Archive for February, 2008
February 28, 2008 at 11:49 pm · Filed under Books Etc
And feeling whiny. I shouldn’t complain—working part-time with so many children, most of them aged 9-12, I’m lucky I don’t get sick more often. It still sucks, though!
Being sick has taught me one thing: namely, that I probably need not fear osteoporosis. I am trying to avoid dairy products to help clear my sinuses, and I just can’t. There seems to be almost nothing I like to eat that doesn’t have, either in it or on it, some kind of dairy: milk, cream, cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, yogurt… mmm.
On the bright side, I just got a new (to me) fridge. My dad does home renovations, especially kitchens, and his clients quite often give away fairly new appliances. (Which is why I have a dishwasher, and why I was able to replace the chartreuse stove hood, a relic of the 1970’s, which used to be in my kitchen.) The new fridge is very nice, and about 30 years newer than the old fridge. Also it does not have fake wood handles, always a plus in my opinion!
The London Review of Books has an interesting article about how Israeli journalists use words to manipulate public perception of the Israel-Palestine conflict. The author, Yonatan Mendel, himself a former Israeli reporter, makes some intriguing points:
In most of the articles on the conflict two sides battle it out: the Israel Defence Forces, on the one hand, and the Palestinians, on the other. When a violent incident is reported, the IDF confirms or the army says but the Palestinians claim: ‘The Palestinians claimed that a baby was severely injured in IDF shootings.’ Is this a fib? ‘The Palestinians claim that Israeli settlers threatened them’: but who are the Palestinians? Did the entire Palestinian people, citizens of Israel, inhabitants of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, people living in refugee camps in neighbouring Arab states and those living in the diaspora make the claim? Why is it that a serious article is reporting a claim made by the Palestinians? Why is there so rarely a name, a desk, an organisation or a source of this information? Could it be because that would make it seem more reliable?
Whatever you think of the conflict itself, Mendel presents some great examples of how word choice influences reader opinion. I really wish the article was appropriate for some of my students, because it shows the importance of some of the stuff I’m trying to teach them (namely about how tone, mood, and style can affect what a reader takes away from a piece of writing.)
February 25, 2008 at 6:06 pm · Filed under Book Reviews, Fiction and Literature, World Literature, Young Adult Literature
21. Swimming in the Monsoon Sea by Shyam Selvadurai (YA) 274 p.
Amrith is a kind, sheltered fourteen-year-old living in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Raised by his mother’s childhood friend, Auntie Bundle, and her husband, Uncle Lucky, after his parents’ deaths, he has no blood relations of his own, and no close friends. That changes when his Canadian cousin Niresh arrives for a visit, and the two boys become close.
As usual, Shyam Selvadurai draws a wonderful portrait of Sri Lanka, this time of Colombo in August, 1980. Amrith is a very charming character, polite and intelligent.
I bought an ARC of this book without realizing it. It’s the first time I’ve ever read one, so I was pleased to discover only a few errors, mostly missing words and a few mistaken words (like “whetted” for “vetted”.)
I’ve always enjoyed Shyam Selvadurai’s writing, so I wasn’t surprised to find myself absorbed in Swimming in the Monsoon Sea. It was Selvadurai’s first young adult novel, though, and it’s nice to see that he made the transition from adult to YA fiction without any signs of difficulty.
Pages read: 6,472
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2008, Shyam Selvadurai, What's in a Name?, World Lit Challenge II
February 25, 2008 at 5:38 pm · Filed under Book Reviews, Historical Fiction, Mystery and Suspense, World Literature
20. The Chinese Lake Murders by Robert van Gulik (Historical Mystery) 204 p.
This is my second experience with a Judge Dee Mystery, and if anything, it was even better than the first. I’m still intrigued by the details of life in Tang-dynasty China, and The Chinese Lake Murders contains three very good mysteries for the judge to solve.
Although this book was written after The Chinese Bell Murders, it’s actually set earlier, during one of Judge Dee’s earlier appointments. It is A.D. 666, and Judge Dee is the new magistrate of Han-yuan. Although near to the capital, the town geography isolates it, so that few newcomers ever settle there or pass through the town.
The sinister atmosphere of the place is heightened by the presence of a mysterious lake. The bodies of those who drown in it are never found. However, at a party on a flower boat, a banquet given in honour of Judge Dee, a drowned body is found—that of a young courtesan, Almond Blossom, who only minutes earlier had danced for the guests.
Judge Dee has only just began to investigate the murder of Almond Blossom, when an even more puzzling crime comes to light. The case of a young bride found dead on the day after her wedding takes a strange turn when first the groom, and then the bride’s corpse, both disappear, and the murdered body of a poor carpenter turns up in the bride’s coffin.
Robert van Gulik never ventures into the private lives of any of his characters, which is a shame, because I would have liked to see Judge Dee’s home life. I still enjoyed The Chinese Lake Murders quite a bit, though!
Pages read: 6,198
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2008, Judge Dee, Robert van Gulik
February 24, 2008 at 2:17 pm · Filed under Miscellanea
It’s a beautiful, sunny winter day here in Toronto. A Sunday, which is my one free day. A perfect day to relax with a good book, and am I in the mood for any of the literally hundreds of unread books I own? No, I am not. Instead I’ll probably waste the day doing something pointless, like watching downloaded episodes of Farscape or McLeod’s Daughters. Or maybe I’ll go for a walk, clear away the cobwebs.
March Break is coming up for elementary and secondary school students, which may mean more work for me. That’s not a complaint—not only does more work mean more money, but I also love my job. I work for a tutoring centre where I teach English, Math, and French to kids and teenagers. My boss is awesome, the kids are great (and the little ones are cute as hell, even when they’re at their most trying), and the pay is much better than any other part-time job I could be doing. I’m really looking forward to March!
February 21, 2008 at 3:26 am · Filed under Book Reviews, Favourite Books, Historical Fiction
19. Trade Wind by M.M. Kaye (Historical Fiction) 551 p.
I think, if I had to choose the one word that would best describe this book, it would be “fraught”. Or “harrowing”, perhaps. Imagine a Gothic romance, set in mid-19th century Zanzibar, with an American heroine who happens to be a passionate do-gooder and a committed abolitionist. And a hero who is a smuggler and occasional slave-trader.
If you think you can see where this is going, you may have read too many historical romances. Although the book’s own blurb leaves no doubt that Hero Hollis and Emory Frost will end up together, how they get there is more than a little surprising. At least, it surprised me.
The best thing about M.M. Kaye’s writing is how genuine it is. Even when composing a novel that would have been trashy in most other authors’ hands, she keeps her characters both human and psychologically believable, and she is meticulous in her historical research. (She does take a few liberties with the history of the period, but the changes are scrupulously noted in a postscript.)
The only drawback about this book is its attitude toward rape, which I found a little disturbing, but not surprising, given the time and social milieu in which it’s set.
I always enjoy a book by M.M. Kaye, and Trade Wind is no exception. Raiders, slave traders, witch doctors, sultans, gold, jewels, shipwrecks, picnics, kidnapping, disease, gun running…seriously, this book has something for everyone!
Pages read: 5,944
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2008, Chunkster Challenge 2008, M.M. Kaye, What's in a Name?, World Lit Challenge II
February 19, 2008 at 7:55 pm · Filed under Book Reviews, Mystery and Suspense
18. The Watersplash by Patricia Wentworth (Mystery) 345 p.
Apparently a watersplash is a very shallow creek with stepping stones across it, so that’s one new thing I’ve learned today. I wasn’t much impressed with this Miss Silver novel; I guessed the entire solution before the first murder had even been committed, and I never got invested in any of the characters. Even Miss Silver failed to charm me as much as usual—although that could be the headache that’s been nagging at me all day.
Pages read: 5,393
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2008, Miss Silver, Patricia Wentworth
February 19, 2008 at 1:54 pm · Filed under Book Reviews, Children's Literature, Favourite Books, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
17. The King of Attolia by Megan Whelan Turner (Children’s Fantasy) 385 p.
It’s a rare series where each book is better than the last. This book introduces a new character, Costis, from whose point of view we see most of the story. Costis is a guard at the palace. Like almost everyone at court, he dislikes the new King of Attolia, assumes he’s unworthy of respect.
When he punches the King, he expects it to end his career. Instead, he finds himself in the King’s service. At first he’s resentful, but he begins to see that no one at court, and especially not the King of Attolia, are exactly what they seem.
This series already had a quest and a war, so why not court intrigue? Ms. Turner writes it beautifully. Eugenides is very much in character in this book, playing the part of a puppet so his opponents don’t realize he’s the puppet master, pulling their strings.
Despite the fact that most of the story is told from the perspective of an outsider, there’s still a lot of sharp characterization of Eugenides and Attolia. Some of the more minor characters, like Teleus and Relius, are further developed. Costis is a sweetheart, an honourable man trying to do the best he can with what he’s given, which sometimes isn’t much.
I don’t when I’ve enjoyed a children’s book as much as I enjoyed this one.
Pages read: 5,048
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2008, 888 Challenge, Cardathon Challenge, Megan Whalen Turner, The Thief Trilogy
February 19, 2008 at 2:22 am · Filed under Book Reviews, Children's Literature, Favourite Books, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
16. The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (Children’s Fantasy) 360 p.
The Thief is an excellent children’s fantasy novel; it’s sequel is very different, and far better. Longer and more sophisticated than the first book, The Queen of Attolia abandons the well-executed but still fairly standard quest plot of The Thief. Instead, we’re thrust straight into the middle of a robbery gone wrong.
Eugenides is captured in her palace by the Queen of Attolia. I don’t want to spoil the plot, but I was extraordinarily surprised by what happened, especially since this is, after all, a children’s book. Once he makes it back home, Eugenides becomes involved in the war that’s begun between Attolia, Sounis, and Eddis—a war which threatens to involved a powerful enemy, the Medes, who would like nothing better than to overrun all three countries.
This book had some lovely character development, particularly for the Queen of Attolia, but also for Eugenides. The plot was well-paced, with plenty of twists and turns. Once again, the treatment of some things seemed a bit simple, because I had to keep reminding myself that The Queen of Attolia is a children’s book.
Megan Whalen Turner was incredibly ambitious in choosing the subject matter she did for such a young audience, and I think The Queen of Attolia is wildly successful in that regard.
I’m also kind of in love with the way she treats her female characters; her two queens, while very different from each other, are both strong women without being Strong Women, if you know what I mean. I’m enjoying this trilogy far more than I expected (and my hopes were pretty high!)
Pages read: 4,963
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2008, 888 Challenge, A ~ Z Reading Challenge, Cardathon Challenge, Megan Whelan Turner, The Thief Trilogy
February 18, 2008 at 9:35 pm · Filed under Book Reviews, Children's Literature, Favourite Books, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
15. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (Children’s Fantasy) 280 p.
The thief of the title is Gen, a young man whose public boasts and subsequent theft of the king’s seal have led him to a cell in the king’s prison, shackled and without means of escape. After a few months in jail, he gets the chance to leave his cell, but only if he takes a journey with the magus, the king’s chief advisor, to steal something for the king.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about this book, and none of the praise has been undeserved. Gen is an engaging narrator, and taking the journey with him and his companions is a lot of fun. I had only two quibbles with this book. First, there is some exposition at the end that Gen gives straight to the reader, which I think would have been much less obtrusive if he’d been speaking to another character.
I also found the set-up of the world Gen lives in a bit unbelievable, in a way that would be problematic if the story was written for adults. Since it’s not, I’m more than happy to let it slide. Megan Whalen Turner has used bits and pieces of Ancient Greek history, geography, culture, and religion to create her countries of Sounis, Attolia, and Eddis, and on the whole I think it works well.
Pages read: 4,603
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2008, 888 Challenge, Cardathon Challenge, Megan Whalen Turner, The Thief Trilogy
February 18, 2008 at 12:25 am · Filed under Book Reviews, Mystery and Suspense, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
14. The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester (Science Fiction, Mystery) 243 p.
Ben Reich, head of Monarch Corporation, is one of the richest men on Earth. Or on Mars or Venus, for that matter. Unfortunately for him, he’s being beaten by a business rival, Craye D’Courtney. When his offer of a merger between their interests is refused, he decides that killing D’Courney is the only answer, despite the danger it would involve. And in Reich’s time, when Espers—mind readers—are common, it’s very hard to commit murder. And even harder to get away with it.
Lincoln Powell, the Police Prefect, is put in charge of the investigation into D’Courtney’s murder. As an esper, he has a dubious advantage—he knows Reich did it, but he needs hard evidence to prove it in a courtroom.
I’ve read that some people found Reich the more sympathetic of the two, charming despite his selfish viciousness. Having now read the book, I’m baffled by this. I’ve sometimes been charmed by a suave villain, but I found Reich totally unlikable: an egotistical, arrogant bully with an anger management problem. I found Powell far more interesting.
I found The Demolished Man a rather choppy. It starts with Reich planning the murder. After its execution, the story becomes a police procedural with Powell as the protagonist. Then, with less than no warning, there’s suddenly a save-the-world climax. There are one or two hopelessly inadequate lines of exposition explaining the nature of the threat. There’s a little more detail given in the dénouement, but not enough that I felt I actually had a grip on the situation. The whole thing left me scratching my head.
[spoilers]
I was also kind of disgusted by Powell’s romance with Barbara. I have read books containing actual incest that I found less disturbingly yucky. Barbara’s line at the end, about Powell having always been “a mean daddy”, made me cringe. I don’t think I’ve ever read a love story less convincing, or less romantic. (Also, the relationships between men and women in general remind me of those in Philip K. Dick’s books—and I don’t like them there, either.)
[/spoilers]
Despite what I find to be some rather serious drawbacks, The Demolished Man is a great book. It kept me riveted from the beginning to the very end, and contained some fascinating and brilliant world-building. I’m not the slightest bit sorry I read it, and I eagerly await the chance to read Alfred Bester’s other novel, The Stars My Destination, which I’ve heard is even better.
Pages read: 4,323
Tags: 50 Book Challenge 2008, Alfred Bester, Sci-Fi Classics Challenge
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