Reading List Round-Up 2012: Books 34-45

After realizing last time around that I'd gotten more than a little behind on this resolution (that'll happen when real-life things like job changing and moving house take over your time and energy), I've been scrambling to catch up and try to get back on pace with my reading.  Although I didn't quite make it (I should be at 50 as of today, July 1st), I made more progress than I expected.  And in my defense, some of these books were really darn long (lookin' at you in particular, George RR Martin).  There wasn't really any discernible theme that linked these books together, except maybe that the ones that sounded great were only mediocre (Damned, Super Sad True Love Story), and the ones I wasn't initially psyched about (Paper Towns, A Feast for Crows) wound up grabbing hold of me and refusing to let go.


Crossers by Phillip Caputo

I am sad to say I didn't make it past page 60 on this one.  I usually make an effort to finish all the books I start, but this was just not my style at all, and there were too many other good books waiting for me to spend any more time on it.  If you're a fan of what was shaping up to be (based on what I read) something of a modern day Western with some apt social commentary thrown in, you might have more luck with this one than I did.

A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin

I'd heard it said that this is the best book in the series, and by the end of the first handful of chapters I was fully convinced of this fact.  It doesn't hurt that it has huge doses of my favorite characters (Arya Stark, Jon Snow, and Tyrion Lannister) and amazing plot twists (even though I was spoiled/fully prepared for arguably the book's biggest shocking turn of events, it still managed to make my heart race and bring tears to my eyes).  More than that, though,  the third installment of Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series just cements his status as a genius, because so many tiny seeds of information planted way back in the first novel come to fruition in ways I never even imagined, yet which make complete sense once they've all been laid on the table.  I can't talk much more about this one without completely nerding out and going overboard, but suffice it to say, if you're looking for a book series to get hooked on, this one would be a fabulous choice, and one that will keep you coming back for more.

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

This book could have been good were it not written by someone with a high school grasp of storytelling.  I realize how arrogant that must read, but seriously, there are pages of front-loaded character descriptions in the first chapter, wildly alternating point of view (as in, switching from one character to another within the same paragraph, which is a HUGE no-no unless you're some kind of stream of consciousness genius, which Jacobs is not), and just plain bad diction.  I wanted to get through this book quickly because the premise seemed charming and straightforward, but it was a challenge because I was so busy cringing and/or imagining how I might improve upon the prose.

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

Wonderful in that uniquely Vonnegut way-- this book is both funny and painfully accurate in its disconnected presentation of humanity, our values, and why we do the things we do.   And though it's still a little offbeat (though really, what did Vonnegut ever write that wasn't), this is definitely one of the more accessible of his novels, and one I would certainly recommend as a great introduction to an undervalued author. 

Damned by Chuck Palahniuk

Palahniuk's books have, in my opinion, been growing weaker with each passing year.  Even Tell All, the last of his more recent novels that I read, pales in comparison to his earlier work; and Damned, despite its admittedly imaginative premise and usual amount of trademark Chuck snark, was just plain forgettable.   Maybe I'm jaded; maybe I just have higher expectations of the man who brought us Fight Club.

Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Schteynhart

As much as I admired a lot of the work Schteynhart put into constructing his bleak vision of America's future, it is always very difficult for me (and, I'm sure, many others) to really get on board with a novel where I absolutely loathe both of the main characters.  And yes, there are definitely characters in literature whom you hate in a good way, usually because their depravity intrigues you; but Leonard and Eunice, the two participants in the title's love story, are miserable, entitled, and spend most of the novel whining, unable to really put the global events around them into proper perspective.  I guess the best way to sum it up is to say that in the end, I didn't feel that the love story was all that sad at all-- mostly I was just overwhelmingly glad to be finished reading about it. 

50 Shades of Grey by E. L. James

Yup, I read it.  I'm not proud--curiosity got the better of me, okay? And it was even more awful than I'd anticipated.  You can read a full account of my journey into this trash at this link, but in summary I'll say that the controversial sex scenes you keep hearing about are far and away the least offensive, outrageous, and/or terrifying parts of this novel.  And I'm using the word "novel" extremely loosely.

A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin

So there's nothing bad about this book, strictly speaking, it's just a little bit underwhelming in the aftermath of Storm of Swords.  It's got a lot of fresh set-up and foundation laying to do, because of the million and one big reveals/payoffs at the end of Swords and the fact that there are three more books in the works, so as long as you keep that in mind A Feast for Crows still manages to be pretty enjoyable.  My only complaint is the narration choices, because in this book we're hearing primarily from characters who haven't been given their own chapters in the past, and for good reason.  Imagine if J.K. Rowling had decided to write Order of the Phoenix from the perspective of Winky the House Elf or Professor Sprout or Bellatrix LeStrange-- interesting perspectives, sure, but not necessarily who we want to hear from in the wake of everything that happened in the previous book.  A Feast for Crows also doesn't ever really achieve the same exciting pace as the previous novels, something probably to do with the POV characters and longer chapters, but maybe also just because it felt like we were getting an imbalance of background information compared to action in this book.

Onward by Howard Schultz

I got this book free since I was recently hired as a barista, which means there was no real reason not to read it.  I definitely found it interesting, and would recommend it to anyone who either works for Starbucks or patronizes them on a regular basis-- there are a lot of insights behind the practices and products that help clarify them.  Schultz writes in a very straightforward, clear style that is easy to follow and makes this a quick read as well.

Room:  A Novel by Emma Donoghue

It's clear from the first pages that this is not a book for everyone.  For those who (like me) are often pulled out of the story by a strange dialect or speech affect on the part of the narrator, it will be a struggle to get through this one, as the story is told entirely from the perspective of five-year-old Jack, a child who is living in captivity with his mother in a small room, which for him comprises an entire universe and meticulous routine.  As the story progresses, more and more of the world outside is revealed to Jack, and his mother is revealed to be much stronger and much more cunning than she initially appeared.  Interestingly, this one is based loosely on a true story.



Paper Towns by John Green

What a beautiful, strange, angsty little book.  Green manages to near-perfectly capture the adolescent voice and provides thoroughly relatable characters to boot.  There are some moments in here that it would be tempting to label as cliche, but the ending in particular more than compensates for that.  Additionally, this one took me about 2.5 hours to read, so it's a quick read that'll stick with you long after you've closed the book itself.

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

This book provides a touching fictionalized account of Ernest Hemingway's marriage to his first wife, Hadley, told from her point of view.  For anyone interested in all things related to Hemingway (like myself), this book is food for thought, if a bit trite and flowery at times.  Hadley somehow manages to come across as both whiny and surprisingly strong almost simultaneously.  McLain trips over herself occasionally in the prose, trying a bit too hard, perhaps, to emulate the writer around whom the action centers, but on the whole this is a fast, fun read.

Best Book:  A Storm of Swords by George RR Martin
Honorable Mention:  Paper Towns by John Green
Worst Book: Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James (absolutely unsurprising)
Fastest Read:  Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut