Blog Posts by mingh
Ming was named after an evil Emperor. But she reads more than said evil Emperor, including nonfiction and almost all genres. She should read more in the Romance genre but that genre is forbidden on the planet Mongo.
Swamplandia
03/08/11
Swamplandia! is the name of a fictional theme park in the Florida Everglades. For many decades, the Bigtree family has run the park offering alligator wrestling and a spectacular finale with the Mother of the Bigtree family high diving into a pool of alligators. The whole family helps out running the concessions, the lights, the snack shop and the museum.
When the Mother dies, the family scrambles to keep together and to keep Swamplandia! from dying also. With no spectacular finale and an alternate theme park that just opened, the attendance has fallen to zero. The Father runs off to the mainland presumably to work on some investment deals for the park. The oldest brother, Kiwi, who has always dreamed of living and going to school on the mainland, also leaves to fulfill his dream and make money for the park. That leaves 13 year old Ava and her 17 year old sister Ossie at home to run everything. When Ossie falls in love with a ghost and runs off deeper into the Everglades, Ava sets off with a mysterious man to help find her and bring her back.
The book alternates chapters between the sisters story and the brother/father story. So much responsibility falls on little Ava. But a girl raised on surviving alligators has a lot of strength and that is what keeps the reader enthralled in this dark story of a girl trying to keep her family together.
Tags: coming of age, literary fiction
Comments
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
02/14/11
On her ninth birthday, Rose discovers that she has a terrible affliction. She can taste the feelings of whomever made the meal. She first learns of this when tasting her lemon birthday cake as made by her mother. The frustration and disillusionment of her mother overwhelms young Rose, who doesn't know what to do about it. She is too young to articulate what she feels in the cake and her mother misunderstands her.
Rose's odd brother is five years older than Rose and avoids her and most of the world. Her father spends too much time at work and not enough time with the family. Rose begins to crave snacks made in factories because they lack any human interference. She doesn't know how to talk to anyone in her family and feels very alone. Her brother's friend George is the only nice person she meets. He finds her talent fascinating and always has time for her.
As Rose grows up, changes occur in the family, her mother becomes happy and Rose can taste why in her meals. Her brother becomes more and more removed from the world and soon Rose finds out that he too has a special talent. As readers we watch Rose grow from a child with a terrible torment to a young woman with a gift.
A dark, despairing but ever hopeful story.
Tags: Literary, Magic Realism
The Singer's Gun
02/01/11
Anton Waker grew up in a family of cheats and frauds. When he leaves the business of making false passports and other IDs which his cousin runs, the family begins to wonder. After all, he will need to become another person to escape his past and the past of his family. Leaving his wife on their honeymoon in Italy to do one last deal with his cousin, Anton reviews his life, his loves and what binds a person to another.
When a corporate investigator blackmails a former client and girlfriend to dig into his and his family's background, Anton wonders whom he can trust. Can he trust his friend, his former girlfriend, his wife, his cousin, even his parents? This suspenseful swirl of a novel keeps you guessing along with Anton. Is someone setting him up to die?
The Case of the Missing Servant
01/28/11
Vish Puri is India's most Private Investigator. He and his very colorful crew spend the majority of their time investigating potential marriage partners for parents of young people. But now he has a dangerous mission investigating the death of a servant to one of Jaipur's most respected judges. When the judge is arrested and charged the heat is on Puri to find a resolution fast.
Most of the action takes place in New Delhi and author Hall really gets the atmospherics of the place right. All of the colors and smells and tastes of the reqion come through along with the relationships of people both familial and stranger. It is like visiting India with a beloved and knowledgeable friend who is willing to take you down the side streets and shortcuts. There is a glossary at the back for specifics on some of the words--most can be ascertained from the context.
Vish Puri is a wonderful addition to the long list of colorful private Investigators. Even when he is being shot at he retains his cool. This is a great read-alike for Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. The violence and sex levels are the same, and although it takes place in a different continent, you really get a sense of the place and a genuine liking for characters.
London Boulevard
01/24/11
Low-level criminal, Mitchell, gets out of jail and wants to stay clean, but his friends and former associates are waiting for him. He takes jobs hustling the money from people who have defaulted on their fast loans. But a chance meeting with a woman in a pub gets him a legitimate job fixing up the mansion of an older movie star.
When a homeless friend is killed, he feels he must take action. Refusing to work with his former associates causes trouble as they go after his family. Mitchell feels turn around is fair play.
Ken Bruen uses his knowledge of other crime authors to fill in how Mitchell is feeling. Titles from books by Lawrence Block, James Ellroy and others become prophecies. Although I haven't read all of the authors Bruen uses, it is great fun to see how he uses quotes, and titles, and even poetry from other authors to further his plot.
Quick easy read with a great twist at the end. London Boulevard, the movie, starring Colin Farrell, should be coming to a theater near you this Spring.
The Report
11/13/10
On March 3, 1943, Londoners flocked to their local underground stations when they heard something that may have been a bomb falling or anti-aircraft fire. At the Bethnal Green station, 173 persons, mainly women and children, are crushed to death before they even reach the bottom of the stairs. An official inquiry was held and a report filed which did not become public for reasons of morale, until after the war.
The Report is a novel about the experience for some of the survivors and of the man who had to write the report. Kane used the official report and talked to the families of members who survived to flesh out what happened that evening. It was the single most devastating WWII casualty event unrelated to bombings in London.
The novel tells this story. Twenty years after the event, Lawrence Dunne, the man who completed the report is still haunted by what he learned during the inquiry. Peter Barber, a documentary filmmaker asks Dunne to be interviewed for the documentary. Dunne wonders if enough time has passed to tell the whole truth of what he learned, or should he continue to let the official inquiry stand.
A short but powerful book on the nature of shared catastrophe and forgiveness.
Tags:
Gunn's Golden Rules
10/13/10
Gunn's Golden Rules : life's little lessons for making it work is a wonderful book for fans of Project Runway. Although there is a good deal about Tim Gunn's personal life and his family, there is also a great deal of dish about the fashion industry. He knows everyone and has some strong opinions about people in the industry and about the industry itself.
But Gunn also comments on basic manners and etiquette. How you treat service staff such as at restaurants, emailing thank you notes, dressing appropriately, everything comes to his attention and he has an opinion about it
The real appeal will be to fans of Project Runway. You learn more about how the whole process works, how Tim doesn't like that the producers make it seem like he only shows up one time per project to help the designers, and about working with specific designers from past seasons. Its interesting to know that many in the industry were against the show because they felt it took the glamour away. Gunn's argument was that it was necessary to show what the industry is really like.
This is a light, fun read for fans of Tim Gunn and/or Project Runway
Tags:
Portobello
10/07/10
Ruth Rendell is best known for her Chief Inspector Wexford series. However, this gem is less of a mystery and more of a suspenseful character study. Portobello refers to the famous North London road that fills with shoppers and markets on the weekend. Off of Portobello Road are rich residences and poor residences.
We meet Lance, a petty thief, who has just been released from prison and is estranged from his longtime love who has left him. He is forced to live with his religious Uncle when the rest of his family won't take him in. Lance thinks that if he could just make some money, his girlfriend will take him back.
Eugene is the owner of an art gallery and is engaged to Ella. However, Eugene has some interesting addiction problems that he feels he must hide from Ella, a doctor. While attending patients at the hospital, Ella meets Joel. Joel who is estranged from his family lives in darkness. He keeps his sunglasses on day and night and keeps lights off in his flat. Ella would really like to help Joel. This attention is new to Joel and he attaches himself to her in some frightening ways.
All of the characters will influence each other either directly or indirectly. Finding out what is really happening in their lives and what will happen to them when others discover their secrets is the journey of this book.
Tags:
Room
09/29/10
Jack has lived with his Ma his entire five year life in an 11x11 room. They only have one visitor who comes to see his Mother at night while Jack is supposed to be asleep. The room has a locked keypad that Jack and his Mother cannot open. This is the only life Jack has ever known.
Jack's Mother asks Jack to be brave so that he can sneak out and let the police know about their room. Jack is very frightened but decides that for his Mother's sake he will be "scave," both scared and brave. Jack has never known anything outside of Room, Room is the whole world to him. The only other world occurs in TV.
Room is told from the viewpoint of five year old Jack as he struggles to understand his Mother and the confines of Room. Donoghue has captured the voice of Jack perfectly. He is a beautiful little boy who is "scave," when facing his world and his place within it.
Room has been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for 2010.
Tags:
Royal Blood
09/24/10
Lady Georgiana is 34th in line to the throne of England. It is 1932 and she is broke--not a penny to her name. When Queen Mary calls her to the palace and asks her to be the royal representative in the marriage of the Princess of Romania and the Prince of Bulgaria, she has no power to refuse. Of course, the royal family will pay for the travel arrangements for she and the maid. The maid? Lady Georgiana has no money for a maid. What can she do?
This is the latest mystery in the delightful romp of Her Royal Spyness series. Royal Blood is the latest book, but you do not have to read them in order to follow along the crazy adventures of Lady Georgiana who is a sharp young woman always in the wrong place at the wrong time. Follow the antics of her best friend Belinda who is part of the IT crowd of bright young things in England; her Mother who is on husband four or five, and her enigmatic love, Darcy who always shows up when most needed.
This is a fun light read that really tries to capture the times, although no one would mistake it for historical fiction. Bowen tries to keep the real people true to their characters including the royal family and that of course adds to the fun.
For more with the royal family checkout Royal Flush. The King, Queen and their children, including David, who is very interested in an American divorcee named Wallis make an appearance.
Tags:
