One of my goals is to read every Man Booker prize winner since 1982. Lately I have been reading everything but Man Booker prize winners. There a few factors that have driven my recent reading habits including: books my sister has sent me, the filming of ‘The Hunger Games’ in uptown Charlotte, and books I have to read as I seem to go through book clubs like Hugh Hefner goes through girlfriends. I will put my book reviews into three categories (serious novel, beach novel and non-fiction) and rate them out of five.
Freedom: A Novel by Jonathan Franzen (2010)
My absolute favourite genre is big, meaty, American contemporary fiction (preferably male authors); think Tom Wolfe, Philip Roth, John Updike etc. Freedom was right up my alley and easily earns its place next to the big guys. It begins as a story of a seemingly normal contemporary American family, but quickly transitions into a third person narration by the unhinged protagonist, Patty. It’s an engrossing and utterly convincing peek inside the mind of a deeply dissatisfied woman with well-developed characters.
Overall rating 4/5 (serious novel)
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008)
Because I was basically reading Dostoyevsky before I learned to walk, I used to tease my little sister when she read cheesy teen novels about mystery and unrequited love. Then one fateful day I saw “Twilight” on a flight from New York to London and thus began my love of all things teen vampire drama. I quickly expanded my repertoire to include Twilight, Vampire Diaries and True Blood and re-read novels aimed at young adults such as “Harry Potter” –which I’ve been enjoying more than grown-up books. Two possible hypothesis: 1) the quality of novels aimed at teens is higher than I anticipated; 2) my maturity peaked at 25 and I am now regressing back toward a fetal state. This newfound appreciation for teen-lit coupled with the fact that they are filming the movie adaption in Charlotte led me to read “The Hunger Games”. I devoured it in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down, I was totally addicted. The story line is full of suspense and draws the reader in. The book touches on some moral and emotional issues, but these are secondary to the compelling narrative. The only ‘dis I have is that the ending was a underwhelming and seemed rushed and disjointed. I have since recommended the book to a number of friends who have all loved it. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of parts two and three of the trilogy in the mail.
Overall rating 5/5 (beach novel)
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay (2008)
This book was recommended by a friend and was a rattling good summer read. The story is an intertwining of modern day Parisian journalist and a young girl who was separated from her family in the Vel' d'Hiv roundup and deportations of Jewish families from Paris in 1942. It’s a great page turning historical novel about some of France’s darkest days. The book makes a powerful emotional connection to the reader but the characters are a little stereotypical.
Overall rating 3/5 (beach novel)
One Day by David Nicholls (2009)
This is a great beach novel – but not a serious read. I think I enjoyed it more than most because the story begins at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland (where I spent three happy years), the cultural references belong to my generation, and the relationship that is the main theme of the book follows a path that I could relate to. The book is funny, sad, and incredibly sweet. Without giving too much away, it has a really great, totally unexpected twist. I went to see the movie, big mistake. I wasted two hours of my life that I will never get back. The movie was dis-jointed, confusing and didn’t do the story justice.
Overall rating 4/5 (beach novel)
Mary Ann in Autumn by Armistead Maupin (2010)
Overall rating 2/5 (beach novel)
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