Tag Archives: 21st Century

Daughters of Zion: My Family’s Conversions to Polygamy by Kim Taylor

American Literature March 24, 2012 Superfast Reader 2 Comments

Synopsis: A memoir by a girl who grew up in a Mormon sect practicing polygamy that spawned a feud between brothers that became a massacre. Review: In Daughters of Zion, Kim Taylor really made me understand the inner life of a girl who would accept polygamy. I really appreciated her honesty and candor in portraying the spiritual abuse she suffered and how she never questioned what was going on around her. She also showed the positive side of growing up in a tight knit community,…

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

American Literature March 18, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Against the backdrop of a dreamlike traveling circus, two magicians pit their powers against each other in a battle royale complicated by the transcendent love growing in spite of the rigid constraints of the game. Review: I had low-ish expectations for The Night Circus. I couldn’t wrap my brain around the weird plot description, and the glowing reviews had me suspicious that the book was all superficial charm. I could not put the book down. I was utterly transported into the world of the…

Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

American Literature March 8, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: After escaping from the repressive regime seeking to outlaw love, Lena joins the resistance and gets a dangerous assignment. Review: Pandemonium definitely suffered from middle book blues. I loved Delirium but I am not confident that the series will end up knocking my socks off. I’ll definitely read the third book whenever it comes out, though!

Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman

American Literature March 3, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: A young woman grows up in the extremely conservative Satmar group of Hasidic Jews, and the failure of her arranged marriage leads her to yearn for freedom. Review: I was very impressed by Deborah Feldman when I heard her on the Leonard Lopate show, and I was inspired to read her memoir Unorthodox. I am fascinated by strict religious groups, particularly when their practices elevate men and demean women. I loved Deborah’s honesty and insight into the way her identity was shaped by her…

Delirium by Lauren Oliver

American Literature February 29, 2012 Superfast Reader 1 Comment

Synopsis: Lena is eagerly anticipating her upcoming surgery to have her ability to love removed–until she falls in love. Review: Delirium is part one of a trilogy, so I have to reserve judgement until it’s over. I did really enjoy it and immediately downloaded Pandemonium. I loved Before I Fall and it seems like Lauren Oliver is one of those writers with a million stories inside her. Bring it!

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

American Literature February 25, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Bruiser literally feels everything for those he cares about, making it dangerous for him to fall in love–but, of course, he does. Review: I’m pretty bullish on Neal Shusterman but Bruiser didn’t do it for me. I didn’t like the multiple POVs, especially because Bruiser’s were written in free verse poetry.

The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

American Literature February 21, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: New York City in 1938 is all martinis and heartbreak for smart girl Katey Kontent and her impossibly sexy best friend Evie Ross, as they navigate the tricky waters of the uptown social scene. Review: I was utterly captivated by The Rules of Civility, from the tone to the characters to the plot to everything. It’s a pretty perfect book, as if Edith Wharton were resurrected to write a pre-Code Billy Wilder movie where the smart one got to be the lead. It makes…

Against the Light by Dave Duncan

Canadian Literature February 16, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: A reimagining of the “Gunpowder Plot” with religious persecution against those with magical powers. Review: Against the Light moved at a brisk pace, not wasting much time in getting characters from one place to another. I really liked the relatively contemporary setting, with English manor living and firearms, instead of the usual feudalism of epic fantasy. And there was a bawdiness in the telling that made the whole thing feel fresh and cheerful, even amid the darker elements of the story. Basically you have…

Dragon City by Robin Hobb (Volume 3 of the Rain Wilds Chronicles)

American Literature February 11, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: As the dragons and their keepers grow restless and hungry, only the promise of flight and the ancient secrets of a dead city can save them from enemies without and within. Review: I really should have reread Dragon Keeper and Dragon Haven before reading Dragon City, because I forgot so much! How did Selden end up a slave? What makes Tarman different from other liveships? What’s Tintaglia doing? Hobb didn’t do much to catch me up, which I do always appreciate–the book is free…

XVI by Julia Karr

American Literature February 2, 2012 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: Nina Oberon doesn’t want to turn 16, when she’ll be tattooed and expected to become sexually active, but a family tragedy puts her in touch with an underground movement to reform society at any cost. Review: XVI raises a lot of really fascinating issues with identity, coming of age, the exploitation of women, gender roles, and power. Unfortunately, the plotting really faltered near the end. I gave the sequel, Truth, a try but the plotting in that one was even less inspiring and I…

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