This is a novella. This is a story of love, of death, of dementia, of generations. Backman manages to pack a lot of story, a lot of emotion, a lot of humanity in a small amount of pages. THAT is an accomplishment, and a sign of a gifted an brilliant story teller.
A very difficult book to get through. A great number of unlikable or difficult characters to have to sit with, and yet completely engrossing. A story of a decades long friendships, love and loss. This novel is not for the faint of heart. There is massive trauma discussed (in great detail) which makes for uncomfortable reading. The psychological issues at play are deep and complicated, for the characters, and the reader. Yet at it's core this is a story of love-deep love, that goes beyond friendship, that goes beyond romantic love, beyond parental love. Quite a stunning book!
This is an intense piece! The role of Boris is so meaty and a wonderful prize for any actor. An inspired look at what it means to be a patriot told through the lens of Boris the oligarch and his "political puppet" Vladimir Putin. Filled with Morgan's signature brilliance, this is sadly, a timely piece.
The 3rd installment of the Full Moon mysteries ties up the over-arching mystery started in book #1, as well as the mystery set up in this book. An exceedingly well plotted book, Witch Way Out neatly ties up all main and sub plots in a believable and spectacular fashion. Getting to witness Vi coming into her powers is great fun!
Continuing the larger mystery from the first book, Witch Trial adds more layers of intrigue and danger for Violet to deal with. Interesting characters, a fun premise and a great plot this is a great mystery!
I flew through this one! Mary Jane is an intense, moving, honest and raw look at care giving. Short sweet and to the point, this play pulls no punches nor should it. A stunner of a piece!
Ossie Davis is as brilliant a writer as he was an actor. Purlie Victorious is laugh out loud funny, but infuriating at the same time. Sad to say nothing has changed since the time in which this what writer, nor since the time in which it is set. A really great theatrical satire that should be presented more often!
It's sad to say that nothing has changed since this play was written in 1882. One hundred and forty two years later the world is still struggling with the themes presented in Enemy of the People. The Haves and the Have Nots still struggling with the power dynamic of who gets to call the shots. Brilliantly juxtaposed within a clash of brothers, Ibsen's piece examines a power struggle with the public's health and safety as it center, but it quickly devolves into a clash of egos. Brother versus brother, business interest versus, public interest...it was relevant then and it's relevant now. Sadly.
I was never really into horror comics while I was growing up. As an adult I have a better appreciation for the artwork and the story telling that goes into comics, and this collection of horror comics is really well curated. Seeing how the stories changed over the years, before the restrictive comics code, and after, is like a little bit of a sociology lesson, in terms of what's permitted/accepted in any given decade. I do wish some of the covers were in color, especially those covers that the editor discuss the coloring technique.
I got this out of the library at work, not realizing it was the second volume...oh well. Like any good author should, there was no impediment to understanding the story line of this because the authors made enough references to what happened in the previous volume without taking me out of the story and without doing an exposition dump. I've always loved how comic books can teach deep lessons about the human condition wrapped in a seemingly "childish" past time of comics, and Universe X is deep indeed! (unfortunately the library at work doesn't have Volume 1!!!)
A fascinating look at the beginnings of the Comic Book Hero craze. I highly recommend reading the notes at the back of the book. They give details information on the comics presented in the book and how they lead to the comics that we know and love!
I haven't read something so ridiculous and laugh out-loud funny in a long time! There is a reason Wilde's work has endured...the man was a master as wordsmithing. Earnest is a perfect little play!
Not what I was expecting at all! This should have been a depressing, and bleak story, and it was anything but! A retelling of a popular Russian fairy tale, The Snow Child is written with such tenderness and love that despite the action in the book, the reader always feel light, joy and hope. A tender an loving handling of beautiful characters in challenging circumstances make this a wondrous read!
I've not read any of Tony Hillerman's mysteries, but his daughter has given a good sense of his characters in her first mystery. The descriptions of the locales, the Native American traditions, the familial bonds and way of life are all stunningly rendered. What kept this from being a great mystery, for me, was the plotting. I felt that they were moments when the characters said or did things that were then contradicted in a later chapter. I also felt that it was obvious "who did it" and it didn't ring true that neither Bernie nor Chee figured it out. Enjoyed reading it, liked it a lot, personally, felt it needed a little more work to tighten it up.
