- John Irving -
Irving's mastery at characterization is unparalleled and it is apparent in this novel, where each of the characters seem so real and consistent and ultimately, because of that consistency, frustrating.
Homer's ambivalance, Candy's fear of doing the wrong thing or hurting anyone, Melony's anger - all of these traits permeate the story and stay with the characters all way through and it ultimately becomes frustrating, particular in the case of Homer and Candy, where they appear to not know how to allow themselves to be happy or stand up for what they want.
It is an enjoyable and engrossing read - one in which you can sink into the story and characters and feel completely immersed, but I ultimately find in frustrating that there is no emotional pay off, no confrontations as Angel learns his true parentage, as Wally finally acknowledges the unspoken truths of their lives and as Candy and Homer seperate for good - it's all rushed through in the last few chapters with none of the depth of exploration of the earlier parts of the book.
I do unequivocally appreciate Irvings' portrayal of abortion in all its complexities and shades of grey: he portrays it equally as both tragic and necessary in an imperfect world, and the ambiguities are wrestled with through Homer's struggles in a very human and realistic way. Seeing Homer move beyond his black and white view of the issues to accept the more complex view is very satisfying.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Captive of Sin
- Anna Campbell-
Based on this and the other book of hers I have read (Untouched), Anna Campbell seems to specialize in tortured, psychologically decimated heroes. It is a trope I love, even if I do question, particularly in this case, whether the whole "magic of love" thing is really enough to overcome the unbearable trauma the hero lives with.
Overall, I enjoyed the book - I love the idea of Charis and Gideon both being damaged and afraid and finding peace in each other, but I really did want to see more exploration of the post traumatic stress disorder that Gideon was suffering from and a more nuanced path to some sort of healing, rather than the he's so horny he gets over it style fix that was presented her.
While I love the idea of his passion for Charis ultimately being what helps him overcome his demons, it seemed like it happened too quickly. I would have liked to see a more gradual build up, both if his desire for her, and her acclimating him to her touch and turning it into a source of comfort rather than pain.
An enjoyable read, but I felt it could have had so much more emotional weight and impact if Gideon's justifiable issues had been explored more.
Based on this and the other book of hers I have read (Untouched), Anna Campbell seems to specialize in tortured, psychologically decimated heroes. It is a trope I love, even if I do question, particularly in this case, whether the whole "magic of love" thing is really enough to overcome the unbearable trauma the hero lives with.
Overall, I enjoyed the book - I love the idea of Charis and Gideon both being damaged and afraid and finding peace in each other, but I really did want to see more exploration of the post traumatic stress disorder that Gideon was suffering from and a more nuanced path to some sort of healing, rather than the he's so horny he gets over it style fix that was presented her.
While I love the idea of his passion for Charis ultimately being what helps him overcome his demons, it seemed like it happened too quickly. I would have liked to see a more gradual build up, both if his desire for her, and her acclimating him to her touch and turning it into a source of comfort rather than pain.
An enjoyable read, but I felt it could have had so much more emotional weight and impact if Gideon's justifiable issues had been explored more.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Lord of Pleasure
- Delilah Marvelle -
Another great new author to add to my list of must reads!
The story had a lot of humor running through it, particularly in the interactions between Charlotte and Alexander - I found myself grinning away for chunks of the story.
I really liked that Charlotte, in order to save herself from destitution or prostitution, had taken a job with a renowned courtesan's new school for gentleman, and was gradually discovering that she rather liked operating outside of societies' rules and conventions, especially given she was ruined by her late husband's actions in the eyes of society anyway, so she decided to give up trying to please them and act according to her own wants, desires and moral code.
The flip side of Charlotte's new freedom, was Alexander's determination to confine himself according to societal expectations in order to give his sisters the best possible chance for future respectability and happy marriages. Despite his family's free spirited reputation, Alexander's love and responsibility towards his sisters compels him to try and do what he believes is the right thing by leaving his "Lord of Pleasure" reputation behind.
This dedication to his family is what draws Charlotte to Alexander, beyond her physical attraction to him, and watching them come together and draw emotional as well as physical comfort from each other was such fun to read.
There are probably nits I could pick regarding the apparent lack of societal blowback any of the characters appear to face for their unconventional actions, but I enjoyed the book too much to really care.
Another great new author to add to my list of must reads!
The story had a lot of humor running through it, particularly in the interactions between Charlotte and Alexander - I found myself grinning away for chunks of the story.
I really liked that Charlotte, in order to save herself from destitution or prostitution, had taken a job with a renowned courtesan's new school for gentleman, and was gradually discovering that she rather liked operating outside of societies' rules and conventions, especially given she was ruined by her late husband's actions in the eyes of society anyway, so she decided to give up trying to please them and act according to her own wants, desires and moral code.
The flip side of Charlotte's new freedom, was Alexander's determination to confine himself according to societal expectations in order to give his sisters the best possible chance for future respectability and happy marriages. Despite his family's free spirited reputation, Alexander's love and responsibility towards his sisters compels him to try and do what he believes is the right thing by leaving his "Lord of Pleasure" reputation behind.
This dedication to his family is what draws Charlotte to Alexander, beyond her physical attraction to him, and watching them come together and draw emotional as well as physical comfort from each other was such fun to read.
There are probably nits I could pick regarding the apparent lack of societal blowback any of the characters appear to face for their unconventional actions, but I enjoyed the book too much to really care.
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