Monday 25 July 2011

Review: The Redbreast

The Redbreast
The Redbreast by Jo Nesbø

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is the third book of the Harry Hole series, yet the first one available in English. I wonder whether it's different for the Chinese versions, but have yet to check out the local bookstore. (Just checked and the Chinese translations start from book 3 as well.)

Yet, maybe I'm stereotyping, but Nordic novels, always seem so cold. They shape the landscape into a field plagued with different shades of grey. They are heavy, even when the subject seems relatively light.

Which doesn't mean they are not enjoyable. Even though I entered a series in the third installment, after its principle characters have been well established and thus very difficult for a new reader to follow, I was drawn to the story nonetheless. The time jump method did pose some problem for my comprehension, however, especially once I got used to the pace the author stopped and stayed in the present.

The culprit wasn't difficult to deduce, not really. Which is a downside. Typically when reading mysteries of thrillers I tend to not try and figure out who-done-it, since most of the time I'd be wrong anyway. This time not only wasn't I wrong, I'd bet most of the readers'd be spot on; which is not a pleasant surprise.

I just can't wrap my head around translating a series from book 3 onwards and ignoring the ones that actually set the tone for the characters still. But maybe that's just me.



View all my reviews

Monday 11 July 2011

令人心神嚮往的神去村

最近發現原來我換了手機之後找到的,類似好讀的讀書分享網站(但是偏向書籍整理跟心得分享,而不是好讀的電子書下載),支援把讀書心得直接貼到blogger中。

這個網站名字就叫goodreads,硬要翻譯的話,嚴格說來就是好讀。而且支援各種語言的書,真的找不到還可以自己加上去。也支援中日文顯示。不過,畢竟是老美的網站,英文還是主要。

Review: Hitler's Niece: A Novel


Hitler's Niece: A NovelHitler's Niece: A Novel by Ron Hansen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


At the start of the book, I couldn't quite get into it. Then I found out this is the same author that wrote The assassination if Jesse James by the coward wotshisname, and I thought, shoot, another book I'd probably never finish...(i never did finish that movie, really not my cup of tea...didn't even touch that book).

The writing is fluent, the words he chose to use in German was not. Maybe it's to contribute exotic feelings, but (and I was born in Germany and lived there for 8 years, so technically it's my mother tongue and homeland) c'mon, what was ever exotic about Germany?

I spoke that language daily for the first 8 years of my life yet I found the ones inserted showy, most of them were unnecessary, and it made an already very history text book like novel even harder to swallow.

It does get better, like 30-40% in. I was constantly distracted by other novels and have finished two in the meantime, so was forcing myself to read on. After I broke that 35% barrier it did get a lot easier, maybe because it started focusing on Geli more.

Geli is, and will remain a mystery. Hitler has always been a subject that the Germans and Austrian allike would never try to mention willingly, that bit of history erased from their memory unless you actually go to historical sites. I heard things have changed in recent years, but you could never expect a person to lift his own scabs and reveal his wounds, that's just too cruel. Hitler mentioned by every other country seems to be less of a human being and more of a monster. As in this book.

Half way through reading, I looked up these people online. I found a photo of Geli, the one mentioned in the book. I also found photos of Eva Braun, Hitler's mistress and wife for less than 24 hrs. They seemed strikingly similar.

I'm a soppy person, so I have to admit that towards the end of Geli I shed some tears. Not because she seemed unhappy, that happens way too often. But because she seemed trapped. Whether it was as the book says or trapped by love though, I have no idea.

It's not a bad read, just not as enthralling as I expected the topic to be.



View all my reviews

Saturday 9 July 2011

Review: Grow Up


Grow UpGrow Up by Ben Brooks

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


His work isn't deep, granted. But the author is 18.



People (readers and critics alike) seem to forget that, they demand Charles Dickens out of him just because he's published. He is a teenager, and although young, his writing is better than a lot of adults ever will be. Give him time.



The book is not sophisticated, it's a very simple story about a teenage boy and drugs and sex and what's going through their head at that age. But I was often pleasantly surprised by choice of wording and sentences, often being at least once every three pages on my kindle.



I once purchased a book on Amazon written by a certain 'Anonymous' who published several of them, and some readers rating it as 'brilliant'. It wasn't, not for me. It was a jumbled up demon-ish, detective mystery fantasy that seemed to be written by a 13 year old while he was high on hard drugs. Forced and illogical. I ended up not finishing it and leaving it on a train.



At least this one is honest, and actually sensible. And I simply couldn't put it down.



View all my reviews

Review: 那啊那啊神去村


那啊那啊神去村那啊那啊神去村 by Shion Miura

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I bought it since late March, shortly after it was published. I have an issue of buying books quicker than I can read them, so there's always a massive pile of 'to read's in some corner. Paperback or digital.



It's a strange little story, it makes me laugh and cry, and often both at once. Most of the time, it makes me smile unstoppably. It is the story of another teenager, also 17. A Japanese boy left the city and started working deep in the woods, as a lumberjack, living with a strange group of people in a faraway village.



I can totally understand why Miyazaki thought of making it into an animation/movie. I can also understand why he chose not to in the end. Even though I do hope he changes his mind again. This story does fit his style of story telling.



This book is strangely enthralling, I picked it up at 3 this morning thinking "I'll go to bed after 20 pages" then it became 40, 60, and eventually a chapter.



And then I didn't put it down till half past 8, when I actually finished the whole book. I have a course to give in one hour, but strangely I don't mind. I feel good. This is one of them books that makes you feel good about life after reading it.



It's not available in English yet, though I hope it will be soon. :)









View all my reviews