Paging All Bookworms! discussion

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Read any good books lately? We want to know about them.
How about real stinkers? We want to know about those too!


Enter your reading list and/or reviews here. Did you like it? Hate it? Feel lukewarm?

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Happy reading!

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Articles on Macbeth [1975-2009] 353 pages

Another "fake" book: Eighteen articles from Academic Search Premier about the play; the remainder of the articles (from the last ten years) I will read in a week or so, which will finish my study of Shakespeare until next summer, assuming I go to the Utah Shakespeare Festival as usual on my vacation next year. Almost all these articles stuck to the play itself; although there were two that gave Freudian analyses there was no Lacan or Derrida. The individual articles are reviewed in my Challenge thread here.

Fruit Of the Drunken Treee – Ingrid Rojas Contreras – 4****
Based on the author’s own life experiences, this novel tells the story of a family “safely” ensconced within their gated community in Bogotá, Columbia in the early to mid 1990s. I loved that Contreras used two different young women (girls, really) to narrate this story. The viewpoint alternates between seven-year-old Chula and Petrona, who is the family’s teen-aged maid. Each has a limited viewpoint due to their life experiences. I was completely immersed and engaged in their story from beginning to end. It’s a strong debut for Contreras and I look forward to reading her future works.
LINK to my review

Han Kang, The White Book [2016; tr. 2017] 148 pages

A very different book from both Human Acts and The Vegetarian, The White Book is written in short, poetic chapters (including some actual verse) meditating on white things. The two themes which tie the various chapters together are the narrator's older sister who died two hours after a premature birth, and the reconstruction of the "white city" (presumably Warsaw, though unnamed) after its virtual destruction by the Nazis in World War II. The narrator is a writer from another country (one might assume Korea, although it is also not named) who has recently arrived to live in this foreign city. I think the connection between the different themes is the creation or re-creation of identities after a personal or historical crisis. The book is divided into three parts, I, She, and All Whiteness. The first part is in the first person, and is mainly about the narrator and her sister, and the city. The second part is in the third person; it begins with the mention of a girl named Snow-flower, the daughter of a famous writer (the only names in the book), and is concerned largely with images of snow and ice and other natural things (the moon, birds, trees, the Milky Way). It is unclear whether the chapters are about Snow-flower or the narrator, and the two seem to blend. In the third part, the narrator also seems to merge with the sister and imagines a world in which the sister lived and the narrator was never born.

Tom Stoppard, The Real Inspector Hound and Other Plays [1993] 211 pages

This is actually the same book as Plays one, the first volume of the collected plays. It contains four, five or six plays, depending on how you divide them (New Found-Land is embedded in Dirty Linen, and Dogg's Hamlet and Cahoot's Macbeth are so interconnected that they could hardly be performed separately.) All are comedies with (intentionally) absurd plots. The Real Inspector Hound, like Rosencranz and Guildenstern Are Dead, collapses the distinction between the play and the observer. After Magritte recounts the aftermath of a visit to an exhibition of Magritte's art, and is filled with in-jokes about surrealist art; the plot is based on various perspectives on the same "event" which may not actually be an event at all. Dirty Linen is a farce about the sexual habits of members of Parliament (it would work as well, with a little re-writing, for Congress) and the sensationalism of the press (I get the impression that the line between the "respectable" press and the tabloids is more permeable in Britain than here). New Found-Land is embedded between the beginning and end of Dirty Linen, and is essentially a monologue of clichés about the United States. Dogg's Hamlet consists of a fifteen minute version of Hamlet performed ostensibly by a student group, which speaks a language that consists of English words used with different meanings than in English (based on one of the language "games" in Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations); Cahoot's Macbeth is an homage to the Czech playwright Pavel Kahout, who performed an abridged version of Macbeth clandestinely during the period of "normalization" following the Prague Spring. It consists of a brief version of Shakespeare similar to the Hamlet of the first play, interrupted by the police and by one of the characters from that play, which then reinterprets the linguistic theme in terms of the resistance to totalitarianism. Stoppard is a playwright of ideas, and much of the fun in his comedies is in recognizing ideas and allusions under the absurdist disguise.

Hwang Sok-yong, At Dusk [2015; tr. 2018] 188 pages

Hwang Sok-yong's newest novel, At Dusk begins with an architect in his sixties, Park Minwoo, receiving a message from an old girlfriend and then visiting a dying childhood friend in his hometown. The second chapter turns to a twenty-nine year old woman, Jung Woohee, who directs plays while earning a living working night shift in a convenience store. Their life stories are presented in flashbacks, in alternating chapters, but it is not clear until the end what connection there is between the two. Park Minwoo grew up in a slum, but managed to get an education and become successful, turning his back on his earlier life. The novel is basically about his feeling that he has made bad choices and that his life has been a failure after all. There was some background about the economic development of the country and the conditions of the working class. While not a bad novel it did not really grip me like his earlier books, perhaps because the characters (especially Park Minwoo) did not seem that interesting.

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) Cassandra Clare
5 ★

Now that the Mortal War is over Clary is hoping that life can get back to normal. Jace and her are getting closer as she trains to be a Shadowhunter and her mom is marrying Luke. She should have known that it wasn't to be. Clary's actions have set off a chain of events that may end up with her losing Jace. There's a new werewolf in town that upsets Maia and Simon is the guys new roommate.

This book starts not long after The Mortal War. I was a bit surprised at how fast everything seemed to clear up and move on. There was no mention of what happened after and no mention of Sebastian/Jonathan. When Jace starts having bad dreams I just figured it was aftershocks from the battle. I was truly surprised by the real reason for the dreams. I give kudos to the author for this twist. The author suggests reading the Infernal Devices trilogy before this book and I agree. A character from the trilogy is mentioned and Magnus' past is brought up. It was nice to have the background story.
In my opinion, Jace is the best character in this series. His emotions are everywhere and for good reason. He has a tragic past, that he just learned about, and although he wants to be loved he feels like he doesn't deserve it.He's a character that you can't help but pray and hope for.

Jesus Land – Julia Scheeres – 3.5***
This is a memoir of growing up with parents who adhered to a religious fundamentalism but who were abusive to their children – particularly to their two adopted African American boys. The love that Julia and her adopted brother David share, as well as the unbreakable bond of brother and sister shine through, and help them endure.
LINK to my review

The Dark Days of Hamburger Halpin – Josh Berk – 3***
This is a humorous coming-of-age story with a bit of a mystery thrown in and featuring an unlikely hero. Will Halpin is deaf, overweight and struggling to make friends in his new school. I’m glad to see a YA book that features a main character with a disability, who finds ways to deal effectively in a world that doesn’t always made accommodations for him. It's a fast read, and I loved Will & Devon's humor.
LINK to my review

Everless (Everless #1) by Sara Holland
5 ★

Blood Iron, blood taken and bound to iron, is used to pay taxes in Sempera. Consuming the Blood Iron adds years to your life, but takes years away when the blood is taken from the individual. The Gerlings are one such family who are hated by many because of their Blood Iron consumption. Jules Ember and her father were forced to flee Everless 10 years ago and she has now returned as a servant to earn time to save her father’s life. Jules meets up with old friends and ends up in danger once again. Secrets are revealed and she may have the power to change time itself.
This book had me hooked from chapter one. The whole concept of Blood Iron is intriguing and unique and the characters are fabulous. Jules' love for her father is strong and genuine. She would do anything for him. I was intoxicated by the mystery aspect of the story and enjoyed how Jules continued to remember things from her past. I wish I could say that I figured it out, but Sara Holland is one heck of a story teller and the surprised came form every angle. I actually ended up getting book 2 before I even finished book 1 so that I didn't have to wait. I can't wait to see where Jules goes from here.

Wicked – Gregory Maguire – 2.5**
This is a re-telling of The Wizard of Oz, told from the viewpoint of Elphaba, the “Wicked” Witch of the West. I thought Maguire’s book went just too far afield in directions I never expected. Some of the scenes were downright disturbing. Still, it’s definitely imaginative, and there are some scenes that really forced me to think about assumptions, first impressions, and entrenched behaviors. So, while I can’t say I particularly enjoyed the book, I am glad to have finally read it.
LINK to my review

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Miss Julia Renews Her Vows – Ann B Ross – 3***
Book # 11 in the Miss Julia series, featuring a Southern lady of a certain age, who is prone to jumping to conclusions but always takes action to help those in need. Miss Julia is just a hoot, and she’s most entertaining when she’s in a dither about something. Her read on things may be completely wrong, but she always manages to arrive at the right conclusion, or at least to help the authorities find the real culprit. Visiting with Miss Julia and her friends is a pure joy.
LINK to my review

Arthur Schnitzler, Das weite Land [1911] 174 pages [in German, Kindle] + 15 page sec. article

A complex play set in the bourgeois and professional layers of Vienna at the beginning of the twentieth century, dealing with deceit, hypocrisy and self-delusion as an older traditional morality is incompletely replaced by newer and more liberal mores. On the one hand nearly everyone in the play is having an affair, or has just finished having an affair, or is trying to have an affair, and everyone privately claims to be liberated and free from any sort of philistine moral hangups, that love affairs are just a "game"; but at the same time, they all pretend in public that they are all conventionally respectable, and in fact below the surface are all the emotions, envies and jealousies that they pretend to be free from. The private emotional scenes take place within a matrix of public social posturing; the serious dialogues are continually interrupted by other characters wandering in and out chattering about tennis or the weather. Much of the dialogue is comic, although never so unrealistic as to be farce; but the contradictions between the private and public moralities lead to tragedy in the end.

Martin Swales, "Schnitzler's Tragi-comedy: A Reading of "Das weite Land"" (Modern Austrian Literature 10, 3/4, 1977) 15 pages -- A general summary and interpretation of the play.

Summer Rental – Mary Kay Andrews – 3***
Three women who’ve been besties since kindergarten are each at a crossroads when they rent a beach house for a month. They take in another woman who’s running from a dangerous man. Throw in a sexy landlord, some romance and a few twists and turns to keep things interesting and you have a good formula for a perfect beach read. Grab a beach chair, some iced tea (or a mojito), and some sunscreen and enjoy.
LINK to my review

Johann Nestroy, Einen Jux will er sich machen [1842] 103 pages [in German]

"Das ist klassisch!" Nestroy's best known work outside Austria, this is a farce of mistaken identity set in Vienna, about two employees who decide to have an adventure while their boss is away. Of course he shows up, and they disguise themselves and run into the shop of the boss's fiancée. Meanwhile, the boss's ward has eloped with a young man, and they all are mistaken for one another. Somewhat hard reading due to the nineteenth century Viennese dialect and the many puns and local and topical jokes; the play has been adapted many times in English, including by Tom Stoppard (On the Razzle) and twice by Thornton Wilder (the second time as The Matchmaker, which in turn was adapted as the musical Hello Dolly!).

A Stardance Summer – Emily March – 3***
Book # 13 in the “Eternity Springs” series. A young woman running from trouble; her former high school crush now a successful businessman; a group of seniors intent on living life to the fullest. Mix together with a spiritual guru who will help everyone find their inner happiness. A fast, easy summer read.
LINK to my review

The Wrath and the Dawn – Renée Ahdieh – 3***
This is a YA romance novel which takes its inspiration from A Thousand and One Arabian Nights . I was somewhat disappointed that the stories ended so soon in this retelling, and instead the novel focused on Shahrzad’s efforts to discover Khalid’s "secret" vulnerability. Like the original Scheherazade, Ahdieh ends this story with a cliffhanger, hoping to ensure that the reader will return for the next installment. I can see why it’s popular with the intended YA audience, but my reaction was just ‘meh.’
LINK to my review

Arthur Schnitzler, Liebelei [1895] 110 pages [in German, Kindle] + 16 page sec art

Another play by Schnitzler about love, real and unreal, in turn of the century Vienna. Fritz is having an affair with a seemingly disturbed married woman (who never appears in the play); his friend Theodor sets him up with Christine, the friend of his own girlfriend Mitzi, as a distraction. He likes her, but isn't really serious; she on the other hand falls in love with him, but neither he nor the others realize that she is serious. Of course it ends tragically, as with Das weite Land and many of Schnitzler's other plays.
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Michael Ossar, "Individual and Type in Arthur Schnitzler's Liebelei" (Modern Austrian Literature, 30, 2, 1997) 16 pages -- A different interpretation of the play, which sees Fritz as knowing that Christine is serious about him and trying to make it possible for Christine to leave him. Connects the play with Kierkegaard. Interesting.

The Summer Wives – Beatriz Williams – 3***
Williams sets this historical novel on the fictional Winthrop Island, where the year-round residents are the families of Portuguese fishermen, but whose governing group consists of the upper-class families who summer here. I love how Williams weaves the stories and intrigues of these characters together. There are plenty of secrets to go around and enough twists and turn to keep things interesting. It’s a delicious soap-opera beach read.
LINK to my review

Mockingjay – Suzanne Collins – 3***
Book 3 in the Hunger Games Trilogy. I’m not a great fan of dystopian / post-apocalyptic novels in general, and have only tolerated this series. I’m glad that Collins chose to make the central figure a strong female, but in this episode, I find Katniss a bit whiny at times. It is a fast read, though.
LINK to my review

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Bound – Donna Jo Napoli – 4****
This YA novel is a retelling of the Cinderella story, set in the Ming dynasty era of China. I loved the way this story unfolded. I particularly appreciated the occasional poem which so eloquently expressed Xing Xing’s feelings. I’m a great fan of magical realism; Napoli incorporates this literary technique seamlessly.
LINK to my review

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5) by Cassandra Clare
5 ★

Lilith’s demon magic has bound Jace and Sebastian. If one gets hurt, so does the other. This also means that if one dies, so does the other. Clary comes up with a dangerous plan to find out what exactly Sebastian is planning while the others try to find out how to separate the bond between Jace and Sebastian.

Clary has made some stupid decisions in the past and although this one is dangerous, I was totally on board with it. Jace is definitely different being bound to Sebastian, but there were some parts that I liked about it. He was more relaxed and just kind of went with the flow. A very likable Jace.
I like the relationship between Magnus and Alec, but Alec gets on my nerves. He is so stuck on things that Magnus has done in the past that he can't focus on the love Magnus has for him. His reactions to things hurt Magnus and made me want to slap him.
Izzy and Simon - If they don't admit their feelings for each other soon I'm going to scream.
Once again the Downworlders come together to fight Sebastian and the end result is predictable, but not disappointing. There are so many unanswered questions that it makes moving onto the next book immediately almost necessary.

Tom Stoppard, Plays Two [1990] 283 pages

The second volume of Stoppard's Collected Plays, originally published as The Plays for Radio 1964-1991. There are eight radio plays in the volume. The first five are early, short works, somewhat witty but not particularly significant, which remind me of Monty Python skits: The Dissolution of Dominic Boot, a slight farce about a man who is trying to get money to pay a cab, and keeps running the meter up to absurd amounts; M is for Moon Among Other Things, a short play about a married couple who no longer communicate; If You're Glad I'll be Frank, about an operator who tells the time on the phone; Albert's Bridge, aabout a man who paints a bridge; and Where Are They Now?, a satire of the British public (what we call private prep) school alumni who remember things in comically inaccurate ways. The last three are somewhat more interesting, and are related to his stage plays: Artist Descending a Staircase, which is about modern art and foreshadows After Magritte and Travesties; The Dog It Was That Died, a double agent spy story with some resemblances to Hapgood; and In the Native State, which was expanded into Indian Ink.

Evermore (Everless #2) by Sara Holland
5 ★

Now that Jules Ember knows that she is the Alchemist and Caro is the Sorceress she must reach back in time and remember her past lives. Caro plans on getting her heart back by killing everyone Jules loves until she breaks her heart. Jules knows that there is a way to the Sorceress for good, but the memories her hard to find. She must travel the road her past lives traveled to find the answers.

Once again Sara Holland delivers a captivating story with twists at every corner. Although many secrets were revealed in the first book there are enough here to make for a truly great story. As Jules’ memories come back to her they are as vivid to the reader as they are to her. Her friendship with Caro was quite strong until Jules stole her heart and the memory of this is heartbreaking, although it was necessary. It’s amazing how different life in Everless would have been if Jules hadn’t made that choice.
Jules relationship with Liam moved at a good pace and ended has I expected it would. No surprises there. I was surprised at how easily Ina accepted what Jules told her. Ina and Caro were friends, but she turned sides rather quickly.
I’m sad to see that there are only 2 books in this series, but it ended on a good note.

The Brilliant Light of Amber Sunrise – Matthew Crow – 3***
There are some scenes that had me rolling my eyes, but in general, as “teens-with-cancer-romance” genre books go, this is pretty entertaining. It held my attention and was a fairly fast read. And yes, I did tear up.
LINK to my review

Capital Gaines – Chip Gaines – 2**
I’m a great fan of the HGTV show Fixer Upper. One thing that has struck me in the TV show is how immaturely Chip behaves at times. And this book is FULL of his immaturity. I don’t find his antics funny. I find them irritating. On the other hand, his sincere belief in “Go for it,” in taking life by the horns and going all out clearly comes through. I think he’d probably do well on the motivational speaking circuit.
LINK to my review

Joy Harjo, An American Sunrise: Poems [2019] 116 pages

The newest collection of poems by the recently appointed Poet Laureate of the United States, Joy Harjo. The book reminded me very much of another poetry book by another Native American writer, N. Scott Momaday's Return to Rainy Mountain. Both books use a literal "return" (in the case of Harjo, a visit to the original homeland of the Creek nation in the Southeast) as a starting point for returning in time to both personal and family history and the history of their people. Both books also mix poetry with poetic prose passages and short historical comments. A highlight was Harjo's elegy on her mother, a restaurant worker.

After Dead: What Came Next in the World of Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris
3 ★

You want to know what happened to all your favorite character after the series ended? Well, here it is. This is a quick (took me less than 30 minutes) read with info on all the favorites. There is a lot of information, some sad, some predicted, some funny. Some pages have a paragraph or two while others only contain 1 sentence. There are also little hints that there may be more books about some of the characters. Fingers crossed.

In the Distance – Hernán Díaz – 5*****
A 14-year-old Swedish immigrant tries to make his own way in the mid-19th-century American West. This is a Western unlike any other I’ve ever read. The “romance” of the West is nowhere to be found here. This is often a barren, dangerous place with few allies and many enemies. The novel covers decades, taking Håkan from age fourteen to “white-haired” old age. In places the novel takes a philosophical turn as Håkan ponders his fate and occasionally despairs of every achieving his goal. I loved the poetic writing. I think fans of Jose Saramago would like this. Final verdict: Marvelous writing and a fascinating character.
LINK to my review

Fat Cat At Large – Janet Cantrell – 1*
Great premise, set in a city I love, with a lovely cat. But this amateur sleuth is just too stupid to live. My stars but Chase got on my nerves. She is whiny and a terrible businesswoman. Oh, well, it was a fast read and it satisfied a challenge, but I’m not likely to continue to series.
LINK to my review

The Devil and Winnie Flynn – Micol Ostow – 1*
I read this only because I needed to fulfill a challenge for a paranormal read, and this YA novel was readily available at the library. Basically it’s a “woo-woo” teen horror flick book. I rolled my eyes so often I made myself dizzy. Didn’t find anything scary about it. Dialogue was stilted. And basic premise was terrible.
LINK to my review

Tom Stoppard, Plays Five [1999] 593 pages + 15 sec. articles (225 pages)

The fifth volume of Stoppard's Collected Plays, this contains five of his best stage plays: Arcadia (1993), The Real Thing (1982), Night and Day (1978), Indian Ink (1995), and Hapgood (1988).
Arcadia is probably his best play; it alternates between scenes set in the nineteenth century (1809 and 1812) and scenes set in the present. Partly, it is a satire on academic literary detective work -- Bernard Nightingale is a pompous and egotistic critic with a wrong theory about Byron that he convinces himself he has proven, but the nineteenth century scenes show that he is wrong (one of Stoppard's previous plays was apparently trashed by a critic named Benedict Nightingale) -- which also reflects on epistemological issues of history writing; partly it is about chaos theory, which also provides the unusual structure of the play, with the nineteenth century and twentieth century scenes approaching each other with variations; and it also deals with the history of landscape gardening, and of course sex. It is also one of his funniest plays.

The Real Thing is a domestic comedy about a playwright and his relationships (Stoppard to some extent is parodying himself); it wasn't one of my favorites. Night and Day is a satire on the press; Indian Ink is concerned with colonial and post-colonial India and the fall of the British Empire, and Hapgood is a parody of a Cold War spy novel which also has scientific metaphors, though not as well integrated as in Arcadia. They were all worthwhile and I would like to see some of them in performance some time.

[The secondary articles are listed in my Challenge thread}


Tom Stoppard, Plays Four [1999] 471 pages

The fourth volume of Stoppard's Collected Plays, which contains translations/adaptations of other author's plays: Dalliance (1986), based on Arthur Schnitzler's Liebelei, Undiscovered Country (1980), based on Schnitzler's Das weite Land, Rough Crossing, based on Ferenc Molnar's Play at the Castle, On the Razzle (1981) based on Johann Nestroy's Einen Jux will er sich machen, and The Seagull, translated from the play of the same name by Anton Chekhov.

Before reading Stoppard's versions, I read the two plays by Schnitzler and the one by Nestroy (see my reviews); I also watched Liebelei, Einen Jux and On the Razzle on youtube. Dalliance and Undiscovered Country were relatively straightforward translations, although Stoppard emphasized the comic elements over the tragic, as one would expect from a playwright who mainly writes comedies, and is somewhat less subtle in characterization than Schnitzler; the Molnar adaptation is probably quite different from the original in that Stoppard sets it not in an Italian castle as in the original, but on a cruise ship named the Italian Castle and much of the dialogue is specific to the shipboard scene (there is a closer adaptation by P.G Wodehouse from 1926 called The Play's the Thing, which I haven't seen or read); On the Razzle also made many changes to the original. It has been too long since I read The Seagull to tell how close Stoppard's play is to Chekhov.

The Marseille Caper – Peter Mayle – 3***
This is book two in the Sam Levitt crime caper series. Think James Bond with less danger and more emphasis on enjoying life. Beautiful (and smart) girls, fantastic yachts, private jets, mansions with gorgeous sea views, political intrigue, sumptuous repasts, and good wine. A fast, fun, romp of a comedy crime caper that reminds me how much I will miss Peter Mayle.
LINK to my review

Park Wan-Suh, Lonesome You [1998, tr. 2013] 265 pages [Kindle]

Park Wan-Suh, who died in 2011, was one of the best known women writers in Korea; this is a collection of ten of her short stories, which I read for the World Literature group on Goodreads. To be honest they were all rather depressing; they nearly all concerned people, mostly older women, who had deprived themselves of any happiness in life largely through their own pride or stubbornness, although social conditions played a role in some of them. The stories were good in terms of characterization and structure, although I wasn't impressed by the actual writing -- which of course may be the fault of the translation. I don't know whether the author or the translator is responsible for the "deep navy . . . aquamarine", which put me off from the third sentence of the book.

Tom Stoppard, The Invention of Love [1997] 102 pages + 8 page sec. article

The Invention of Love basically is a play about the life and work of A.E. Housman, the textual critic and poet, with particular, though not exclusive, emphasis on his unrequited love for his straight friend Moses Jackson. It takes the form of a dream the night before Housman's death, although this isn't immediately obvious (the beginning of the play would lead one to believe that it is set in an afterworld following his death, and it is rather confusing until the reader/spectator figures that out), in which he meets his earlier self as well as seeing various colleagues and friends from different periods of his life. In addition to the emotional aspect of the plot with Jackson and discussions about homosexuality by various figures in the play (Oscar Wilde is mentioned many times and makes an appearance in the last scene), there is also much discussion of the nature and importance of textual criticism as opposed to other forms of classical study, which somewhat dovetails with the epistemological concerns of his earlier plays such as Arcadia. (Ruskin and Jowett are characters.) As with many of his plays, there is some fun at the expense of pompous academics, and more serious satire of journalists. Although I found the play interesting (perhaps because I studied Greek and Latin in college) it did seem more confusing even than the usual Stoppard play.
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Ryan, Carrie, "Translating The Invention of Love: The Journey From Page to Stage For Tom Stoppard's Latest Play" (Journal of Modern Literature, 24, 2, Winter 2000/2001) 8 pages -- An account of a production of the play at the Wilma theater in Philadelphia by the dramaturg of that production. Two points of interest: the director found it necessary to use the design of the stage to make it clearer that the play is a dream; and that the structure of parts of the play is based on Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (which I did not pick up on, not having read that particular book -- Jerome makes an appearance near the end of the book.)