Mulling On Monday #18

  2 Stars

  Here we are, yet another dreary Monday as we approach ugly winter. It’s already wet and rainy here, and not very nice out, so that’s just rather unfortunate.

  But, it means I have to stay inside and do something, so, I get to read. And write, since I’m falling behind on my book and on this site. But whatever, here we are.

  The novel that I have for today was one I read over the summer and did not like, even tough lots of people have classified it as ‘an American classic’. One, I’m not American, so maybe I just don’t get the whole thing, but I did not enjoy this novel one bit. Drawn out and pointless, it was a struggle to keep reading.

  The novel is A Separate Peace, by John Knowles, who died in 2001. It’s been deemed a classic, amazing, and such a great read that I picked it up.

  Well, first of all, this was not the novel I thought I picked up. What I had heard of for such a promising read must be somewhere else…or misplaced.

  This novel could quite easily have fit into a short story, so imagine my surprise when I heard that this was indeed a short story before it even came near this 208 waste of time novel.

  Anyways, there were a few things I liked about this novel, or else it would have earned no stars whatsoever.

  What I liked about the novel was the new cover. The colors and the boy in the foreground with the building in the background is wonderful, and I find it to actually be quite pretty. 

  The characters, eventually did develop well enough, and turned into ‘round characters’, who changed by the end of the story (an extreme case of this would be Leper, who ***spoilers*** pretty much loses it and goes mental, such a contrast to his lovely, quiet self. But no, he stars seeing women’s heads on men’s bodies and limbs falling all over, but no big deal, that’s called character development. What???)

  I also liked the setting; it seemed nice, even though I assumed (wrongly, always read the back covers properly) that it would be in England, not New England. But that was my fault. But I thought that for all the metaphors and whatnot, this was the right setting for it.

  What I didn’t like.

  First of all, the characters were very hard to sympathize with; they were very self-centered and coldly focused on goals that made them hard to like. They were also supposed to be 16-17 years old, but I found them oddly immature, especially in the time they were in. I would guess them to be barley 13 if I had to guess without the author throwing the fact that they are old enough to enlist every second paragraph. 

  Along with strange character flips (see spoiler) and with out of place characteristics, the entire thing was hard to read mostly because of the characters.

This means that I also did not like Finny or Gene at all. And if you can’t like the leading characters, or the character’s whose head you are in, then there might be an issue.

  As for the story, like I said, it could have been condensed into 15 pages with little effort. If it had been a short story, I think I would have enjoyed it more than I did. The idea was half decent, it was just the presentation and the characters that killed it.

  Overall, a novel that should not bear the title ‘classic’ without first being a good novel. It needs more character and a better story development.

Phinny is a star athlete with his entire future in front of him. Gene is a brainy kid who shares the same room with him. Soon they become best friends in .he boy’s school that they go to, a peaceful place where the faraway war seem fake and distant.

That peace goes away when Finny falls off a jump from a Tree that belongs to the Super Secret Suicide Society that the boys made up. Finny shatters his leg, and Gene is hiding a secret that could hurt Finny even more…

In a novel that has been called classic, this will make you question right and wrong, and what really matters as a person.

 

 

Author: John Knowles

Published: December 1, 1984

Page Count: 208

ISBN: 0553280414    (isbn13: 978-0553280418)

Books on my Growing List To Read: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

  So, this has actually been on my list of ‘to-read’ for a while, but, I admit, after watching Disney’s Mulan again, I now have a renewed interest in China. This is because these stories are so intriguing, and old China is extremely interesting.

This novel is Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See. This is, I am assured a book that is a ‘must-read’ for all girls from teens to seniors. Therefore, I believe I will try it, and I hope to be impressed.

  It is a novel that takes place in 19th century China, where tradition and men ruled domineered. Set in a remote area, the story of two women is supposed to be engrossing, and to ring true with women.

  Okay, if it rings true with women, why women? Do men not have friendships. Okay, so that’s not the point, but I want to know and understand why this is such a driving point for all of the reviews I have seen.

  What I like about it is that it takes place in China, which sets a wonderful backdrop for novels, and has woven many a wonderful tales, including one of my favourites, Memoirs of A Geisha. I also like that it is a secluded tale, not one buzzing with gossip and city life. I am sick of city life, I would rather enjoy a retreat from it.

  I believe I found this on Goodreads, or perhaps Teenreads, on a must read section. So, obviously it cannot be too bad.

  Which brings us to Goodreads stats. 3.97 rating out of 339804 ratings and 7040 reviews. Popular. And sounds pretty decent, almost guaranteed to be a good read.

  And, by the way, as I was googling this novel, It sounds like there is a movie set to be released based on the book. It’s set for release in 2011. So, now I have to read the novel if I want to see the movie!!

 

A language kept a secret for a thousand years forms the backdrop for an unforgettable novel of two Chinese women whose friendship and love sustains them through their lives.

This absorbing novel – with a storyline unlike anything Lisa See has written before – takes place in 19th century China when girls had their feet bound, then spent the rest of their lives in seclusion with only a single window from which to see.  Illiterate and isolated, they were not expected to think, be creative, or have emotions. But in one remote county, women developed their own secret code, nu shu – "women’s writing" – the only gender-based written language to have been found in the world.  Some girls were paired as "old-sames" in emotional matches that lasted throughout their lives.  They painted letters on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their windows to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments.

An old woman tells of her relationship with her "old-same," their arranged marriages, and the joys and tragedies of motherhood—until a terrible misunderstanding written on their secret fan threatens to tear them apart. With the detail and emotional resonance of Memoirs of a Geisha , Snow Flower and the Secret Fan delves into one of the most mysterious and treasured relationships of all time—female friendship.

-From http://www.lisasee.com/snowflower/

Author: Lisa See

Published: June 28, 2005

Page Count: 272

ISBN: 1400060281   (isbn13: 978-1400060283)

Book Of The Week: Atonement

  4 1/2 Stars

 

  Loved this novel. Absolutely loved it. Everything was very well done, developed, and things were just so well written overall. Ian McEwan knows his stuff when it comes to writing. 

  Every line has something to it, the prose..ah! It’s a lovely, lovely novel that will stick in my head for a long time to come. Brilliant, brilliant.

  I meant to read this over the summer, but instead ended up putting it away for a wile after getting a little bogged down by the start, and with little time to read it between Memoirs of Cleopatra, and this novel. Memoirs won, but I’m glad I ended up reading this one. It is a gem, and I think I will end up watching this movie pretty soon to see if the movie comes close to the novel. It has Kiera Knightly in it, so I believe it could work out well.

  Anyways, the good, the bad, the ugly.

  The good; loved it. The plot is beautiful, the narrative just brilliant, and the simplicity of it great. Loved the subtle twist at the end that changes everything.

  The bad; not much of ‘the bad’ to it, but, like all novels I read that there is not a first-person narrative, I found it hard to get into. Especially with a slower start, and a slightly confusing pace with the twirling plot at the start, it was difficult to keep going.

  And the ugly; this does bug me, personally, but be warned, there is some strong language and descriptions in this novel. I felt that it added to it rather than subtracted from it, but just so you know.

  Overall, thought it was a great read worth the time it took to get into it, and I recommend it. I will have to get back to you on the movie, and see how that works out. Fingers crossed, as it was a most excellent novel.

  Briony Tallis is a thirteen year old girl with a passion for writing. Innocent, protected, and living what seems a simple life in light of the war, she misinterprets a moment’s heated passion and crushes her sister’s newly-fledged dreams in mere minutes.

Her innocence tears the family apart at the seams, ripping a chain of events that alters’ the family forever.

In a novel that makes a distinct point, and tells of love, war, and forgiveness, this is sure to sweep you off your feet and make you think if innocence is really what it seems to be.

Author: Ian McEwan

Published: November 27, 2007

Page Count: 496

ISBN: 0307388840    (isbn13: 978-0307388841)

Book Of The Week: The Memoirs Of Cleopatra

5 Stars

This book is such a treasure, and I am so glad that I was able to sit down and read it.

The latest novel to join the few in the five star category is ‘The Memoirs of Cleopatra’, by Margaret George. A great historical novel (if not the best I have yet to read), and so well done, that even after the weeks I have finished it, I find that I still think about it. That is the mark of a good author.

While it has flown under the radar for a while, this is a magnificent novel, both in size, historical accuracy, characters and the plot. All very, very well done.

While I love historical fiction, the reason that this tops the list is the sheer depth; this novel explains everything, yet is historically accurate, the characters well developed, and everything in place. And, of course, my favourite was the fact that it was in first person.

I also liked the ideas presented. The facts put together. And the emotion that was poured into it. Everything is very vivid, which includes the emotions, characters, descriptions. You feel like you are actually there.

The only thing that could possibly bring this down to 4 ½ stars would be that towards the end, you almost put it down. However, once you persevered through, it was worth it. That and the ending, which was a slight bit off, but I still really enjoyed it; it was not a complete turn off like some of the other novels I have read.

What originally caught my eye about this novel was the size. That and I had heard about it from who knows where about how well written Margaret George’s novels were (this was before I remembered that I had read a novel of hers already…). The cover is nothing special I admit, but I have always wanted to know about Cleopatra; she is linked to famous names, and has quite the history, after all. She lived in interesting times.

Overall, a tremendous work, where the effort in writing shines through to make a novel that once read, will make it’s mark.

Cleopatra. Julius Caesar. Marc Anthony. Written about countless time, from novels to plays. There is something about these people, especially Cleopatra that has a strong hold on our history, and the love for dramatics.

In a tale that tells of love, power, and a deadly combination of the two, this is a novel that glittering with mesmerizing writing.

Because Cleopatra was not just a queen of Egypt. She was the Queen of Egypt.

Author: Margaret George

Published: May 15th 1998 by St. Martin’s Griffin

Page Count: 976

ISBN: 0312187459    (isbn13: 9780312187453)

Mulling On Monday #13

2 Stars

I seem to have issues finding a newer novel by an author that I have not read before. The newest novel to fall short of my expectations is A Curse Dark as Gold, by Elizabeth C. Bunce. It was a novel that I had wanted to get my hands on for a while, but just did not have the time to do so. So I finally did, and I find myself disappointed.

What is going to be hard about this review is telling what I did and did not like without giving too much away.

It is supposed to be a re-telling of Rumpelstiltskin. While I was able to see why this would be, and how it would be, I had issues finding exactly where it was. If anything, then it could have been a novel that did not have to reflect a re-telling of any fairy tale, though, again, I can see where it comes into play.

I found the pacing to be off in this novel. In some parts, it was very, very skilled, and had excellent timing. In other parts, not so much. It could be choppy and hard to read.

And while I realize that the majority of it is supposed to have a fairy tale quality to it, I found parts to be unrealistic and not believable. This comes in many forms, whether the decisions made by the characters, to the strange occurrences and ideas. I mean, the author notes that this is supposed to take place just before/the very beginning of the industrial evolution, but it seemed to be more of a Lord of the Rings type era with the magic and curses and such. It was very frustrating for me.

I also did not like, of course, the ending. Abrupt, if not foreseen, not to mention that it left much to be desired. It was too open ended. It did have the closure needed to end a book; it is not like it just ended, but it still seemed abrupt for what I was expecting.

What I did like were the characters. The majority of the characters were deep, well rounded and for the most part kept you guessing. I say the majority because two stick out in my mind that I feel were not adequate. The first one is Jack Spinner. The second is the heroine herself.

Jack Spinner is a character that is, yes, very much essential to the novel, however, towards the end he became more shady and random. He was not the character that I wanted to see. He was choppy and very much random. I also did not like that he seemed to be a bit of a head case, which gets explained by the end, but it threw me a bit.

The heroine, Charlotte, by the end made me really angry. She is so inconsistent, one moment believing in the curse and all that it pertains, and the next denouncing it and calling it folly. Okay then. Her random decision at the fair also made me angry, because who does that? Unless she was drunk (and I checked; she was not, she was just out of character) it does not seem to make sense.

However, they do all end up rounding out nicely by the end.

What I also liked was the cover. The hands bound in gold thread is a very clever idea, kudos to whomever thought of that. The girl also just suits the book.

I also liked learning about the process of the mill…the little that was talked about. The descriptions were fabulous, and I highly enjoyed the strange superstitions that the ‘village people’ had.

Overall, a ‘meh’ book, that I do not think I will be adding to my personal collection anytime soon.

Charlotte Miller needs some serious help.

With a mill to run, a town to keep together and her father’s recent death, any surprised that could cripple the mill could spell disaster.

Too bad her father neglected to mention the enormous debt that he racked up for some unbeknownst cause leaving Charlotte Miller and her sister Rosie in a heap of trouble.

With the bank calling in the debt, they have a very limited time to save the town, their life, and the mill.

The fact that the mill is cursed is not too big of help either.

Any help is welcome. But could the help they get actually cause more heartache and pain? Or will they be able to save everything that they hold dear?

In Elizabeth C. Bunce’s debut novel, A Curse Dark as Gold is a retelling of a classic fairy-tale where so much went wrong, with too much to lose.

Author: Elizabeth C. Bunce

Published: March 1st 2008 by Arthur A. Levine Books

Page Count: 396

ISBN: 0439895766    (isbn13: 9780439895767)

Books on My Growing List to Read: Moloka’i

No, don’t worry, this novel is in english. It does take place in Hawaii, which is a place I would love to be right now, but until that lucky day comes, I will just have to make do with reading about it.

This is a novel that was written a while ago; try fall of 2003. It was written by the former T.V writer Alan Brennert (www.alanbrennert.com), who writes mostly sci-fi and fantasy. This novel is more of a historical fiction, and takes place in the 1890′s. Moloka’i sounds intriguing, as well as full of information that has been hushed up.

What drew me to this novel was the cover (bright, open, tropical) and mostly the title. Moloka’i. Exotic. Strange. What in the world could it be about?

How about a Hawaiian leprosy colony that was hidden? Neat, in a strange and haunting way.

This seems to be a stand-alone novel that the author has no plans of adding onto, which will be good for a summer read.

The Goodreads stats are pretty decent, with 5,244 ratings, an 4.13 average rating, and 1,423 reviews. So for being out for almost seven years, this novel is doing pretty well, and sounds promising.

Rachel Kalama, a spirited seven-year-old Hawaiian girl, dreams of visiting far-off lands like her father, a merchant seaman. Then one day a rose-colored mark appears on her skin, and those dreams are stolen from her. Taken from her home and family, Rachel is sent to Kalaupapa, the quarantined leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka’i. Here her life is supposed to end—but instead she discovers it is only just beginning.

With a vibrant cast of vividly realized characters, Moloka’i is the true-to-life chronicle of a people who embraced life in the face of death. Such is the warmth, humor, and compassion of this novel that “few readers will remain unchanged by Rachel’s story” (mostlyfiction.com).

Moloka’i has become a favorite selection of reading groups across the country and has appeared on the BookSense Extended Paperback Bestseller list, as well as the bestseller lists of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Los Angeles Time, and the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association.

From http://www.alanbrennert.com/Pg_Molokai.html

Author: Alan Brennert

Published: October 4th 2004 by St. Martin’s Griffin (first published 2003)

Page Count: 389

ISBN:0312304358    (isbn13: 9780312304355)

Mulling on Monday #12

   3 Stars 

   So, here we are again, at another week. As of tomorrow, it will be three weeks until the official start of summer. The crowd cheers…yay. 

  Anyways, so for my ‘Monday Mulling’ moment, I have chosen to go a little outside of the box and go with a play, rather than an actual novel. Still. It is a classic, and is part of a few school English curriculum. 

  No, not Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (though that could be a valid option), rather, it is The Merchant of Venice. 

  A classic in any means, with a beautiful story line and marvelous speeches (The quality of mercy is not strain’d,/ It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven/Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest…) that are inspiring, and, once you can get past the Shakespearian wording and phrasing, then it is quite the story. 

  What I like about it is the dramatics. My, oh, my, how they go on and on in the most entertaining way, the sighing and everything that you have come to expect from a classic Shakespearian piece. The characters are not necessarily relatable, but they do represent somewhat of the population in that era. 

  The commentary! The presentation! (See? Dramatic.)And Shakespeare’s nerve to publish such a work is great.   

  What I did not like about this work was the fact that none of the characters are the sharpest tool in thy tool shed. Not really like-able, and they have the tendency to actually make you really upset, like the girl in the horror film that you scream at to not open the door. But what does she do? Open the door. This can be increasingly frustrating, especially when you just know what is being door number one. 

  I know that I had little to no issues reading the regular script, but I do know that many people struggle with the dialogue and the hidden meanings. 

  I realize that this was written hundreds of years ago, when racist and sexist were not words, but I did struggle with the way some of the characters were treated. This is also part of why the characters were not likable. 

  I also did not like the ending. I wish that it could have been a little more twisted, a little more un-predictable. But no, I did not get what I wanted. 

  Overall, a good work, but lacking in some essential areas. 

A classic work from Shakespeare.   

This is the tale of what friends will do for friends, what enemies will do to their enemies, and what lovers will do to their heart’s desires.

This is the battle for love, for allies, for enemies. It tells us how bitterness will lead us nowhere but ruin, and love will bring a smile to one’s eyes.  

It was a simple deal that was supposed to result in love and happiness, but instead triggered a landslide of anguish and dashed hopes. A debt to be paid. A pound of flesh. The chain of events that lead up to the moment in court when the deal must be followed through, and a friend must save another.  

 

  

Author: William Shakespeare

Published: January 1st 2004 by Washington Square Press (first published 1600)

Page Count: 228

ISBN: 0743477561    (isbn13: 9780743477567)

Quick Series Review: Earth’s Children

4-5 Stars

Alright, so I have finished this series for the second time, and I have decided that this series is a keeper, and absolutely magical, even if it is really for adult only, due to the adult content.

It is the series that started in the 80′s, by Jean M. Auel, and continues through to now, with another book, possibly two, coming out soon.Thus far, the novels that have come out are

They are an epic series (yes,I used the word epic) of great magnitude full of beautiful landscapes, people and problems. It is a very unique series in the way that it is presented, even if the idea of cavemen and people in prehistoric time has been used before. However, the information is apparently very accurate, and these novels are considered to be very informative.

What I love about this series is that information. The way it is applied, and the way that when it is put together, it makes up for a great series that you can learn from.

But it is just not the information that makes it; it is the lovely descriptions that encapture you and you can almost see wherever they are around you, and you are in the story. It is beautiful, and I applaud any author that can accomplish this feat.

It is the characters that top this tall totem pole of compliments. They are the head of it, and they control the story with such command that it is hard to believe that they were not actually people, becuase they are so rounded out, so defined that they are a constant that makes the story flow with ease. They control the reader’s emotions without flaw.  Especially the two lead characters, that have the most control over a reader that I have trouble finding in other novels.

I also love how they can make emotions run so high, so quickly, and ultimately make you want to jump right in the story with them.

What I do not like about parts of this series is that it can lull a little in some parts, lagging and dragging, but this is not a huge issue, and other factors soon make up for this. I also do not like that sometimes I want to throw the book across the room when emotions run high and I hate what the characters are doing, but again, this is contradictory to what I have liked. The emotions are part of it, and it is a love/hate thing.

Overall, a very, very good series. However, this is not for anybody under sixteen I think, becuase it is a very mature series.

The Clan of the Cave Bear

Ayla is five when the devastating earthquake hits home and kills her family. Not that she remembers any of that. When the same earthquake hits the Clan, a different type of people, they have to find a new home, and they just happen to find Ayla.

She seems like a strange child, with noises coming out of her mouth, and she cannot ‘talk’ properly; that is, with her hands.

Ayla struggles to fit in with the Clan, but they have trouble accepting her and her powerful, male totem of the cave lion. But acceptation of her is almost all she asks.

Can Ayla survive the trials that are given to her, including the Clan accepting her tall frame and blonde hair? Or will she always be on the fringe?

Published: June 25th 2002 by Bantam (first published 1980)

Page Count: 480

ISBN: 0553381679    (isbn13: 9780553381672)

The Valley Or Horses

Ayla is alone, and desperate. With everything she knows gone, she struggles to move on, and survive, though the ways of the Clan still nip at her.

On her quest to find people like her, the ‘Others’, Ayla finds a valley of horses where she decides to winter. Using her skills and forbidden prowess of a hunter, Ayla is able to fend for herself. In doing that, she ends up living with a horse, and strangest of all, a cave lion.

But when a stranger man is injured Ayla has to overcome barriers…and the shock of meeting one of the ‘Others’.

Can Ayla break down the walls of language and differences?

Published: June 25th 2002 by Bantam (first published 1980)

Page Count: 512

ISBN: 0553381660    (isbn13: 9780553381665)

The Mammoth Hunters

Ayla has now completed her quest of finding one of the ‘Others’. But how will she cope will a whole cave of them? With new people, customs, and ways, the Mamutoi hold a whole new challenge in the way of meeting people like her.

Customs are not the only thing that Ayla has to struggle against. Between her worries once renewed about acceptance, and her strange ways that are hard to understand, Ayla is an outsider once more.

Will Ayla ever find a place to fit in? Or is she destined to always be on the fringe?

Published: June 25th 2002 by Bantam (first published 1985)

Page Count: 656

ISBN: 0553381644    (isbn13: 9780553381641)

The Plains of Passage

Ayla’s journey continues, and she has made her choice. Leaving the culture that she was beginning to understand behind, she travels into the unknown, and the unknown is starting to take it’s toll, as is the constant strain of travel.

Worn by the unforgiving journey, Ayla is beginning to question all that she knows, as well as the unknown.

Ayla soon learns that the vast and unknown world can be difficult and treacherous, but breathtakingly beautiful and enlightening as well. The people she meets, both enemy and friend are different, but nothing has yet shown to be somewhere to stay forever.

The long journey for a home is a strain. Will Ayla ever find that place she can call her own? And will the man she loves ever settle?

Published: June 25th 2002 by Bantam (first published 1990)

Page Count: 768

ISBN: 0553381652    (isbn13: 9780553381658)

The Shelters of Stone

With a home in the horizon, the dangers of travel are also overlooked. But Ayla soon learns that perhaps the most frightening part of the end of the journey is just that…the end.

With a place to stay forever, and the chance to meet the man she loves parents, she is once again worried about acceptance and her strange ways.

With plenty of danger and thrill, any step towards home could soon be their last, with the dangers that llay between her and their final destination.

Will Ayla finally find a home and a place where she belongs?

Published: April 27th 2004 by Bantam (first published 2002)

Page Count: 789

ISBN: 0553382616    (isbn13: 9780553382617)

I highly recommend this book to people who love historical fiction, or any adult who has the time to sit down for lenghly periods of time to enjoy such an immense novel.

Alright, so that is it for that so called quick review. Enjoy.

Book of the Week: The Stone Angel

4 Stars

For the book of the week, I had to go through my shelves and find something different. This is what I unearthed. The Stone Angel, by Margaret Laurence.

I remembered reading this a while ago, and I found myself liking it again. So, here it is, this week’s novel. 7

What I like is that the characters are strong, and stay very consistent. There are no weird changes in them that make you wonder where they whipped that out from, so I have no complaints there whatsoever.

The story line is good, the flashbacks essential, even if the tone of the story was a little…heavy.

What I did not like was the strangeness of who Hagar was, is and how she treats others. I mean, at times it was really confusing. I did not like it. I also found the ending to be disappointing, and awfully a buzz kill.

I also did not like that the story was violent, and the way that everything was tied up. But that was just me, and trying to put certain feelings to paper (keyboard) is a little tricky.

Overall? A good, read, but not one to take lightly.

Hagar Shipley has lived through hell, and now her life is drawing to an end. It’s the late 1960′s and Hagar finds herself being drawn back into the past, replaying over the events that made her the bitter woman that she finds herself to be today.

With that, comes the sad consequences and questions that cannot be answered. But there is one last grope at freedom before her ninety years plus years are up.

In a novel that it questioning and deep, The Stone Angel is a book for those who have their own lives to question, and what the consequences might be.

Author: Margaret Laurence

Published: January 1st 2004 by McClelland & Stewart (first published 1964)

Page Count: 344

ISBN: 0771047088    (isbn13: 9780771047084)

Mulling on Monday #10

3 Stars

It’s double digits for Monday Mulling now! Crazy how far this little project of mine has come, and the dimensions I have added to it. Sure, it’s only been a couple of months, but it’s still really, really neat.

Alright, so I read this a while ago and decided that it was high time I reviewed it.  It’s Girl With a Pearl Earring, by Tracy Chevalier, a novel that has been acclaimed, and even added into some schools as part of the English curriculum. It’s a simple and unique read, with the topic being about art and the behind the scenes of how the piece was made; after all, everybody recognizes it, even if nobody really knows the why behind it.

This book was on my ‘to read’ list before I started it. I think that I wanted to read it because of the topic; it sounded different, historic, and sounded like a novel that I might enjoy because of the ‘behind the scenes of history’ aspect.

However, by the end, I was a little disappointed.

It is not as compelling as I had hoped when I started the novel; as a matter of fact, it is sort of dull, in a sad way. For a novel that I had been waiting to read for a while, it was a very big let down.

For one, it was slow. It was also very much predictable, which made me angry at some points. When I read a novel, I do not want to read to the end just to see if what I thought was going to happen was right. I want to be kept guessing at every turn, and have all of my ideas about what is going to happen proved wrong. Sadly, this did not happen for me.

I also found some of the book to be vague and blotchy. I felt like I was missing pages sometimes, only to flip back & realize that no, it was not just me.

And, of course, my always-there-nitpick: the ending.  Random.  Strange. Just not good. Could have been done way better than it was, but sadly, was not.

What I did like, however, was the easy pace of the story, with the tension just in the right places. I also really liked Griet, other than her weird thing about her hair. But even then, she is relatable.  She is real. She is a normal sixteen year old in the 17^th century, struggling with life. It is something that any teen girl can relate with, even with the different day and age.

Overall, disappointing for me, but for others interested in the story behind the paining, it offers a pretty good look behind the curtain.

Griet’s life is changing faster than she thought would ever happen. After her father’s accident, she finds herself the family rock, and the only source of income. There is but one problem; she is a maid in a catholic household, in a town that is mostly protestant. Forced to live with her clever and pinching mistresses, and her secretitive painter master, Griet has a hard time adjusting. But this is only the beginning of a hard and strange life that will lead into decisions that might cost Griet everything she’s worked for.

Author: Tracy Chevalier

Published: August 30th 2005 by Plume (first published January 200)

Page Count:256

ISBN: 0452287022    (isbn13: 9780452287020)