Carr was left to raise his 5-year old son, Alexander, on his own. Soon after, Hugo, his 11-year old son from a previous marriage comes to live with them. Now, this motley crew of boys have to learn how to be a family. Along the way, Carr reveals some illuminating truths about parenting and the differences between mothers and fathers. His messy household bears no similarity to the immaculate home his wife kept; his response to mothers on the playground fretting about his son's safety on the handlebars is, "If he falls, at least he'll know not to do it again." Emotionally honest and sharply witty, Carr's story is at once heartbreaking and wonderfully life-affirming.

One thing I'll readily admit:  There were some parts of the book I just didn't get.  But I won't blame that on the writing.  I'll blame it on the differences between men and women.  I think it would be interesting to discuss some of my "huh?" moments -- whether it was a joke I didn't get or an anecdote that didn't quite resolve -- with a bookworm of the male persuasion. 

One thing I really liked:  I discovered this book because I watched the movie "The Boys are Back" starring Clive Owen as Simon Carr.  And moments I loved most in the movie were taken word for word from Carr's original. I love that.  Now granted, Carr is a writer by trade.  So he's used to expressing himself through words.  But I still adore that Hollywood chose to stick with him. Not all details of Carr's life remain the same.  But I bet you that the lines that will get quoted from the movie are straight from the inspired pen of Simon Carr.

This memoir is full of clever lines and touching moments.  "Death by tetanus would have had disastrous political consequences on my theory of hygiene."  "I found myself sobbing too -- not exactly because I was unhappy, but to make him hear me up three flights of stairs, to show him he wasn't alone."  Totally worth picking up and devouring.

Hunted by P.C. and Kristin Cast

"Hunted" is book 5 in the House of Night series.  A collection of books that has become my rainy day guilty pleasure.  Each installment only takes a few hours to read.  Plus, since each book only advances the plot a few days or so, I can read one long after I've read the one before without becoming lost.  In any case, the main character's constant internal battles and remeniscing fill in any potential blanks that might have formed. 

Similar to Twilight, the protagonist's main weakness is the men in her life.  But what I like about this series is that it explores deeper topics even while it embraces the vampire angst.  The focus of "Hunted" is faith and free will.  And I have to admit, it's one of my favorite of the series so far. 

I especially love that Zoey has faith in herself, in her Goddess, and in her support system, even while she is obviously struggling with doubts as well.  Is she ever 100% sure?  Not really.  But does she step out and make the decisions she believes she must to do what is good and what will save those she loves?  Always.  I can't help but admire that.

The series is planned to include 13 novels.  I'm looking forward to following the story arc through to the end.  (Even if it does move slower than the Wheel of Time series.  And *that's* saying something!)

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

My book club read A Change of Heart in January.  I thought it was ok, but I wasn't blown away by it's awesomeness.  Two friends said that "Handle with Care" and "My Sister's Keeper" were two of Picoult's really good ones.  "Handle with Care" was readily available at the library (the other book is a little more hard to find since the movie is out), so I decided to give it a try.

"Handle with Care" follows the story of the O'Keefe family and the decisions and struggles they face raising a daughter (Willow) who has brittle bone disease.  After an especially harrowing experience, Willow's parents are presented with the idea of filing a wrongful birth lawsuit.  Doing so would be a problem for a number of reasons, two of them being 1) Charlotte (the mother) would have to say that they would have chosen to abort Willow they had known of her illness and 2) the OB/GYN in the case is Charlotte's best friend. 

It was bizarre.  I was hooked from the beginning, totally invested and engrossed throughout the plot.  Picoult explored issues from abortion to marriage to cutting to adoption to sibling dynamics to medical ethics to morality... great stuff!  But then I was completely angered and let down by the end.  Seriously.  I was livid while the book was wrapping up.

I honestly can't remember being so engrossed and yet so let down by a book.  One character in particular that bothered me throughout the book:  Charlotte, Willow's mother.  I can't decide if I like that, or if I don't.  After all, it's good writing if the author gets me that invested, right?  But I just don't understand her.  I can't get behind her.  And the repercussions and results of her actions are strongly to blame for my unhappiness at the end.

For Picoult aficionados, can I ask you a question?  Do you think the final chapter is where Picoult gives her stance/opinion/leaning on the hot topic of her book?  After reading both "A Change of Heart," and "Handle With Care," I'm tempted to think that's the case.  It might be an interesting discussion question for a book club setting.

Before I go off on a tirade and give a gazillion spoilers, I'll leave this one be.  But I can safely say that after the two Picoult reading experiences I've just had, I doubt I'll pick up another one of hers soon.  I need a break.  Silver lining:  it's one more book for the library challenge.  *grin*

Violin by Anne Rice

Have you ever chosen a book for its title?  That’s what I did when I picked up “Violin” by Anne Rice.  I was walking through Goodwill, and thought that it might be a good adventure.  Especially since it was ½ off day and it would cost me all of $0.50.  I like Anne Rice’s “Vampire Chronicles,” and her book “Called out of Darkness” is also on my TBR list.  Plus, I play violin.  I convinced myself that this was a wise Goodwill impulse buy.

The first page of “Violin” is captivating.

What I seek to do here perhaps cannot be done in words.  Perhaps it can only be done in music.  I want to try to do it in words.  I want to give tot the tale the architecture which only narrative can provide – the beginning, the middle and the end—the charged unfolding of events in phrases faithfully reflecting their impact upon the writer.  You should not need to know the composers I mention often in these pages…My words should impart the very essence of sound to you.  If not, then there is something here which cannot be really written. But since it’s the story in me the story I am compelled to unfold—my life, my tragedy, my triumph and its price—I have no choice but to attempt this record.

What followed was confusing, convoluted, and almost unresolved.  The main character is a 54-year old woman named Triana who has experienced some deep and devastating losses.  She’s visited by a ghost named Stefan who, in between serenades on a Stradivarius, verbally spars with Triana in an effort to drive her crazy.  They end up going on a journey through time and distance, working through grief and guilt with music (and the violin itself) as a very large catalyst to that process.

So did I like it?  Kind of.  I have to admit, I probably wouldn’t have finished reading it if I wasn’t trying to get out of running by walking this week on the treadmill.  As one reviewer said, “The novel is a beautifully written mess, a poetic pile of events which failed to capture the reader in a moment in time because this book moves too quickly and erratically to hold the reader in one place for long enough.”  About halfway through, I figured it out.  This isn’t a novel as much as it is an author grieving through a story.  From what I understand (after a bit of research when I finished the book), “Violin” is very autobiographical.  Knowing that, it makes sense to me that an author would best grieve through a story and characters.  And if you enjoy books that are more about the journey than the destination, then you may enjoy it.  But I was expecting a bit more plot. Serves me right for judging a book by its cover.  *grin* 

Speaking of covers:  This is the one on my copy.

But I think this one I found is much more appropriate.

Has anyone else read this book?  Or do you have a story about picking up a book just because you liked the title?  Feel free to share!

Eve: A Novel of the First Woman

By Elissa Elliott

If this book had not been on CDs, I probably would have stopped reading after the first few chapters. As it was, I had to “muscle through” and remind myself that I would be spending the time in the car anyway, so I might was well see how the story wraps up.

This book explored Eve, and Adam, their family, and their family’s interaction with the population of a nearby city. I read some reviews that were very harsh with the “historical accuracy” of the novel. To be honest, I wasn’t upset at all with the liberties Elliott took with Adam and Eve’s world. I *was* bored with the dynamic of the book. It was very disjointed. Half of the story was flashbacks by Eve, recounting creation, the fall, the exit from the garden, etc. But these flashbacks were all very bland. I could have done without them altogether. Also, the language of the book was inconsistent. For example: Eve has words for “ubiquitous” and “flummoxed” but not for “sun” or “brick.” Also, I found the plethora of similes a bit much to trudge through at times.

Adding to my frustration was Eve herself. She’s an incredibly weak and boring character. Her children all surpass her in intelligence, critical thinking, personality, and believability. For example: Eve and Adam are amazed when their six-year-old sun invents mud bricks. Not just by drying mud in the sun mind you, but by adding in different mixers to give added strength and structural integrity. Her other children are incredibly accomplished weavers, cooks, doctors, and farmers. Yet Adam and Eve seem to excel only at reminiscing about the past and wondering about their relationship…both with each other, and with Elohim.

While I enjoyed some the questions Elliott asked through her characters, I found it hard to believe that the children would be the rocks of the story. A couple of them trust Elohim, a couple others trust the faith of the city people, and the youngest is believable in her growing understanding and questioning. But Adam and Eve are frustratingly inconsistent. They vacillate from one extreme to the other: from wondering if they had hallucinated their experiences in the garden, to assaulting one of their children for even suggesting that Elohim isn’t the only god that exists.

This book had an interesting idea, but for me at least, it failed to deliver. If you’re going to write a book about Eve…I want to care about her.

Latter-Day Cipher

By Latayne Scott

This book caught my eye because it was a murder mytery involving a familiar idea, but with a new setting. The deaths in this story have a religious focus...but instead of centering on the Catholic church, this book used the backdrop of the Mormon community.

It was an enjoyable read, though I was let down by the ending. After keeping my attention so well, the book ended very suddenly and I didn't feel it wrapped up well. Anticlimatic might be the word I'm looking for. But until that point, I enjoyed the journey of the main character.

The autor writes as someone who was burned by her experiences with the Mormon community. But while I sometimes felt like she was venting, I think she was also careful to show that not everyone in the Mormon church is a an extreamist. And similar to the DaVinci Code, it's probably a good idea to remember that this book is a work of fiction, so all the craziness should be taken with a grain of salt.

As usual, some of my favorite characters were the ones cheering from the sidelines. Why do I like minor characters so much? *sigh* Well, no matter the reason, one of my favorite relationships in this book was between Selonnah (the main character) and Ann (a character she meets along the way). They had some wonderful conversations.

All in all, it made a welcome break from my organizational theory books. Have you read this title? What did you think of it?

Catching Fire

By Suzanne Collins

I'm in grad school, so I have to do a lot of reading on the specific topic of organizational and leadership theory. I like my chosen field. Don't get me wrong. But sometimes, the required reading is...less than exciting.

I read Hunger Games earlier this year and absolutely adored it. Suzanne Collins is a very visual author. Not once did I feel lost in any of the action scenes. I felt as if I was there. I could totally emerse myself in her fictional world. It was also the kind of book that you can't put down. Once you begin, you're strapped in for the ride. It was a unique book with a great cast of characters and an engrossing (yet unfinished) story.

In short, I was counting the days until the sequel.

Catching Fire did not let me down. After impulse buying it from Amazon, I forced myself not to read it as soon as it arrived (since I'm being such a diligent student). But last week I decided to take a brain break from my organizational theory and just read a chapter. Two chapters. 100 pages. Just 15 more minutes. Half the book. Well, since I'm halfway, I might was well keep going.... Yep, I read the whole thing it in a few hours without putting it down and LOVED every bit of it. (Sorry school work! I tried to resist, I really did!)

Some twists I saw coming. Others I did not. But I truly enjoyed watching these characters navigate the challenges presented to them. Stephanie Collins doesn't back away from complication. She dives in headfirst; which makes for an adventure story that's relatable and relevant, even while it's larger than life.

In short: at the end of my second helping, I'm eagerly looking forward to a third.

(I'm also wondering if I can find a real-life Cinna. I love him. And when he said "Don't worry. I alway channel my emotions into my work. That way I don't hurt anyone but myself," he immediately made me think of the quote "Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence." What a wonderful little nugget of truth from a fantastic character! ...I want more!)

The Audacity of Hope

By Barack Obama

It was enjoyable to experience this book in audio version, especially since it was read by the author: President Obama. I think when books are read by the author, you get to hear their words the way they intend. They can capture emphasis, inflection, and other things much better than a performer could. It just gives that extra glimpse into the author’s message. Plus, President Obama has a great voice.

Amazon says: With his second book The Audacity of Hope, Obama engages themes raised in his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, shares personal views on faith and values and offers a vision of the future that involves repairing a "political process that is broken" and restoring a government that has fallen out of touch with the people.

I say: I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I think Barack Obama is a nice, sincere man…but I don’t always agree with his ideas and solutions. But this book affirmed a truth that I believe: there’s fault to find on both sides of the political aisle. Obama writes with passion and sincerity, and I appreciated the tone and flow of this book. My cynical side wonders if he just wrote what people may want to hear. But then again, his memoir is very honest with the fact that we face a lot of complex problems in our country (and in our world).

An interviewer asked Obama: If readers are to come away from The Audacity of Hope with one action item (a New Year's Resolution for 2007, perhaps?), what should it be?
He answered: Get involved in an issue that you're passionate about. It almost doesn’t matter what it is--improving the school system, developing strategies to wean ourselves off foreign oil, expanding health care for kids. We give too much of our power away, to the professional politicians, to the lobbyists, to cynicism. And our democracy suffers as a result.

I can fully agree with that.

Blaggard’s Moon

By George Bryan Polivka

Allow me to borrow from the Amazon description: An exciting swashbuckling tale of a pirate sentenced to die for the crime of mutiny. As he awaits his fate, this pirate ponders his life and the events that have brought him to this fate. In the process of remembering, and in grappling with mercy and justice as they have been played out in his life, a tale is spun, a tale of true hearts wronged, noble love gone awry, dark deeds done for the sake of gold, and sacrifices made for love.

A pirate tale? Sign me up!

I really enjoyed this book. One of the things that made it unique was that it is told from three points of view/ points in time. You have the pirate awaiting his fate (Delaney). He is reminiscing, analyzing, and recounting a story told by Ham Drumbone. The view shifts to this storyteller, and Polivka does a fantastic job creating a fireside scene: the storyteller and his swarthy listeners. They interject and react to the story. Ham masterfully gets them back on course. The third point of view/time is the original events that comprise the storyteller’s tale – the story of Damrick and Jenta and the pirate world of Nearing Vast. I loved how it unfolded.

I also enjoyed that there was no clear hero of the story. It subtlety communicates themes like reaping what you sow, learning to change, and living without regrets, without getting overly sappy. The book has a bit of dark feel, but there’s a lining of hope around the edges.

I would recommend this book as a fun read. It would probably make for a good discussion book as well, since all of the major characters are flawed and don’t always make the best decisions.

Plus, there’s sword fighting. *grin*

Well-Built City Trilogy

The Physiognomy, The Memoranda, and The Beyond by Jeffrey Ford

I picked “The Physiognomy” up off a display at the library. The cover intrigued me, and I saw that it won the World Fantasy Award in 1998. I figured it would be a good read.

At the end of the day: This series just wasn’t my cup of tea. I found it hard to follow in places. I thought large portions of it dragged. And some of the character transitions were a bit strange. Also, there were some nonsequitor plot points (particularly in the third book) that never resolved or went anywhere. That bothered me. I think all three books could have been edited a bit and combined into one story. But that’s just me.

Motivation: I wanted to read this book because it explored the idea of memory: how memories are stored, how they impact reality, how our mind works, etc. Also the main character, Cley, is a Physiognomist. (Didn’t see that one coming, did you? *wink*) Some friends and I had talked recently about the field of Physiognomy, and I was interested to see how Jeffrey Ford integrated this field into his story.

Of the three books, I think I enjoyed the second one the best. (Followed by the middle portion of the third book.) It’s in this part of the story that Ford really dives deeply into memory. Cley actually journey through the villain’s memory by way of an assisted mind meld. Very Star Trek. He’s looking for a solution to a pressing problem. And to find it he has to navigate and decipher the symbols and landscape in Drachton Below’s mind. Like Cley, I found myself getting attached to personalities and symbols within Below’s memory labyrinth…almost forgetting that they were not separate from Below himself. Then I remembered and found myself annoyed that Cley couldn’t do the same. Anytime an author can draw you in to be invested in the decisions made by his characters…it’s a good thing. (There are probably exceptions, but you know what I mean…I hope.) It was very unique.

I also liked the middle portion of the third book because it was when the main character had the surest idea of who he was and what he was doing. In the first book, he’s little more than a chess piece of Below. Then he starts breaking away, and forming his own thoughts, asking his own questions, and forming his own goals. That process takes from the middle of book 1 to the end of book 2. Cley really hits his personal stride in book 3. I enjoyed reading about him when he was full of purpose. (Course, then he gets a little fuzzy again. Or maybe I just didn’t fully understand the resolution of the series. In any case…the last part of book 3 let me down).

Physiognomy plays its most dominate role in the first book. Cley ends up mutilating one woman’s face in order to save her from her “evil” nature. It’s guilt over this act that wake him up as a character and start him on his journey. The rest of the series is really Cley’s quest to find forgiveness from that woman. As such, Physiognomy pops up now and again. Mostly to highlight that you can’t judge a person by their measurements. Much as you can’t judge a book by its cover.

The most intriguing character in the series is Misrix. A demon from the Beyond who is “adopted” by the evil Drachton Below, aides Cley on his journey, and later befriends a child from the city Wenau. There were some good moments in there about profiling, stereotypes, etc. My favorite character was a moody but trusty dog named Wood. Maybe because he made the most sense.

One reviewer observed that Ford writes about ideas instead of events. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t quite find my rhythm. It is a fascinating journey, especially in the 2nd and 3rd books. But it was one I felt I had to trudge through. Ford doesn’t fall back on stereotypes. He sticks with his own brand of crazy. I can respect that. But while parts of the series were nifty, there was something missing for me. Reading this series felt like watching an episode of Star Trek that featured Q.

In reviewing the third book, Publisher’s Weekly says, “Ford's graphic imagination is as powerful as ever, but the quest itself is vague and undefined, while the story ultimately fails to grip.” I think I agree.

Has anyone else read this series? Feel free to write and tell me what you thought!

House of Night Series

House of Night Series
I read Marked, Betrayed, and Untamed. I skipped Chosen, but was able to infer the major plot events at the beginning of Untamed, so wasn’t lost at all in continuing the series.

The House of Night is a series of young adult Fantasy/Horror novels co-authored by P.C. Cast and her daughter Kristin Cast. The series revolves around the development and adventures of Zoey Redbird, a 16-year-old gifted fledgling vampyre who attends the House of Night school. Students move to this unique boarding school after they are “marked.” They then have four years of training (think, Hogwarts for vampyres) and during this time they will either make the full transition into a Vampyre or their body rejects the change and they die. Zoey has strong and unique abilities, and this sets her apart from her fellow students.

Things I like about this series:
It’s co-authored by P.C. Cast and her daughter. I also like how P.C. Cast acknowledges her students in the beginning of the book (she’s a teacher).

I like how the main characters are flawed and growing. There’s an emphasis on individual talent, but also the necessity of leaning on other and working together. I think the messages of trust, friendship, and doing the right thing get more poignant as the series progresses, and they would make good discussion points in a group setting. I especially like the character Sylvia Redbird. She is Zoey’s Cherokee grandmother and is often the voice of wisdom in the series. I also have a soft spot for Sister Mary Angela, who makes an appearance in book 4.

I like how the books are “easy reads.” They are engaging and you can finish one in a day or two (or if you’re me, in a couple hours). Also, each book covers a relatively short period of time, so if you happen to skip an episode, you can pick up what happened without too much trouble.

Things I didn’t particularly like:
Exploring sexuality is certainly a recurring topic in young adult fiction, coming-of-age stories, and the vampire genre as a whole, but many of the main crises in the series focus on the sexual misadventures of the characters. Even when other conflicts enter the storyline, it seems like the sexual dilemmas are always present.

The series is getting progressively darker as it moves forward. It reminds of the Harry Potter series: book one starts out with an introduction to the wizarding world, by book 4 the intangible villain has returned to power, and book 7 culminates with an “ultimate showdown” situation. But unlike Harry Potter which has one main villain who grows in power and influence, the House of Night seems to be introducing new evil personalities and phenomenon. It’s hard to tell how the escalation will continue to grow. Since it appears to be an open-ended series, maybe P.C. and Kristin Cast haven’t quite figured it out yet. I hope they have an arc in mind, otherwise I fear this series might go the way of the “Wheel of Time” – lots of books but no real end in sight.

Somewhat related, each book ends with a semi-resolution. The crisis of the particular book is resolved, but there’s already the sense of the next battle brewing. I know it’s meant to keep you hooked and coming back for more…but these books are literary candy to me and I want more of a warm fuzzy at the end. It’s there, but co-existing the gathering tension.

Overall recommendation:
Good for pleasure reading, especially if you like vampire stories.

Fashioned for Intimacy

When I read Fashioned for Intimacy by Jane Hansen for the first time, I scarfed it up. I labeled it as one of the best relationship books I’ve ever read, and I meant it. So when I decided to re-read it earlier this year, I was surprised at how differently I feel about it now. Maybe it’s because it doesn’t have the freshness and wonder of a brand new read. Maybe it’s because I’m a different person now. But for whatever reason, I didn’t experience the same joy on my second foray through the book.

I still agree with many of her insights. And I think she has some valid ideas of how the roles of men and women could be reconciled to the design that God initiated in the beginning. I particularly liked how Hansen affirms that men and women have different strengths, and those strengths are not meant to be in competition (who's stronger and in charge here?) but in cooperation (how can we be stronger together?). I think women who deal with dependency or identity issues would benefit from the wisdom offered in it's pages, so Fashioned for Intimacy is still worthy of a read-through. But I wouldn’t call it the “best relationship book ever.”

Heart of Jane's message:
"The woman is uniquely and specifically designed to stand before the man in an intimate, face-to-face relationship. However, although women were meant to look to God to find their life, identity, value and significance, since the fall of Eve in the dawn of creation, they have looked instead to men to fulfill these needs. Only when a woman's heart is turned back to God to meet her needs, she is…free to be the help God intended her to be: to draw the man out of his aloneness by relating on a level that moves past the surface and touches the deep places of his heart. She is then able to stand in a healthy, face-to-face relationship with him."

"Jane Hansen on Male Female Reconciliation." Jane Hansen, October 24, 2004