Another one about suicide. Jeez. I wonder why I do this to myself.
However, this one's kind of funny, without devaluing the human pathos attached to this kind of subject. The suicide victim sends an old acquaintance 7 audiotapes, each describing an incident which led to her decision to take her life. Each is a person. One is said acquaintance. After he's done, he has to mail the tapes to the next reason.
The ending will stun you. Honestly. It's amazing.
Suspenseful, witty, and very very human. Highly recommended.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Damage
Another A.M. Jenkins masterpiece. Here, however, there's next to no humor, which is appropreate as it's about depression and suicide but also makes for an amazingly depressing read. It's also written in second person viewpoint, bringing the drama that much closer. Seriously. It's depressing. Well written, brilliant, but a total and complete mood killer. Very compelling, though. I could barely put it down.
Recommended for anyone who likes that sort of thing.
Recommended for anyone who likes that sort of thing.
Magnificant Bastards
A collection of perfectly ludicris short stories, Magnificant Bastards by Rich Hall is a fantastic read. You can skip around from chapter to chapter or read the whole thing straight through. All of these stories are very funny and have a little bit of social commentary tucked away, some more than others. My favorite is the one about the American who has to teach Brits baseball and inadvertantly causes an international incident.
Highly recommended to anyone looking for a quick read.
Highly recommended to anyone looking for a quick read.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Blue Avenger Cracks the Code
Yes, the title's silly. Very, very silly. But it talks about parental separation, teen pregnancy, and predestination versus free will. So shut up.
The book follows the adventures of a teen who's renamed himself Blue Avenger. He goes to Vienna in the hopes of proving Shakespeare's true identity. His girlfriend Omaha is afraid of making things official because she doesn't want to become attached to anyone since her dad left.
Okay, the plot leaves a little to be desired. The characters are larger than life. But I've been reading some heavy stuff recently. I need something a little lighter.
Let's be fair. This isn't high literature. The language flips back and forth from high-art and sophisticated to, erm, "common", but doesn't miss a beat. It's very funny, and even the characters admit a lot of this stuff is implausable. It also contains a good deal of trivia, which is nice. You learn something.
I like it. I think you'll like it too. Good books don't have to be depressing.
The book follows the adventures of a teen who's renamed himself Blue Avenger. He goes to Vienna in the hopes of proving Shakespeare's true identity. His girlfriend Omaha is afraid of making things official because she doesn't want to become attached to anyone since her dad left.
Okay, the plot leaves a little to be desired. The characters are larger than life. But I've been reading some heavy stuff recently. I need something a little lighter.
Let's be fair. This isn't high literature. The language flips back and forth from high-art and sophisticated to, erm, "common", but doesn't miss a beat. It's very funny, and even the characters admit a lot of this stuff is implausable. It also contains a good deal of trivia, which is nice. You learn something.
I like it. I think you'll like it too. Good books don't have to be depressing.
Out of Order
I'm on a serious A.M. Jenkins kick right now. She's written four books and I've read three of them.
Here, Jenkins proves that she can pull of a mean realistic fiction piece as well. By far it is the more accurate high school story I've ever read. With no work at all, she creates believable characters although--as is the usual flaw--only the main character gets any real focus. (You want to punch the narrator in the face halfway through, though this is to the book's merit rather than its detriment.) The prose is fantastic, not flowery and totally believable, which is fine since the narrator's a few steps away from functional illiteracy. You can practically feel the thoughts going through his head with every move he makes.
Very good, highly recommended. If you like the narrator until the last fourty or so pages, you're probably an asshole.
Here, Jenkins proves that she can pull of a mean realistic fiction piece as well. By far it is the more accurate high school story I've ever read. With no work at all, she creates believable characters although--as is the usual flaw--only the main character gets any real focus. (You want to punch the narrator in the face halfway through, though this is to the book's merit rather than its detriment.) The prose is fantastic, not flowery and totally believable, which is fine since the narrator's a few steps away from functional illiteracy. You can practically feel the thoughts going through his head with every move he makes.
Very good, highly recommended. If you like the narrator until the last fourty or so pages, you're probably an asshole.
Repossessed
Another amazing book by A.M. Jenkins, this one follows a demon--the original, fallen-angel New Testament types, not these weird-ass horned beasts you've got running around now--who decides to find out why people sin by taking over the body of a teenage boy who had two seconds left on the clock. As he learns more about human nature, and fears "The Boss" will come after him, he gains a new-found appreciation for mankind.
The plot is well-written, though character development for all but the demon is lacking. To be fair, the book's about him from his point of view and there's not much to do with other people. However, it's more than made up for with some great metaphorical imagery and ponderings on life and it's fair share of humor as well. The language manages to find a balance between realism and flowery, Shakespearean tone, and it's very consistent.
The plot is well-written, though character development for all but the demon is lacking. To be fair, the book's about him from his point of view and there's not much to do with other people. However, it's more than made up for with some great metaphorical imagery and ponderings on life and it's fair share of humor as well. The language manages to find a balance between realism and flowery, Shakespearean tone, and it's very consistent.
Night Road
A gripping and compelling thriller/coming-of-age story by A.M. Jenkins, it follows Cole--a "hemi", or blood-sucker--as he tries to train the newest member of this immortal race, Gordo, with the help of another hemi whose name escapes me at the moment. The two travel cross-country, and along the way Gordo learns the ins and outs of his new lifestyle.
Having a central cast of three really helps develop the characters, as we learn who they are through their interactions with each other and their doubts and fears. There are some lighthearted moments, some of which are funny, but for the most part it leaves you digging your fingers into the dust jacket and refusing to let go. It's also ridiculously compelling. Seriously. I defy you to put this book down once you start reading.
Having a central cast of three really helps develop the characters, as we learn who they are through their interactions with each other and their doubts and fears. There are some lighthearted moments, some of which are funny, but for the most part it leaves you digging your fingers into the dust jacket and refusing to let go. It's also ridiculously compelling. Seriously. I defy you to put this book down once you start reading.
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