Benevolence

I chose to read Cynthia Holz's Benevolence during a summer month, and that, to me, was a mistake. The atmosphere of this novel lends itself to winter reading. There is nothing light or airy about the content of the novel; rather, Benevolence is all about insecurities, lack of communication, secrets, and life lessons. It is a dark and cold book.

The novel is based around the lives of multiple characters. Ben, the poetic organ-donor psychiatrist, aches for a child, and is seemingly a lonely and lost man. Molly, Ben’s overbearing and aging mother, is a woman must come to the realization that perhaps a major part of her life is based upon a lie. Finally, Renata, Ben’s psychologist wife, is a woman who desires a child as well, and, despite her ability to solve problems, is unable to foster intimacy with her husband. Each character undergoes a paradigm shift when they interact with a new person they come to care about.

I enjoy reading this novel. Holz has a fluid style of writing, and the story of each character was captivating. My only criticism is that perhaps the novel could have been tightened better, as some chapters took a long time to get to their essential point. Yet, reading this novel still made me want to pursue other works by Cynthia Holz.

More information about the author and her works can be found here.

3.5/5

Information:

Benevolence Cynthia Holz Knopf Canada (2011), Hardcover, 320 pages

update!

Oh god, it's been a really LONG time since I last updated this blog. Now that I'm on summer holidays, I promise that things will be different.

In other news, I've read 49 books for the "50 Book Challenge", and am highly considering challenging myself to 100 books this year!

Briefly below, I'll tell you about two of the books I've recently read:

• Men and Dogs (Katie Crouch) - Men and Dogs looks at a slightly screwed-up thirty-five year-old woman, and her return home after her marriage fails. The overarching mystery of the novel is whether or not the woman's father, who vanished more than twenty years prior, is still alive. 

To be honest, while the plot was not overly original, I really enjoyed reading this novel. Crouch was able to capture the mood of the deep South effectively, and this mood resonates throughout (slightly southern gothic). It was an easy read, and one that made me laugh.  3/5 

• Back on the Rez (Brian Maracle) - This was an autobiographical account of a man's move to the Six Nations' Reservation in Ontario. Maracle examines rez politics, social structure, traditions, et cetera, while reflecting on his own life.

The book is divided into brief topic-driven personal essays, and are told in chronological order. As an English teacher, I'm tempted to incorporate some of Maracle's musings and observations into my Grade 12 Canadian English course; I feel that these essays offer invaluable insight into life on the Iroquois rez, and can help students to understand Aboriginal perspectives.   4/5

Othello

"O! now, for ever/Farewell the tranquil mind; farewell content!"

Oh how Othello is most favourite and treasured of all the Shakespearean tragedies! The sexiest of all the tragedies, and, indeed, the most tragic. What a warning against hubris you give to us! Beware of the darkness that lives in us all.

I read you first in high school, when I was an angst-ridden teen who hated any and all Shakespeare because it was "boring". I approached you with disdain, but by the end of the first act I was hooked. For the rest of those O.A.C. weeks, I was completely engrossed in this tale of human emotion, manipulation, betrayal, and vengeance. I wrote an astounding essay on the Moor, and it was empowering to see that I could actually understand and critique Shakespeare's language. Since then, I have read the play numerous times, watched the movies, and have, hopefully (ha ha), passed my love for this play down to my students when teaching.

The universal theme of jealousy is one that resonates throughout the play. As the audience, it touches us because many of us have been motivated out of jealousy, and have allowed jealousy to cause foolish decisions. How many of us have fought with our boyfriend or girlfriend based off a suspicion? How many of us have resented the success of others - feeling that somehow we also deserved this success?I know that I have felt this was on occasion, and, when speaking to my friends about this, they have admitted similarly,  my friends have too. Quite simply, humans are fickle like the chameleon, Iago, or the Moor, Othello.

Living in the North, I have struggled to make Shakespeare relevant to my students. When studying Othello, I do a couple of major things to help with this conundrum (aside from the usual activities). First, I have my students watch O , which is the modern adaptation of the play, as it puts the plot and themes in the applicable teen context. My students like the story of Odin and Desi, and are disgusted by Hugo. Watching the movie, triggers emotions in them. Second, I always use Spark Notes' No Fear Shakespeare: Othello to read. We read the play in modern English as a class, and, I supplement the content by doing notes and discussing Shakespearean language on occasion. I find that this version of the text is easy for my students to understand (especially since several of them are ESL), and, more importantly, they can giggle and laugh at the story.  Suddenly Shakespeare doesn't seem to unapproachable!  While we do work on other activities (essays, questions, crosswords, quick writes, film reviews of Othello, et cetera), I honestly believe that putting Shakespeare into the modern world for my students does wonders for them, and they get the play.

Needless to say, I look forward to teaching this play again next year. 

Readers, what's your favourite Shakespeare play and why?

The Passage

The most recent book read was a novel, The Passage, by Justin Cronin. As I'm on my way out to Saskatoon, I'll post a longer review later; however, I will state that I did like this book. I wasn't super into it always (oh god, I sound one of my teenage students) as I read it; yet, upon finishing said novel, I've gone back to re-read certain passages and chapters. These characters stuck with me. I'm excited for the sequel.

The sewage line backed up, and flooded our basement. Yes, we had about 3 inches of  fetid water all over the basement floor, and it destroyed a lot. Right now, my common-law and I are currently in the process of cleaning it up. Since we’re on the break, and I need something to take my mind of the crappy situation (ha ha), I’m going to finally review New Moon.

Well, as you already know New Moon is a continuation of the Twilight saga. The plot continues to revolve around everyone’s favourite manchild vampire, Edward Cullen, and the simpering object of his thirsty affection, Bella Swan. In this book, Edward flees after a certain incident, and leaves a heartbroken Bella to pick up the pieces. Any teenager with a good sense of angst and melodrama will adore such a book.

I’ve heard a lot of criticism about the melodramatic nature of the plot. Critics disliked the fact that Bella’s life seemed to end when Edward left; however, as someone who suffered through high school breakups and sees them all the time with her students, I can say that life does seem to end after a traumatic romantic separation. You have days where everything seems meaningless, and you want to pine away. I thought this was a realistic feature of the novel. Personally, I felt the plotlines involving Italy, the Volturi, and the werewolves were the less interesting aspects of this novel.

Our characters continue to act very much in the same way. Bella continues her self-absorbed obsession with the Cullen family, and continues to tempt males with her amaaaaaaaaaaaaazing beauty (honestly, I don't know what they see in her - she's boring!). Edward continues to be the perfect period piece man and loves the whining of the damsel. Jacob, while transformed into a gang werewolf, is still naive and powerless against Bella's wiles. Finally, dear ol' Dad remains doting and completely clueless. Nothing new here. Seriously.

With this novel, Meyers has been able to write another fast-paced best-seller. This book doesn’t ask any major existential questions or journey beyond simple plotlines and basic themes; yet, there is something endearing about New Moon. I would recommend it.

Ok, back to cleaning the basement.

3/5

Information:

New Moon (The Twilight Saga) Stephenie Meyer Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (2009), Edition: 1 Reprint, Mass Market Paperback, 576 pages

My Last Duchess

I just finished reading My Last Duchess. I found the book to be a bunch of easy-reading malarkey, which I suppose should have not surprised me given that said book was marketed as a "historical romance". The author, Daisy Goodwin, had borrowed much of her plot from A Portrait of a Lady, but, unlike James, Goodwin was unable to make the story truly compelling. I found the book to be weak and unremarkable.

The heroine of this novel, Cora Cash, is a self-absorbed American heiress, that seemingly escapes an overbearing mother in order to marry a ludicrous prig, the Duke of Wareham. As you might have guessed, I have little sympathy for Cash or the "conflicts" that she finds herself to be embroiled in. Cash's lack of personality and her boring marriage doesn't really leave me rooting for her when threats arise.

This book is the type of book you buy in an airport, read on the plane, and then never bother looking at again.

2/5 

Information:

My Last Duchess Daisy Goodwin Headline Review (2010), Paperback, 448 pages

While my grade twelves were writing their final English exam, I sat down and read Holidays on Ice, by David Sedaris. Some of these essays were amazingly funny. Indeed, during several parts, I found that  I was in quiet hysterics. I'm pretty sure my kids thought I was laughing at their own personal exam hell. Such are the immense powers of works such as "SantaLand Diaries" and "Six to Eight Black Men".

So yes, really really really funny book. Check it out if you like sarcastic essays that point out the absurd nature of today's society.

The only thing I thought was weak about this book was in the inclusion of Sedaris' short stories. Quite frankly, I feel that Sedaris tried a little to hard to make his short stories 'amusing' and 'hilarious' for his readers, and it didn't work. They actually made me yawn. Seriously. 

But I'd buy this book just for its essays.

3.5/5 

Information:

Holidays on Ice David Sedaris Back Bay Books (2010), Edition: Reprint, Paperback, 176 pages

A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali

When I was in university, I took a few classes on Third World Politics and attended a conference on African nations by the Mennonite Central committee. I also watched films like Hotel Rwanda, Shake Hands With the Devil, and Journey into Darkness. I thought I had a pretty good handle on what happened in Rwanda. I thought I could fathom the violence, and understand the victims.

And then I read A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali.

Gil Courtemanche’s novel is horrifying in its honesty, and a terrifyingly memorable read. It is a story of humanity, violence, brutality, betrayal, and love. Not only love between human beings, but also the love that one can have for one’s homeland.

The central plot revolves around Bernard Valcourt, a Quebecois journalist, and his  Hutu lover, Gentille. Their relationship develops as Rwanda sinks into violence. The more serious their relationship becomes, the greater the horror in Rwanda. Their relationship is doomed as soon as these two meet, but, as a reader, one can’t help but hoping everything will be alright for them.

This book is infused with sex. On that note, to me, it is much like Leonard Cohen’s Beautiful Losers, as both books examine sex/passion in the face of adverse situations. In A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali, I was struck how despite the horror of AIDS and death, the characters still want to make love, and still want to, for the most part, worship the human body. The characters live in the present, and don’t allow the fear of illness or death to interfere with procreation.  Some critics might denounce the sexual content as drawing attention away from genocide, but I feel that the sexual nature of this novel only enriches it.

Essentially, A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali is a tragedy based off of a real-life tragedy.  I think the novel does an excellent job of humanizing the events, and at recreating the tension before the genocide occurred. If you have any interest in modern Africa, then read this novel. I promise,  you won’t regret having done so.

4.5/5

Information:

A Sunday at the Pool in Kigali Gil Courtemanche Vintage (2004), Paperback, 272 pages

Book Two: Twilight

I have a confession: I bit the bullet, and read Twilight.

Yes, I’ve now joined the hordes of other girls and women who have wasted their time reading about vampire romance. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve even read this book, given that I’ve made scorching comments about the “sexy vampire” genre in the past. Of course, now I realize that I’m simply unable to resist the temptation of Edward Cullen and his godlike appearance.

Ha ha.

Anyway.

We all know about the plot of this novel, right? If not, it’s pretty basic. Girl moves to small town. Girl is soooooooo beautiful and amazing that everyone falls in love with her, including a turn-of-the-century man/boy vampire.  Girl and vamp become friends, and eventually get together to exchange some chaste kisses. Boy vamp thirts for her blood (symbolic much?) but avoids the temptation of “biting” her. Girl gets introduced to vampire culture, and learns that there are bad AND good vampires. Girl gets into danger, but escapes. Girl and vampire live somewhat happily ever after, but remain celibate. As I said, basic plot, and certainly didn’t introduce anything new into the literary world, but Meyers is able to sell lots.

Meyers does an apt job at creating a romance sans  the great monster of premarital sex. The restrained nature of the relationship between Bella and Edward reminds me more of a Victorian gothic love story, such as Jane Eyre, than the modern love stories of today. The relationship of Bella and Edward is based off words, staring, and certainly lacks in carnal passion (except when they do a couple of kisses).  These two teenagers have to hold their desires in check, and it doesn’t really seem to bother them. As former teenager, I know that the restraint is a rather unusual in relationships, and thus their relationship seems more of an ideal than a reality.

As you can guess, I don’t feel that Meyers doesn’t write great “literature”, but I will admit that Meyers is perfectly able to churn out a best-seller. The language is basic and accessible to anyone. In other words, you don’t have to be an intellectual to read this. Meyers does a great job, at describing things; although, her descriptions grow a bit old when she repeats the same phrases over and over again (such as “angelic”, “marble”, “godlike”, et cetera). There is enough tension, sexual or otherwise, to keep the reader wanting to go on. Despite these plusses, Meyers is unable to write a truly compelling story, I believe, given that her plot and character development are weak.

Bella Swann, the protagonist, was dull.  At the start of the novel, we see a teenager with some rebellion and spark in her personality. She dislikes dancing, feels awkward, and views herself as being almost grotesque. She reminded me of myself as a teenager! Yet, magically in the town of Forks, Bella becomes a beautiful girl who the boys are unable to resist. I think her allure goes to her head, because by the time she and Edward get together, she’s an obsessive and infatuated shrew. In less than a hundred pages, she manages to turn into a girl who is weak-minded and boyfriend obsessed. Her life revolves around her boyfriend, so much so, in fact, that she’s willing to sacrifice her 17 year-old self in order to spend eternity with him. She is constantly thinking about him, and gazing at him admiring his beauty. Yawn. Needless to say, I feel sorry for her friends, and she bores me as a person.

In comparison, I found Edward Cullen to be the more compelling character. He whines a lot less than Bella, and seems to be more emotionally mature than our heroine. I suppose that this emotional maturity stems from the fact that he has been alive for more than one hundred years. Cullen is also an ideal man given that he is respectful, devoted, and dutiful to his love. I think these aspects of his personality are what sends hearts a-flutter.

It took me about four hours to tear through Twilight, and then, despite any reservations, I started reading New Moon. Apparently, I’m full-fledged member of the Stephenie Meyers’ fan club now.

Twilight and New Moon

Well, I just finished reading Twilight and New Moon. Apparently I betrayed all I hold dear and true by reading said books. Anyway, they were catchy and ok. I'll do a more formal review later.

Update: A Perfect Circle

I'm currently reading A Perfect Circle, by Pascale Quiviger, and will post a review when I'm finished the book. The book is taking me a while to get through mostly because I'm savouring the prose its written in. There are some delicately poetic passages in the novel, and that makes reading a real treat.

A Feast for Crows

So yes, I did finish reading A Feast for Crows, and, like the rest of the books in the Song of Fire and Ice series, I read this novel incredibly quickly. Yes, I'm wonderful.

Ahem.

Enough of my reading speed; let's talk about the book itself...

I liked this book and I really did enjoy it.. Martin continued to develop some characters, such as Sansa and Brienne, and this made the book more satisfying for me.  I was able to see how these characters had progressed throughout the series, and also able to see how the actions of others had affected them. I thought it was fantastic that Martin's writing enabled the reader to see another side of Cersei (and boy, what a bitch she is), and was unsurprised that my sympathy for Jaime Lannister has continued to grow. The character development, I guess, was what I most appreciated about this book. Martin has done an excellent job with these people of Westeros.

Moving along....

I found myself bemoaning, "WHAT THE HELL!? HE'S INTRODUCING ANOTHER CHARACTER? I HATE THESE NEW CHARACTERS!". It's the truth. I hated when the book would jump to the Dornish lands and would be about Dornish politics. I found these plot lines to be boring, distracting, and forced. This series is epic, but perhaps it shouldn't be so epic that new story lines and characters are added every three chapters or so.

Did this book make me excited for the fifth book (whenever it will be released)? Yes, it did. A Feast for Crows left me feeling satisfied, and still eager for more. Bravo, Martin!

3.5/5

Information:

A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4)

George R.R. Martin

Bantam (2007), Paperback, 784 pages

Currently Reading...A Feast for Crows

As previously stated, I'm reading "A Feast for Crows". I'm already on page 347.

Go Team Stark!

A Storm of Swords

As some background, I should say that I loved “A Game of Thrones” and literally tore through said book. I read the novel in a day, and I don’t think I ate, slept, or spoke during those 24 hours of reading. Needless to say, I was excited to read “A Clash of Kings”, but I found the book to be depressingly disappointing. I struggled to complete it, as I found the plot boringly diluted and the characters to be self-absorbed prigs. It reminded me of how television shows often set up for a really great episode by having a weaker episode featured the week prior, and “A Clash of Kings” certainly was the weaker. When the time came to read the third in the “Song of Fire and Ice” series, I was slightly apprehensive about reading “A Storm of Swords”, and worried that I might be losing interest in the series. Thankfully, my expectations were met and exceeded by this novel.

“A Storm of Swords” is a wonderfully action-packed book that is infused with lust, conflict, religion, and political intrigue. Martin’s characters continue to struggle with their morality and the choices that they have made in the past. Jaime Lannister, the kingslayer, is an example of this, as he begins to examine the role he played in murdering the  Targaryen king. Events in this book cause Jaime Lannister to shift his perspective, and thus become a fascinating character. Betrayal also runs strong throughout. Perhaps the most shocking act of betrayal involves Lord Frey and the tragic Stark family. I remember being shocked and horrified by how those events played out. Murder is everywhere, apparently, and none of Martin’s characters are sacred.

After having finished, “A Storm of Swords” last night, I eagerly began “A Feast for Crows”. Let’s hope the fourth is just as good as the third.

5/5

Information: 

A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 3) George R.R. Martin Bantam (2003), Mass Market Paperback, 1216 pages

A Storm of Swords

I'm not ready to officially review this epic novel yet, because I'm not done reading it; however, I will state that I'm really enjoying it thus far (much more so than A Clash of Kings). The writing is detailed yet entertaining, and I'm completely addicted to finishing this book.

Thanks Jamie, for this great birthday present!