Short Reviews, Oct. edition
Life has been a little crazy in the past week or two. Work took over last week, and social engagements this past weekend, and in the meantime I feel like I haven't had a moment to myself, much less time to read. Thankfully, the week ahead should be fairly quiet.
I started reading Jonathen Franzen's Purity, and at 563 pages, it will be a while before I finish it. I wanted to start one of the diverse books from my September TBR, but Purity was already paid for, and my wallet told me it would be smart to stick with the free one for the time being. For my bedtime/easy reading type book, I went with The Passage, by Justin Cronin. I saw it another featured on another blog as a quick, attention grabbing read, and realized it had been sitting on my kindle for awhile. Between these two, I will be busy for awhile!
All that being said, I have finished a few books since Fates and Furies. Here are some brief reviews:
Daniel Jose Older
Orig. publication date: 2012
Format: e-book
Genre: Short-stories, fantasy
Bottom line: Read it! It is short and funny and poignant.
As a Spanish major the first time around in college, I read a fair amount of literature from Central and South America, but almost all of it was of a more classic nature. Older's eclectic collection of stories was my first foray into contemporary latino-influenced literature, and I absolutely loved it.
The stories weave into each other, featuring a lovely cast of misfits. Gordo is a musician who is named for his generous figure and plays music with the dead; Carlos is half-dead investigator employed by the Council of the Dead, overlords who seem just as human and falliable as the living do. The stories are entertaining and humerous, but also feature relevant commentary on the social makeup and history of America and the lasting effects of the past. A must read, if you ask me.
Furiously Happy: A Funny Book about Horrible Things
Jenny Lawson
Published: 2015
Format: audiobook
Genre: Non-fiction, memoir, essays
Bottom line: A funny read, especially if you have or know someone who has anxiety issues. Recommend the audiobook.
Jenny Lawson's second memoir is as funny as the cover suggests. As someone who has had dealt with anxiety her whole life, I appreciate Lawson's irreverant take on medication, dealing with interpersonal relationships and depression. Don't be fooled though; there is humor abound in Furiously Happy. Even if you have no insight into the world of anxiety or mental health in general, you will enjoy this collection. I recommend listening to it on audiobook, as the author is the narrator and it adds quite a bit to experience to hear Lawson's words in her voice.
The Gunslinger (book 1 of the Dark Tower)
The Drawing of the Three (book 2 of the Dark Tower)
Stephen King
Orig. publication date: 1982 and 1987 respectively
Format: e-book and audiobook
Genre: Fantasy
Bottom line: Interesting and well-written, but a little slow moving
I have to admit that this was my first foray into Stephen King. I really don't read horror, nor do I have any desire to. I thought his fantasy series, The Dark Tower, might provide a better opportunity for me to experience one of the most well-known authors of my generation. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of King's writing, and both The Gunslinger and The Drawing of the Three were original ideas. However, I just couldn't get into them. The story moved too slow for me. Maybe if I didn't have such a massive and interesting TBR, I would read the rest of the series, but the fact of the matter is that there are other things I would rather read.