Now I've gotten to the point where I think I'm finally losing/finally lost steam. The writing bug itch isn't as scratchy as it was this morning. (Not to mention my coffee wore off HOURS ago). That being said, I still wanted to post tiny blurbs/ratings for the remainder of books I've tackled this year. Some of these were months ago, so they're an echo in my memory. Overall impressions remain - but not much more. I'm hoping I keep my bookworm on throughout 2015 and can post more of these pseduo-book reports with more details/criticisms/ramblings more fresh in my perma-fatigued frazzled brain. Here's a dump of the remainders. Will likely be a minute or five until I get a chance to post any new ramblings - along with being in a queue for the current 5 on my reading list behind others, I've also got trips back home and a pending move approaching in the following weeks, so likely won't have too much free time on my hands to get my read/write on until August. Til then. . .
Stardust - Neil Gaiman
A love story. Fairies, magical woods, a fallen star. Another magical Gaiman masterpiece, but a bit more on the softer side. A quick breezy read without too much darkness. A happy ending. I can imagine a lot of teeny bopper raver girls or artsy kids who pretend they're into witchcraft and frequent Alchemy Arts digging this one. I'm neither of those stereotypes, and I'll admit I enjoyed it as well. Not the best Gaiman selection, but still a fun enough read. I'd rate this one 6.5/10.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - Michael Chabon
My first second Kindle read! (Murakami beat it, but as you'll read below - doesn't technically count). It was immediately available for download on ChiPubLib website since it's the official selection for the One Book, One Chicago program. It was longer than it needed to be, for sure. Story followed two young Jewish lads on their quest for comic book notoriety, which they achieved, and then lost. Throw in a love story or two on top of it, and some teenage/adulthood angst, and there you have it. If you're looking for a long story and are into comics, this might be for you. I didn't mind the story, and liked Chabon's writing style enough to check out another one of his works afterwards - but it's safe to say I won't be revisiting this particular novel again. My rating: 5.5/10.
Wonder Boys - Michael Chabon
Definitely a more enjoyable read than the prior Chabon book I read. I understand this selection was made into a film too, which I've never seen. Maybe worth a watch? I dunno. Well written, but also kind of painful to continue reading all the pitfalls and catastrophes that manage to follow the protagonist. A lot of face palming, yet you still hope it all works out for the sad sack at the end. I rate this one a 6.5/10.
Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman
The first Gaiman book I read! After finishing the Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, the 2015 Chicago Public Library selection for the One Book, One Chicago program, I skimmed through past year selections and this made the cut. Hence, the nudge I needed to get over my reluctancy to pick up a Gaiman book. And I'm glad I finally did. This story reminded me very heavily of some Murakami vibes, but with a slightly darker edge. The 'bad guys' in this one seem like legit bad guys, and the thin line balance between reality 'London Above' and non-reality, but still 'reality' 'London Below' is so blurred, it gives you a bit of a mind think. But it's a great introduction to Gaiman's other works, and I recommend it very highly, maybe even more so than American Gods. No fairies in this one, or minotaurs or evil blobs, but there is still a dark presence that lurks beyond the edges. If you like Murakami, pick this one up. I did and I loved it. I'd rate this one a 9/10.
The First Bad Man: A Novel - Miranda July
Oh, Miranda. You overly honest feminsitic genius perv, you. This book is exactly what you'd expect from Ms. July. Perversions and oddities. In the best way possible. If you're not into weird sex shit or you don't dig Miss July's quirky sense of awesome, this isn't going to be the book for you. But if you are? It's classic her. I'd rate this one a 6.5, because it isn't her best work, but it's definitely still worth a read.
The Strange Library - Haruik Murakami
I am a huge Murakami fan. He is my favorite author and I love him and his stories. I will read everything he puts out. But this was such a bummer town tease! Yes, it was listed as a novela. But due to my lack of patience and inability to wait for my 45th position in queue to read this from the library, I splurged and spent 8 bucks on this eBook. And read it in literally 20 minutes. TWENTY MINUTES! One of the many reasons I love Murakami so much is his lengthy tales. It's like a commitment, sinking into one of his tales. You commit yourself to the story, and it becomes a part of your life throughout the read. Not this one, folks. And I'm pretty sure there's no cats in this one either, despite the cover. (Although it has been some months since I flew through this one). It's a dark twisty little tale, and it's good for what it is. But talk about a jaded, disgruntled Jodi after realizing - wait, what, really? LAME. For the story itself, I'd rate it an 8. For the book it's labeled as/pretending to be? I'd rate it a 2. Totally disappointed. But I still love him, anyway.
The Goldfinch, The Little Friend & The Secret History - Donna Tartt
I started with the Goldfinch, which technically was read late last year and was a legit, hard cover actual BOOK. Not an eBook. But the book itself was what got me hooked on this author, and even though I got glazey eyed and had a tendency to skim all the art references in the book, (which unfortunately, are somewhat many due to the plot revolving around a piece of stolen artwork), I still enjoyed this as a fun read. It also got tons of acclaim, so if you want to learn more about it, you can google it. Or go to any library and pick up a copy, I'm sure there's a shit ton of them since this was one of the most popular reads last year.
The next Tartt book I conquered was The Little Friend, my personal favorite of the three books she has out. Many will disagree with me, and vouch for the Goldfinch, or even the Secret History. Not me, I dug this one. There wasn't as much overly dramatic overtones in it as the other two. It was still dark and twisty and full of suspense, but more believable? (Barely, but maybe). The story follows a young stubborn, scampy kinda girl, determined to find out who killed her older brother years prior. Her path twists in all sorts of directions it shouldn't, and she gets in over her head. It's a good read, a page turner.
The Secret History was the final Tartt selection I tackled. This one centered around a bunch of douchey college kids who all nerded out over their love of the Greek language. But gasp! Murder ensues! NOT MURDER!? Ha. It's a good read, but kind of predictable. Still, I enjoy Tartt's style and she does manage to keep the readers engaged, so I'd still recommend to a friend.
My ratings for the three: Goldfinch - 7/10; The Little Friend - 8.5/10; The Secret History - 7.5/10
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