CHALLENGE: Novella Challenge, Update

Novella Challenge, piece of cake. I love reading shorter novels because I feel like I am accomplishing so much when I finish a book, and if I'm not fond of it, it is easy to finish it if it is short.

1. Stardust by Neil Gaiman 238 p


2. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett 124 p


3. This Blinding Absence of Lightby Tahar Ben Jelloun 190 p


4. The Awakening by Kate Chopin 190 p


5. Shadow Family by Miyuki Miyabe 188 p


6. The Call of the Wild by Jack London 172 p

Favorite book: They were all good and very different. Only Stardust was a little disappointing, but it was still good and worth reading. Thanks Trish, for hosting, it was a great idea.

There is still lots of time to read this challenge, it runs until September. Go on over to Trish's blog and join in.

BOOK: The Awakening by Kate Chopin

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

decades challenge (1890s), novella challenge

Imagine life one hundred years ago for the well off woman. She would leave her father and be married, hopefully an advantageous marriage with good money prospects, and then produce children. She would preside over a home, with servants and maids, with no real task other than to be there. For the husband (keep the house nice, keep up proper appearances), for the children (who the nanny truly looked after, so maybe just a kiss goodnight) and for society (the rounds of visitations, the appearances above all else.) Who is she? How would she know when she spends her time in service of others? She may dabble in painting or singing, but it must not interfere with the family.

When Kate Chopin wrote this book in 1899, this would have been a scandalous event. She proposed that women were basically sleeping, not meeting their full potential. Edna Pontellier is the woman we follow as she begins to open her eyes, awaken as she discovers who she is. Southern Louisiana is the setting as Edna is living a very Victorian lifestyle. One summer at the shore, she meets Robert and all these emotions are woken up.

I liked this little classic. It was easily readable, one of my biggest complaints about some 'classics'. Obviously, life is very different now, but to see how women were subjugated and how far we have come in one hundred years was insightful. We still face that dilemma of learning who we are and what our role is, but now we have so many more options. Edna was very brave to continue on her journey, to stand up to her husband. I was surprised she wasn't just put into an insane asylum to deal with her revolt, but her options were so limited.

If you've read and reviewed this book, let me know in the comments. We can link up.

BOOK: Shadow Family by Miyuki Miyabe

Shadow Family by Miyuki Miyabe (translated by Juliet Winters Carpenter)

Orbis Terrarum: Japan; novella challenge (188 p)

A great, short detective mystery set in Japan. I usually like a mystery from the police point of view; it comes from all those Ed McBain 87th Precinct books I read. I was a little confused with the names but only because I wasn't careful enough in paying attention and they looked too similar to me but the plot is revealed deliciously slow to make this a terrific little novel.

There have been two murders in the city and the police have eventually connected them. It turns out that one of the murder victims, a middle aged man had a secret online life, including a wife, son and daughter. As the police dig deeper into this 'family', the virtual shadow family come under suspicion.

from the cover: Veteran Desk Sergeant Takegami finds himself unexpectedly in center stage of the investigation after his colleague is hospitalized. Adding to his surprise, he is partnered with his old friend Detective Chikako Ishizu after a break of fifteen years. Working on a hunch, they collaborate to unravel the fine line between fantasy and the harsh reality of murder.

I can't say much more, because the plot and pacing were what made this a great story. Details are thrown out suddenly that make the reader go 'oh' and then it continues. The looking into what is real, and what is role playing, the effect of betrayal and family dynamics made the psychology fascinating.

The author is one of Japan's most popular authors, with a number of best selling mystery and suspence novels, but only two have been translated into English. I'd read another of her books.

BOOK: The Call of the Wild by Jack London

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

Canadian Book Challenge: Yukon entry; decades challenge: 1900s; novella challenge (172 pages)

Well, I was pleasantly surprised with this book. John Mutford recommended it to me for the Canadian challenge as I was having difficulty finding a Yukon book. It was written by an American, Jack London, but it was set in the north, including Yukon, during the gold rush of the late 1800s.

It's a simple story but written well. Buck is a dog who was essentially kidnapped from the good life in San Fransisco and taken north, where dogs were needed to work the trails. Buck begins of process of returning to the wild, gradually. There is an element of Black Beauty here, as Buck is passed from one bad situation to a worse one, but he becomes strong and a leader among dogs, as he heeds his call to the wild.

The writing was simple but readable, something I don't always expect from a classic novel. I really liked it and will try the other famous London book, White Fang.

BOOK: This Blinding Absence of Light by Tahar Ben Jelloun

This Blinding Absence of Light by Tahar Ben Jelloun
translated from the French by Linda Coverdale


novella challenge (190 pages), Orbis Terrarum Challenge, IMPAC Dublin award winner


Although written as a novel, and listed in fiction, this account of life underground in a concentration camp in Morocco is based on interviews Ben Jelloun did with a survivor. This is a harrowing yet beautifully written book. In 1971, an attempted coup was planned against the king of Morocco. The coup failed, and the participants were sentenced to jail, which became for some, a small underground cell, where survival was not possible except for a very few, who lasted twenty years. In 1991 they were released due to international pressure.


The narrator takes us through the thought processes that enabled him to survive. How he erased the images of his family from his mind, how he prayed and was transported away, how he completely separated his body from his mind. He held no thoughts of revenge or hatred and really became a completely pure person, understanding only what is required to survive. And while this is disturbing, watching most of the prisoners die, ultimately it is uplifting, as this one man survives amidst the most horrible conditions. That a person is capable of being that strong and that religious, was quite beautiful.

BOOK: Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Once Upon a Time II, novella challenge

I'm sure I'll be going against the grain here when I say this book was just OK. I realize that Gaiman has some terrific devotees, but so far for me, he's been good, but I'm not inspired to raving. I haven't seen the movie of this one, and I imagine it was good, as the story has some great elements and I can visualize the special effects that might have happened. Maybe I'm not a huge fairy tale / fantasy reader. I've liked some books but they aren't making me run to the library for another one.

That was my feeling through most of the book. I will say Gaiman pulled together a very good ending, very good, and my opinion of the book rose, but it was a struggle to get through and at times I thought about not finishing because I didn't care what happened to Tristan and Yvaine or the Witch Queen. I liked the seven brothers who were fighting over the title of Lord of Stromhold. I wish there had been a lot more with them and their battles. And I think that is my biggest complaint - so much of the details were just glossed over. It made the story shorter, which was good, but I never got really into the story and the Faerie world.

My apologies to Gaiman and his fans, but for me, I think it's a genre thing.

CHALLENGE: Novella Challenge

Trish is hosting her first challenge. Boy, she jumped into this blogging/reading challenges with both feet. Since books under 250 are ones that appeal to me because I can read them in one or two sittings, I want to sign up.

The Rules:
Read six novellas between April 2008 and September 2008. You do not need to post your choices in advance.
The novella needs to be between 100 and 250 pages
The rest of the information can be found at the blogsite.

Here's my potential list:

1. Stardust by Neil Gaiman 238 p
2. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett 124 p
3. This Blinding Absence of Light by Tahar Ben Jelloun 190 p
4. The Awakening by Kate Chopin 190 p
5. Shadow Family by Miyuki Miyabe 188 p
6. The Call of the Wild by Jack London 172 p
   
   

Did I mention I won a book at Trish's blog? I was very excited, but in a subdued way, since Trish didn't finish the book and didn't like it at all! She is hoping to pass it on to someone who might like it, so hopefully I will like The Sister by Poppy Adams.
Thanks, Trish. There are so many book give aways going on right now, I don't even know where to begin. Start looking and you'll find a giveaway.