Very Good, Jeeves! by P.G. Wodehouse
Too much fantastic goofiness to jot it all down. Here’s a small sampling:
… “She is so far above me.”
“Tall girl?” …… There is a ghastly moment in the year, generally about the beginning of August, when Jeeves insists on taking a holiday, the slacker, and legs it off to some seaside resort for a couple of weeks, leaving me stranded. …
… “Ah, Mr. Wooster,” it said. “Ha, Ha!”
“Ho, ho!” I replied, not to be outdone in the courtesies. …… It was one of those big days for beamers. …
The Children of Men by P.D. James
I didn’t think this was a great book, but the premise is very interesting. It’s a take on “The End” that I haven’t heard suggested before (although I don’t really read/watch a whole lot on that topic, so it may have been done before). James expressed the slow, depressed decline very poignantly. There were several scenes (all spoilerish, so I won’t go into detail) that are burned into my mind. The book’s denouement wasn’t as moving as I’d expected it to be. When I read the book, I wrote that I wanted to see the movie and that I hoped the movie would be better than the book. I’ve seen the movie now, and I’m not sure how much comparison I can do in fairness. The book and the movie are so completely different. They’ve changed the characters, the action and the plot. That being said, I found the movie more moving than the book.
Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
Nemirovsky’s own story is more heartbreaking than anything in her book. The “Dolce” section is better crafted than the “Storm” section, but I’d imagine that the completed book would’ve been much more polished had the author lived. As it is, “Storm” lacks cohesion.
A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon
I read this on my way to Columbia, and I loved it. I don’t normally enjoy “everything falls apart” novels, but “A Spot of Bother” is so well-written and funny and sweet. I should’ve written down some of the bits that I particularly liked, but I was on planes and in airports, and I just didn’t do it.
At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks
Amy gave this to me to read on my way home from Columbia. I know a lot of people think Sparks is the bee’s knees. I am not one of those people.
The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos
This was on a few “best of 2006” lists. I wasn’t crazy about it. The convergence of plots was especially disappointing.
Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl
I have no idea what to make of this book. I thought I was going to abandon it after the first chapter, but then I got sucked into the story and couldn’t stop reading. The end, though … It threw me for a loop. Blue’s father’s behavior doesn’t seem true to character unless her theory is right, and that’s just nutty. I know that doesn’t make sense if you haven’t read the book. So go read the book, then come back and tell me what you think.
The Dead Beat by Marilyn Johnson
It made me want to read more obits.
