Thoughts of LoWriter

November Books

Here are the reads for the past month (Books are now being rated on a 5 star scale):

Powers by Brian Michael Bendis: 3 stars. This was an interesting graphic novel, and I loved the story line at the beginning. It's about a cop who works in the super power crimes division. And, obviously, it starts with the murder of Retro Girl, an iconic superhero of the world. This book started out with all the right moves: frustration of former heroes, imperfect people, and believable characters and conversations despite the super hero world setting. While I'm not going to say I didn't enjoy it, I was frustrated by its plot. That said, I may have been biased because I didn't realize it was part of a series (yeah, I know, the vol. 1 suffix should have given it away). While I thought the artwork was awesome and I really loved the writing at the beginning, I got confused by the plot at the end. As I said, though, it turns out there are other volumes, and I do really want to read a couple more before I pass too harsh a judgement on the book. I did really enjoy what I read until the end when it didn't resolve. It's likely my questions would be answered in upcoming volumes. So, if you don't mind getting started on a series, it's a good series to get started on.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield: 5 stars. This was one of the best books I've read in ages. It's very "Bronte-esque," so if you aren't of the Wuthering Heights/Jane Eyre persuasion, you probably won't like it. I, however, enjoyed it quite a lot. It's about a budding biographer who is invited to do the first "true" biography of a prolific, famous author who has told a different life story to everyone who has ever interviewed her. You're never really sure what kind of story it is until the end, but think Bronte sisters, and you won't be far off. The writing is beautiful. Some of the sentences were just delicious. They melted in my mouth; they were that good! Her word choices were wonderful.

Box Office Poison by Alex Robinson: 2.75 Stars. Just let me start out by saying that Tricked was way, way better. To be fair, Tricked was a later graphic novel by this author, and the first novel is usually not the best the author ever writes. The whole book appeared to be about one character, and then just really wasn't about that character at all. I guess I didn't like the ending, and it really colored my view of the entire book. I wanted it to end differently. In fact, it really reminded me of life last year when I was constantly hitting my head on the glass ceiling and felt unable to get out of my situation. So, on the whole, not my favorite book of all time, but on the other hand, there is a second volume, so maybe it gets better. If you're going to read something by this author, read Tricked. (I reserve the right to change my mind after reading BOP! More Box Office Poison.)

That is it for the reads. Feel free to share your own in the comments, and happy reading this month!