World Without End
Ken Follet did another amazing job. He wrote another extraordinary historical fiction. And as fabulous as World Without End is, I still think his first historical fiction Pillars of the Earth is better. Although World Without End would sit at the top of my top ten choices for books to read.
The only negative thing that I had with this book, if you can even claim it to be a negative, would have to be that the introduction of characters in the beginning was numerous and confusing at first. I was into several chapters before I had them all straight. I would suggest just for some clarity to write down the characters as you come across them and who they are related to. I think if I had done that in the beginning I would have breezed through all of the introductions sooner.
I really enjoyed the stories of all the characters. There was romance, ingenuity, friendships, deception, and some violence. The violence was not easy to read but it seemed to have some necessity to understand the day to day turmoil that the characters suffered with. It grabs your attention and baits you to read more and more. As Pillars of the Earth centered around the building of their grand Cathedral, World Without End seemed to center around the building of the towns’ Hospital. This book also focused a lot on the construction of its’ town and made for a great story and progressed with the times.
As a reader, I really enjoy the way that Ken Follett tells a story. Pillars of the Earth was his first historical fiction as he had focused his career mainly on mysteries. He certainly stepped out of the box and succeeded with Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. His stories flow so easily and doesn’t jump around all over the place. I have read many other books and never quite appreciated dialogue in a story before. I admire the way he writes his characters’ thoughts as well as their dialogue amongst each other. I really think he is a brilliant writer.
I know that some reviewers though felt that his books were not exact to history. From my perspective as a reader, it wasn’t ever suppose to be an exact historical book. His point was more about the characters’ personalities and lives that he created during the history that he imagined. Again, note that both Pillars of the Earth and World Without End are categorized as a historical fiction. I hope this helps the die hard history buffs so that you aren’t disappointed with any historical inaccuracies.
I would highly recommend reading World Without End. But if you had to choose between reading World Without End or Pillars of the Earth, I would recommend reading Pillars of the Earth first. Although not a necessity, I think there is some important historical information that gives you as a reader a better appreciation for the stories that happen within World Without End. I hope that you enjoy this story as much as I did!
Here is a link to the author, Ken Follet’s web site
For One More Day
For One More Day by Mitch Albom is a quick read that says a lot during a small amount of time. I enjoyed reading it but it is not at the top of my list of books.
It doesn’t have this grand plot with twists and turns nor does it have a large variety of characters that you become absorbed in. What it does have is the gift to remind us readers what really is most important in life.
We all come with some sort of baggage. And we find it is much easier to blame those around us, especially our parents. In reading For One More Day, you realize that the majority of parents did the best they could with what they had at the time. They never intended to hurt us, to annoy us, or to screw us up. But it always happens some way somehow.
Mitch Albom takes us through the journey of one man named Charley who is blessed with one more day with his already deceased Mother. However, Charley’s life is in shambles and blames his Mother for everything that has ever gone wrong. Never once did he stop to acknowledge the sacrifices his Mom made along the way until it was too late. As a reader, you can’t help but see similarities with yourself and Charley as you read about his encounters and changes in feelings. Especially when the author uniquely sets up examples of “Times I did NOT stand up for my Mother” versus “Times my Mother stood up for me”. I thought this was brilliant. You can’t help but stop to reflect on your life too. You start to see changes in Charley as the day progresses and he spends more quality time with his Mother. As a reader you stop to reflect not only about your loved ones still in your life but to those who have already passed. For One More Day is a friendly reminder to enjoy every moment you have with family and friends because you just never know when the game is over.
This is a good book especially if you are in a phase of self reflection.
The Secret Life of Bees
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is a wonderful and uplifting book and is a very easy book to read.
The story is set in 1964 but is not a true historical depiction of the times. That is not the point of the story. Instead it centers around the main characters and the world that they create for themselves. In some instances though you can understand certain things better due to the time-frame of the book.
The main character Lily is 14 years old and is living at home alone with her father, whom she addresses as T. Ray. She does not have a relationship with T. Ray at all and therefore finds herself on a desperate search to find out more about her mother. In her quest for her mother Lily finds more than she could hope for. She finds motherly surrogates in several characters that are introduced within the book. With that said though at times the story seems far fetched and too good to be true. It becomes a bit of a “perfect world”. Aside from that though The Secret Life of Bees is a great story and is truly heartfelt. You can’t help but be happy after reading it. What I felt the point that the author Sue Monk Kidd was trying to make was that you can find a family anywhere if you look and work hard enough. Good people are out there. It gives you a great sense of hope if anything at all. That is better than nothing.
To find out more about the author Sue Monk Kidd, go ahead and click on her web site.
Also, news is that the book will be made into a movie. It is scheduled to appear in theaters October 17, 2008. For more information about the movie and the cast you can visit either Sue Monk Kidd’s web site or visit Hollywood.com.
A Thousand Splendid Suns
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini was as spectacular as his first novel the Kite Runner. In this book the author reads from a female’s perspective and did an amazing job. Quite believable. Although this book is categorized as fiction there is an overwhelming feeling as a reader that there could be some small possibility that somehow these people are real or at least that there is someone in Afghanistan whom has gone through some of the same experiences as the characters in the book. It doesn’t seem far fetched due to the news broadcasts and war news that we have been bombarded with in the media.
There are two women in particular whom are the main characters in A Thousand Splendid Suns but there are a plethora of other characters that make this book engrossing and believable. The character of Mariam was my favorite. You grew with her from the beginning and felt her hardships and disappointments intensely. She had a very rough life to say the least and still managed to find the love of a family even though it was not her own. What I admired from her character the most was how she could maintain her sense of integrity despite her life. She was beaten down so much but still remained intact as the loving and dedicated person she was. As a reader I really think you will appreciate the journey of Mariam from beginning to end. It brought tears to my eyes and I’m not one to cry easily.
From this book I think you learn some perspective of the hardships that women in particular face in Afghanistan. There are limited rights only when there is a decent man involved in the home. If not, a woman is basically a servant to the husband’s beck and call. This is no way for either a man or woman to live. It seems that Afghani men do not understand that as a supportive and loving unit a husband and wife could be unstoppable in their progress and achievements together. This is just my take from the book. I would be really interested to hear someone elses’ perspective about this.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is a great and easy read. It was definitely a book that I did not want to put down. However it was tough to remain unaffected by it because of some of the particular events and actions taking place in the book. I tend to read most just before bedtime and there were times that I was up for a while thinking about what I had just read in the book and the people (women and children in particular) in Afghanistan. But it was so worth the few sleepless nights that I had that’s for sure.
The Pact
The Pact by Jodi Picoult was a fabulous read with a jaw dropping first paragraph, an intense plot, and a slew of characters that you can relate to. Although I have to admit, I did not enjoy the way the story concluded. I felt like the ending was forced instead of following its own natural path. But I can understand why Jodi Picoult ended it the way she did. There was so much despair and anger throughout the entire story that if it ended with its natural path there would be a lot of upset readers. To me though, it is great to read a story like that every once in a while just to shake you up.
The first paragraph is very intense. The main character dies by a gun shot wound with whom appears to be a childhood friend turned lover. Right there your mouth drops. Unexpected beginning for sure. As a reader you can’t help but think “What the hell just happened?”. It was a great beginning. Undoubtedly, you have to keep reading to find out what happens.
Jodi Picoult does a great job with the characters by making them realistic and likeable. You can imagine them so vividly. The friendships that are established between the Hartes and the Gold families are nothing but envious. We can all hope for a small amount of that kind of friendship in our own lives. Or if we do have a glimmer of it already, it makes you stop to think about it and appreciate what you already have.
I enjoyed the integration of the Harte and the Golds friendship within the story. It really tears at your heart when the trajedy rips the two families apart. But I have to say that I was surprised at the way the bond between the Hartes and Golds came to such an abrupt end. As integrated as these two families were I would have expected the bond to have stayed cohesive longer than what was told in the story. I felt more could have been focused on the breakdown of friendship. It would have made the friendships seem more real since so much of the story kept focusing on how great friends the two families were and that the two mothers were best friends. It was even stated that the parents felt that eachothers kids’ were like their own.
Of course you never will understand how anyone would react in the face of a true trajedy. Someone you think is emotionally strong could be the first to break down. And someone whom you think could never make it through comes out thriving.
There were so many emotions flying around within this story. I know myself that it triggered reactions in me that I never knew were there and it surprised me. So even though I did not particularly care for the ending of this story, nevertheless I thought that it was cleverly written and was deeply entertaining.
If you are interested here is a link to the author, Jodi Picoult’s web site.
The Road
The Road by Cormac McCarthy was the kind of book that I would pick up and then put right back down agin. I did this several times. I managed through a couple of chapters but just found it slow and too “wordy”. I felt that the author purposely uses $.25 words to tell his story and that is not for me. Granted I enjoy the challenge of a great story especially when I’m also improving on my vocabulary. But not in the excess that I felt with this book. I would have to constantly have a dictionary on hand in order to decipher the meanings and proper intent of his choice of words. To me, that would lose its purpose since I would have to continuously re-read paragraphs.
I am baffled because I have read several book reviews about The Road and many said that this is the “most readable” of Cormac McCarthy’s works. I however didn’t find it as such. I’ve read a couple of books with this same type of plot but I found The Road slow and confusing. Nothing seemed to grab at me to make me want to continue reading.
There is a new book and movie out called No Country for Old Men. The movie looks interesting and so I’m thinking that the book might be too. So I certainly want to give Cormac McCarthy’s works another chance. And I still intend on finishing The Road at some point. Am I missing something about The Road. Does it take more time to really get into it? I would love to hear your thoughts…
For more book reviews about The Road, by Cormac McCarthy go ahead and click on more book reviews from Amazon.com.
Here is a link to the author, Cormac McCarthy’s web site.
Twilight
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer was a decent read. The author provided a gripping beginning that would make anyone want to continue reading. It was a solid read throughout the book but overall it was not the book for me. Twilight is labeled as young adult which I don’t think our book club was aware of at first. I expected there to be a more detail in several cases than there actually was. But with that said, the lack of detail in particular cases makes it a great read for the younger audience.
Stephenie Meyer did an outstanding job in portraying each character that she introduced. You were able to get to know them and remember them quite easily. Isabella Swan (Bella) was an ordinary teen experiencing her first true love. She was the kind of character who knew what she wanted and said as much. Yest at the same time came across as whiny and selfish. A typical teen discovering her own way and identity.
Edward was a strong character in the story as well. He was the kind of love that you hope for from the kind of passion and loyalty that he bestowed upon Bella. If you were to take out what he was, you wanted thier love to continue. But I was concerned when towards the end that Bella wanted this lifestyle and keeps talking about getting her way. She wants to give everything up for one man. In the sequal New Moon, Stephenie Meyer gives an excerpt from a chapter. It starts with how much Edward wants her to continue on the natural path of her life. College being the number one priority. I am interested in the message that Stephenie Meyer will send to her young readers in the way she will resolve the “impasse” that her two characters are at.
Twilight was predictable but lays a great foundation for the upcoming sequals. The sequals to Twilight are New Moon (book 2) and Eclipse (book 3).
Author Stephenie Meyer has a great story on how she started Twilight. If your interested, here is a link to Stephenie Meyer’s web site.
For more book reviews about Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer go ahead and click on more book reviews from Amazon.com
The Other Boleyn Girl
Summary from the back cover: When Mary Boleyn comes to court as an innocent girl of fourteen, she catches the eye of Henry VIII. Dazzled by the king, Mary falls in love with both her golden prince and her growing role as unofficial queen. However, she soon realizes just how much she is a pawn in her family’s ambitious plots as the king’s interest begins to wane and she is forced to step aside for her best friend and rival: her sister, Anne. Then Mary knows that she must defy her family and her king, and take her fate into her own hands.
A rich and compelling tale of love, sex, ambition, and intrigue, The other Boleyn Girl introduces a woman of extraordinary determination and desire who lived at the heart of the most exciting and glamorous court in Europe and survived by following her own heart. End of summary
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory is a powerful story about one familys’ ambitions. I enjoyed it so much that I am considering reading the sequals to the The Other Boleyn Girl. At first though, I was surprised at how long it took me get into the story. But once I was a few chapters into the book, I became absorbed into it and didn’t want to put the book down.
What I enjoyed most about reading The Other Boleyn Girl was the way Philippa Gregory told the story. In one paragraph you would read from a first person narrative. Then in the next you would find yourself right in the middle of the action. It kept the story captivating, fun and believable. The plot was just packed with non-stop ambition, lust and greed and was realistic to the times. The relationship of the Boleyn’ family was as dysfunctional as you can get and Mary was right in the middle of it all. Mary was forced to marry very young and finds herslef soon after her marriage as the prize to be conquered by the King. Setting aside her first marriage, Mary is forced to do the King’s bidding. Despite Mary being forced into this situation with the King, she soon finds herself in love with him. As naive as she is about the King, the malice of her family is dispicable. Mostly by the malice of her Uncle and sister. I find myself becoming so absorbed into the story that I want to shake Mary and tell her to grow a spine and tell her family to go to hell. What helps to round out the story so well is the incorportation of the few wonderful moments of happiness for Mary. However she finds herself torn between obtaining happiness for herself or conceding to the demands of her family. It is a constant struggle for her and you find yourself wanting her to choose happiness so much. Getting pulled into a story like this is awesome.
As I’m sure most of you are aware the movie The Other Boleyn Girl was in theaters February 29th. The cast was exceptional. Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson and Eric Bana starred in the movie. Scarlett Johansson plays the part of Mary, Natalie Portman plays the part of Anne, and Eric Bana plays the part of King Henry. Our book club got together on Sunday to watch the movie. As far as the movie is concermed I didn’t like it very much. The movie did not do justice for the book at all. There was so much detail left out of the movie that was in the book. With so much detail left out of the movie, I felt like the movie was rushed and left too many questions unanswered. I would definitely recommend the book without a doubt but I would not recommend the movie right now. I would say to at least wait until the movie comes out on DVD and rent it.
I would love to hear what you think. If you have some time, write what your thoughts are about the book. Looking forward to reading them!
For more book reviews about The Other Boleyn Girl go ahead and click on more book reviews from Amazon.com
Here is a link to the author, Philippa Gregory’s web site
Find information about the movie, The Other Boleyn Girl
The Glass Castle
The Glass Castle is a memoir by Jeannette Walls and is a very unique book. I have never read a book quite like this before. The way the author told her life story was full of action, intrigue and fly-by -the-seat of your pants adventure.
When the final page was read I just sat there. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The emotions that are felt when you read this book are limitless. One sentence your happy enough while the next, your scared or sad. The thought of living this life makes my head spin. The Walls’ children lived through so much on their own and you cannot help but think”Thank God they had each other throughout it all.”
The most difficult emotions to deal with that arises as a reader are towards the Walls parents. The Walls parents are basically good, loving and proud people. However, they both have a; for lack of a better word, dark side to them. Both parents are tortured by their own demons and therefore lose all sensibility as parents. They can even be hateful outwards not only themselves but to their children. Of course any kind of professional help is not an option due to a lack of money and oddly, pride. You cannot help but feel both disgust and compassion for these two parents.
On the flip side, as a family they are fiercely loyal to each other, especially in the early years. Everything they did together was always an adventure. And for the very little tat the children’s parent provided them with, they were given the invaluable possession of their parents’ involvement and quality time. Oddly, for the great number of us with money, it cannot always be said that we can provide quality time to our children.
It is apparent that Jeannette Walls and her three siblings loved their parents and that their parents loved them. As most of these stories go, most kids in these stressful and tumultuous situations do not continue to have a relationship with their parents once they are out of the house. So the way that this family’s story plays out is both unique, admirable and unexpected.
If nothing else it shows that despite all of the heartache that a family dishes onto themselves, with love, loyalty and determination, you can get through anything, and still be intact.
Overall, this is an unbelievable story. It is still hard to believe that it actually happened. I would recommend this book because of its uniqueness and unbelievable story. As tough as it is to hear kids enduring such dire circumstances it will, I hope, make you if you are a parent appreciate yourselves more as parents. It will put into perspective all that you actually do for your kids. We do a hell of a lot more as parents than we think we do, don’t we? This book at least opens our eyes to that and helps us to appreciate that fact.
For more book reviews about The Glass Castle go ahead and click on more book reviews at Amazon.com
Pillars of the Earth
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett may look a bit intimidating based solely on its size; but not to worry, this book is a fabulous read.
I have always noticed churches for their exquisite beauty, size, and finite detail. However, having to read about them was a different story. In fact, it made me a bit nervous.
This book was recommended by a friend and so, collectively we agreed to read this for our book club. Personally, I would never even have looked at Pillars of the Earth as something I would have actually chosen to read. Opening the cover page I kept thinking that I am going to have to suffer through reading this. As I nervously turned to the Prologue and read the first sentence “The small boys came early to the hanging”, I was instantly hooked. This was not just going to be about cathedrals or churches or even religion.
Religion can be such a touchy subject for most people. Naively, I also thought that Religion would be forced on me in huge gigantic waves. Quite on the contrary, it slowly dripped an appreciation for it through the lives of each character as they unfolded before my eyes.
Ken Follett did a brilliant job introducing the characters. The characters in Pillars of the Earth ended up being heroic, strong, and intelligent. But what was most appealing as a reader was that the characters hardly started out that way. Each character started out as young and naïve. And as each character grew before my eyes they became so vivid to me that I actually felt like I could have actually been friends with them if I had had the chance.
The characters of Jack, Aliena, Tom, Ellen and William Hamleigh are intriguing and spellbinding and is owed to the great story telling ability of Ken Follett. The most notable character for me is Prior Philip. Prior Philip was in the middle of everything in the life of Kingsbridge while still remaining down to earth and practical. He had a sincere and genuine concern for each soul that he came upon. He did not abuse his power within the church and took frugality to a whole new level. Everyone he came across prospered because of him. Of course, with the exception of his arch enemies. And his enemies, being who they were, was quite a surprise. This twist in the story made the plot unpredictable, unique, and adventurous.
As powerful as all the characters were, the cathedral was at the center of their world. It drew them all to it. It became something like an entity in the book. Not a living breathing thing or anything like that. But it too became a strong presence in the story that you ultimately wished for success. The author did a remarkable job in giving a better appreciation as to why a cathedral or “the church” was such a life line for so many people during those times. I never conceptualized the “why” before. The church and cathedrals were the reason for the literal survival of so many.
Pillars of the Earth is definitely a book that I could not put down, nor did I want to. I was actually disappointed when I finished the book. The story was brilliantly told and the author’s use of words gripped you and would not let go. I can only hope that you as a reader will enjoy this fabulous piece of literature as much as I did.
For more book reviews about Pillars of the Earth go ahead and click on more book reviews from Amazon.com
Here is a link to the author, Ken Follet’s web site
