Tag Archives: Family Dynamics

Crossed Wires by Rosy Thornton

British Literature April 28, 2009 Superfast Reader 1 Comment

Synopsis: It started out as just another car insurance problem, but for call center worker Mina, the conversation with Peter just might turn wonderfully personal. Review: Crossed Wires is a sweet, gentle, tender book. The sole bit of edge is provided by Mina’s wayward teenage sister, but she spends most of her time offscreen (so to speak) where she can’t wreak too much havoc. The romance between Mina and Peter unfolds quietly and organically. Author Rosy Thornton doesn’t try to make things too cutesy, which…

The Magicians and Mrs. Quent by Galen Beckett

On Reading April 27, 2009 Superfast Reader 2 Comments

Synopsis: Jane Austen manners + Bronte sisters gothica + magic = too much pastiche and not enough depth. Review: I loved the concept of The Magicians and Mrs. Quent, but I just could not remain interested in this book. The writing was lazy, oscillating between high-minded prose awkwardly imitating Austen or George Eliot, and sloppy grammar and anachronisms that brought the whole thing crashing down. Story-wise, I couldn’t focus on tracking the development of the mythology and presentation of the core story elements for the…

Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz

American Literature April 13, 2009 Superfast Reader 4 Comments

Synopsis: A Princeton admissions officer faces a long-buried secret in the height of application season. Review: The college application process, shrouded in secrecy and constructed with fuzzy logic, proved quite fascinating in Admission. Watching Portia speak to prospective students, looking over her shoulder as she read through applications, and hearing her defend a process most believe inherently unfair and corrupt perked up a book with an otherwise unimpressive plot. Portia and her long-time boyfriend Mark have reached a crisis in their relationship, just as Portia…

Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake

British Literature April 11, 2009 Superfast Reader 2 Comments

Synopsis: Titus Groan, the 77th Earl of Gormenghast, heir to a decidedly odd fortune, is born amidst violence and intrigue of a most peculiar time. Review: I was captivated by the prose in Titus Groan, the first book in Mervyn Peake’s decidedly unique Gormenghast trilogy. Peake was also an illustrator, and his writing is exceptionally visual in the way that he describes his characters. He comes up with the most idiosyncratic quirks I’ve ever encountered, for characters named things like Prunesquallor and Sourdust and Steerpike.…

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

American Literature March 19, 2009 Superfast Reader 4 Comments

Synopsis: The death of her best friend sends an anorexic girl into a backsliding tailspin. Review: While all of Laurie Halse Anderson‘s books are fantastic, Wintergirls is the first one to equal Speak in its simple depth, elegant honesty, and dynamic storytelling. Anderson frames Lia’s emotional journey through her grief over the death of her best friend, the girl who taught her to be anorexic in the first place. It’s a heartwrenching story because Lia’s suffering is so palpable, yet Anderson isn’t afraid to let…

Before the Dawn by Carolyne Aarson

American Literature March 9, 2009 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: After the sudden death of her daughter, a farmer’s wife finds herself raising her teenage grandchildren, who are used to urban life. Review: I don’t ordinarily read books like Before the Dawn, but a good friend of mine recommended it, and I always check out recommendations. The setup of the book is quite simple, nothing very innovative, but I did find Charlotte’s dilemma affecting. Perhaps it’s because I’m a mom, and anticipating the kinds of struggles Charlotte is facing, that I was intrigued by…

Life After Genius by M. Ann Jacoby

American Literature December 15, 2008 Superfast Reader

Synopsis: A math whiz blows a huge presentation just days before graduation, and now he’s haunted by the ghosts of his family’s past tragedies and the very real threat posed by his unhinged rival. Review: The afterword says that M. Ann Jacoby toiled at Life After Genius for years. I’m hoping it doesn’t take her as long to get the next one out because she’s got a great writing style and brings a lot of intelligence and originality to her storytelling. The book is reminiscent…

The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez by Alan Lawrence Sitomer

American Literature December 10, 2008 Superfast Reader 2 Comments

Synopsis: The only daughter in a big family of Mexican immigrants, Sonia has to take care of everyone but herself, and she’s finding it hard to achieve her goal of graduating from high school. Review: I love a good Cinderella story, and The Secret Story of Sonia Rodriguez hits all the right notes, with funny and appealing Mexican flair. Because her pregnant ama is on bed rest with twins, Sonia has to take care of her three brothers, her 3-job father, and her “drunkle,” who…

In the Woods by Tana French

American Literature October 30, 2008 Superfast Reader 3 Comments

Synopsis: A murder investigation cuts too close to the bone for a detective who was once part of a missing persons case himself. Review: The other Sunday, Superfast Husband had to go to Home Depot after church, and since Superfast Toddler would certainly fall asleep in the car, I needed a book to read while listening to her dulcet snores. We stopped into the murder mystery bookshop nearby, where I asked if they could request anyone who loves Barbara Vine, and likes Ruth Rendell but…

Home by Marilynne Robinson

American Literature September 18, 2008 Superfast Reader 3 Comments

Synopsis: Prodigal Jack Boughton has returned to Gilead, bringing joy to his dying father and an ache to his lonely sister’s heart. Review: It breaks my heart to say this, but I don’t think Home lives up to Gilead. Mailynne Robinson’s prose is still astonishing in its simplicity, and the characters are just as sharp as ever. Even her digressions are riveting. But when it was over, I did not feel it added anything to Jack Boughton’s story. If anything, it reads like an appendix…

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