The Great Gatsby by FS Fitzgerald
Well, the classic American novel, what can I say? Ho...hum. I guess I was as nonplussed as the average mid-western 14 year old forced to read it in literature class. Not really a correct analogy since I'm a pretty seasoned reader of fiction but still I found the book interesting, diverting even but in no way scint...
This book was written in the 20s and isn't really dated in the way I expected it to be, it's about relationships and mysteries and how we see ourselves...it's a novel for all times. Except it's not really that good. Not bad, certainly readable, a page turner, but I expected more. Oh dear, I think I've said that before. I'm becoming the perpetually disappointed reader. It's not what I was anticipating really, it's kind of a mystery.
Never mind, after this US classic I'm reading an almost new US novel next, A Visit From the Goon Squad
Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express.
A Visit From the Goon Squad - Jennifer Egan
After Elvis Costello, though I'm not really sure why apart from the rather nebulous time's a goon idea. I enjoyed this rather slight, funny, tragic set of interconnected stories mainly on themes of loss and growing old, most of which are set in the music industry. Oh re: Elvis, there's that as well I guess. I kept getting confused about the characters from one story to another since they were all connected to each other in some way or other, but weren't continuous or even contemporaneous. And the names were just interchangeable to me at times, Sasha, Lulu, Alex, Scotty. Actually they were the ones I could distinguish.
I wasn't sure about the PowerPoint effect used in the penultimate chapter, it seemed to go on forever. Maybe it was Egan's nod to the notorious stream of consciousness section in Ulysses. I hate reading PowerPoint slides since I associate them with boring boring presentations and meetings. Maybe that was the point, using it as a device a pubescent girl uses to dissect her family life suggests a dislocation.
Anyway enough rambling, I'd give this one a thumbs up, maybe even two.
Just finished The Hunger Games and had to go straight on to the sequel, Catching Fire.
"Young adult" literature it might be, but these books are great page-turners and surprisingly violent, considering the target audience. Intrigued to see how the film compares now.
I read that a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Much better than I expected but I've heard the movie is a really poor translation for some reason. I think people have said it's too cheesy?
Haven't found a "proper" review yet, are any up online?
Catching Fire is highly entertaining so far, halfway through and the fun stuff's just kicked off in earnest.
Not yet, I think I might've read the comments at IMDB from people that had seen it at film festivals or something.
I should get around to starting the second book, there's just so much other stuff that I'm interested in reading as well. Not enough time!
I'll keep an eye out, but I hope they haven't over-cheesed proceedings. They can't avoid getting into the whole love triangle business but audiences won't be wanting soft focus simpering looks once the arena mayhem begins!
Last Arguement of Kings by Joe Abercrombie.
Thanks, am coming over to England this weekend and I've added this to the list of books to buy on my Kindle while I'm over there!