Gold

Title: Gold 

Author: Chris Cleave

Publisher: Simon and Schuster (2012)

Genre(s): Realistic Fiction, Sport, Fiction

Length: 324 pages

Synopsis:  Zoe and Kate have been rivals and competitors, bitter enemies and the best of friends throughout their entire careers.  They're Olympic level cyclists who've spent their lives training with the goal of gold always on the horizon.  But now, with her daughter Sophie fighting cancer and her final shot at an Olympic medal coming up, Kate has to make a decision about where her priorities really lie.  Zoe is forced to acknowledge that the effort she's poured into her training since childhood will no longer matter after the next Olympic games.  Facing pivotal points in their lives, will they find themselves once again fierce rivals or the friend that each so desperately needs?

My Rating: 5 Stars

My Opinion: This book was one of those stay-up-until-two-in-the-morning  It's not really a book about sport.  Yes, cycling happens, but it's not what this book is about.  It's heart and soul and breath and body can be found in the little cast of characters that plays out their stories in these pages.  The people of Gold are vividly constructed, and their stories interwoven and poignant in their own ways.  There are no saints and sinners in this book, just people coping with what their lives have handed them in the best ways they know how.  I loved hearing Sophie's story from her own point of view, and watching the pasts and presents of each character unfurl from multiple perspectives.  There are twists and turns and unexpected revelations that would have kept me reading even with less fully realized characters, but Cleave's craft was evident in every aspect of this novel's construction.  From my previous experience with Cleave's work (The Other Hand, published in the U.S. as Little Bee), I had high expectations, and they were completely fulfilled.

Gone Girl (Audiobook)

Title: Gone Girl

Author: Gillian Flynn

Read by: Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne

Publisher: Orion Publishing Group Limited (2012)

Genre(s): Fiction, Crime Thriller, Mystery, Crime

Length: 19 hours and 11 minutes

Synopsis: On the morning of her fifth wedding anniversary, Amy Dunne goes missing.  The living room of her house shows signs of a struggle, and the front door stands open when her husband, Nick Dunne, returns home.  As the investigation begins, the story unfolds from Nick's perspective, and in Amy's own words through her diary entries.  But things may not be as they seem, and halfway through the book, a whole new perspective on the events surrounding Amy's mysterious vanishing begins to emerge.  In a twisting, down-the-rabbit-hole, mystery, Gone Girl explores the complexity of human emotion and motivation, and the lengths to which we'll go for love, or hate.

My Rating: 5 Stars

My Opinion:  I had no idea what to expect when I started this book, and as I listened, I began to realize that even partway through the book, I was still not sure what to expect.  Just as I began to think I had this story figured out, a new chapter would begin and the layers would peel back in unexpected (and occasionally horrifying) revelations.  The characters are intelligent, and aware of it, which makes them intriguing if not particularly likeable.  They're manipulative, of each other and the reader, spooling out the story in calculated doses designed to keep us guessing.  Whelan and Heyborne are delightful performers given the unenviable task of bringing these faintly distasteful characters to life, and they do a marvelous job.  More than once, while listening to this book, I found myself pausing in the midst of whatever I was doing, completely absorbed in the story.  As mysteries go, it's one of the most enjoyable I've read in a long time, and though I am generally wary of mysteries as audiobooks (I find it's easier to recall the details and nuances in print, this performance and story make it worth the extra attention.  To me, it's the equivalent of a summer blockbuster film: a popular, well-known story performed well, and while it might not get critical acclaim, it was a fun way to spend my time.  

Storm Front (Audiobook)

Title: Storm Front

Author: Jim Butcher

Read by: James Marsters

Publisher: Buzzy Multimedia (2009)

Genre(s): Fiction, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Crime

Length: 8 hours, 1 minute

Synopsis:  Harry Dresden is a wizard.  Not a magician, available for birthday parties and parlour tricks, but a wizard.  As his advertisement reads: "Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment."  But life as Chicago's only wizard is anything but straightforward.  Some consider him a charlatan, and others are terrified by the mere mention of magic.  All in all, it means that rent money is hard to come by, and Dresden often earns his keep consulting with the police department on unusual cases.  But when he's called in to solve a gruesome murder-by-magic, Dresden finds himself struggling trying to stay one step ahead of the killer.  Even worse, he's under suspicion himself!  With lives on the line, Dresden would have to risk everything to find a murderer.  How far is he willing to go?

My Rating: 5 Stars

My Opinion:  I'd been meaning to get into The Dresden Files for quite some time.  A friend in college recommended them, and I promptly filed that away for future reference in a folder in my mind which was subsequently lost.  I stumbled across it again at 4:00 am whilst paging through the books on offer at Audible.com.  Without hesitation, I downloaded Storm Front and started listening, then promptly had to stop and double check that I'd heard correctly.  Yes, I had.  In a double-dose of nerdiness, this urban fantasy gem is narrated by James Marsters, known for his role as Spike on the Joss Whedon TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Even if I'd had no idea who he was, I would have enjoyed his performance.  Butcher's story comes to life in this fast-paced narrative that blends elements of classic detective stories with a modern take on fantasy.  Urban fantasy is a particular favorite sub-genre for me, and I found this perspective interesting.  It isn't high fantasy with its vast, cosmic powers left to roam on city streets.  This feels smaller and more contained somehow.  There are rules and conventions and everything feels as if it has a solid categorization: black and white where the ethereal is so often painted in shades of grey.  In general, I prefer my fantasy to feel a little less tamed, but I enjoyed that the danger here came less from supernatural power than from the very human people wielding it.

The engineering of this audiobook is slightly different from most of the others that I've heard; it ends up sounding slightly lower in quality, as there's a slight hiss in the background, but for a story set in an analog world, I found the sound less of a distraction and more part of an appropriate ambiance.  Marsters reads quickly and personably; his is a very believable voice for Dresden, an important consideration in first-person audiobooks, I think.  All in all, I loved it.  This is an eight hour book, but I found time to finish it in under a day.  Fantasy buffs, rejoice, and be sure to check this one out.

A Game of Thrones (Audiobook)

Title: A Game of Thrones

 

Author: George R. R. Martin

 

Read by: Roy Dotrice

Publisher: Random House Audio (2003)

 

Genre(s): Fiction, Fantasy

Length: N/A

Synopsis: The Seven Kingdoms have enjoyed an uneasy peace since Robert Baratheon and his allies ousted the Targaryen line and claimed the Iron Throne.  With the last heirs of the Targaryen line exiled to the Free Cities beyond the sea, King Robert's days of war are over, and he's grown overly fond of his luxurious life in King's Landing.  Far to the north, his friend and ally Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, is glad to avoid the political maneuvering of the capital, content to watch over his lands and his family.  But not all families are content with their lot.  Queen Cirsei Lannister has deadly secrets that threaten to upend the kingdom, and, far across the sea, the heirs of House Targaryen, the Blood of the Dragon, have not forgotten their birthright.    Winter is coming, and the Seven Kingdoms stand on the brink of war on multiple fronts.  The board is set, and the game of thrones begun; who will arise the winner?

My Rating: 5 Stars

My Opinion:  This was one of the most stunningly performed audiobooks I have ever had the pleasure of hearing.  Dotrice maintains distinctive voices for each one of the multitude of characters in this complex tale without resorting to caricature.  Without a such skilled performer narrating, the story would have been all but impossible to follow.  At 33 hours and 50 minutes long, this unabridged version still posed an occasional challenge of comprehension.  The alternating chapters and their multiple interwoven plots require a sort of mental gymnastics to keep straight without the visual signposts of text.  The characters, however, deserve nothing less.  They are fascinatingly constructed, each with flaws and strengths that lift them off the page into three dimensions.  Everyone has his or her own agenda, and the lengths to which some will go to pursue them are incredible.  The story is a rich tapestry of political intrigue and high fantasy, written in an accessible and compelling set of voices.  For those whose knowledge of this series comes exclusively from the televised version, I would recommend taking a look at the original, whether text or audiobook.  Perhaps I'm beating the point to death, but the complexity of this story is really what lies at its heart.  People are not simple, and if it takes nearly 34 hours to tell the first part of their story, so be it.

Dracula (Audiobook)

Title: Dracula

 

Author: Bram Stoker

 

Read by: Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, Simon Vance, Katherine Kellgren, Susan Duerden, John Lee, Graeme Malcolm, Steven Crossley, Simon Prebble, James Adams

Publisher: Audible Unabridged (2012)

 

Genre(s): Fiction, Fantasy, Classics, Horror, Audiobook

Length: N/A

Synopsis: The mysterious happenings surrounding a group of friends and the enigmatic Transylvanian nobleman, Count Dracula, are revealed through the personal papers of those involved.  From Jonathan Harker's perilous first visit to Castle Dracula to the Holmes-esque musings of Dr. Van Helsing, here is the whole story of this most famous of vampires performed by an all-star cast of voice actors.

 

My Rating: 5 Stars

My Opinion:  I have not read the text version of Bram Stoker's Dracula.  Nor have I seen the movies, actually.  I know the story, of course (who doesn't?), but this was my first encounter with the original, and I must say I was absolutely delighted.  The structure of the story lends itself well to a full cast of performers, reading out "their" diary entries, letters, and newspaper clippings as the story of the Transylvanian count unfolds, and the horror in the voices of these skilled actors is more effective, I think, than any big-budget Hollywood film.  In fact, not being able to see, even just the text, adds to the nerve-wracking nature of this experience.  There's no looking back to double check that the door was locked and barred, and no peeking ahead to see if that dog in the street was really the count in disguise.  By the time the true nature of the count was revealed, I was completely hooked.  I listened to the vast majority of this book in one sitting (true, that one sitting was a twelve hour drive and there wasn't much else to do, but I think the point is still valid).  My one disappointment comes not from this performance, but from the text itself.  After so much build up, risk, and peril... the end of the book degenerates into repetition, followed by a quick, neat ending that doesn't feel nearly as satisfyingly emotional as the rest of the text.  There's not even a sense of shock that the whole ordeal is over.  Even with the brief, sentimental epilogue, it simply ends.  Though the text ends poorly, in my opinion, the legacy clearly lives on, and as Halloween gets closer, I'm sure we'll see still more the effects this classic work of literature had on our culture.  

The Fault in Our Stars

Title: The Fault in Our Stars

Author: John Green

Publisher: Penguin Books (2012)

Genre(s): Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Realistic Fiction

Length: 316 pages

Synopsis:  Hazel Lancaster has a unique outlook on life.  As a teenage terminal cancer patient, she can see what's left of her time laid out before her, filled with guilt, pain, and pity.  She's seen it all before, having sat through support group meetings for other "cancer kids," watching new arrivals and listening to the ever lengthening list of those who've already passed away.  She's seen it in her parents' eyes, the pain and worry of having to devote their time to a daughter whose fate has already been written.  Hazel thought she'd seen it all... until she met Augustus Waters.  Capable of turning her world upside down with his broad proclamations and simple acts of caring, Augustus has given something Hazel thought she'd needn't bother with: someone to live for.

My Rating: 5 Stars

My Opinion:  This was a truly remarkable book.  I knew of Green through the video blog "The Vlog Brothers" (Nerdfighters!  Woo!) and through a good friend who is a fan of his writing as well.  I was excited to finally get the chance to read this book, thought I knew nothing at all about it until page one.  That's all it took.  Green was woven a story that speaks to both cynicism and sentiment, capturing the voice of today's young people exquisitely.  Article after article proclaims that the current generation of young adults is entitled, lazy, and immature.  No wonder we're acrimonious and jaded!  But in the midst of all that harshness, we're still looking for tenderness, connection, even nostalgia in a world of digital distance.  This book lets its characters be both.  It lets them push people away and draw them close.  It lets them text and email and still be real, living, breathing, flesh-and-blood people.  They can be angry and change their minds.  They make mistakes and have poor judgement.  They are so very real, and yet... Green has written them a story.  It's not real life, it's a beautiful, poignant story.  Like the play from which the book's title is taken, Green sets these characters out before the audience and lets the drama unfold.  Half the beauty comes from the characters, and half from the language.  Seldom have I read a best-seller so easily quotable.  In fact, "as [I] read I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once."  I loved this book.  Unabashedly enjoyed it, read through the night to finish it, and yes, cried.  Perhaps it won't speak to every reader, but I certainly think it's worth the time to find out.

Where Things Come Back

Title: Where Things Come Back

Author: John Corey Whaley
 

Publisher: Atheneum Books (2011)

Genre(s): Fiction, Young Adult Fiction

Length:  228 pages

Synopsis: Cullen Witter lives in Lily, Arkansas, a small town where nothing ever happens.  The highlights of his high school career include mooning over the beautiful girl of his dreams and spending time with his oddly enigmatic younger brother, Gabriel.  Until, of course, the summer the supposedly extinct Lazarus Woodpecker reappears.  Across the globe, Benton, a young missionary sets out for Africa, hoping to make a difference and earn his family's respect.  As these two stories unwind, they spiral closer together until inextricably linked.  Tiny actions lead to unimaginable consequences, and an even more tenuous force, hope, proves to be the strongest of all.

My Rating: 5 Stars

My Opinion:  This was an unexpectedly delightful book.  I'm not sure why the delight was unexpected, as this is a Printz award winner, but it took a few pages to get into, particularly when the story began shifting between Arkansas and Africa.  The slow drawing together of these disparate plot lines was elegant.  The voices of the characters were almost achingly compelling, with moments of bright humor and happiness alternating with grim disappointment and loss.  This is not a plot driven book; as in Lily, Arkansas, not much happens.  This is not a flaw, but I imagine that despite the critical acclaim, some young readers will find this book requires a major adjustment from the typical high-octane plots of other YA fiction.  But for readers willing to put a little extra thought into the stories that unfold in this book, they'll find a poignant commentary on the world around us, a transient world wherein the actions of one person can have lasting effects on others, and where what we give to the world almost always comes back to us, in one form or another. 

The Name of the Wind

Title: The Name of the Wind

Author: Patrick Rothfuss

Publisher: DAW Hardcover (2007)

Genre(s): Fiction, Fantasy

Length: 672 pages

Synopsis:  Times are grim at the Waystone Inn.  There are few patrons at the bar each evening, and the rooms, though neat and comfortable, are empty.  There are bandits on the road and war looming in the distance.  But for Kote the innkeeper, none of this has much to do with him.  He can only shrug and accept the hardships of current times with the rest of the townsfolk and listen as his few customers spin tales of Kvothe the Bloodless and Taborlin the Great beside the fire.  Chronicler, a man who collects and records the great stories of the world, had heard all these before, and when he arrives at the Waystone, he’s come for a story of a different sort: Kote’s story, a story from a lifetime away that even now is bleeding into the present.

My Rating: 5 Stars

My Opinion: I picked up this book a year ago after catching the tail-end of an NPR interview with the author.  I hadn’t heard of him before, but listening to him describe this book, I added it at the top of my reading list.  He talked about fantasy as a genre, and the kinds of fantasy we read as young people, complex stories that nonetheless follow unspoken rules of archetype and story arc.  He wanted to write books like that, he said, new stories that still have that familiar fantasy scope.  I knew immediately what he meant, particularly when he started listing books in the same vein and I recognized some of my own favorites.  So I downloaded a copy onto my Kindle to read on the long flight from JFK to Dublin and off I went.  I loved this book the first time I read it, and I loved it again when I re-read it this past week.  Or rather, as I listened to it.  Though the Kindle text-to-speech function is nothing like the thrill of an audiobook, it does make for conveniently hands-free reading.  Despite the robotic drone of the e-reader, Rothfuss’ words came to life, weaving a story that is unselfconsciously aware of its status as just that: a story.  It is, in essence, a story about a story, and all the stories that were spun off from a central truth.  It’s a fairy tale that doesn’t feel cute, a mystery that doesn’t dwell on the unknown.  It’s plot rather than character driven, as there is really only one character with any great sense of depth and understanding.  This, of course, makes sense as he is both hero and narrator, literally telling his story to an attentive audience, and, of course, an attentive reader.  I’ve also read the sequel, The Wise Man’s Fear­, which I did enjoy but shall discuss at length in its own review.  For now, content yourself with settling in to listen to a tale that is wonderfully rich, uniquely magical, mildly disconcerting, and, of course, just a little bit tall.

The Other Hand

Title: The Other Hand

Author: Chris Cleave

Publisher: Penguin Group (2008)

Genre(s): Fiction, Realistic Fiction

Length: 374 pages

Synopsis:  Though in general I write a neat little synopsis in my own words for each book I read, I will bow to the request on the back of the book and present the back cover word for word:

           

“We don’t want to tell you what happens in this book.  It is a truly special story and we don’t want to spoil it.

Nevertheless, you need to know enough to buy it so we will just say this:

This is the story of two women.

Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice.

Two years later, they meet again

-- the story starts there…

Once you have read it, you’ll want to tell your friends about it.  When you do, please don’t tell them what happens either.  The magic is in how it unfolds.”

My Rating: 5 Stars

My Opinion: My very first thought about this book was that it must be either something really special, or the product of an extraordinarily conceited author and editing staff.  Without any back-cover synopsis, and with a letter from the editor to the reader on the first page of the book cryptically extolling its virtues, I wondered if they were really that desperate for readers, or if maybe, just maybe, this actually is that book.  By this, I mean a once-in-a-lifetime, eye-opening sort of read that is every bit worthy of such praise.  I’m still not sure if this is that book… but it’s as close as any I’ve ever read.  It is remarkable.  The voices of this book’s two protagonists are ringingly clear and beautiful in their sincerity and imperfection.  They take up residence in your thoughts even when you set the book aside, as living and breathing as the people you pass on the street or sit beside in the theatre.  It’s clear how these women’s different worlds have shaped their words and their thoughts and their actions, like trees bent by the prevailing wind.  Horrible and funny and cruel and sweet and painfully relevant, Cleave has managed to tell a story of the sort we seldom hear, but often feel.  I won’t say much more, because really, no matter what your reading preference, you’ll find something in this story that speaks to you, and Cleave and his characters can tell you about it far better than I could.