Hi all. I only read one book in December, and here it is:
Phantastes by George MacDonald: 1.5 Stars. Well, I guess I am just an uncultured swine. C.S. Lewis loved it. Amazon.com customer reviews love it. My student loves it. I hated it. It is not even 200 pages long, but it took me three times as long as Eragon or Eldest, which are probably triple the length and written by a teenager who really could have benefitted from a better editor.
I personally found this to be a very difficult read. While Amazon.com calls it allegorical, it does not start out that way in my view. I don't think the author really made up his mind what the story was about until about halfway through. I found bits of the story incredibly interesting, but much of it felt like someone had taken one too many hits before sitting down to write.
I guess I just don't like stories that read like dreams, so that's probably part of it. I also don't like random bits of poetry thrown in for the hell of it.
I can't even really tell you what the story is about because its plot is very unclear. It starts with this guy winding up in fairy land where he wanders around for about 20 pages. Then he's chased by evil trees for 20 more (which pretty much never come up again. They were just there being evil and not the scourage of fairy land that all the people at the beginning would have you believe). Then he gets a demon shadow, and for the rest of the book, that haunts him, which is interesting but irritating all at the same time because his own stupidity and inability to follow instructions got him the shadow in the first place. I like the part where he's in the fairy palace library reading books and tells two of the stories to us, and I like everything from when he meets an old lady in a cottage until the end.
Overall, it gets a star and a half for being better at the end than at the beginning, and I could maybe even go a star and three fourths for having really good side stories in the library. I like C.S. Lewis and generally trust his judgement, but I think C.S. Lewis does fairy tales better. I also understand that this is an allegory, but I think there are holes in it that prevent it from being effective.
Since it took me all month to get through this book, I really can't recommend it at all. Feel free to share your reads in the comments.
Posted by LoWriter at January 3, 2007 03:31 PMyeah... one for me too. and it was the book club blog one: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
i enjoyed it. read my thoughts about it on the blog though, b/c they are too many to post here. jonathan safan foer isnt my favorite author, but i really do admire his abilities.
i toast to the new year with hopes of reading more good books!!
Posted by: dr gonzo at January 4, 2007 11:13 AMWow, I think I read too much... hmmm, well here it goes.
Beka Cooper, Tamora Pierce. Now she isn't the best author and it is a Juvi book, but I still expected more. Clunky writing and a different writing style than she's used to (diary style, pseudo), wow it was worse than anticipated and I only give it a C-. I feel kinda bad, the story was inventive, but just not well written or engaging.
The Little Lady Agency by Hester Brown. First book (I believe) by this author. It is a fluffy, British novella and very witty and amusing. I liked it, it was definetly what I needed and I will be reading the sequel when it comes out. A-, granted my ratings are based on what the novel is trying to be, so it's not an A- if you compare it to JRR Tolkien or something 'high class'.
Alta by Mercedes Lackey. Re-read, B for Dragon SciFi.
A Girl's Guide to Witchcraft by Mindy Klasky. Another fluffy novel, takes place in WADC and the main character is a historical librarian who discovers she is a witch, cute take on modern witchery with a gay familiar and a baker as a best friend. B+.
Two romance novels not worth mentioning, also fluffy and probably given a B in the 'romance novel' genre. I also read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Foer but haven't finished and I started The Wizard of Earthsea by LeGuin but haven't finished. It was a fluffy novel month, there is nothing better when the weather is cold.
Posted by: 10lees at January 4, 2007 11:30 AMwell, you do have an actual commute in which you can read for long stretches!! :o) i had been doing podcasts instead of audiobooks, which are fun and educational. i am back to reading an obscene amount in this fine month of january. yay!
Posted by: dr gonzo at January 8, 2007 10:51 AM