Recently in Books: Reviews Category

As regular readers know, I am a fan of creative young adult fiction particularly fantasy. It seems that publishers have given this genre more freedom and thus the books are simply more interesting than a lot of what is being published for adults. These works have the added benefit of being lighthearted and witty. They provide a nice break from more serious reading.

One of my favorites series along these lines is the Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley. They are creative, fun, easy reads, with a touch of suspense and have great illustrations. What's not to like?

The latest in the series (book six) has recently come out, and Tales from the Hood is a delightful addition to the sister's adventures.

For those of you unfamiliar with the premise of the series, it is that the famous Brothers Grimm were not capturing folktales and fairy tales but actual history. As the world turns away from believing these stories the magical creatures involved end up sequestered in a sleepy town in upstate New York called Ferryport landing.

The central characters, Daphne and Sabrina Grimm, are long last relatives of the brothers and they end up in the family business: solving the crimes and mysteries of the magical residents of their new home town known as "Everafters." A group of the Everafters known as the Red Hand, however, resent the Grimms for their role in trapping them in Ferryport. They kidnap Daphne and Sabrina's parents and put them in a deep sleep. The arc of the series is driven by the Grimm's quest to rescue and awaken them. Each book resolves a smaller mystery while keeping this over-arching mystery just out of reach and ends with "To Be Continued."

For more on book six see below.

I am not a literary critic. Sure, this blog may be loosely "literary" to the extent I talk about literature. But mostly I am just a person who loves to read and writes what he thinks about books on the internet. I try to honestly communicate what I like and don't like about the books I read. I am comfortable offering my opinion. And in this sense I suppose I am a critic.

I find the idea of writing a novel so daunting, however, as to be almost incomprehensible. I simply can't imagine the work and creative skill involved in making up dialog, creating and describing characters, keeping the plot straight, etc. That is why I love to interact with authors. It is with a sense of awe at what they are able to accomplish. When someone I am in any way connected to writes a book then it makes it that much more interesting.

Mark Sarvas and I are connected by nothing more than the fact that we both have blogs. I have exchanged some emails with him and commented on his blog. We aren't exactly blog soul mates, however. He is a West Coast liberal and I am a Midwest conservative. (In fact, we had something of a falling out during the last election - if it could be called that.)

Nevertheless, he is a talented blogger and a love for books can surely overcome politics. With this in mind, I wanted to read his first novel and genuinely hoped it met with success. And so when it came out I read it.

Feel free to take what I say with whatever amount of salt grains you feel are appropriate. Maybe I am just kissing up to a famous lit blogger. Maybe I want to join that infamous clique and reap the link love that is said to come with it. Maybe I am just not as sophisticated a judge of literature as the New York Times.

But I will admit that I liked the book and even found it moving. It is a comic story about grief, deception, and self-perception.

More after the jump.

I read Ray Blackstone's first novel, Flabbergasted, and found it to be a lighthearted and wholesome novel about dating from a Christian perspective. It lacked depth and much tension, but I wrote at that I could appreciate the perspective:

That being said, Flabbergasted is an interesting read and a family friendly one at that. It is refreshing to read a book that doesn't treat becoming a Christian like joining a weird cult or as a fig leaf for a warped psyche. Given the bias and antagonism that much of our culture has towards faith Blackstone provides a nice counter-balance. He paints a picture of real people living real lives yet doing it in within the context of church and faith. Jay's path to faith may seem a little trite at times but it is honest and sincere. Not everyone needs to go through a "dark night of the soul" to come to faith in Christ.

Blackstone has gone on to write a number of novels including two sequels to Flabbergasted. His latest book, Par for the Course, caught my eye because of its subject matter: golf and politics. I thought it would be interesting to see what Blackstone could do with two of my hobbies.

Here is the set up for the book:

In PAR FOR THE COURSE, Chris Hackett owns and operates Hack's Golf Learning Center, an eccentric golf range in Charleston, SC. Chris jumps at the chance to step up his game when an attractive new student and political correspondent, Molly, suggests that Chris capitalize on the current, highly polarized, presidential election. This pitting of right versus left means even more income, plus a sharp new girlfriend, and soon Chris, his sidekick, Cack, and their unique golf range are the talk of the town . . . until someone takes the political insults too seriously. Will Molly stick around as Chris learns the true meaning of "playing politics"? And will Chris realize how much he wants her to?

Like Flabbergasted, Par for the Course has dating as a focus. And obviously Blackstone is still writing for a Christian perspective. But the faith element is largely missing from the story. Instead it focuses on Chris and his interaction with women.

The hook for the story, having golfers try to hit a specialized golf cart while Cack hurls partisan insults at them is interesting. And Blackstone handles the set up pretty smoothly - although, a plot line about a feminist speaker never really goes anywhere - and adds in some tension when the plan backfires with disastrous results. Before things turn ugly, however, Blackstone delivers some funny moments.

Chris is an interesting character in many ways. A nice guy who couldn't quite make it as a professional golfer who really wants a family but lacks confidence when it comes to the opposite sex. Blackstone uses him to explore the discussion men have about relationships as well as the challenges of dating and career.

But like Flabbergasted, the question comes down to one of taste (I feel like a broken record on this point). If you are looking for lighthearted, squeaky clean, and slightly cheesy fare then you will probably enjoy Par for the Course.

If you prefer your fiction a little deeper and with a more literary bent then you will probably be disappointed. Blackstone avoids dark or difficult topics and wraps everything up in a nice happy bow. His style makes for a quick read and his main characters are likable if corny. But, IMHO, they require little of the reader and don't make much of an impact.

To me they are Christian fluff, pleasant and family friendly, but fluff nonetheless.

At first glance you might think that Girl Factory by Jim Krusoe is just another story about a lovable loser.  Or, maybe it is another one of those unreliable narrators.  Or maybe it is a subtle political statement about the objectification of women.  In fact, it might be all of these things.  But to me it is about the role of perception and self-deception in our lives.

Allow me to steal PW's plot summary:

In the basement of a Southern California yogurt shop one hot summer night, Jonathan, a down-on-his-luck fro-yo slinger, discovers several young, beautiful naked women encased in glass and suspended lifelessly in a milky mixture. Jonathan's boss, Spinner, catches him nosing around and reveals his experiment: acidophilus, yogurt's active culture, has the uncanny ability to preserve and nourish life, he explains, and the women bobbing before Jonathan's wide eyes are making "an investment in their future." When foul play suddenly makes the women Jonathan's wards, he has to see if he has the right stuff to care for them-and perhaps free them.

This is a succinct plot summation and it gives you an idea of the comic nature of the story.  But the real focus of the novel is Jonathan's inability to do anything right and the flawed perception and self-deception that is at the root of his problems.

Jonathan is certainly an unreliable narrator.  He presents each of his actions and decisions as rational and well intentioned even as each ends in disaster and failure.  At the start of the story, Jonathan sets out to save a dog unjustly imprisoned and facing euthanasia.  Despite his good intentions, however, this rescue attempt ends in death and mayhem and the release of a dangerous and vicious dog.

Once he finds the women in the basement, Jonathan once again proceeds with a plan to rescue them and once again things end badly.  This is a pattern in his life.  In fact, one of the women suspended in yogurt resembles a girlfriend Jonathan may or may not have left on the side of the road in Mexico.

Jonathan as lovable loser provides some comic moments.  You have to chuckle as he tries to manage the increasing mess he has made of his life with only the feeblest of mental and social skills.  As things come crashing down around him he seems convinced he is just one lucky break away from solving his problems.

What made Girl Factory more intriguing, at least for me, was whether Jonathan was really a bumbling idiot or whether there was something a little more sinister at work.  Is he just stupid - unable to see his lame ideas and rationalizations for what they are - or is he really a sort of psychopath who rationalizes his violence by acting like everything is just an honest mistake or misunderstanding?

Jonathan beans an employee at the dog shelter with a crowbar, plays a role in the death of the women in the yogurt shop basement, and might have abandoned his girlfriend in the middle of nowhere while on a road trip in Mexico.  You don't have to be a conspiracy theory nut to wonder if the bodies pilling up around Jonathan are more than just accidents.

And all of this is wrapped up in this comic, almost absurd, story about women suspended in yogurt and whether Jonathan can resuscitate them with some combination of soap and water.  Krusoe never reveals the answer to any of the questions but lets the reader attempt to work it out on their own.

And let's be honest, Krusoe may take things to an absurd level, but I think we can all admit that perception plays a huge role in our lives and it isn't always easy to spot the difference between harmless rationalization and dangerous self-deception.

However you come down on what the story is really about, Girl Factory is certainly entertaining.  And short enough to be considered a novella, with a quick and engaging style, it is a quick read.  Its wry humor and insightful descriptions of human nature and American culture will bring a smile to your face and occasionally a chuckle. 

But I bet it will also leave you pondering what it was really all about.

I am either generous in giving author's the benefit of the doubt or I am a glutton for punishment. After two rather inconclusive takes on David Gregory's books I decided to give it one more shot. This time with The Next Level. This is labeled "A Parable of Finding Your Place in Life." Having recently gone through considerable chaos in my professional life I thought this book might strike a chord. I have to say I was disappointed.

It isn't that The Next Level is horrible or unreadable or something, it is a quick read, but rather it just left me uninspired and with no real insights.

Here is the publishers description:

Business degree in hand, Logan enters the immense Universal Systems building and is hired as an organizational analyst — a trouble-shooter. His job: evaluate the company’s five divisions, each on a separate level and each operating on startlingly unique principles. Which set of principles is successful? Why is most of the company’s profit generated by one tiny division? What is real profit, anyway? And who is the enigmatic executive that Logan ends up reporting to?

Logan engages in a life-changing pursuit for The Next Level–a fascinating parable that will help you answer some of life’s most perplexing and vital questions. Joining Logan in evaluating each level’s approach, you’ll be inspired to consider the big picture of your own life from an entirely different perspective — one that holds the key to life’s ultimate purpose. No matter where you are now, get ready to embark on your own passionate pursuit of The Next Level.

As I noted above, the book is a quick read and Gregory keeps things move at a good pace. There is a mystery involved as Logan proceeds through the levels and that keeps the readers interest as well. Gregory's conception of the stages of Christian faith as a corporation is an interesting one. The process of Logan evaluating each level does provide some thought provoking ideas about how you approach your faith.

But as with the other books, this one just feels thin. Not in terms of length, although that is obviously true, but in terms of depth. In reading the book nothing jumped out as me as particularly insightful or interesting. It has too much of a paint-by-numbers feel to it; a rout translation of an idea into a fictional setting.

In order for a parable or fable to work it needs to bring something in the telling that can't be communicated through a straightforward explanation; it is supposed to explore the issue from a fresh direction. I just didn't get that from The Next Level.

When I first heard about the new novel from Adam Gittlin, The Deal, I thought it had an interesting hook: big time commercial real estate in New York City. Seemed like an interesting backdrop to a thriller. That turned out to be true, but the heart of The Deal isn't real estate but trust and priorities. Who can you trust and what is most important to you.

The Deal is an fast paced thriller with an interesting setting and a creative twisting plot. But I will confess that the main character turned me off and this hampered my enjoyment of the book.

Here is the publishers tease that sets up the plot:

Everything about Jonah Gray screams success movie-star good looks, expensive clothes, a Park Avenue penthouse, and a seven-figure income. A cutthroat, rainmaking New York city commercial real estate broker, Jonah craves opulence and power. He beds models, romps the globe on the weekends and sees the world as his for the taking. Jonah Gray has it all. Or at least he had it all.

When a friend presents Jonah with the deal of a lifetime, Jonah jumps at the chance. All Jonah has to do is act quickly, invest half a billion dollars in prime NY office buildings, and collect a huge payoff.

But this golden opportunity is anything but. Within days of signing on, Jonah is mysteriously thrust into the epicenter of an international and personal scandal.

Forced to explore a whole new territory where he can trust no one, and where danger, death and deception lurk at every corner, Jonah will learn some painfully hard lessons about the quest for easy money.

Closing this deal could mean losing everything.

The commercial real estate business in New York provides the setting for the novel and it also helps introduce us to the central character Jonah Gray. Jonah not only works in the business but grew up around it as his father is a mover and shaker in the same field. Jonah's life and career is centered on this world. And a central aspect of the plot is focused on a real estate deal.

But once the plot really picks up steam the real estate aspect begins to fade away. At this point the traditional thriller aspects take over and the setting is just background. In some ways this is natural, and the setting provides a creative way to kick the plot off. But the author, who works in the business, also spends time having the character talk shop in ways that cause the plot to drag and may not interest readers.

I realize there is a fine line between a realistic setting and too much background, and the shop talk involved wasn't that distracting, but Gittlin might find the industry more fascinating than the average reader. For me, the book took a while to really get in a rhythm. Once it hit its stride it was a fast paced story and quick read, but it dragged a bit in setting the stage.

For more click the link:

When I was a graduate student at George Washington's Graduate School of Political Management the following exchange happened in one of my classes:

Professor: Does everyone know who Robert Bork is?

Student: Yes, he is a fascist!

Why do I bring this up? It came to mind while watching Jonah Goldberg discuss his book Liberal Fascism at Denison University Monday night. This sort of exchange has been witnessed by nearly every conservative in America. If they haven't been called a fascist of some sort they have had one of their intellectual heroes (Reagan, William F. Buckley, etc.) called one.

Tired of constantly hearing about how the threat of fascism, if not its actual existence, was from conservatism Jonah decided to write a book to correct this glaring popular misconception. And Monday night he outlined his arguments for a gathering of college students and what seemed to me like a number of adult Goldberg fans (they actually ran out of books to be signed).

Long time readers will be aware that I am not exactly an unbiased observer in the controversies that have erupted surrounding Jonah's book. Jonah helped me get my start in online Journalism at National Review Online and I had the opportunity to read Liberal Fascism in galley form.

So feel free to take my opinion with whatever grains of salt you feel are appropriate, but I think Liberal Fascism (LF) is a fascinating, timely, and important book. I meant to write about the book, the controversy surrounding its publication, and even interview Jonah but a variety of factors led to that not happening. Hearing Jonah's talk Monday night made me feel a little guilty for not having put my thoughts down on paper when the book came out.

So I am belatedly attempting to remedy that today. More after the jump.

I struggled with what I thought about David Gregory's first book, Dinner with a Perfect Stranger, so when I saw he had a sort of companion book, focused on a female character's interaction with Jesus, I thought I would check it out. Unfortunately, A Day with a Perfect Stranger didn't clarify my thoughts much.

Here is a basic synopsis:

What if a fascinating stranger knew you better than you know yourself?

When her husband comes home with a farfetched story about eating dinner with someone he believes to be Jesus, Mattie Cominsky thinks this may signal the end of her shaky marriage. Convinced that Nick is, at best, turning into a religious nut, the self-described agnostic hopes that a quick business trip will give her time to think things through.

On board the plane, Mattie strikes up a conversation with a fellow passenger. When she discovers their shared scorn for religion, she confides her frustration over her husband’s recent conversion. The stranger suggests that perhaps her husband isn’t seeking religion but true spiritual connection, an idea that prompts her to reflect on her own search for fulfillment.

As their conversation turns to issues of spiritual longing and deeper questions about the nature of God, Mattie finds herself increasingly drawn to this insightful stranger. But when the discussion unexpectedly turns personal, touching on things she’s never told anyone, Mattie is startled and disturbed. Who is this man who seems to peer straight into her soul?

The story here is basically the flip side of the previous book. Dinner covered the husband and Day follows the wife. Dinner dealt with a workaholic who had drifted away from faith as his adult life got to busy. Day deals with his wife's reaction to having a religious nut as a husband and her reluctance to accept his faith.

One thing that got under my skin about this book is the whole "I hate religion" refrain. This is very popular with certain types of evangelicals. They decry religion and talk only about a "personal relationship" with God. This is all well and good on some level. After all religion, like everything else, faces the temptation of becoming route and rule bound and ceasing to function as it was intended. One can mistake the practice of faith with faith itself.

But on the other hand this is really quite silly. Because no one practices their faith in some sort of free flowing non-religious manner. Religion develops from belief because man is a creature of habit and structure. We gather together and begin to worship and serve; develop and defend theology, etc. This is natural and inevitable. After all God imbued the Israelites with a religion and the structure of Christianity came from people living out their faith and building on what they had experienced.

In other words, it is easy to say "I hate religion" far harder to practically live out your faith without it.

More below.

Much like Quiver, Quicksilver by Stephanie Spinner is a retelling of various Greek Myths in the form of a young adult novel. This time the central character is Hermes.

Quicksilver starts out rather lightheartedly as Hermes runs various errands for his father Zeus and cracks jokes along the way. It takes a darker turn when discussing the Trojan war, but soon returns to happier times as it tells of his falling in love with Calypso.

As I noted with Quiver, these books are interesting and entertaining as sort of fictional tour guides through the world of Greek mythology. Spinner has crafted a very accessible way to become familiar with the characters and stories of the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece.

But for me, the stories never quite take on a life of their own. Quiver at least had a strong heroine and the plot surrounding her marriage suitors, but Quicksilver's plot is less focused because Hermes is not a central character in the myths. The result is story line that jumps from one episode to another without a central plot.

But these books are not likely to be read for their action or suspenseful plot. Rather, what Spinner does well is imagine the gods and goddess as people with all the emotions and challenges that involves. For example, Hermes desperately wants to please his father and misses his brother Apollo when they are separated for extended periods. He feels guilt and jealousy, love and desire, despite having supernatural powers. Spinner does a good job of brining the pantheon to life.

I don't mean to be to harsh here. Not every book you read can be in the "wow" category. All in all, these books are well done re-tellings of classic myths in an accessible - if unsophisticated - format.

Continuing my fascination with Greek Mythology we move from an adult modern retelling to a young adult more traditional retelling in Quiver by Stephanie Spinner. Quiver weaves the various myths and stories of Atalanta in this short but competent novel.

Here is the overview from School Library Journal:

Atalanta, a skilled archer and a runner, has dedicated her life to Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt. She has grown up among hunters, and is as good or better than many of her male counterparts. When strangers appear and command that she return with them to her father, the king, she is shocked and dismayed. King Iasus, who abandoned her at birth, now demands that she marry and produce a son, since he does not have an heir. She balks at this idea, since she has vowed to remain chaste, and poses a challenge: she will only marry a man who can outrun her in a race; all others must die. To her dismay, many accept the challenge and fail. However, when Hippomenes enlists the help of Eros and the Golden Apples of Aphrodite, Atalanta cannot force herself to outrun this man and have him die. Staying very close to the known story, Spinner gives this Greek myth a fresh face and makes Atalanta a strong heroine. The gods are ever present, advancing the plot and commenting on the lives of the characters. The setting is well done, putting readers easily into the ancient world, and the language is refreshingly unmodern.

This book is very much in the vein of The Great God Pan, a well done fictionalization of classic mythology that somehow lacks enough depth or creativity to rise above its limits. These works seem like effective ways to introduce young readers to Greek myths but their simplicity limits the power they have as literature.

Spinner paints a picture of a heroine with unique talents but who is still trapped in a world dominated by men and where those who run afoul of the gods can pay a heavy price. She captures the precarious and often brutal interaction between gods and mortals - and between fellow mortals - in the ancient world as described in mythology. As the above review notes, Atalanta is an interesting and well drawn heroine and Spinner captures the ancient setting well. But overall the story just didn't grab me.

It was interesting, and educational in the sense of fleshing out the myth, but as a story on its own it seemed a little flat or shallow. Almost a vignette rather than a complete story. But again, this may simply be the limits of reading YA fiction as an adult.

For those looking for a quick and easy to read retelling of the myths surrounding this character, Quiver will fit the bill. Those looking for deeper insight and a more powerful story might be disappointed.