The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith This book is a classic for a reason. Groundbreaking in its time, its protagonist is a clever, amoral man whom we can’t help but root for, even as we despise him. Or maybe I’m speaking for myself. I wanted Tom Ripley to succeed. I shared his paranoia that …
Category: Book Review
Feb 24
Book Review: Anna Dressed in Blood
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake Just when I thought that the mini-genre of dark fantasy YA couldn’t be mined for anything else, something comes along like this took that charms the pants off me. How could you fail to be entranced when it opens with a teenage ghost hunter picking up a dead …
Feb 17
Book Review: How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big
How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big : Kind of the Story of My Life by Scott Adams This isn’t a book for people who are seeking a great self-help book, it’s a book for people who really like Dilbert and are willing to read anything by the author. Half self-help book, …
Jan 29
Book Review: The Girl on the Train
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins This is the second book I’ve read that’s been described as being similar to GONE GIRL, but this one actually comes pretty close. It starts with Rachel Watson, an unemployed alcoholic who is maintaining the illusion of a normal life by continuing to commute daily to London. …
Jan 20
Book Review: The Descendants
The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings This novel has everything you might want in a novel. It has rich family dynamics, complex and changing relationships, and a lush and fascinating background. It’s set in Hawaii, where Matt King is one of the last descendants of a land speculator and a Hawaiian princess. He’s also …