Zoo City - Lauren Beukes

Well, for a novel that has been awarded the 2011 Arthur C Clark Award and was shortlisted for the 2011 World Fantasy Award, I was sadly disappointed.

The premise for this novel is very unique and I was excited to get my hands on a copy. The novel follows protagonist, Zinzi December, ex-journalist, recovering drug addict, murderer and animalled criminal.  Permanently accompanied by Sloth, Zinzi uses the 'talent' bestowed on her as one of the animalled to find lost things in order to pay off a drug debt owed from what she calls her "Former Life."  After being accused of the murder of one of her clients, Zinzi accepts a job and begins a week long investigation into finding a lost pop starlet, only to get in way over her head.

This novel had real potential.  I can understand some of the praise being heaped on Zoo City, but for me it was only a good idea and a well executed novel, but not a great story.  I kept feeling that I was just skimming the surface but that I was never able to penetrate into the heart of the novel.  It didn't stike a cord.  It didn't leave me thinking.  I was left at the end wanting more.  Maybe I will venture a try at her first novel, Moxyland.   Here's hoping it's more enjoyable.

New Irving in May!

Wheeeeeeee!  John Irving's 13th novel, In One Person, is expected May 2012.  Does that seem really far away to anyone else?  This news made my day. Library Journal's prepub review describes this new novel as a throwback to Irving's Garp days, with many odd and wonderful characters to meet along the way.  Very much looking forward to this book!

Back in the stacks

I'm finally back after a whirlwind year.  Having a baby and maternity leave left me with little time to devote to writing. I've missed posting to my blog and hope to get right back into the swing of things, starting right now!

One of the best things about the second half of a lovely year off with my son was afternoon naps. His naps, not mine. Afternoon naps meant and hour or two totally devoted to reading. I devoured many books in the last six months and thought that, this being my first post back in some time, I would highlight the best of the bunch.

The first novel I actually finished after my son arrived (general sleeplessness made for lots of failed reading attempts), was The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein.  I have to admit, I was totally skeptical about a book narrated by a dog.  I mean, how good could it be?  Well, I LOVED it!  I pretty much bawled my eyes out through the whole novel.  Stein made this style of narration work and was able to tell the story of this family in a truly moving way.  Definitely worth a read.

Once I realized I had time to read again, I went on a huge fantasy/sci fi kick.  Here are some titles of note:

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss.  The second book in the trilogy continues Kvothe's adventures and was a book I couldn't put down.

Speaking of books I couldn't put down.  I recommend hurrying up and reading the Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins, before the movies come out.  Excellent, quick read, with a very dystopian slant.

A Dance With Dragons, of course, I had on  hold at the library before the book even came out.  There's something about being the first to use the new library copy.  Although, not my favourite of the series, I still spent every free second reading.  I was glad to reconnect with my favourite characters absent from the previous novel.  Can't wait for the next volume and hopefully we don't have to wait so long this time. As an aside, I also love the show.  They are doing an excellent job and I'm totally looking forward to the next season.


So this is turning into a long post.  I'll cut it off here.  It's very nice to write about books again and I'll be back soon with a review of Haruki Murakami's 1Q84.  About a third of the way through, and it is, for sure, one of the best books I've read in a long time.

The Retreat - David Bergen

I wasn't the biggest fan of The Time in Between, but the novel was very well written and I'm always willing to give a great writer another try. I enjoyed The Retreat a little bit more. I felt the story was stronger and the characters were well developed.

I think my uneasyness to say I loved this book stems from the fact that his novels, the two I've read, don't end on the happiest note. Bergen is adept at creating and describing the relationships between his characters. In this novel, Berger really shows that you can never really know someone, no matter how close you think you are, you can never truly see to the deepest depths of someone's soul.

I honestly don't have much else to say. Bergen's novels, although very well written with great character development and relationships, leave me feeling utterly depressed.

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro

At first glance, it appears the novel is about a young girl attending boarding school, experiencing the trials and tribulations of growing up. But, as Kathy continues to tell her story, the reader soon realizes not all is as it seems.

Over the course of the novel, various clues reveal that these children will not have a regular adult life, but instead are created, cloned in fact, to exist only as organ donors; the boarding school, Hailsham, is basically a body farm. Yet, what makes this novel so unsettling is the nonchalant way Kathy tells the story, as if she has always accepted her fate and, in fact, believes that this is the natural order of things. This is made even stranger by the seemingly normal social relationships seen throughout the novel. These kids are experience life and love, just like any normal teenager; how can they be so blasé about their looming end?

That is only one of the many questions unresolved at the end of the novel, not to mention such themes as the moral and ethical use of clones for harvesting organs. Are clones less human than the people receiving the donations? Ahhh, this definitely left me deep in thought.

This book is an interesting, yet disturbing, look at what our own future may hold.

Flight of the Hummingbird - Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

This wonderful little book is an inspiration; one that, because of it's simple message and elegant illustrations, provides the understanding that all is not lost, that the damage caused to the environment can still be repaired. If the little hummingbird has the courage and endurance to fight the forest fire alone, drop by drop, even one person's willingness to do their part will change the face of our world for the better. And, if one person can make a change, others will follow.

The introduction by Wangari Maathai, as well as the wise words from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, make each individual's role in the fight to reclaim our environment seem so easy. It is my hope that this story will be widely read and that the image of the hummingbird will act as a reminder that every little bit counts. Our wish for a sustainable environment is indeed within our reach.

2008 Man Booker Longlist

The Man Booker Prize longlist was released today. Very exciting. Included in the list is one of my favourite authors, a book that I've been keeping my eye on, as well as several lesser known novelists.

Okay. So, here we go. Drum roll please...

The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga

Girl in a Blue Dress - Gaynor Arnold

The Secret Scripture - Sebastian Barry

From A to X - John Berger

The Lost Dog - Michelle de Kretser

Sea of Poppies - Amitav Ghosh

The Clothes on Their Backs - Linda Grant

A Case of Exploding Mangoes - Mohammed Hanif

The Northern Clemency - Philip Hensher

Netherland - Joseph O'Neill

The Enchantress of Florence - Salman Rushdie

Child 44 - Tom Rob Smith

A Fracture of the Whole - Steve Toltz

Ta Da! Time to get reading people.