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Showing posts from January, 2020

Deliverance by James Dickey

“An unsettling and frankly unnecessary story about men being accosted and their fight for survival in the Southern wilderness.” 1 Star Pros:  Dickeys prose is both beautiful and disturbing Cons : There was no provocation for the hillbillies to attack Ed and Bobby. I think Dickey just needed something to drive the plot aside from four men sailing in canoes on a river/ The dialogue was atrocious. I didn’t know people actually talk like that though it could have been a 70s thing  Full Review: Yes, for the most part we’ve all heard of the movie “Deliverance” and at least know about that infamous scene with the hillbillies etc. And though there is the dueling banjos scene and the disturbing attack, for the most part the book is about four men going out of their comfort zone, trying something new and adventurous and it certainly doesn’t turn out at all the way they hoped.  Ed, the protagonist is a graphic artist making ads for newspapers and pamphlets. His friend Lewis has

Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe #2) by Neal Shusterman.

"An action packed, edge of your seat, don't want to put it down because you just have to find out what happens, sequel that will keep you riveted."  5 Stars Pros: The same characters from the first novel so there aren't many new people to remember/Shusterman's artful craftsman with intertwining plot twists and turns Cons: Scythe Anastasia (Citra's) ability to always say the right thing at the right time comes off as arrogant and self-assured, which can be a little grating at times, other than that, the book was great. Full Review:  Almost a year has passed since Citra was ordained as Honorable Scythe Anastasia and Rowan escaped gleaning by her good timing and a clever scheme cooked up by Faraday, Curie et al. As the months have passed, Citra has continued to train under Scythe Curie and they've developed a Mother/Daughter tenderness towards one another. Their gleaning methods are different and yet they are effective. Citra chooses to give her gle

Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver

"A unique commentary on the modern world versus a time when humans were only just starting to accept that the world was not made by magic in seven days but by Science. Entertaining in its similarities and also thought provoking in its study of history and how so many things in our lives are connected and we don't even know it." 4 Stars Pros: An effortless flow that lets the two timelines mesh/the character of Thatcher Greenwood is quiet, unassuming and intelligent, very easy to like. Cons: Tig. Her constant bickering and arguing with her mother and everyone over EVERYTHING was a huge turn off/Thatcher and Mary's relationship in the end. It made sense and it wasn't overly saccharine but I just wonder if there's a novel out there where a man and woman can meet and have no romantic attachments, it was just a bit disappointing. Full Review: The setting is a ramshackle old house. The characters, Willa, the free lance journalist, her husband Iano, the Coll

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke

"A deep and cerebral read that leaves the reader thinking about it long after the novel has finished."  5 Stars Pros: Clarke is a master of suspense, he never lets the reader know what's going on exactly and the end, though frightening, is darkly perfect. Cons: The strange arc in the third part of the novel seemed a bit strange but when it was explained, it more or less made sense. It just kind of felt like Clarke had run out of ideas and wanted to end the story.  Full Review: ***Spoiler Alert. They come without warning, no fanfare, no parades, no hysterical radio broadcast that sends the world into panic. The space ships of the Overlords, an extraterrestrial race that comes to Earth apparently of their own volition, simply appear over all the major cities of the world one day and that's where it starts. There are some world governments that resist but any violence shown towards the ships is as ineffective as a band-aid over a bullet wound and there is never any