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Spearhead: An American Tank Gunner, His Enemy, and a Collision of Lives In World War II
Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of A Higher Call comes the riveting story of an American...
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Justice Prevails (Sin City Uniforms #3) in Books
Aug 1, 2019
loving this series!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 3 in the Sin City series, and you don't NEED to have read boks one and two before this, to follow this one. You should, though, cos I said so! They are rather good!
Beau is in the middle of a serial killer investigation, and bumps into Austin when he is trying to drown his sorrows after he loses his childhood friend. Austin pulls a blinder and kisses Beau and Beau is, for want of a better word, smitten with the geeky young man who he keeps bumping into! Taking a 5 hour trip to interview someone turns out to be a bust for the case, but somewhat of a revelation for Beau and Austin and their relationship, if they can stay alive.
Like I said, book three and I don't *think* Trent and Shawn (book one) are even mentioned here, but Parker and Lonnie (Slade, book two) do play a part here, so I repeat, not totally necessary for you to have read the other books.
Serial killer aside, I found this a much lighter read, and I'm not entirely sure WHY, since both men have their own demons to battle, as well as the killer, but that's my thought on finishing and ya'll know I'm ALL about the sharing of my book thoughts!
Beau is smitten with Austin but he is NOT he usual type. And that's what sort of bothers him the most, this attraction to a geeky guy he never even looked at before, even though he had seen him around the station. Austin has admired Beau from afar, for a while, and getting his hands on Beau, even for a short time, to scratch the itch that burns when they are together, will be enough, for now at least.
The killer story line worked itself into Beau and Austin's life really well, and actually, I had no clue how that was gonna play out! I thought it might be carrried over to the next book, but it's all wrapped up in a big fat Austin shaped bow here. Well played, Ms Knight!
Brett (Parker's ex from book two) is up next. Be nice for him to have his happy ever after, after what happens to him in book two.
Loving this series, please keep them coming!
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 3 in the Sin City series, and you don't NEED to have read boks one and two before this, to follow this one. You should, though, cos I said so! They are rather good!
Beau is in the middle of a serial killer investigation, and bumps into Austin when he is trying to drown his sorrows after he loses his childhood friend. Austin pulls a blinder and kisses Beau and Beau is, for want of a better word, smitten with the geeky young man who he keeps bumping into! Taking a 5 hour trip to interview someone turns out to be a bust for the case, but somewhat of a revelation for Beau and Austin and their relationship, if they can stay alive.
Like I said, book three and I don't *think* Trent and Shawn (book one) are even mentioned here, but Parker and Lonnie (Slade, book two) do play a part here, so I repeat, not totally necessary for you to have read the other books.
Serial killer aside, I found this a much lighter read, and I'm not entirely sure WHY, since both men have their own demons to battle, as well as the killer, but that's my thought on finishing and ya'll know I'm ALL about the sharing of my book thoughts!
Beau is smitten with Austin but he is NOT he usual type. And that's what sort of bothers him the most, this attraction to a geeky guy he never even looked at before, even though he had seen him around the station. Austin has admired Beau from afar, for a while, and getting his hands on Beau, even for a short time, to scratch the itch that burns when they are together, will be enough, for now at least.
The killer story line worked itself into Beau and Austin's life really well, and actually, I had no clue how that was gonna play out! I thought it might be carrried over to the next book, but it's all wrapped up in a big fat Austin shaped bow here. Well played, Ms Knight!
Brett (Parker's ex from book two) is up next. Be nice for him to have his happy ever after, after what happens to him in book two.
Loving this series, please keep them coming!
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Gold Medal Flapjack, Silver Medal Life: The Autobiography of an Unlikely Olympian
Book
"Being an Olympian was not my first choice of career, or even my second." Alison Mowbray wasn't a...
Andy K (10821 KP) rated The House That Jack Built (2018) in Movies
Nov 15, 2019
Into the disturbing mind of a serial killer..
The human mind is still one of those ultimate enigmas of life. How does it work exactly? Nature vs. nurture? What causes some of us to devote their lives to philanthropy and helping others whilst others of us are deeply disturbed devoting their existence to the destruction of life for their twisted, demented pleasure?
The story of Jack is a exercise in the extreme. From the opening moments of THTJB, the audience is quickly brought into Jack's world and not released for 2 1/2 hours of brutality.
Jack finds himself in his bright red rape van when he passes a damsel in distress in the form of a woman with a flat tire. He stops and reluctantly agrees to drive her to the nearest auto repair place for assistance. When the plight becomes more complicated, Jack reluctantly agrees to further drive the woman around. Growing impatient with her constant blather and insults at Jack's personality, Jack quickly reaches his limit and destroys the woman quickly using her broken car jack which happens to be lying right next to him in the front seat.
That is just the beginning.
The film is set to 5 "incidents" and an "epilogue" which chronicle several years in Jack's life, including other relationships with woman, his family and random encounters he has all used to fuel his addiction with death. Without detailing them all here, his journey for carnage includes extreme actions including multiple murders, corpse manipulation and even human trophies.
If you are a fan of writer/director Lars von Trier, this will be nothing new to you if you have seen some of his other films including Antichrist, Nymphomaniac or Dogville. His films usually require a strong stomach, but do not shock for shock's sake alone. The vivid imagery in all his films is used not only to proper the narrative, to show the audience something they have not seen before and cross the lines between art and film. His films will repulse some. I won't squabble with those who cannot handle his type of film-making; however, maybe my inner film snob relishes those who give me something different, something to think about after I have finished watching and thought out interesting characters you almost never see any more.
With THTJB, he delves into the human mind well providing voice-over to let us in to what Jack is thinking and maybe helps us include a glimmer of understanding with it. Jack's acts are loathsome, morbid, violent, criminal and terrible, but somehow I was still fascinated by him which comes with good writing. In an interview I watched after viewing the film, von Trier explained he loved writing for Jack because you never knew quite what he was going to say. Several times within the film he is "caught" in an awkward situation and is able to talk himself out of it with absurd, yet believable rhetoric. You certainly don't root for him since his actions are reprehensible, but you are interested in what happens next.
Matt Dillon was overlooked during awards season of 2018. The Academy should've looked his way as they did for Sir Anthony Hopkins in 1991. His performance is gritty, deeply disturbing and very believable. He made Jack seem sympathetic at times even through his extreme violent nature. Sometimes subtle, sometimes over the top. I can't remember a performance of his which was more striking.
A film by Lars von Trier will always propel your intellect after your viewing is complete and this film is no exception. Some of the images the movie provides (not just the kill scenes) are unforgettable, some beautiful, but all very thought out and aligned with precision. He is undoubtedly one of the most unique directors working in film today and I continually look forward to his subsequent offerings!
The story of Jack is a exercise in the extreme. From the opening moments of THTJB, the audience is quickly brought into Jack's world and not released for 2 1/2 hours of brutality.
Jack finds himself in his bright red rape van when he passes a damsel in distress in the form of a woman with a flat tire. He stops and reluctantly agrees to drive her to the nearest auto repair place for assistance. When the plight becomes more complicated, Jack reluctantly agrees to further drive the woman around. Growing impatient with her constant blather and insults at Jack's personality, Jack quickly reaches his limit and destroys the woman quickly using her broken car jack which happens to be lying right next to him in the front seat.
That is just the beginning.
The film is set to 5 "incidents" and an "epilogue" which chronicle several years in Jack's life, including other relationships with woman, his family and random encounters he has all used to fuel his addiction with death. Without detailing them all here, his journey for carnage includes extreme actions including multiple murders, corpse manipulation and even human trophies.
If you are a fan of writer/director Lars von Trier, this will be nothing new to you if you have seen some of his other films including Antichrist, Nymphomaniac or Dogville. His films usually require a strong stomach, but do not shock for shock's sake alone. The vivid imagery in all his films is used not only to proper the narrative, to show the audience something they have not seen before and cross the lines between art and film. His films will repulse some. I won't squabble with those who cannot handle his type of film-making; however, maybe my inner film snob relishes those who give me something different, something to think about after I have finished watching and thought out interesting characters you almost never see any more.
With THTJB, he delves into the human mind well providing voice-over to let us in to what Jack is thinking and maybe helps us include a glimmer of understanding with it. Jack's acts are loathsome, morbid, violent, criminal and terrible, but somehow I was still fascinated by him which comes with good writing. In an interview I watched after viewing the film, von Trier explained he loved writing for Jack because you never knew quite what he was going to say. Several times within the film he is "caught" in an awkward situation and is able to talk himself out of it with absurd, yet believable rhetoric. You certainly don't root for him since his actions are reprehensible, but you are interested in what happens next.
Matt Dillon was overlooked during awards season of 2018. The Academy should've looked his way as they did for Sir Anthony Hopkins in 1991. His performance is gritty, deeply disturbing and very believable. He made Jack seem sympathetic at times even through his extreme violent nature. Sometimes subtle, sometimes over the top. I can't remember a performance of his which was more striking.
A film by Lars von Trier will always propel your intellect after your viewing is complete and this film is no exception. Some of the images the movie provides (not just the kill scenes) are unforgettable, some beautiful, but all very thought out and aligned with precision. He is undoubtedly one of the most unique directors working in film today and I continually look forward to his subsequent offerings!
Haley Mathiot (9 KP) rated Lost Voices (Lost Voices, #1) in Books
Apr 27, 2018
I'm not particularly sure what I think about Lost Voices. Here's the basic rundown: Beautiful writing, interesting story, and gripping plot and pacing. Here's the problem: I didn't like most of the characters.
I liked the main character, Luce. She was smart and brave but a little sullen. And I couldn't figure out if I liked the queen of the mermaids. At first I hated her because I didn't trust her, and then at times I did like her, and she seemed bi-polar. Some of the other mermaid girls made me so mad I wanted to hit them. Especially the disloyal ones (There was a section where the girls started following someone else as their queen and she wasn't a good choice). Also on the loyalty aspect: I felt like out of all the girls (there had to be at least thirty by this section of the story) there had to be at least one besides Luce who was loyal to the other queen. It didn't make any sense. Those other mermaids frustrated me beyond all reason.
Back to the great side of the book, the writing was beautiful. It was enchanting and descriptive. There were parts that felt odd or out of place, and it would have been much better if it were from Luce's perspective (it was third person) but it was good and easy to read.
The book was addicting, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. The plot was interesting, the pacing was good, and there was tension all throughout the book. But the characters were frustrating. Maybe it was a good frustration, because I read it pretty quickly.
My only other complaint is the ending: It could have had a little more closure, or a little more promise. It was sort of like "oh, okay, so now it's over. now what? what happens next?" It reminded me a little of Cassandra Clare's endings (only it wasn't as horrible of a cliff-hanger).
Content/Recommendation: Some slightly emotionally disturbing references like rape, abuse, violence etc. but nothing explicit. No language. Ages 14+
I liked the main character, Luce. She was smart and brave but a little sullen. And I couldn't figure out if I liked the queen of the mermaids. At first I hated her because I didn't trust her, and then at times I did like her, and she seemed bi-polar. Some of the other mermaid girls made me so mad I wanted to hit them. Especially the disloyal ones (There was a section where the girls started following someone else as their queen and she wasn't a good choice). Also on the loyalty aspect: I felt like out of all the girls (there had to be at least thirty by this section of the story) there had to be at least one besides Luce who was loyal to the other queen. It didn't make any sense. Those other mermaids frustrated me beyond all reason.
Back to the great side of the book, the writing was beautiful. It was enchanting and descriptive. There were parts that felt odd or out of place, and it would have been much better if it were from Luce's perspective (it was third person) but it was good and easy to read.
The book was addicting, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. The plot was interesting, the pacing was good, and there was tension all throughout the book. But the characters were frustrating. Maybe it was a good frustration, because I read it pretty quickly.
My only other complaint is the ending: It could have had a little more closure, or a little more promise. It was sort of like "oh, okay, so now it's over. now what? what happens next?" It reminded me a little of Cassandra Clare's endings (only it wasn't as horrible of a cliff-hanger).
Content/Recommendation: Some slightly emotionally disturbing references like rape, abuse, violence etc. but nothing explicit. No language. Ages 14+
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated Lovemurder in Books
May 3, 2018
Tension and head games galore!
This can be read as a stand alone if you come across this book although it’s highly encouraged to read the first one only because it’s just as good!
This time around, Valerie doesn’t get pummelled all over the place and you don’t cringe as much when she gets hit by something (whether it’s a bullet or a hit to the head). The plot held up to the same standards as the first; fast paced, filled with scenes of gratuitous violence and some sexual content here and there. This may not be for some readers as it does get graphic but I think without it, it would be hard to describe how heinous the crimes are.
Throughout the novel, Valerie has these tete a tetes with Katherine and they’re well written. You feel the tension between them and the mind games Katherine plays are subtle and sometimes even frustrating because she’s maddingly brilliant and manipulative. You’re running along with Valerie trying to catch this killer and you follow through the chase filled with puzzles and cryptic notes and gifts (none very nice gifts either…). The killer is brilliant and when you think he’s this one person, he ends up being someone you didn’t realize and it’s mind blowing considering who this killer ends up kidnapping.
And just when you think everything’s done there’s more extra twists happening. This is what makes this novel so quick and fast to read. You’re deeply engrossed in the plot and in the chase to find this killer but you forget he most likely has a plan B and you’re blindsided again. This is what makes this book so good!!!!!! I loved every minute of it!!!
The only concern I have is, how much more can happen in this series before this starts getting repetitive. I love the way it’s going and I hope the series can stay fresh and exciting like it’s been so far. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next, given there’s a bit of a teaser at the very last page of the book.
This time around, Valerie doesn’t get pummelled all over the place and you don’t cringe as much when she gets hit by something (whether it’s a bullet or a hit to the head). The plot held up to the same standards as the first; fast paced, filled with scenes of gratuitous violence and some sexual content here and there. This may not be for some readers as it does get graphic but I think without it, it would be hard to describe how heinous the crimes are.
Throughout the novel, Valerie has these tete a tetes with Katherine and they’re well written. You feel the tension between them and the mind games Katherine plays are subtle and sometimes even frustrating because she’s maddingly brilliant and manipulative. You’re running along with Valerie trying to catch this killer and you follow through the chase filled with puzzles and cryptic notes and gifts (none very nice gifts either…). The killer is brilliant and when you think he’s this one person, he ends up being someone you didn’t realize and it’s mind blowing considering who this killer ends up kidnapping.
And just when you think everything’s done there’s more extra twists happening. This is what makes this novel so quick and fast to read. You’re deeply engrossed in the plot and in the chase to find this killer but you forget he most likely has a plan B and you’re blindsided again. This is what makes this book so good!!!!!! I loved every minute of it!!!
The only concern I have is, how much more can happen in this series before this starts getting repetitive. I love the way it’s going and I hope the series can stay fresh and exciting like it’s been so far. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next, given there’s a bit of a teaser at the very last page of the book.
Debbiereadsbook (1166 KP) rated Old Enough (The Age Between Us #1) in Books
Jul 21, 2018
4 stars (but sorry I couldn't get past the present tense!)
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
She's older than he is, but Brian doesn't care. Meeting Jane was the best thing that every happened to him, even it was supposed to be a set up and a quick way to earn some much needed cash.
I knew this book was first person, present tense going in and I *thought* it would help me, but **insert wailing** it didn't!
Oh! Don't get me wrong! It's a bloody good book, a GREAT book!
Brian meeting Jane and everything that happens after is well told from both their points of view. The plot moves along at an even pace. Not everything is revealed at once, it comes along in dribs and drabs, to enable you to process that little tit-bit, before the next one comes and grabs you.
Brian makes no apologies for who he is, or where he came from, or how he got there. Once his mind was made up that he wants Jane, and not just as a quick f**k, he goes all out to get here. Jane too, once she begins to let Brian in, she goes all out and takes what he gives her.
It has planted itself firmly on the "fan yourself, its a hot one" shelf! Brian is young and he wants Jane in every which way he can. And he does! But the best bit, for me, was when Brian decides to make love to Jane, rather than just bang her up against the wall. That surprised him, I think, the connection he could get from Jane doing that. Loved that!
The cliff hanger I was expecting doesn't happen here, although there is a cliff hanger ending. But what THAT means is, what I expected to happen here, will come in book two! I will read it, because I want to know how this is all going to go down!
I just **insert sigh** can't get past the present tense thing! It pains me, deeply! Because I LOVE Ms Pauls work!
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
She's older than he is, but Brian doesn't care. Meeting Jane was the best thing that every happened to him, even it was supposed to be a set up and a quick way to earn some much needed cash.
I knew this book was first person, present tense going in and I *thought* it would help me, but **insert wailing** it didn't!
Oh! Don't get me wrong! It's a bloody good book, a GREAT book!
Brian meeting Jane and everything that happens after is well told from both their points of view. The plot moves along at an even pace. Not everything is revealed at once, it comes along in dribs and drabs, to enable you to process that little tit-bit, before the next one comes and grabs you.
Brian makes no apologies for who he is, or where he came from, or how he got there. Once his mind was made up that he wants Jane, and not just as a quick f**k, he goes all out to get here. Jane too, once she begins to let Brian in, she goes all out and takes what he gives her.
It has planted itself firmly on the "fan yourself, its a hot one" shelf! Brian is young and he wants Jane in every which way he can. And he does! But the best bit, for me, was when Brian decides to make love to Jane, rather than just bang her up against the wall. That surprised him, I think, the connection he could get from Jane doing that. Loved that!
The cliff hanger I was expecting doesn't happen here, although there is a cliff hanger ending. But what THAT means is, what I expected to happen here, will come in book two! I will read it, because I want to know how this is all going to go down!
I just **insert sigh** can't get past the present tense thing! It pains me, deeply! Because I LOVE Ms Pauls work!
4 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Bad Lieutenant (1992) in Movies
Oct 25, 2020
Great Character, Bad Movie
A corrupt cop is forced by a mob boss to pay off his debt or be killed. Hailed as a cinematic classic, Bad Lieutenant truly failed to grab me for a number of different reasons. It misses the mark in a number of ways.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 5
Characters: 9
Love him or hate him The Lieutenant (Harvey Keitel) is one memorable character. Every scene he is in is unpredictable as you have no idea what he’s going to do next. While I was more on the hate side of things, I envied him at the same time. The Lieutenant does whatever he wants and gives zero shits about it.
Cinematography/Visuals: 6
A few scenes caught my eye here and there, but there was nothing overall that really stood as overly memorable or powerful. Visually I was unimpressed as it felt like a film just going through the motions. I wasn’t as immersed in the scenes or the world as I had hoped.
Conflict: 5
We know the conflict, we know what’s at stake, yet I can’t feel the true threat of it throughout the film. My other problem was The Lieutenant is such an awful guy that you don’t really care what happens to him. As a result, the conflict then becomes just mediocre.
Entertainment Value: 5
Memorability: 3
Pace: 5
You see a lot of casual day-to-day over the course of the movie which slows things down tremendously. Despite Lieutenant’s antics, the movie moves in a really boring fashion. You never get the sense that you are progressing towards anything.
Plot: 2
Resolution: 2
I was hoping for some kind of redemption here, but was extremely overwhelmed. When the credits roll, I was more depressed than anything. It solidified what was a crappy movie in my opinion.
Overall: 52
Don’t believe everything you read. All the critics said this movie was amazing, but it falls well short of today’s offerings. Then again, I’m willing to admit that I could be the one that’s wrong. Give it a shot at your own discretion.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 5
Characters: 9
Love him or hate him The Lieutenant (Harvey Keitel) is one memorable character. Every scene he is in is unpredictable as you have no idea what he’s going to do next. While I was more on the hate side of things, I envied him at the same time. The Lieutenant does whatever he wants and gives zero shits about it.
Cinematography/Visuals: 6
A few scenes caught my eye here and there, but there was nothing overall that really stood as overly memorable or powerful. Visually I was unimpressed as it felt like a film just going through the motions. I wasn’t as immersed in the scenes or the world as I had hoped.
Conflict: 5
We know the conflict, we know what’s at stake, yet I can’t feel the true threat of it throughout the film. My other problem was The Lieutenant is such an awful guy that you don’t really care what happens to him. As a result, the conflict then becomes just mediocre.
Entertainment Value: 5
Memorability: 3
Pace: 5
You see a lot of casual day-to-day over the course of the movie which slows things down tremendously. Despite Lieutenant’s antics, the movie moves in a really boring fashion. You never get the sense that you are progressing towards anything.
Plot: 2
Resolution: 2
I was hoping for some kind of redemption here, but was extremely overwhelmed. When the credits roll, I was more depressed than anything. It solidified what was a crappy movie in my opinion.
Overall: 52
Don’t believe everything you read. All the critics said this movie was amazing, but it falls well short of today’s offerings. Then again, I’m willing to admit that I could be the one that’s wrong. Give it a shot at your own discretion.
ClareR (5667 KP) rated The Atlas Paradox in Books
Jun 21, 2023
I should lead with the fact that everything I write about books is my own opinion, and you’ll see why.
The second instalment of anything creative seems to be the hard one: the difficult second album, and in this case, the second in a book trilogy.
When you’re building a new, different world, I should imagine that there’s so much to think about. Every aspect has a new perspective. People have different life choices, new rules, new laws, and I can see why in many books in this genre (fantasy, in this case) there’s a need for more than the average amount of description. As a reader though, I feel there needs to be a sweet spot, because I do enjoy the interactions between the characters as much as the more descriptive passages. For me, it’s a large part of what propels the story forward. I like to hear the characters.
Ok, I’ll just say it: I found The Atlas Paradox really hard work. It has taken me nearly three weeks to read, which is a long time for me. I would pick it up, start reading, find myself skipping pages and trying to find something to grab me, feel guilty and backtrack.
I still love the Libby/ Nico/ Gideon story arc, and Callum and Reina seem to be a bit of a revelation. I think Libby could be very interesting in the next book, in particular.
But I think that as a whole it felt like The Atlas Paradox had lost its way somewhat. There was a lot of sitting around and thinking, and not enough action related to the thinking. I actually believe that this book was killing time for book 3 - which incidentally, I will read.
I know that seems crazy after what I’ve just written, but I do believe this trilogy still has something interesting to say, and I really hope it says it in book 3 (The Atlas Complex). And really, the character Atlas did seem to building himself up to something - it’s just taken him about 900 pages to do it. There’s so much promise here, and ever the optimist (with a healthy dash of realism!) I want to see what happens in The Atlas Complex.
The second instalment of anything creative seems to be the hard one: the difficult second album, and in this case, the second in a book trilogy.
When you’re building a new, different world, I should imagine that there’s so much to think about. Every aspect has a new perspective. People have different life choices, new rules, new laws, and I can see why in many books in this genre (fantasy, in this case) there’s a need for more than the average amount of description. As a reader though, I feel there needs to be a sweet spot, because I do enjoy the interactions between the characters as much as the more descriptive passages. For me, it’s a large part of what propels the story forward. I like to hear the characters.
Ok, I’ll just say it: I found The Atlas Paradox really hard work. It has taken me nearly three weeks to read, which is a long time for me. I would pick it up, start reading, find myself skipping pages and trying to find something to grab me, feel guilty and backtrack.
I still love the Libby/ Nico/ Gideon story arc, and Callum and Reina seem to be a bit of a revelation. I think Libby could be very interesting in the next book, in particular.
But I think that as a whole it felt like The Atlas Paradox had lost its way somewhat. There was a lot of sitting around and thinking, and not enough action related to the thinking. I actually believe that this book was killing time for book 3 - which incidentally, I will read.
I know that seems crazy after what I’ve just written, but I do believe this trilogy still has something interesting to say, and I really hope it says it in book 3 (The Atlas Complex). And really, the character Atlas did seem to building himself up to something - it’s just taken him about 900 pages to do it. There’s so much promise here, and ever the optimist (with a healthy dash of realism!) I want to see what happens in The Atlas Complex.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Every Note Played in Books
Mar 28, 2018
Touching, heartfelt novel
Richard is a renowned concert pianist preparing for another concert tour when he starts realizing his body is betraying him. Soon, he is diagnosed with ALS and loses the use of his right arm. He cannot play his beloved piano, and nothing about his life seems okay anymore. Even worse, he knows his left arm will come next. His ex-wife, Karina, hears whispers of Richard's diagnosis, but cannot believe it's true. Surely not her viral, oft-hated ex. Karina, after all, blames Richard for so many choices she didn't make in her own life. But when Richard's disease progresses, it becomes clear that the two may need reconcile, at least temporarily, for the sake of Richard's care and safety.
I really loved Lisa Genova's STILL ALICE and so decided to pick this one up from the library. It has a similar feel, of a successful adult slowly spiraling into disease. However, Genova really excels in taking a sad story of decline and turning it into a tale of discovery and hope, as well. There are definitely some depressing moments in this novel, but it's also lovely and touching, too.
I think most know by now that Genova is Ph.D., so she truly knows what she writes. The novel is filled with so many careful details that really allow you to see Richard's ALS--including its progressions and how it steals so much of what Richard held so dear. It's scary and heartbreaking to read. The realism makes the story so much more stark and also allows you to picture exactly what's happening to him, both physically and emotionally.
Because this is an emotional novel, as well. It is a study in relationships and a look at our two main individuals: Richard, a rather narcissistic pianist, and his ex-wife, Karina, who sacrificed so much in her life for her (now-ex) husband and daughter. Both have so many regrets about their life--and the lives they didn't lead. There is a lifetime of resentments between the two. They also have a daughter, Grace, who struggles with her father's illness. And each parent must deal with how they've treated Grace as she grew up.
In some ways, nothing really happens. In other ways, everything happens--a man slowly loses his body and everything he once held so dear about his life. Relationships change. It's a novel filled with real, beautiful, touching moments. It's not always an easy read, but it's a worthwhile one, for sure.
I really loved Lisa Genova's STILL ALICE and so decided to pick this one up from the library. It has a similar feel, of a successful adult slowly spiraling into disease. However, Genova really excels in taking a sad story of decline and turning it into a tale of discovery and hope, as well. There are definitely some depressing moments in this novel, but it's also lovely and touching, too.
I think most know by now that Genova is Ph.D., so she truly knows what she writes. The novel is filled with so many careful details that really allow you to see Richard's ALS--including its progressions and how it steals so much of what Richard held so dear. It's scary and heartbreaking to read. The realism makes the story so much more stark and also allows you to picture exactly what's happening to him, both physically and emotionally.
Because this is an emotional novel, as well. It is a study in relationships and a look at our two main individuals: Richard, a rather narcissistic pianist, and his ex-wife, Karina, who sacrificed so much in her life for her (now-ex) husband and daughter. Both have so many regrets about their life--and the lives they didn't lead. There is a lifetime of resentments between the two. They also have a daughter, Grace, who struggles with her father's illness. And each parent must deal with how they've treated Grace as she grew up.
In some ways, nothing really happens. In other ways, everything happens--a man slowly loses his body and everything he once held so dear about his life. Relationships change. It's a novel filled with real, beautiful, touching moments. It's not always an easy read, but it's a worthwhile one, for sure.