Now... the big question is how can I get more people to stop here and read five minutes. I probably would have found time to post if I thought a thousand fellow readers were waiting impatiently for any news... I would post more detailed reviews if I knew they would be read.
I read Paper Towns last week too, a very late reading, as the book has been published in 2009. And guess what? I did not care much for it. I did not like Margo, her deeds, her character, her weirdness, the way she runs away. I probably should say I did not understand her, not at all. First, if you want to call a character Margo, you may choose between two spellings: Margot, the old classical, which comes from Marguerite, or Hemingway' creation, Margaux. I totally favor Hemingway's, the -aux at the end gives the name some structure, some weight. It does not change the way it is pronounce, only the spelling is affected. But Margo, the way it is written here? where does it come from? who was ever called Margo? and when you see it written, it looks ugly, unfinished. I have read recently ( a few months ago) a book where a French character was called throughout the book Jeano, and it was so stupid I have forgotten the book it came from. Jeannot is a diminutive form of Jean, a boy's name in France, but even endearing names have a spelling! and I reckon no one has used Jeannot in the past fifty years, as it is very un-trendy.
So, anyway in Paper Towns, Margo is a complete brat, who is eighteen and acts like she is five. Every one (but me) admires her, for being so daring, so full-of-life, for being different, and mostly for being unreachable. She is the star you crave for, knowing no matter how long you wait and try, you won't get her. Quentin, like all the other heroes in John Green's books, is a bit of a nerd. If he knew more about stuff, he would be a geek. But he is mostly a normal guy, who falsely believes he loves Margo. I say falsely, because he is smitten the way you can only be as a teenager, when your love is perfect. The view you have of a person is completely twisted by the rosy glow of love. Quentin should be able to see (and not tell, if wants) Margo's actions as stupid, childish, silly, useless etc. But he does not. We are talking about Perfect Margo, the love of his life. Just simple thoughts of criticism, constructive criticism should be punished with shunning or excommunication, at least. This is not love, it is called idolatry.
Change the point of view for a minute. When you look at Margo from Q's side, you see a mystery, and her disappearance makes her more out-of-reach than before. Now, study the situation from Margo's view of it. She ran away for nothing, or maybe because of her boyfriend cheating, though she does not really care. She does not have anywhere to go, nobody is expecting her. She is not curious enough to roam in the USA; not rich enough to fly anywhere; not imaginative enough to create her own reality. So, out of ideas, she settles in a paper town, doing nothing, getting bored to death. She won't say it, but she wants to be found so badly she wrote the message telling when she leaves, and has been praying they - someone - will come before it is time. Is that the life you wish? and what will she do next week, month or year?
Of course, she cannot go back with Q and the others. She would lose face, which is worse than death for pretentious losers like her. So, she will remain the lonely heroine, going away in the sunset.
Very sad, in reality.
Wait for the movie, anyway. I still don't know if Cara Delavingne (another French name damaged by Ellis Island, it should be Delavigne) has read the book or not. But she is pretty, and will make people dream of her as Margo.
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
It has been a busy week, with no time left at home to write.
Still, I have read quite a bit, but sadly, did not enjoy most of the books as much as I expected.
I finally read The Martian, and expected to have fun with it. Instead, it made thousands of questions pop in my head, like how do you make plants grow by just watering them once? or would not he be better with potatoes growing in several installments? Anyway, you all know the story, of a man left alone on Mars, who must find a way to survive longer than the food he has. He uses lots of knowledge and imagination and will manage, after trials and errors. Some parts are funny and interesting. If you have not read it, you can find it online.
The same applies to All the Light we Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr, a story of life in France during the Second World War. Marie-Laure is blind and lives in Brittany, Werner is a German orphan. The two of them live thousands of kilometers apart and will only meet fleetingly. Their lives are described during more than five years. The author has captured some sweetness and tenderness, which must have existed even if those years were awful for most people. Yes, it is well written, but that was not enough to captivate me.
I liked better the Nightingale, bu Kristin Hannah, without feeling amazed by it. The story of two sisters during the same war, who both end up helping the Resistance, and pay the price for it. A bit to mushy and sentimental at times, while lacking feelings when you would expect them.
I enjoyed the writing quality of Halbman steals home, a short book by B.Glen Rotchin. If you want to find a perfectly written book, this is the one. I missed some of the interest of the story, though, and did not understand the psychology of any of the characters. If you read it and get it, please, tell me! I'm really missing something.
I yet still have to read Infinite Home, which has a great review on Kirkus. That will be done soon.
Still, I have read quite a bit, but sadly, did not enjoy most of the books as much as I expected.
I finally read The Martian, and expected to have fun with it. Instead, it made thousands of questions pop in my head, like how do you make plants grow by just watering them once? or would not he be better with potatoes growing in several installments? Anyway, you all know the story, of a man left alone on Mars, who must find a way to survive longer than the food he has. He uses lots of knowledge and imagination and will manage, after trials and errors. Some parts are funny and interesting. If you have not read it, you can find it online.
The same applies to All the Light we Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr, a story of life in France during the Second World War. Marie-Laure is blind and lives in Brittany, Werner is a German orphan. The two of them live thousands of kilometers apart and will only meet fleetingly. Their lives are described during more than five years. The author has captured some sweetness and tenderness, which must have existed even if those years were awful for most people. Yes, it is well written, but that was not enough to captivate me.
I liked better the Nightingale, bu Kristin Hannah, without feeling amazed by it. The story of two sisters during the same war, who both end up helping the Resistance, and pay the price for it. A bit to mushy and sentimental at times, while lacking feelings when you would expect them.
I enjoyed the writing quality of Halbman steals home, a short book by B.Glen Rotchin. If you want to find a perfectly written book, this is the one. I missed some of the interest of the story, though, and did not understand the psychology of any of the characters. If you read it and get it, please, tell me! I'm really missing something.
I yet still have to read Infinite Home, which has a great review on Kirkus. That will be done soon.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Hi again,
As I said yesterday, I posted two pictures. I know, there is one you cannot see. Well, I can't find it either... I'm still learning how to handle a blog and feel very ashamed of myself. Teens just come and handle the whole thing in ten minutes -it looks perfect with them. I've spent two hours trying to get what I wanted and am still very far from the expected results... Talk about being smart!
You can notice though, bu the way my cat looks at the computer screen that he is fascinated. Is that how we felt when beginning to read? I believe it. I remember buying one of my first books just before my sixth birthday, and feeling as proud as a peacock -maybe it was he first time I was allowed to go in a bookstore and pick up what I wanted. I'm sure I chose a book by the countess of Ségur, whose complete name was much too difficult to pronounce (all her books were by the countess of Ségur, née Rostopchine. Not a name for an almost 6 year old!). I can't remember though if it was Sophie's Misfortunes, or Good Little Girls. A few months later, for Christmas maybe, I decided for Little Women. Quite classical tastes in my young days, no?
Oh, before I forget, you find "née" and "fiancée" in English or American books regularly. I want to scream because at least 50% of the times, it is misspelled. You read: "She gave her fiancée a long kiss", which would only be possible if the girl was gay. Fiancée is always feminine. A man can only be a fiancé, one é, no other e following. Not so easy to write in an other language...
Yesterday, too frustrated not to manage to obtain what I wanted here to do any serious reading, I went through two old books picked somewhere in the garage. The garage has become a storage place for many books, because it has perfect shelves and enough of them. I grabbed "If looks could kill" by Heather Graham Pozzessere, which was probably bought at a book fair. I must have read it years ago, did not remember much of it, but it did not evoke the lousy memories a bad book can leave me with. When I started reading it again (we are talking about a 15 years gap), I was soon amazed by the general complete lack of quality. A killer in Southern Florida is going after young women, who are all red headed. The heroine (who, how surprising, has red hair!) slowly comes to terms with her crush about her stepbrother. He loves her, she loves him, and there is this amazing attraction between them, which would be enough to make them explode if they could not sleep together (verbatim). As they are easily able to satisfy their mutual craving, they remain in one piece and the murders will be stopped, the criminal prevented from causing any more damage and the hero and heroine are heading for a happy togetherness. The author wrote many books and sold more than 10,000,000 of them. The amazing part is he amount of clichés she managed to stuff in 360 pages. For instance, a young and pretty woman has been feeling neglected by her husband. He claimed he worked too much. She thought he was having an affair. He took a day out of work, and went back to his 14 hours daily load, but now, although she is as much alone as before, she is fine, because she knows he loves her. I would think the only way to improve their relationship would be to change heir daily routine, but no, just one day together is enough. You notice too that girls have kids very early, although they wen to college. They manage yo pop out a couple of little one before being legally allowed to drink. How did they do it? hat is the magical side of romantic suspense of the nineties. Nothing was impossible for a strong willed woman. Not even to leave a party and fly unexpectedly to Martinique -because I reckon she always has hr passport tucked in her clutch...
I'll find a better book tomorrow, though the first thing should be to get noticed by a few people. I must google how to get found on google.
As I said yesterday, I posted two pictures. I know, there is one you cannot see. Well, I can't find it either... I'm still learning how to handle a blog and feel very ashamed of myself. Teens just come and handle the whole thing in ten minutes -it looks perfect with them. I've spent two hours trying to get what I wanted and am still very far from the expected results... Talk about being smart!
You can notice though, bu the way my cat looks at the computer screen that he is fascinated. Is that how we felt when beginning to read? I believe it. I remember buying one of my first books just before my sixth birthday, and feeling as proud as a peacock -maybe it was he first time I was allowed to go in a bookstore and pick up what I wanted. I'm sure I chose a book by the countess of Ségur, whose complete name was much too difficult to pronounce (all her books were by the countess of Ségur, née Rostopchine. Not a name for an almost 6 year old!). I can't remember though if it was Sophie's Misfortunes, or Good Little Girls. A few months later, for Christmas maybe, I decided for Little Women. Quite classical tastes in my young days, no?
Oh, before I forget, you find "née" and "fiancée" in English or American books regularly. I want to scream because at least 50% of the times, it is misspelled. You read: "She gave her fiancée a long kiss", which would only be possible if the girl was gay. Fiancée is always feminine. A man can only be a fiancé, one é, no other e following. Not so easy to write in an other language...
Yesterday, too frustrated not to manage to obtain what I wanted here to do any serious reading, I went through two old books picked somewhere in the garage. The garage has become a storage place for many books, because it has perfect shelves and enough of them. I grabbed "If looks could kill" by Heather Graham Pozzessere, which was probably bought at a book fair. I must have read it years ago, did not remember much of it, but it did not evoke the lousy memories a bad book can leave me with. When I started reading it again (we are talking about a 15 years gap), I was soon amazed by the general complete lack of quality. A killer in Southern Florida is going after young women, who are all red headed. The heroine (who, how surprising, has red hair!) slowly comes to terms with her crush about her stepbrother. He loves her, she loves him, and there is this amazing attraction between them, which would be enough to make them explode if they could not sleep together (verbatim). As they are easily able to satisfy their mutual craving, they remain in one piece and the murders will be stopped, the criminal prevented from causing any more damage and the hero and heroine are heading for a happy togetherness. The author wrote many books and sold more than 10,000,000 of them. The amazing part is he amount of clichés she managed to stuff in 360 pages. For instance, a young and pretty woman has been feeling neglected by her husband. He claimed he worked too much. She thought he was having an affair. He took a day out of work, and went back to his 14 hours daily load, but now, although she is as much alone as before, she is fine, because she knows he loves her. I would think the only way to improve their relationship would be to change heir daily routine, but no, just one day together is enough. You notice too that girls have kids very early, although they wen to college. They manage yo pop out a couple of little one before being legally allowed to drink. How did they do it? hat is the magical side of romantic suspense of the nineties. Nothing was impossible for a strong willed woman. Not even to leave a party and fly unexpectedly to Martinique -because I reckon she always has hr passport tucked in her clutch...
I'll find a better book tomorrow, though the first thing should be to get noticed by a few people. I must google how to get found on google.
Sunday, August 9, 2015
pictures
The pictures and a few reviews should be posted tomorrow. To be complete, I was promised a drawing of a cat reading the paper a month ago, and I have been waiting for it. Well, maybe it will come and maybe it won't... If I keep waiting, it won't help, will it?
how to start another blog about book reviews...
Still a lot of things to do... Make this page a bit prettier, find fascinating things to post about, get pictures of the reading cats. It will come.
Seriously, I know there are so many blogs, especially about book reviews that one more is not a necessity. And still, I like the idea.
For me, it may be hubris, or delusion, I agree. But maybe the idea of finding my reviews together, and adding a few comments not directly related to a book, the ones unneeded in a book review attracts me.
For you... I don't know. I'll have to discover what can make that blog special, what can bring you to visit it. The main difference I can think of is my age. I'm not a teenager anymore and have not been one for quite a few years, even if my hair is not white from age yet. That does not imply I don't like any young adult book. It just means I do not enjoy all of them. I can be very fond of memoirs or biographies, I'm interested by almost any kind of book, meaning of course the well written ones, with a fascinating story... and many of the other ones, too. There are very few books I've read which did not bring something to me. It may be knowledge, a bit of wisdom, or even the discovery I don't like this kind of book and why it does not appeal to me.
I find reading a great hobby. It prevents anybody from doing a lot of stupid things. You cannot read if you drink too much or get high on whatever. It can be done almost anywhere, in any condition. The only things needed are a book, or an e-book and enough light to be able to see the text. With e-books, the reader provides the light, but sooner or later, you will need some electric energy. The same book can be appreciated by totally different people, anywhere on earth. In itself, reading is very neutral. The activity is not sexist, racist, prejudiced against anything. Of course, books are made of what people pour into them, and here, you may find any possible human created problems. Books can be very offensive, because the author has a twisted view of life, or because he describes persons with a twisted mind. The reader must make the difference and select wisely. Where can we find such a huge amount of choices? movies, maybe, though there are less available movies than books.
With libraries, e-books, used books, lent books, reading is very affordable, and that matters a lot, too. I can think of many things I love and would want to do now, yesterday or tomorrow. Traveling, for instance, belongs to my favorite occupations. But traveling is expensive -once you are done with youth hostels and require more comfortable accommodation And in order to enjoy the countries you discover, you need a state of health enabling you to walk and stand without noticeable pain.
No, reading remains the easiest, cheapest and most pleasant way to entertain yourself.
If you have questions, you are welcome!
Seriously, I know there are so many blogs, especially about book reviews that one more is not a necessity. And still, I like the idea.
For me, it may be hubris, or delusion, I agree. But maybe the idea of finding my reviews together, and adding a few comments not directly related to a book, the ones unneeded in a book review attracts me.
For you... I don't know. I'll have to discover what can make that blog special, what can bring you to visit it. The main difference I can think of is my age. I'm not a teenager anymore and have not been one for quite a few years, even if my hair is not white from age yet. That does not imply I don't like any young adult book. It just means I do not enjoy all of them. I can be very fond of memoirs or biographies, I'm interested by almost any kind of book, meaning of course the well written ones, with a fascinating story... and many of the other ones, too. There are very few books I've read which did not bring something to me. It may be knowledge, a bit of wisdom, or even the discovery I don't like this kind of book and why it does not appeal to me.
I find reading a great hobby. It prevents anybody from doing a lot of stupid things. You cannot read if you drink too much or get high on whatever. It can be done almost anywhere, in any condition. The only things needed are a book, or an e-book and enough light to be able to see the text. With e-books, the reader provides the light, but sooner or later, you will need some electric energy. The same book can be appreciated by totally different people, anywhere on earth. In itself, reading is very neutral. The activity is not sexist, racist, prejudiced against anything. Of course, books are made of what people pour into them, and here, you may find any possible human created problems. Books can be very offensive, because the author has a twisted view of life, or because he describes persons with a twisted mind. The reader must make the difference and select wisely. Where can we find such a huge amount of choices? movies, maybe, though there are less available movies than books.
With libraries, e-books, used books, lent books, reading is very affordable, and that matters a lot, too. I can think of many things I love and would want to do now, yesterday or tomorrow. Traveling, for instance, belongs to my favorite occupations. But traveling is expensive -once you are done with youth hostels and require more comfortable accommodation And in order to enjoy the countries you discover, you need a state of health enabling you to walk and stand without noticeable pain.
No, reading remains the easiest, cheapest and most pleasant way to entertain yourself.
If you have questions, you are welcome!
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