I didn’t just read that balderdash Shiver in January. No, there were others. Yes, indeedy. And because I feel the need to redeem myself — although if I really wanted to do that, I suppose I’d stop blogging altogether — I list them now.
My other January books:
~ Her Fearful Symmetry, Audrey Niffenegger
Funny, I’ve never read Niffenegger’s first book, The Time Traveler’s Wife. I started with Her Fearful Symmetry. Loved it. A story about identity and ghosts and obsessions.
~ A Reliable Wife, Robert Goolrick
Hypnotic. Redemptive. Obviously needs to be a movie. I’m casting it in my head already — along with my new “book” friend who I see every Saturday now. She works at the bookstore and the last two Saturdays have been ALL about A Reliable Wife. Although the cover with the dress is lame and makes it look like a bodice-ripper, which it’s not. There’s a better cover out there. I’ve seen it.
~ Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
Can’t even talk about this one. I’m still processing. SO different — and so much more amazing, really — than any preconception I’ve ever had about it.
~ Blue Like Jazz (a reread, thank you, Brian!), Donald Miller.
Perspective-changer on issues of faith. I love it.
~ The Sacred Romance, John Eldredge and Brent Curtis
Healing.
I’m still ruminating on much of what I’ve read last month. So much easier to spew something out about a book that didn’t matter to me.
I love Frankenstein so much. It’s kind of overwhelming.
It is. The perfect word: overwhelming. Honestly, I just had movie versions in my head — uhm, and spoofs, Young Frankenstein, anyone? — so the actual book, who everyone actually WAS — startled me, I guess. At every page I found myself thinking, “This is SO not what I ever thought it was.” In a GOOD way.
I still can’t even process it that — what? — a 20-year-old wrote that book. How can that be?
I know – the youth of the author is one of the most startling things about it. It’s a true “Romantic” era book – the fears of technology and progress, the fears about nature – and yet it’s this Gothic masterpiece. The anxiety in that book is palpable – it’s gotta be one of the most neurotic books ever written. So so good.
I need to read that book someday. I was always intimidated by the size of it. Also the reason I never read Moby Dick.
Actually, Frankenstein isn’t really that long, Brian – definitely not as long as Moby Dick. You should pick it up sometime – it’s kind of a page-turner, which was one of my big surprises about it!!
I may have been looking at the large print version 😉
For some reason or another it was stuck in my head that it was a thick book. I’ll grab a copy soon. Thanks for the clarification/correction Sheila.
Yeah, not long at all. I read it in a couple of days. It IS a page-turner.
sheila — I’m very ambivalent about Dr. Frankenstein. I went back and forth about him, if I liked him, if I didn’t; if he was right, if he was wrong. The monster made more “sense” to me. Maybe it’s odd to say but I felt …. I understood him better? Weird to say? It’s all so unsettling. I think that’s some of the genius of it.
sheila — Didn’t you read and like The Time Traveler’s Wife or am I thinking of a different book?
Brian – hahah Large print!! Yes, it’s definitely not as dauntingly HUGE as Moby Dick. I am very glad I picked it up – I read it in college, then years passed and I read it again recently and was amazed at it. It’s really an overwrought emotional book in many ways – because of all of the derivations of it (in movies) the original book has been lost somewhat, I think – and I’m very glad I went back and read it.
Tracey – Oh, I DEFINITELY loved the monster more than I loved Dr. Frankenstein. That, to me, is one of the crazy tensions in the book … and why I think she (almost a teenage girl) tapped into something so primal. Dr. Frankenstein was a bit of a drip, in my opinion – it was the monster who was not only the future, but the present moment. The animalistic side, the primal side, that maybe we don’t want to admit to – but that is THERE. I should read it again.
Tracey -And yes, I read Time Traveler’s Wife, almost under protest – but then totally fell in love with it. It’s maybe 100 pages too long (in my humble opinion) but it’s a first novel, so I forgive a lot with a first novel. The characters are great, and it really really got me at the end. I have been meaning to read her next one – now that I’m reading again, it is definitely on my list, and I am thrilled to hear that you liked it! she’s good stuff.
I love the title by the way. Her Fearful Symmetry. I don’t even need to know what it is about. That’s a damn good title. Nicely done.
thanks for the recommendations tracey. tracey’s book club…i like.
We have “Her Fearful Symmetry” on order for the library–guess we’ll get it next year and hope someone’s still interested to read it. If I’m still there, I might read it. Sounds intriguing.
I looked up “A Reliable Wife” and one of the reviews actually DID call it a “bodice-ripper”: “This is a bodice ripper of a hundred thousand pearly buttons, ripped off one at a time with agonizing restraint.”–Ron Charles, “The Washington Post” (courtesy bn.com)
I went to Powell’s tonight and left with The World is Flat by Thomas Freidman. I totally forgot Frankenstein. Darn, I’ll have to go back.
I’ve been meaning to read Her Fearful Symmetry, I’ve heard great things about it. I liked Time Traveler’s Wife, (liked not loved) it jumped around a little too much. But, if you’re looking for a recommendation, I highly recommend The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. From my understanding it contains similar themes as Her Fearful Symmetry, i.e twins, ghosts, and identity. Thanks for the recommedations, I always love to hear what others are reading.
I loved Frankenstein. I, too, had those preconceptions going in when I read it (and I first read it at a pretty young age), but was just blown away.
I’m trying to get my 10 year old to read it. I think it’ll floor her. I’m pretty sure she has those same notions about what the Frankenstein monster is.
Kate P — Well, THAT definition of bodice-ripper would fit the book, then. I agree with that. Some reviews have compared it to the Bronte sisters’ — uh, which one, hello? — but that’s a little ballsy, in my opinion. I suppose one could say there are faint echoes of Jane Eyre here, but I’d rather let this book be its own book.
sheila and Cullen — To be honest, I was basically expecting the monster’s entire contribution to be occasional moans of “ERGHHHHHUHHHHHHH” and so forth — I mean, THAT’S the level of preconception I was up against. I thought he’d moan and groan and grunt. So …. yeah …. imagine my surprise.
Not one “ERRGGGGUHHHHHHHHHHH.”
Not one.
cindy — No problem! You’re welcome.
sheila, again — Yes! A GREAT title. A little play on words and sounds. It’s so clever.
Kristina — Thanks for your recommendation. I’ll check it out.
Okay, I requested two of them from our library….don’t WORRY, I won’t hold you personally responsible if I don’t like them….much. 🙂
“Thirteenth Tale” is excellent. Reminds me a little of “Possesion”, say “Possesion-lite”. I did not see the solution coming.
I concur with Sheila- towards the end of “Time-Traveler” I was saying ‘Okay- let’s wrap this up.’ Liked it otherwise.
Frankenstein’s Monster and Tarzan suffered the same movie treatment- “ERGGGGHHHH”. “Me Tarzan, you Jane.”
Frankenstein is one of my favorites. Never thought I’d cry in a monster book, but to my day there are passages from that read that haunt me. Beautiful.