Book 81: Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
There are few books that I finish reading and truly regret not having read them earlier in life, and this […]
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Fiction
Book 80: I’ll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip. – John Donovan
I finished reading this book last week, but wanted to take the time to digest what I’d read. I’m still
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Book 78: Inheritance (Inheritance Cycle #4) – Christopher Paolini
What a fitting 50th book for 2011. Not only have I completed my ‘set’ goal for 2011, but I completed
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Book 77: Brisingr (Inheritance Cycle #3) – Christopher Paolini
In what was originally touted as the final book in the trilogy, Brisingr neither disappoints nor impresses and serves primarily as a place-holder in the series. There are some significant plot moments and a plethora of new characters, but all-in-all the novel serves only to highlight the atrocities the Empire has committed and is willing to commit to remain in power.
It is in Brisingr more so than any of the other novels that readers see what Paolini is trying to do (whether he is successful or not I will leave to each reader). He has created a world and he now has to fill it. Not only is he writing the story of what is happening in the world, but he is attempting to enumerate the myths, legends, and histories of the various inhabitants of Alagaësia. Whereas in Eldest we learn of the elves, in Brisingr we learn of the Dwarves and Urgals (bipedal creatures with huge horns growing out of their heads, think minotaur, but less bull like).
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Book 76: Eldest (Inheritance Cycle #2) – Christopher Paolini
With Paolini’s second novel, Eldest, I begin to understand and even empathize with some of the critiques people have of the individual novels. However, I remain disappointed in the generic critiques and the disregard for the environment of the writer (no that doesn’t excuse all of the complaints). Yes I know there is a lot to overlook, the sometimes rambling masked as description, or the occasionally lost characters, but the story itself is still a moving and fast paced (for the most part) story.
Where I’ve realized Paolini is weakest and truly lets the readers down is the last quarter of each book. Perhaps he will make it up to us with a masterful closing of the series, but I won’t hold my breath. So far, the events that take place in the last quarter of the novels are the most important and most revealing and by far given the least amount of space. It’s as if Paolini believes the climax has to occur in the last 50-100 pages and although it’s frustrating it’s worked well to place the next book, but how will the series end? As cliff hangers, yes they work, all you want to do is pick up the next book, but the revelations and the actions have such an impact the lack of dedicated space is worrisome.
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Book 75: Eragon (Inheritance Cycle #1) – Christopher Paolini
Just a warning, this is more of a rant about other readers than a review of the story. It is
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Book 74: Babycakes – Armistead Maupin
Babycakes takes place two years after Further Tales of the City and of the four books I’ve read in the series this is my least favorite. I understand characters have to grow and evolve, but sometimes you just don’t want them to.
In comparison to the other novels in this series, the novel seems angst ridden and is darker than the previous novels. I’m not sure if this is a direct response to Maupin’s mindset at the time or the general feeling of gloom and doom of San Francisco and the LGBT community at the time. Originally published in 1984, Maupin wrote the tales in Babycakes while Reagan was President of the US and Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of the UK and the AIDS crisis was on the horizon (although the Reagan administration didn’t acknowledge it until 1987).
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Book 73: Further Tales of the City – Armistead Maupin
Are you sick of the Tales of the City reviews yet? I hope not! I’m just finishing up Babycakes and should
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Book 72: More Tales of the City – Armistead Maupin
More Tales of the City picks up where Tales of the City ends and is just as entertaining and difficult to put down!
As the story opens, we find that Mary Ann has inherited money form her former boss Edgar Halcyon (Dede’s father) and she decides to take herself and Michael on a cruise to Mexico. While on the cruise, Mary Ann meets a lovely young man (Burke) and they hit it off. Michael meanwhile meets a former lover and they fall madly back in love.
While Mary Ann and Michael are out cruising, yes that is a double entendre, Brian becomes obsessed with a phantom of love, Mrs. Madrigal and Mona both find family in each other after Mona runs away and discovers her past, and Dede and Beauchamp continue to struggle in their marriage with their impeding children and their marriage.
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