The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

The Snowman, Jo Nesbo (3.5)

Jo Nesbo is touted as Norway’s Stieg Larsson.  I actually found Mr. Nesbo’s writing to be darker, which seems to shock some friends.  I’ll admit it’s a subtle difference when discussing the mystery, serial killer genre, but that was the beauty of ‘The Girl Who…’ series – you were so caught up in the characters and plot that the serial killer part of the story was not in your face each page.  In ‘The Snowman’ women are found missing throughout, with some gruesome bits found and the hints of a snowman built outside each residence oddly facing towards the house.  The main character, Harry Hole, is a suitably broken detective with a good heart and keen mind who has you rooting for him the whole way.  Apparently this is the most recent Hole story, but you don’t need to read the others to appreciate this one – it stands on its own.  If you are a big fan of serial killer/mystery novels, you would probably rank this higher, but I just didn’t think it held up to my favorite mysteries.  I also had to subtract points as I had guessed the killer pretty early on, which is a disappointment in this type of book!

Just Kids by Patti Smith and An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin

Just Kids, Patti Smith (3)

While some of the group gave this a rating of 4, and many found some fault with it and gave it a 3, we all agreed that it was not quite what we expected.  We all assumed that the decadence of Robert Maplethorpe’s photos eked out into their lives.  Surprisingly Patti Smith was quite innocent when it came to alcohol and drugs as she mainly abstained from both.  The story is far more about their touching relationship and growth as burgeoning artists.  Speaking of which, she name drops many artists and poets, this can become tiresome for anyone not familiar with those of that time.  There were a few shockers, one being a famous play-write and actor who is also an anonymous drummer and Patti Smith lover????.  Her narrative style has an interesting matter of fact quality as she discusses rubbing elbows with famous people in the same paragraph as having to use the bathroom in the next building (as they didn’t have facilities in their rented loft).  While we found issue with the tempo and believability of some of the passages, everyone was moved by the thoughtfulness of the ending and the summation of their relationship.  In the end of the day, with husband and new family, Patti was completely there for her ‘soul mate’ in artistry during his last days. 

An Object of Beauty, Steve Martin (2.5)

As much as I like and admire Steve Martin for his accomplishments, I have to say I found this book had some interesting elements, but was not outstanding.  I liked that it discussed art and printed the actual paintings in the book, but I felt something was missing from the narrative.  The voice is a ‘friend’ who discusses the story of a young woman who works in the New York galleries.  He describes the art scene and her attempts to move up in it.  The plot is not particularly compelling as you follow her through gallery openings, art auctions and her various sexual conquests.  Neither of the main characters is particularly likable nor are you very invested in what happens to them.  That being said, I enjoyed the look behind the curtain of the art world and the detailed description of artists and paintings.  As I re-read this quick review, I am quite sure that Sacaric will cry ‘foul’ with my original 3 rating and I am compelled to down-grade it to a 2.5.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

A Game of Thrones: Book One of A Song of Ice and Fire, George R.R. Martin (3.5)

While hiking in the wilds of Southwest Ireland, I decided to bring a book to read each evening that would fit the mood (note: Sacaric brought ‘Lord of the Rings’).  ‘A Game of Thrones’ did just that.  It is the first of a series (5^th book due out in July) that has recently been made into a TV series by HBO.  We had seen 3 episodes and thought the book might add more background lore to the fictional place and time of the series.  The time is reminiscent of the King Arthur days, but this is definitely not England, Dorothy!  While there are kings and knights there is also a big wall built in the northern country to keep the ‘Others’ away.  Also there are not yearly seasons.  Summers can last a few months or a few years.  It has been summer for many years and ‘winter is coming’ is the ominous phrase of the day.  The supernatural aspects are not obvious, but there are references to dragons (now extinct), giants and various bits of magic, but the current generation feels these might just be fairy talks they were told by their Nan.  At first I was disappointed that the extra background was not as extensive as I had hoped, but more and more things came out and I think it ends up being the writer’s strategy.  You feel like the younger generation in the book, realizing that there may be some magic waking up – it keeps you observant.  I also liked that he doesn’t hold any characters sacrosanct.  Major characters die, as they should with the politics and battles for thrones as the title implies, and you realize that you can’t assume anything.  There are plenty of characters, both good and bad so once you get over the shock it compels you to read on that much faster to see if your favorites survive!  The sharp edge of that blade is that there are already 5 books.  I’ve now read two and many things remain unresolved (maybe I ought to give this a ‘4’, since I made Sacaric download the second on our trip J).  The reading is fast paced and full of drama, energy and action.  It is no LOTRs, but if you want a fun escapist book, it is that.

Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton

Pandora’s Star, Peter F. Hamilton (3)

For the Sci-fi fans out there, here is an interesting, albeit long book.  I was very torn in reading this book.  It has some very innovative ideas and concepts, but it was far too long and had a very abrupt end.  Luckily the sequel has already been written.  I do think the brilliant concepts make up for the length, but you need the patience to make it through.  Overall I felt the rhythm and story would have been better with about 2/3 the words.  I’m not going to go into the story, as I believe the best part of this book is discovering the concepts on your own.  I will say that it is set in the 25^th century and has elements of society, politics and economics wound around the science fiction ideas that advance the story.  There are many character’s stories that do not integrate for some time (hence more patience needed), but as you understand how things are evolving based on new scientific discoveries, you begin to understand why we were following each of the seemingly disconnected characters.  If you are a Sci-fi fan, enjoy Vernor Vinge or Charles Stross, AND have the time and patience, give this a shot.  I am going to force Sacaric to read it just so that I have someone with whom to discuss the ideas! I have giving this a 3 – which is a blend of a 1 for writing and 4 for concepts.  

Back in Town :)

We are back from vacation and Ireland was fantastic! We were lucky and had good weather. If anyone wants to do a 7 day hiking holiday, this one is definitely worth it.  At the end of each hard hiking day, we did find time to read a few books (in addition to drinking Guinness and snacking on chips). I'll post a review or two over the weekend.