A Prayer for Owen Meany

A Prayer for Owen Meany
By John Irving

This is one of my favorite books of all time. It’s definitely one that should be on everyone’s must read in my lifetime list. I love how Irving takes us on a journey down the path of faith and fate vs. free will, having us decide at the end whether or not Owen Meany is a hero or a villain, a victim of his fate or the mastermind behind a glory chasing life goal. I’ve read it over and over again and never get sick of it.
It takes John Irving a long time to produce each of his novels but it’s always worth it in the end. A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of his best; I recommend you give it a read.


Review by Angela Minchella

Teacher Man By Frank McCourt

Teacher Man
By Frank McCourt

I’m not one to normally pick up a non-fiction book and read it enthusiastically but Teacher Man was an exception. As a teacher myself, I found this creative non-fiction to be highly inspiring, informative and entertaining. Although, I would have to say that some of the practices McCourt used in his classrooms would not fly particularly well with the new curriculum or new expectations (or lack of expectations) on students and teachers. But all the same, this book was very enlightening and reminded me just why I love my job.
As with Angela’s Ashes, McCourt has a very unique way of capturing the audience’s attention right from the start. His stories range from light-hearted, tongue in cheek to dark and serious. He accomplishes a lot of this though his vivid detail and description. The only criticism I have is that there are elements that he describes of personal things that happen in his life that come across as cold and uncaring, for example, with regards to his marriage. I don’t want to give anything away if you haven’t yet read the book but I read that part of his life and thought that he didn’t really paint himself very well there. Although, I suppose I should give him credit for being honest and perhaps it was an editor’s decision to cut back on the emotion linked to the particular situation.
Either way, I realize that Frank McCourt recently passed away and I am sorry for it. He was an amazing writer and I know that his work will be relevant and appreciated well beyond his life and death.

Review by Angela Minchella

The Woman in White

The Woman in White
By Wilkie Collins

Okay, so I have to come out of the closet and admit that I am a Victorian literature fiend! I specialized in it while in school and do enjoy reading it, dare I say, for fun! So, I recently reread one of my all time favorites, The Woman in White. I’ve read all of Wilkie Collins novels and novellas, even the rarest, and this one ranks as one of my most loved.
Now, when reading this type of novel you have to keep a couple of things in mind…first, what was considered scandalous and scary to the readers in the Victorian era is very tame and acceptable to us. Second, Collins was good friends with Charles Dickens so description, over description is in abundance throughout; it requires a patient attitude when reading, but it is totally worth it. Collins is the master of tension and creates such a vivid plot that is both realistic and sensational. I was quite stressed out while reading… you really don’t know what is going to happen until the very end. I think the great thing about being a modern reader venturing into the world of a classic text like this is what we expect to happen, because we are jaded and desensitized, does not happen, thus creating some great twists and turns. You will connect and fall in love with the heroine and her sister as well as the villain in this tale.
I won’t bore you with a detailed synopsis; the novel is about mistaken identity, secret babies, lost fortunes, marriages of convenience and the enduring and loyal love of a independent sister…remember, not scandalous today = very scandalous back then!


Review by Angela Minchella

Pride and Prejudice By Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice
By Jane Austen

I recently reread Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It is one of my favorite books written by Austen (with Northanger Abby coming a close second). As with all of Austen’s books, I really enjoy the strong female characters and the humor that is infused and carefully constructed to poke fun at Victorian ideals and lifestyles. I’m a bit of a Victorian nut you might say and really love to envision what it would have been like living at the time. I visit Victorian mansions quite regularly. Austen does a beautiful job describing her settings to the point that I actually do feel like I enter her created world and could walk the halls of her mansions and estates just as I do when I visit Rhode Island and tour the mansions there.
This novel is about making assumptions and passing judgments. It is a love story that is filled with tension due to misunderstandings and miscommunication. There is scandal (Victorian brand scandal of course) and there are weddings, some forced, others not. While reading you will want to bash the head of some of the more stubborn characters and yes sometime’s you will want to bash the heads of the hero and heroine.
It is not a light read and will take some thinking. But, I promise you, you will laugh. It is very funny at times. Especially when Elizabeth is discussing the serious matter of a marriage proposal with her cousin, Mr. Collins. The man is outrageously idiotic and the whole encounter is highly satirical.
Pride and Prejudice is such a classic that I believe we’ll be seeing some fresh version soon. Modernized and geared toward a younger teen audience. A brilliant idea if you ask me.
The reason why I’ve deducted a star is this…it is long and there are some boring bits here and there, but I think that comes with the territory of Victorian literature. It doesn’t stop me from reading it again and again though; it just takes some patience.

Review by Angela Minchella

On Writing By Stephen King

On Writing: A memoir of The Craft
By Stephen King

This non-fiction memoir of the famous horror writer Stephen King is an interesting and informative read. The book is broken up into distinct parts that all relate to the craft of writing fiction but deal with different aspects of King’s life and how writing has influenced or impacted him in various ways. The first part is what he refers to as his C.V. (a resume of sorts) and is a much better account of King’s younger years then I’ve read or watched over the years. (Although the Biography channel’s episode on King is quite good.) It is the kind of information that would appeal to an aspiring writer as well as an avid fan because he talks about his inspiration, his goals, and his challenges with regards to writing starting from very young age. What surprised me a little was that King tells these stories with quite a lot of humour embedded; there were laugh out loud moments that got me strange looks from the people around me. The man is funny; I didn’t know that.
The second part of the book deals with the mechanics of being a writer and in King’s opinion, what it takes to be a good writer. He is confident in his knowledge and opinionated in his assertions even to the extent of using examples from other author’s works both good and bad to highlight a particular point. Although I don’t necessarily agree with everything he has to say, there some rules he insists on that make him sound preachy and outdated, as an aspiring writer myself I did find inspiration and encouragement in this book. There were times where I was torn between reading on and setting the book down to do some writing, because if you’re not writing then how can you call yourself a serious writer? I believe it is a “must read” for anyone even toying with the idea of chasing the dream of publication.
There is also a third part worth mentioning related to the car accident that nearly killed King in 1999. It was very interesting to hear his account of what happened when he was struck by a car while out for a walk. His account carried with it a valuable lesson about writing as well; it can help get things back into perspective, give you a kind of mental home to return to when everything has been lost and keep you going even when the worst of situations has sent you off course. If you are truly a writer, a serious writer, you should read this book.


Review by Angela Minchella

The Historian

The Historian
By Elizabeth Kostova

Although this book is quite long and slow at times, I really think that it is worth taking the time to read it. If you like historical novels and paranormal tales then you’ll really like this book. It offers a new take on the idea of Dracula that is refreshing, intelligent and very realistic/believable. It took me a while to get through it; it’s definitely a thinking kind of novel, not pulpy or quick to get through at all, but enjoyable all the same. The description is excellent and really shows Kostova’s extensive research and expertise with regards to her locations and time periods. Her historical accounts seem accurate and make sense as they are embedded and intertwined with her story. I definitely made a connection to the characters. Not only are there dark and suspenseful elements to this story but romance as well. It is very well-rounded in a way that would appeal to a variety of reader preferences. I really enjoyed this novel and think that it would make a great comparative companion to Dracula by Bram Stoker. It would be a great choice for a reading club not only because there are discussion questions at the end but because there is simply a lot to discuss.


Review by Angela Minchella

The Golden Compass

The Golden Compass
By Philip Pullman

To be honest, I wasn’t that into this novel. I think that it might have been hyped up a little too much for me by the time I got around to reading it. The story is well written for the most part and has an interesting plot but I wasn’t as captivated by Lyra and her struggles as I thought I would be. In fact, I’m having some difficulty getting through the third novel in the series The Amber Spyglass; I’ve put it down a couple of times and had to force myself to pick it up again.
The Golden Compass was a fast read for me, a few days, maybe 6 hours in total. I did like the concept and thought that it was original for the most part. After learning a little bit more about the underlying purpose to the novel and the overall metaphor of Pulman’s quest to destroy all religions, I was even more intrigued, but I guess not enough to make me really want to finish the trilogy as The Amber Spyglass still sits, unfinished on my nightstand.
In any case, it's a good choice for students to read independently. It can be linked to many relevant themes like coming of age, struggle for survival, ignorance and independence, etc. And for parents, unless you’re super religious and think that the purpose behind the novel is fundamentally wrong, and although there are some harsh situations that arise, like sudden deaths of characters, then I don’t think you should worry about censoring this novel from your kids. It’s relatively harmless and if they’re interested, why deny them a chance to read?

Review by Angela Minchella

The Other Boleyn Girl

The Other Boleyn Girl
By Philippa Gregory

I finally read it! Yes, I know this book has been out for a while and no, I have not yet watched the movie. I know, I know, I’m a few years out of the loop. I tend to put off reading the highly recommended; everyone is talking about kind of books. (I still haven’t read The Da Vinci Code…but I have seen the movie.) In the past, when I’ve finally broken down and read the books loved by the masses, I’m usually very disappointed but this one was surprisingly different. Not only did I really enjoy this novel but it actually inspired me to do a little research about the Boleyn family, so I learned some history as well!
I actually love the idea of giving personality and life to historical figures and periods in time. I’ve never been a huge history buff…in fact, I managed to avoid taking history throughout high school somehow, but I really enjoyed how Gregory infused realistic emotions and characteristics into the historical figures presented in this book. I haven’t read anything else by her, and I’ve been warned that the subsequent novels get a little repetitive and gross what with King Henry’s festering leg wound and fat gut, but that’s not to say I won’t. I’d imagine that it took quite a lot of hard work to research all of the history of the time, the etiquette, the family lines, the locations…wow, it must have taken years. And I’m sure there are those critics out there, the history nuts, that have picked this novel apart for being wrong about this or that, but it is fiction, and it fooled me.
My only criticism is that it does drag at times, but I kind of expected that of historical fiction; I don’t know why; it’s not like I read it all the time. Otherwise, I did really enjoy it and I will, most likely, rent the movie to see what got cut and what got manipulated.


Reiview by Angela Minchella

The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner
By Khaled Hosseini

This novel is a beautifully written coming of age story that documents the life struggles of a wealthy boy in Afghanistan. Amir (the narrator) tells his story as a flashback, with the novel starting near the end when he is an adult and immediately taking us back in time to his childhood. It starts off pleasant and happy, with Amir detailing his wealthy lifestyle being the son of a successful Kabul merchant and his close friendship with his servant, a boy of the same age named Hassan. The story has undertones of darkness when we are given glimpses of Amir’s jealousy toward Hassan’s close relationship with Amir’s father, a relationship that Amir feels he deserves more than a mere servant boy. But Amir is very different from his father; he is considered soft and bookish where Hassan is courageous and strong. It is due to this jealously and the constant thirst for his father’s affections that Amir betrays Hassan in a cowardly and horrible way which in turn results in Hassan having to leave Amir’s home. As I said, the story begins at the end when Amir receives a phone call and learns that he has a chance to redeem himself and right the wrongs that he is responsible for.

This novel is so real with amazing description and believable characters that at times I felt like I was reading an autobiography. It definitely has inspired me to learn more about Afghanistan and its rich culture. Hosseini paints a vivid picture of the devastation of war and the impact that the destruction of a county can have on its people. It is a sad tale with a level of seriousness that packs quite a punch.


Review by Angela Minchella

The Meaning of Night : A Confession

The Meaning of Night : A Confession
By Michael Cox

This is a strange novel. One that I picked up at a store as an impulse buy, read the first couple of paragraphs and thought I’d give it a try. I got it home, eager to continue reading, finished the first chapter and put it down, not to pick it up again for several months. It was a bit of a bore. The narrator was weird and hard to connect with, I didn’t get why he was doing what he was doing and I didn’t have the patience to wait it out. I just wasn’t interested and there were many other books that kept falling into my hands that were more appealing. Then one night I was bored and decided to give it another try. I pushed through the beginning again and discovered that the narrator was actually a little more than the average murderer, he had a purpose, he had a goal and he had a very interesting back story. It’s not an easy read. It actually reminded me of the many Wilkie Collins mystery novels I’ve read over the years. Slow pace, lots of intellectual musings, unrequited love, and a bloody murder that was so shocking (I really didn’t think he’d go through with it!) that I had to read it twice. Even though the narrator is a murderer, you really feel like his actions are justified; I found myself pulling for him in the end. If you decide to give it a read, you’ll need to devote yourself to it; slog through the boring bits and keep going, it’s worth it in the end.


Review by Angela Minchella

Song of Kali By Dan Simmons

Song of Kali
By Dan Simmons

This book was recommended to me because I bragged to a colleague that I rarely get scared when reading horror. Horror movies, now that’s a whole other issues, but horror books don’t usually scare me. He assured me that I would find this book disturbing and scary.
The novel takes place, for the majority of the time, in Calcutta, India where the narrator, a writer/poet named Bobby Luczak is on a quest to interview a famous poet who was supposed to be dead for some time but has recently resurfaced. He travels with his wife and baby daughter to India to secure a manuscript of the poet’s writing and to possibly interview him. He wife goes because she can speak several languages and thinks that she may be needed to translate for Bobby.
The novel is steeped in vivid description that paints an eerie picture of Calcutta. Description that also offers a commentary on the customs of the people who live there. It is very interesting and made me curious about the accuracy, having never traveled to India myself. The writing was tight, the tension mounted well and kept me turning the pages. Almost until the very end Simmons teases until you think that there really isn’t going to be a major crisis after all.
Let me warn you now, if you are a mother you will NOT want to read this novel. Scary no, not really, disturbing to the point of nightmares, hell yes! It’s a good novel but I will not be reading it again, nor will I recommend it to anyone with sensitivities in the children department. If you don’t like to see kids getting hurt you will not like this novel.



Review by Angela Minchella

The Astonishing Adventures of Fan Boy and Goth Girl

The Astonishing Adventures of Fan Boy and Goth Girl
By Barry Lyga

Another bargain buy! I picked this one up on sale and on a whim. I was looking for something interesting outside of my usual reading preferences. This novel is about a young boy, comic book geek, jock punching bag who has only one friend. He’s a typical teenage boy, hates his mom, her new husband and his soon to be born half-sister, lusts after the hottest girl in school and creates a list of people who he’d like to kill if he had the chance, or the guts to, people who have wronged him. That is until he meets Kyra, a.k.a, Goth girl. Now, I knew some girls like this when I was a teenager, totally unhinged, disconnected from her parents, pissed off with the world, daring everyone to look at her and her ghostly white skin and black clothes, ready to scream at them if they starred too long and yet at the same time craving for some affection, so attention, someone to see her beauty. I can see how this character could be based on someone real. She had some real problems and real reactions. Some of the things that Kyra did however made me roll my eyes, firstly, because she is portrayed as a typical screwed up teenager with a few clichés thrown in to highlight the point and secondly because she is clearly written by a man. Not to say that Lyga didn’t do a good job with his characterization but some of the things she says and does are a little too typical a little too cliché.
I liked the story; I wasn’t really keen on the ending, not totally satisfying. Strangely I found myself connecting with the narrator in a bizarre way; the bullying aspect was very real for me and very true to life. Many people overlook the bullied, don’t see what is happening, don’t pay attention to the signs or simply don’t know how to help. I get that. Lyga nailed the emotions connected to bullying quite well.
Part of the plot revolves around the narrator’s goal to get a graphic novel he’s been working on read by one of his idols. In the end he is faced with a rejection which he calmly accepts, which I didn’t find totally believable. I’ve seen teens not get what they really want, what they’ve been working toward for a long time; usually they do not react in a calm manner. But whatever, it’s a novel right?
And then there’s the part that made me squirm. The bullied becomes the bullier. This is something that happens more than most people realize. The problem is that the narrator turns on his principal in a way that glamorizes lying and falsely accusing an adult of horrible things. I didn’t like that. I don’t think it’s acceptable to write about a character triumphing partly because he blackmails an educator with false accusations. That crap happens more than people know and it destroys innocent people’s lives. So, I wasn’t cool with that part of the novel.

Review by Angela Minchella

Fool By Christopher Moore

Fool
By Christopher Moore

Yet again, Christopher Moore has twisted something old and worn into something fresh and new…and supremely funny! Fool is a novel that takes Shakespeare’s King Lear and transforms it into a raunchy good time. As usual, Moore has some fun with language, coming up with many of his own versions of well used words…you’ll have to read the book to see what I’m talking about…these words are not fit for this site. When I first started Fool I had a moment of doubt; the language seemed archaic…and although I’m not against reading Shakespeare for enjoyment, it wasn’t at the top of my things to do at that moment. Soon enough however, Moore’s voice came though and I realized that Fool would be no different from the rest of his works…I was laughing out loud at times…especially during a particularly serious scene when the discussion suddenly turns to a supposed cock in a pie…again, you’ll have to read it to understand. Fool is the story of King Lear told from, you guessed it, the Fool’s perspective. Remember that character in King Lear who was always right? Who had insight and cryptic advice that no one listened too? Well, in Moore’s version the Fool, whose name is Pocket, is actually behind most of the craziness that happens in the play. Along with the new perspective is also a well meaning ghost, three ghoulish witches, much sex, swearing, violence and, believe it or not, a love story. This novel also is very empowering for women; Cordelia comes out pretty well in the end. Moore takes the tragedy and reworks the ending so that things are not as dismal as Shakespeare left it. Well worth the money and very enjoyable. Once again Moore did not disappoint me!


Review by Angela Minchella

American Gods

American Gods
By Neil Gaiman

Yes, yes, I know…it’s another Neil Gaiman book! What can I say? I’m on a roll. This book was recently recommended to me by a Gaiman fan after he heard that I wasn’t particularly impressed by Stardust. So I bought the massive text and began reading immediately. It took me a while to get through because it is obscenely long but I have to say that I quite enjoyed it. The protagonist, Shadow is introduced immediately. He’s in jail and waiting for his release, which is coming up…just a few days. And then his wife dies and he is let out early to go to her funeral…that’s when the weird stuff starts happening to him. He gets a job offer to work for a god…Wednesday or Odin.
This novel is about old gods and new gods and what our society values. It is a commentary on how we worship what is new and fast and expensive and not necessarily what is honest and true and old. It’s a common theme, how we humans poopoo anything that is old and seemingly superstitious. Gaiman does it in a new way though. He created a rich world of old world gods who are striving to maintain some hold of their existence. They need sacrifice and belief and worship but find themselves competing with the new gods of technology and t.v. Shadow seems to handle all of this information surprisingly well. We find out why in the end and of course it makes perfect sense.
I like the mystery and the thriller aspect of this novel. There’s a little bit of everything here: murder, death, sex, violence, love, justice, war, religion. The only thing that really creeped me out was the dead wife, Laura…and her many visits to Shadow. It’s unnerving when she comes to him and the description of her slow decay is just plain gross. But I guess that’s a testament to Gaiman’s abilities as a writer…he can describe the hell out of a dead girl.
Review by Angela Minchella