Book Review: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I am not a huge fan of mysteries. I think my general malaise regarding this genre has to do with the fact that I seldom really care about the actual mystery. The who done it is only interesting to me if there is some other thread in the book, like great forensics, supernatural creatures, or great characters. My mother-in-law has frequently tried to get me to read mysteries, like Tony Hillerman which is exciting as a stroll through endless deserts. Oh wait, that is what it was about.

It was with great reluctance that I promised to read her latest offering, a mystery by a writer in Sweden who wrote three novels, delivered them all to his publisher at the same time, and then promptly dropped dead. Stieg Larsson’s novel, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, deserves its place among the bestsellers. It is a wonderful book.

This book has what every book should contain, characters that take hold of you from the first page and then refuse to let go. The mystery plot, while intriguing, definitely takes a backseat to the cast of characters that weave through Larsson’s creation. The writing is superb and Larsson’s use of chronological time to move the characters forward is a nice touch.

The two main characters, Blomkvist and Salander, catch at the imagination for very different reasons. Blomkvist, a journalist who is found guilty of liable at the beginning of the book, is an underdog without a clear path. One reason I kept reading was because I wanted to know what had happened to bring him from celebrated journalist to pariah in the woods. I fell head over heels in love with Salander who is smart, brooding, hilariously vindictive, misunderstood, and trouble in black. The mystery of her character is what made me devour this book.

Throw in these two characters, good writing, and a dysfunctional, wealthy family with more secrets that Harry Potter’s chamber (forgive me, we have been binging on Harry Potter at the Rochester household for the past couple weeks) and you have one heck of a great novel. Even if it is a mystery.

Highly Recommended: for lovers and haters of mysteries alike, this one is a definite keeper

Book Review: The Highlander and His Lady

The Highlander and His Lady by Lisa Samson has been on my TBR List for a very long time. It cropped up in the comments on Smart Bitches Trashy Books ages ago as a recommended Christian Fiction from another reader. I figured I would give it a go.

Some background: As a rule, I do not generally like Christian fiction. Normally, I find it annoying, badly written, and preachy. I have never understood why Christian fiction authors get so sanctimonious and preachy. Do they not realize that their audience has already had their “Come to Jesus” moment? Can someone just write some Christian fiction in which the characters have a strong faith but are not completely obnoxious about it? Thanks.

Over the years, there have been a few exceptions, but honestly, I tried to remember the titles and they escaped me completely, except for Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I loved that book.

I had high hopes for Samson’s book. I tried to buy it before we went to Costa Rica so it could be one of my vacation books. I am very glad now that I was unable to get it in time for the trip. It is out of print so getting my hands on it was not simple. I ended up ILLing (Interlibrary Loaning) from my local library.

I actually knew by the end of the first page that I would dislike The Highlander and His Lady and I was sad because I wanted it to be good. Alas, wanting did not make it so. I only got a little over 100 pages in when I put it down in disgust. I have multiple objections to this book.

It is historically inaccurate when dealing with social situations and dialog. This book is supposed to take place before the second Jacobite uprising in 1743 but the characters frequently do things that no person of their rank in society would be allowed to do. The main character, Jenny, meets Kyle at a social gathering and accepts a dance from him without being introduced. After dancing, they proceed to spend the entire rest of the party talking only to each other. Jenny frequently goes scampering about the countryside with a man who is not related to her, Kyle, and without a chaperone of any kind. They spend hours alone in each others’ company. After Kyle’s return to school in Edinburgh the two exchange letters before they are formally engaged and hide their exchange from no one. It appears that half the town knows Kyle is writing to Jenny. None of this would have been acceptable in society at the time.

I do not think that Samson even made an effort at the dialog as it was so general that it could have been placed in any time period in any country.

The reader is also supposed to suspend belief that Jenny’s father has succeeded in secreting his bastard daughter, Jenny, away from English society merely by placing her in the Highlands and changing his title from Lord Loxingham to Mr. Loxingham. London might be far away, but not that far away, especially if Lord Loxingham was quite as busy in parliament as the story makes him out to be. Scottish and English politics were quite entangled and I find it hard to believe that no one found out this dirty little secret.

The relationship between Jenny and her father, Lord/Mr. Loxingham, is sickeningly sweet. Before she meets her husband to be, her father is the most handsome wonderful man on the planet, bla, blah, blah. It was irritating.

And lastly, I think perhaps Christian romance is just a bit too chaste for me. I hate to admit it, but there it is. I have read entire romance novels in which no actual sex takes place and I thought they were fun and amusing, but none of them were Christian fiction. And this book was definitely not in the fun and chaste category.

If the first 100 pages are any indication, I can probably sum up the rest of the book. Kyle and Jenny marry (surprise! he already knew of her dubious parentage), there is a war, Jenny is afraid for Kyle, Kyle is afraid for Jenny, they are afraid for their way of life, the war is over, Scotland loses and gets ravaged, but their love shall conquer all. Praise God!

Not Recommended: For the love of all that is holy, skip this one and read something else.

As an aside, if anyone would like to recommend some good Christian fiction that is worth reading, please share with the rest of the class

–Jane, so wanted it to be good

Book Review: Mr. Darcy’s Diary

Mr. Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange

This is not the first book I have read that is a spin-off of an Austen work. Though this type of novel is glorified fan fiction, many of them are good. Even the novels that are not great are entertaining at worst. The best of this genre strives to be true to both the dialog and characters while expanding the story in a credible fashion. I think Grange has managed to do both.

This book opens, not as I expected with Mr. Darcy meeting the fine eyes of Elizabeth Bennett, but the season before when George Wickham seeks to steal Georgiana and her fortune. In the original Pride and Prejudice, we see hints of the brotherly affection that Darcy has for his sister, but in this novel it is this strong emotion which keeps Darcy from simply being an egotistical snob. The reader knows he can not be as harsh as he appears when he also harbors such tender feelings for Georgiana.

For me, I enjoyed what Grange revealed of Darcy’s inner thoughts, but what I loved was seeing other characters in the novel through the lens of Mr. Darcy. All the characters you love, like Bingly and Elizabeth, plus all the characters that are hilarious, like Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. Collins, and Mrs. Bennett. There were some exchanges that made me laugh aloud. Ms. Grange has managed to capture the essence of what Austen strove to reveal as the ridiculous and diverting.

While at its root, this is a romance. However, this book will appeal to almost any Austen fan. Even seeing one of the theatrical versions of the story would be sufficient to enjoy this romp through Fitzwilliam Darcy’s mind.

Recommended – highly diverting

Book Review: Wizard’s First Rule with a Bonus of George R.R. Martin

Book Review:
Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind
secondary: A Song of Fire and Ice Series by George R. R. Martin

This is a book review of one book with a bonus review of another. Enjoy!

Even when a book is very enjoyable, it can often btter appreciated when compared to other books in its genre. For me, that was the case with Wizard’s First Rule. I never wanted to start reading another long fantasy series because I felt a bit burned by the last series I started. The series in question left me feeling bewildered, bored, and depressed, but I had invested so very much time, I kept reading it well past the when I should have abandoned it all together. What series almost kept me from reading a very enjoyable book?

A Song of Fire and Ice Series by George R. R.Martin.

I read the first book in Martin’s series and was captivated. I loved that the reader is able to enjoy the story told by many different characters. Each chapter is written from the point of view of a different main character in the story. Even characters meant to be evil are sympathetic in their own way once you see their motives and methods up close. It is wonderful and reveals parts of the story in ways that the reader never expects. The book is full of tragedy, plotting, heroes, villains, and large fluffy wolves.

Unfortunately, the series seems to go down hill after the first novel. What starts out being intriguing and enjoyable, the many different voices telling the story, becomes irritating. So many people must be visited in so many locals to get even an inkling of the story, that you have to spend time at the beginning of each chapter trying to remember what the heck was going on when you last left such and such in whatever dire situation they happened to be in. And the situation is always dire. By the time I realized that I may not want to finish reading this series, I had already invested a huge amount of time to these books. The first novel, at over 700 pages, is the shortest of the four currently out. The other three are well over 1000 pages each. I read the fourth one for two reasons, I was hoping for an upswing to the story and I had already spent a large portion of my life reading them.

Alas, during the last book, A Feast for Crows, I was beginning to wonder if anything good would ever happen to the characters, if anything would ever be resolved, or if Arya would ever find her damn wolf again already. Mighty God King has a funny spoof on the series (and some other great scifi/fantasy series). Martin’s is the third one down, but I thought the series was more like the Eddings cover (1st one) and Jordan cover (9th on the list). Some people show up and nothing good ever happens. I am not sure I will be able to finish this series, regardless of my investment, unless I know something (anything!) is resolved or turns out in a not incredibly depressing manner. I am not asking for pink bows.

Understand that I was suitably leary of starting yet another long winded fantasy series that wandered endlessly. The Sword of Truth series, of which Wizard’s First Rule is the first book, was recently turned into a Xenaesque TV show. It is campy, cheesy, and very entertaining. It made me curious about the books so, despite my misgivings, I checked out the first one from the library.

I was very pleasantly surprised by Wizard’s First Rule. It is a fun adventure that manages to be funny (sometimes to the point of goofiness), suspenseful, and heartrending. The characters are vivid and make choices that, though not always good ones, reflect their growing development and personality. Nothing is more irritating than a character who makes a poor choice effecting the plot that is out of sync with their personality.

Though the story sometimes follows different characters, I never felt desperate to join another group in the story. I always felt Goodkind moved along at just the right pace. The plot is unique enough to keep you wondering a bit. I never felt bored or irritated.

The very best attribute of this book is something that I found sadly lacking in the Martin series. Wizard’s First Rule is a self contained plot. Though there are some questions that remain unanswered, the main issues are resolved at the end of the first installment of this series. After thousands of pages in the Martin series, almost nothing is resolved except that everyone is more depressed and worse off than in the previous book. In Wizard’s First Rule, there is some hope for the future of the characters. I am wondering, hoping even, that this trend continues throughout the series.I also feel that I could stop reading the series and still feel like I read a good story.

Do not think I only like happy endings. Any Joss Whedon fan will tell you that no good ending is truly happy and people die.

I am now a couple hundred pages into Stone of Tears, the second book in Goodkind’s series. So far, so good. The story is still shaping up and the characters and plot are being built up to fight the battles they face. I have hopes that this book will also leave me feeling content with the story.

Recommended for readers of fantasy and anyone needing something fun and diverting, all of the fun without any of the “Please let something good happen already or I am going to kill myself by beating my head bloody with this book” moments.

–Jane, diverted

Gothic at Midnight

Sometimes, once in a great while, you come across that book that you can not put down. I can remember most of the books that have made me feverish to finish them. The kind you stay up reading, long past your eyes and head have given up trying to get you to sleep. I have never been the person for whom a book works as a sleep agent. I might as well drink espresso in bed if I am going to read a good book propped up by pillows.

Last night I stayed up reading Castle of the Wolf, which SB Sarah reviewed a couple weeks ago. I love classic gothic romance. What is there not to lurve about crumbling castle walls in a dark setting, a broody hero, and a determined, but innocent lady?

The writing is fun, with enough humor, intelligence, romance, and gargoyles to please anyone. I definitely recommend it if you always wanted there to be a little more heat in your version of Wuthering Heights or a few less puppies dying.

Unfortunately, all I can think of now is finishing the damn thing and I really need to work. I love it when a book consumes you, but I wish it would abate during business hours.

–Jane, may go “look for something in the stacks” later

Book Review: His Majesty’s Dragon

His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik

It has been awhile since I have been quite so sucked into a book. Novik writes an alternate historical fiction, centering on a British naval Captain during the Napoleonic War. The alternate part of this history is the presence of dragons in the world. Upon capturing a French ship, William Laurence finds a dragon egg in the hold, a dragon egg that is ready to hatch at any moment.

There were three reasons that I really enjoyed this book. Novik tried, successfully I believe, to write in a style that befitted the era represented. The main character, Laurence is very concerned about the politeness rules of society, though as the novel goes on, he becomes slightly more liberal in his views. the diction that Novik had chosen helps authenticate the world she has created.

Most of the dragons in the story are intellegent and have a very delightful sense of humor (that is #2, for those counting). The turn of phrase and dialog between the dragons and their handlers is very diverting. i found myself giggling aloud many times.

The last thing I appreciated was the way Novik wove the dragons into a history that already exists. This is a very rich period in Naval warefare, and history in general. The days of Nelson were glory days for the British and I liked the nods to this period in the novel.

Highly Recommended – for all! Fantasy or historical fiction lovers alike.

Book Review: Glass Houses

Glass Houses by Rachel Caine

My friend, also being a lover of vampire books, lent me Rachel Caine’s new YA offering this week. It is a good YA novel with some of the usual teen problems and, of course, some vampires. Claire is young genius who graduated from high school early and is attending a university in dusty west Texas. She is not well liked, but eventually finds some friends and they have subsequent adventures in which they get in trouble with some vampires. It is a very fast, very fun read.

However, and boy is this a big however. I have a huge bone to pick with Ms. Caine. This is the first book of hers I have read and apparently she likes to end her books with huge cliff hangers. Knife-arching-down-to-kill-a-character kind of ending. The previous sentence is exactly how the book ended. Dear readers, would I joke about this? I think not.
It left me feeling dirty, taken advantage of. I do not mind loose ends, the way Rowling leaves loose ends, but this is over the top for me. Was it so hard to figure out what was going to happen next that Ms. Caine just had to stop or is this a ploy to get people to buy more books?

Regardless, I liked the book but will only finish reading the series if I can borrow it from the library or my friend, whom I already chastised. It is good, but I did not need the cheap ploy to get me interested in the series. The story would have been enough.

Recommended: Good Story, fun for all (for parents, it does have some very light cussing, but nothing that would make your wee one’s eyes spin and nothing they can not already hear on TV).

Star Wars by George Lucas v. The Inheritance Trilogy by Christopher Paolini

***Warning: Spoilers for Eragon and Eldest ahead. You have been warned!***

Mr. Rochester recently finished reading the first two books of the Inheritance Trilogy and he remarked how much they mirror Star Wars and LoTR.

Below is a guest posting by Mr. R which lays out the similarities of the original Star Wars and Eragon & Co. The comparisons do give away plot points of the books so please stop reading if spoilers make you cry.

Episode IV: A New Hope – vs. – Book 1: Eragon

Ben Kenobi – vs. – Brom
Old man with mysterious background takes up quiet residence within a farming town and we find out in the second installment that he is keeping an eye on the son of his best friend turned enemy.

Luke Skywalker – vs. – Eragon
Simple, young, farm boy barely out of adolescence who has no knowledge of his parents and has been raised by his uncle and aunt. Something the evil empire wants falls into his backyard and, when the empire comes looking for it and can’t find it, they kill his uncle and burn his home to the ground. The boy then leaves his home and follows the mysterious man through the empire as the old man trains him in the ways of a mysterious power.

The mentor dies. Boy meets up with loner who plays by own rules (Han Solo – Murtagh). The boy saves the princess (Arya) who had been captured by the empire. Boy joins the rebel forces. Boy is involved in huge battle in which he gives the killing blow that decides the outcome of the battle.

Episode V: Empire Strikes Back – vs. – Book 2: Eldest

Yoda – vs. – Oromis

Boy journeys to hidden place where an old teacher exists unbeknown to the empire.

Side story about a “sibling” and their struggle to escape the empire while the rebellion tries to regroup. In the end, the boy battles with another of his kind who reveals to the boy that his unknown father was the man who betrayed the old order and helped the emperor gain control.

The second in command, the right-hand man and the executor for the empire, turns out to be a blood relative of the boy. The boy is wanted captured alive to take before the Emperor but is allowed to escape the clutches of the second-in-command.

Episode VI: Return of the Jedi – vs. – Book 3: ???

Farm boy and “sibling” work together to recover the “sibling’s” loved one.
Defeat the empire.
Teacher dies?
Turn the second in command to the good side?

–Mr. Rochester, now do you see why I married him?

Book Review: The Illustrated Jane Eyre

The Illustrated Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Illustrations by Dame Darcy

This book has been sitting on my desk for about two and a half weeks waiting to be reviewed, so Slate beat me to the punch. Their review is quite nice, so feel free to go read it as well.

This volume belongs in the library of any Bronte aficionado. There are many things which will endear this book to its readers. After the title page of this volume, a replica of the title page from the original first edition appears with the author appearing as Currer Bell, the name under which Charlotte Bronte wrote Jane Eyre. The original foreword by the author to the second edition is also included and was a joy to read. The pages are rough cut, like folio pages. All of this would have been enough to make this bibliophile swoon, but then there are also illustrations.

The illustrations, of course, are what make this a truly lovely volume. Dame Darcy, of whom I had not previously heard, has created drawings that are gothic, dark, and playful. They reminded me a bit of Edward Gorey, though Dame Darcy has a style all her own. Most of the illustrations are in black and white, but there are some very wonderful ones in color. Some of the drawings are full page depictions of the novel’s events and others grace the margins. Dame Darcy is able to show both the bleakness of the human condition always present in Bronte’s work while also including the notion of hope that the characters hold for the future.

It has been a few years since I delved into Jane Eyre and this beautiful rendition of a much loved book, makes me want to romp on the hills of the Rochester Estate once more.

Highly Recommended – Great for Charlotte Bronte newbies and essential for lovers of the original