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| Wednesday, May 8, 2013 03:45 PM |
| (Last updated on Friday, May 10, 2013 11:47 AM) | | Book Report Roundup |
 by Fëanor |
Recently I finally got around to trying out audio books, and it's been kind of a revelation for me. I have no idea why I never really used them in the past. It takes me forever to read physical books anymore because I rarely have the time or ability to carry them around with me and sit down and keep still long enough to read them. But I almost always have my iPod with me, and it's easy to pop it on for a bit when I'm walking or driving or sitting around doing some mindless task. So audio books are really a perfect way for me to "read" books, and they've increased my rate of consumption enormously. Plus, the format adds another layer of enjoyment, as the folks reading the books are very entertaining and their performances add to the drama and power of the words.
The Hunger Games
As usual, I'm well behind the times, and only just got around to reading this book (I'm referring here to the first volume, not the series as a whole). I don't know what finally convinced me to jump on the bandwagon, but I heard a lot of good things, and saw some intriguing ads for the movie adaptation, and also I thought I ought to read more contemporary YA sci-fi/fantasy, since I'm writing that right now. This book isn't just a thrilling sci-fi adventure story, it's also really well written and crafted, with deeply interesting characters and some great gender role reversals. Suzanne Collins manages to make you so emotionally attached to the characters in such a short period of time, that you'll be weeping over the fate of one you only met a chapter or two ago. Her main character, Katniss Everdeen, is not a bland narrator who's simply a pair of eyes through which to see the story that unfolds around her; she's a real person with many flaws and much complexity. You realize how damaged she is as a person when it takes her literally years to puzzle out that the good turn another character did her was motivated by simple kindness, and not out of some complex, selfish attempt to gain favor with her. Collins also does a fantastic job instantly grabbing your interest and never letting it go. She only slowly reveals the full nature of the horrific future world she's created, and the true depth of depravity that is the Hunger Games. Actress Carolyn McCormick reads the book, and is excellent, adding drama to the text and giving each character a unique voice.
Needless to say, I've already started the sequel.
Around the World in Eighty Days
Here's a book I was even more behind the times on than The Hunger Games! It's one of those classics of literature that I just never got around to. Now that I have, I see why it's still beloved after all these years. It's a fun, funny, rollicking adventure story with wonderful characters, great writing, and even an informative tour of the world thrown in, though admittedly the information is a bit out of date. The only disappointing thing is Jules Verne's sexist and occasionally racist point of view. There is only one woman character in the novel, and even she is barely a character herself; she's merely there to be saved and protected by the main character, and to adore him in her turn. And Verne's depictions of the various natives Fogg and friends encounter are sometimes pretty unflattering. But he's writing from the viewpoint of a privileged Western European at the end of the 19th century, and he really does make an effort to make most of the people they meet into human beings (with the glaring exception of the Native American "savages"), so it's hard to fault him too much. Besides, the story is just so much fun. The version of this I listened to was read by Jim Dale, who's an old hand at this whole book-reading thing and does his usual fantastic job. There's even some music and sound effects thrown in for atmosphere, which is nice.
The Night Circus
I read this one based entirely on having heard good buzz, and plus it was close at hand, as poppy had got it out of the library because Jim Dale is the reader. I had no idea what it was about. Turns out, a duel between magicians that revolves around a mysterious circus and turns into a star-crossed romance. The book veers towards the cheesy at times, it is so sappily romantic, but what the hell, I'm pretty sappy myself. It's a fantastic book, full of a deep appreciation for stories and beauty and wonder. It takes some surprising twists and turns, the kind that made me exclaim out loud while listening to it. Also, it features multiple women characters who are actually full-formed people! I highly recommend it.
Stranger in a Strange Land
Another classic I'd never gotten around to until now. I'd tried reading it ages ago in school, but at the time it didn't grab me. I got the sense it wasn't aimed at my age group and set it aside. I almost gave up on it again this time, as I found the tone and language odd and old-fashioned. But I stuck with it and came to like it quite a bit by the end. I'm going to quote my GoodReads review now: "It's funny and thoughtful and it often surprised me. For the first quarter or so, I thought it was going to be a vaguely straightforward sci-fi thriller about a bunch of good humans trying to protect a naive superman from being exploited by a bunch of bad humans. But that plot was quickly resolved and done away with and it turned into a philosophical exploration of gender, sexuality, humanity, religion, and even, to a lesser extent, art. There were a few thoughts put forward here about homosexuality, femininity, transgender people, and rape that I found disappointingly backwards and narrow-minded, especially for a book that was so wise in so many ways, and that was clearly trying so hard to be progressive about gender and sexuality. Also, it occasionally feels a bit dated. But overall, I really enjoyed it. Thou art God!" |
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Jim Genzano's books on Goodreads
