December 29, 2014

“The Luminaries” by Eleanor Catton – Stories and Judgments

The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton (Book cover)
As has been mentioned in virtually every review of The Luminaries, there are times when grandiose authors seem to be just born out of blue and crash down into the world of literature like flaming comets, and Eleanor Catton, its author, is certainly one of them.

Before getting into the book itself, I would like to warn potential readers that it is around 848 pages long (depending on which edition you choose I suppose), and is actually the lengthiest Man Booker Prize winner in history.

December 28, 2014

“The Last Letter from Your Lover” by Jojo Moyes – Love Finds a Way

The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes (Book cover)
As those of you who have taken to reading this review site regularly doubtlessly already know, romance novels are certainly not up my alley, unless of course there is something extraordinary about them, and let's face it, there aren't that many books in any genre that could be labeled as such.

However, from time to time, either when the mood itself swings in that direction or perhaps the holidays come creeping around I do find myself in a state of mind to give one of them a chance, and in this case I had the pleasure of choosing The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes.

December 27, 2014

“Tennessee Williams” by John Lahr – Theater of Tortured Souls

Tennessee Williams by John Lahr (Book cover)
It is said that artistic creativity, the kind true geniuses are bestowed with, never comes for free, always taking some sort of toll on the person... and as it happens, in some cases that toll ends up being their entire life, as was the case with Tennessee Williams, arguably one of the most prominent and influential playwrights of our time, perhaps even the greatest one the United States had ever seen.

In Tennessee Williams: Mad Pilgrimage of the Flesh, John Lahr provides us with a rather detailed and in-depth biography into a strange and tormented life, a review into a fascinating fate. one that dragged its owner through hell and back and gave birth to an eternal star.

December 21, 2014

“100 Sideways Miles” by Andrew Smith – Steering Your Own Life

100 Sideways Miles by Andrew Smith (Book cover)
It seems that even though coming of age novels are pouring out one after the next, there is little new to introduce into the genre at this stage.

Let's face it, the transition into adulthood can certainly be frightening, confusing, disorienting and enlightening, but it is something everyone goes through (barring some notable exceptions, we all know one of those) and in the end, there are countless other topics in life that deserve more attention.

December 20, 2014

"The Rabbit Back Literature Society" by Pasi Ilmari Jaaskelainen – A Study of Mysteries

The Rabbit Back Literature Society by Pasi Ilmari Jaaskelainen (Book cover)
As strange as it may be, it feels as if books are perhaps one of the few constants which we take for granted in our universe; once something is written on a page, it stays the same forevermore.

Though virtually every book review can be different, they are all going to be discussing the same, never-changing subject, the words on the page.

December 14, 2014

"The Broken Eye" by Brent Weeks – The Rise of a New Dawn

The Broken Eye by Brent Weeks (Book cover)
The world created for us by Brent Weeks in his Lightbringer series is, following the second book in it, The Blinding Knife, is in a rather chaotic state: the satrapies lie in ruins, the old gods have reawakened, the world is plunged into a terrifying civil war, Gavin Guile has been captured and stripped of his powers... in other words, in the third book in the series,

The Broken Eye, our protagonist Kip has his work cut out for him. Without giving away anything in the review, this book feels like the first half of a two-part finale.

December 13, 2014

"The Blinding Knife" by Brent Weeks – The Abyss of Chaos

The Blinding Knife by Brent Weeks (Book cover)
The second book in the Lightbringer series by Brent Weeks, The Blinding Knife, picks up exactly where the last book left off.

Needless to say, if you haven't read the first part yet, The Black Prism, then you should do so before potentially tackling this book for this is one of those series that needs to be read in the proper order to be enjoyed and understood.

December 8, 2014

"The Black Prism" by Brent Weeks – The Colors of Fate

The Black Prism by Brent Weeks (Book cover)
Though in the real world politics and struggles for power are the cause of much pain and suffering, in the world of the book they are the fodder that makes for grandiose and epic stories, the kind literature doesn't forget.

The Black Prism by Brent Weeks is the first part of the Lightbringer series, and though it certainly is in the realm of fantasy and magic, its overwhelming story is still founded in the very familiar realm of power and politics.

December 7, 2014

"The Orientalist" by Tom Reiss – The Enigmatic Faces of Lev Nussimbaum

The Orientalist by Tom Reiss (Book cover)
There come many times where real life brings to us stories so incredible and sensational that they feel as if they belong more in the realm of literature fiction than anything else.

Of course, as is often the case, lives that took dangerous twists and turns are more or less shrouded in mystery, and perhaps one of the most fascinating ones is that of Lev Nussimbaum.

December 1, 2014

"Revival" by Stephen King – Eternal Bonds

Revival by Stephen King (book cover)
In recent years it seems that with his fans, Stephen King has been delivering largely hit or miss literature, at least if his book reviews are to be trusted.

Fortunately, it seems that he managed to find his footing with his more recent works, and in my opinion Revival is certainly a grand step in the proper direction.