Review: Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields

Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee by Charles J. Shields

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think this is a solid biographical account of Harper Lee. I don't know that I really knew much about her beyond her having written an amazing novel and then stepping out of sight. I vaguely knew of her relationship with Truman Capote and their work together on In Cold Blood but I didn't have any context or details on it. This portrait of Harper Lee was enlightening in that respect but it still didn't go very deep into her life. Although I suspect that the lack of depth is due to the extreme privacy that Harper Lee lives her life in. Although the author was able to interview a lot of people about her, I'm not sure that he had the insider view that would have been necessary to make this book anything more than a satisfactory biography. It's solid. It's good. It's interesting. But, it didn't go as far as I suspect most of us would have liked.

The most compelling things for me after reading this book -

1. How much of her own life she used when writing To Kill A Mockingbird. I had no idea. I knew she grew up in a similar place but I had no idea how much she really leveraged!

2. Her relationship with Truman Capote. Wow. He was something else! The story of their friendship and its projectory over their lives was fascinating.

3. I found that I liked what I learned of Harper Lee much more than I'd expected - she appears (based on the account of her in this book) to be a feisty, intelligent, complex and kind woman. The kind of women that I like. A woman that I'd like to know.

4. I better understand WHY she may not have written another novel. Although that isn't solved per se, it is better understood after acknowledging her experiences with Mockingbird (the book and movie) and In Cold Blood. I can certainly understand her desire for privacy and her decision to remove herself from public life (for the most part).

In the end, I wanted to go sit and have a cup of coffee with Harper Lee. She seems like a person that I would enjoy knowing. I have an even greater respect for her and the novel that she wrote. Her novel is an American classic for a reason.

The writing of Charles J. Shields is clunky and ultimately made the reading experience drag on a bit. It took almost 10 days for me to get through it which is a very long time for me. Particularly since it isn't a long book. It just felt very dense and clunky to me. I enjoyed it, in the end, but getting there was sometimes a chore.

If you love her novel and want to know more about her, her life, and perhaps get a glimpse into what she's chosen to do, this is definitely something you may enjoy. You have to push through the writing at times which isn't something that I would recommend to someone who isn't a fan of her novel or interested in her life.

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Review: The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti

The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This really is good book. Definitely worthy of a read. The story is strong - it's unlike any book that I've read before which I found refreshing. Many books seem to be recycled in ways but this one felt very new and unique to me throughout. Perhaps its the fact that it was an adventure story with a lot more than just adventure. I'm not sure - all I know is that it felt like nothing that I've ready before!

I have read a lot of comparison's to this novel & the work of Dickens, Twain and others. Although I can see that, I think that Tinti takes the adventure story to a new place with her novel. Although perhaps reminiscent of the 19th century adventure story, it's really a unique take on the traditional adventure story.

The main character, Ren, is a very interesting character and I kept wondering what might come next for him. His experiences and how he reacts to them were fascinating to me! The mix of people (many of them 'villains') that he encounters make for a compelling narrative that keeps you wanting more. Ren's voice was original and memorable. His navigation through the world created by Tinti really made this book special. Although places here and there were slower than I'd have liked, the parts that picked up made up for the slower parts.

I think that Tinti could have done more with some of the plot lines and characters than she did, which may have eliminated some of the slowness that came through. For example, the character of Mrs. Sand's brother was fascinating and I would have loved for that part of the story to have been expanded upon. There were quite a few places that left me with questions, i.e. - memorable characters whose actions were not adequately explained, for example.

Although I liked the entire story, it was the end (last 1/4 of the book) that really knocked it out the park! Hannah Tinti really pulled all of the pieces of the plot together and created an outstanding ending! In the end, what sticks with me is the world created by Tinti and how compelling she made a world that is fairly dark and twisty. It could have fallen into the dark places and never come out. Tinti's skill at keeping the story moving, creating compelling characters and showing glimpses of light in the dark make this a very special book. She has a very unique viewpoint that was fascinating to visit. I'm looking forward to reading more of her work!

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Review: The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli

The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was nothing like I had expected ... I'm not sure what I felt I was getting into but it certainly wasn't what I found in this book. This is a very good book. It's a very well written novel that put me directly into the shoes of a photojournalist during the Vietnam War. At moments, I felt as if I were walking through the streets and experiencing things myself. Tatjana Soli made the setting of the novel come alive. She has a gift for descriptive language. The way that she weaves the horrors of the war with the love story is simply fantastic! It felt real and natural. She brings this dangerous time and place alive and does an amazing job at showing the reader the intricate details of the life of a photojournalist during war and how the war changes them and their lives.

This is a book that will most definitely transport the reader into the frightening and humid jungles of Vietnam as well as the filthy streets of Saigon. This alone makes the book worth the read. I didn't think the love story (or love triangle, to be more accurate) was as strong as it could have been. I just didn't 'feel' the love triangle in the way I believe the author intended. It didn't resonate with me in the way that I would have liked.

In the end, however, this novel was outstanding and I definitely recommend it. If nothing else, its a well written novel that will transport you to an entirely different world more effectively than you can imagine!

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Review: Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love this series but I only liked this particular book of the series. It was good, very readable. I was intrigued by the story but I wasn't as taken with it as I usually am with this series. I think the primary reason that I didn't love this one was that I wasn't particularly taken by the relationship between Manny and Payne. It was ok, but not nearly as breathtaking as some of the other couples. In fact, I wasn't that interested in Payne. I didn't find her compelling or particularly interesting. Again, she was okay. Just okay.

I love the Qhuinn and Blay storyline and look forward to seeing where J.R. Ward plans to take that in future books. She was obviously setting up a lot of things for the two of them in this book and I can't wait to see where that will go.

I also love Viscous and Jane so their having a large presence in this book was a good thing. I find their relationship interesting and complicated and compelling. They helped to heat things up when the Manny/Payne storyline withered out.

Overall, a solid book. But, definitely not one of the best of the series. Looking forward to the 10th in the series ... hoping it will take things to the next level!

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Review: Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really wanted to love this book ... the premise alone was right up my alley! And it was a good book ... very solid. But, it wasn't fantastic. It didn't blow my socks off. These end of the world type novels are always intriguing to me and this one was a pretty good one.

I thought that the actual premise was good and that the storyline itself was very effective. I was intrigued enough to keep reading. The writing was good. The character development was also very good. I think that the novel moved more slowly than it needed to which decreased its overall effectiveness. I think the same plot points could have been covered with less words. There isn't a lot of excitement or adventure in this story which may have contributed to the feeling of slowness. I found a bit of the actual world ending details to be less than stellar. It's not quite as feasible as its written. There are holes in the plot but I was able to overlook that most of the time. In the end, this novel gave me a great deal to think about and it sucked me into the story and has me eager for the next chapter in the series!

Overall, I enjoyed this one. I plan to read the next in the series as I'm intrigued by what might be coming next. I recommend this one if you like end of the world type novels ... this is a solid one.

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Review: Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You can always rely on Kristin Hannah offering up a good, solid story that packs an emotional punch. This novel is no exception. Although I think the novel started slowly (it could have moved a bit faster), I think that it redeems itself by picking up and not letting go until the end. Hannah really knows how to build character, write a good story line and bring it all together in a way that is fantastic! Her books resemble those of Diane Chamberlain and Jodi Picoult. She is an outstanding storyteller.

This particular story is quite good. The characters were well written and the twists and turns were believable and effective. I took one star away for the fact that the beginning was slow but other than that, I can't find any major fault with this novel. It's a solid good read. This novel is a great representation of the work of Kristin Hannah. I definitely recommend that you give her novels a chance!

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