Category Archives: American Literature

Two Books That Were Not Gone Girl

American Literature, British Literature February 22, 2015 Superfast Reader

America’s Test Kitchen Radio has this great feature where they test kitchen gadgets and tell you one that’s hot and one that’s not. So I’ve got two Gone Girl knockoffs, one that’s hot and one that I read anyway. You: A Novel has an irresistible premise, in which a stalker narrates his growing obsession with a troubled young woman. He addresses her using the 2nd person, but within the context of a first person narrative. Author Caroline Kepnes had to use a teeny bit of…

In the Kingdom of Ice, The Princess and Curdie, Luckiest Girl Alive

American Literature, Scottish Literature February 15, 2015 Superfast Reader

I don’t tend to read a lot of non-fiction, but I’ve always been a sucker for stories about people trying not to freeze to death. In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Journey of the USS Jeannette was not only a suspenseful, exciting story, but it was exceptionally researched and suffused with narrative excellence. In 1879, the USS Jeannette headed off to the North Pole, captained by the capable and ambitious George Washington De Long. Their goal was to reach the North Pole…

Katy Bowman, A Literary Polar Vortex

American Literature, British Literature February 8, 2015 Superfast Reader

This week, I finished a review copy of The Disappeared by Roger Scruton, and a full review will run on the publication date (March 5, 2015). I had a passing awareness of Scruton from another lifetime ago, when I was Managing Editor of the now-defunct webzine New Pantagruel (.com). More to come. Katy Bowman‘s Move Your DNA is more of a reference book than anything else, but the first half tackles the science of biomechanics in a comprehensive and surprisingly readable way. The second section…

Seraphina Sequel (Awesome!), The Princess and the Goblin

American Literature, Scottish Literature February 1, 2015 Superfast Reader

I basically spent all my reading time this week finishing up Shadow Scale, the sequel to Seraphina. I’ll have a full review on the release date in March, but I will spoil you for it by saying that it lived up to the full promise of the original–and then some! In read aloud land, we finished up The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald, the Scottish writer whom CS Lewis admired so such. I was deeply moved by the story, which is fey in…

Seraphina Sequel! Station Eleven, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Praying Life

American Literature January 26, 2015 Superfast Reader

I just got my e-hands on an e-ARC for Shadow Scale, the sequel to Seraphina, and it’s not disappointing. Full review will be posted on the release date. I joined a book club but missed the first meeting because production widow. I was so bummed, because Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven was a great one for a discussion. I have long been fascinated by depictions of our world with the lights off, but usually they leave me with the megrims and a sense of…

Summer House With Swimming Pool, Swiss Family Robinson, Greek Myths, Veggies

American Literature, Dutch Literature, Swiss Literature January 18, 2015 Superfast Reader

I’m mixing up the format up in here. I’m finding that most of the books I read don’t warrant a whole blog post, plus I’m reading a ton of books that I don’t list here because they’re for homeschool, or they’re cookbooks or other reference books. Starting this week, as I approach the end of my 9th year of blogging, I’m going to post a weekly update on what I’m reading. If a book is awesome (like anything written by T. Greenwood), I’ll give it…

The Peripheral by William Gibson

American Literature January 17, 2015 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: When Flynn’s brother hires her to take his place as a security guard in an online game, she witnesses what appears to be a murder, but the murder weapon (?) is an apparatus that defies her brain’s abilities to comprehend it; meanwhile, publicist Wilf Netherton is approached by an old friend who knows how to make phone calls into the past. Review: The “no spoilers” ethos of blogging does prove somewhat limiting when it comes to complex works like The Peripheral. How much can…

Golden Son by Pierce Brown (Red Rising)

American Literature January 6, 2015 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: The second book in the story of Darrow, a liberated mine worker who has infiltrated the highest military ranks of the ruling class governing the colonized universe. Review: I was scared that Golden Son was going to get bogged down and disappoint me. Red Rising was such a knockout of a series opener and my expectations were high. I should have reread the first book before diving into Golden Son, because Brown doesn’t waste any time on exposition. It’s a good move, but I…

Revival by Stephen King

American Literature December 25, 2014 Superfast Reader 1 Comment

Synopsis: When Jamie’s childhood pastor loses his faith a spectacular crash and burn, Jamie’s own life takes a header into addiction and suicidal tendencies, but when the pastor comes back into Jamie’s life promising healing, Jamie takes the proffered gift with devastating repercussions. Review: First of all, I liked Revival better when it was called Needful Things. Secondly, I wish Stephen King would stop basing his interpretation of American Christianity off of one church service he went to back in 1962. Every time he explores…

The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss

American Literature December 12, 2014 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: A week in the life of Auri, who lives in the world beneath the world and keeps things in balance by knowing the perfect place for everything. Review: Is it just me, or did Patrick Rothfuss just drop a huge bombshell about Auri’s role in the final Kingkiller book? The Slow Regard of Silent Things was WAY better than the Bast story in Rogues. I’ve always worried that Auri was going to be just another manic pixie dream girl, but here she comes completely…

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