The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder

Rating: 7/10

Published: 1927
Number of pages: 127

Started: 21 May 2008
Finished: 23 May 2008


Summary (taken from blurb):
An ancient bridge collapses over a gorge in Peru, hurling five people into the abyss. It seems a meaningless human tragedy. But one witness, a Franciscan monk, believes the deaths might not be as random as they appear.

Convinced that the disaster is a punishment sent from Heaven, the monk sets out to discover all he can about the travellers. The five strangers were connected in some way, he thinks. There must be a purpose behind their deaths.

But are their lost lives the result of sin?...Or of love?

Comments (may include spoiler):
The story is a philosophical look at why bad things happen to people. I suppose we've all wondered at one time or another why bad things happen to other people while we escape unscathed. I like that the questions posed were never really answered. It was left up to the reader to put the pieces together and to decide what it all meant, if indeed it meant anything.

An interesting story. I didn't love it, but there's nothing I didn't like about it really. It was just a bit...meh. As in other reviews I've read, I think the book suffers a little from detachment. The characters are given thorough and interesting backstories but I never really felt close to them. That said, there were some lovely quotes on human nature and love, and I liked the interconnectedness of the characters and their lives. A good read, and nice and short. Recommended.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Rating: 9/10

Published: 1890
Number of pages: 200

Started: 13 April 2008
Finished: 17 April 2008


Summary (taken from blurb):
Dorian is a good-natured young man until he discovers the power of his own exceptional beauty. As he gradually sinks deep into a frivolous, glamourous world of selfish luxury, he apparently remains physically unchanged by the stresses of his corrupt lifestyle and untouched by age. But up in his attic, hidden behind a curtain, his portrait tells a different story...

Comments:
A wonderfully dark and Gothic novel. Dorian starts the story as a young, innocent man who is more or less unconcerned by his extraordinary beauty. Then he meets Lord Henry, who derives great pleasure in imparting his theories on aestheticism to the impressionable young man. Dorian drinks it all in and begins a life of debauchery and depravity, which leads to tragedy for everyone he comes in contact with.

The Picture of Dorian Gray misses out on a perfect 10 only because I found Lord Henry's ramblings a little hard-going at times. He's a very quotable man (or should I say, Oscar Wilde is a very quotable man), not that I agreed with much of what he said. It took me a while to get into the book, but once the story picked up, it flew along. Has one of the best endings to a story that I have ever read.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Rating: 10/10

Published: 1945
Number of pages: 120

Started: 26 February 2008
Finished: 27 February 2008


Summary (taken from blurb):
First published in 1945, Animal Farm has become the classic political fable of the twentieth century. Adding his own brand of poignancy and wit, George Orwell tells the story of a revolution among animals of a farm, and how idealism was betrayed by power, corruption and lies.

Comments:
This is probably the most technically brilliant novel I have ever read. It's not exactly a page-turner, but it is perfection (or as near it as you're going to get). The story is neither too long nor too short; there is not a single superfluous sentence in the entire novel.

Animal Farm is a political satire of Soviet socialism - the Rebellion of the farm animals against the humans represents (as far as I can understand it) the revolution of the Bolsheviks against the Russian government. The human owners are driven off the farm and the animals finally have their freedom. They determine to create a society in which all animals are equal and must work together in order to survive, but, of course, things start to fall apart and we learn that some animals are more equal than others. This story works on so many levels and really does a wonderful job in exploring the concepts of power and corruption. Very highly recommended.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Rating: 8/10

Published: 1999
Number of pages: 372

Started: 20 February 2008
Finished: 25 February 2008


Summary (taken from blurb):
Under the streets of London there's a place most people could never even dream of. A city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, knights in armour and pale girls in black velvet. This is the city of the people who have fallen between the cracks.

Richard Mayhew, a young businessman, is going to find out more than enough about this other London. A single act of kindness catapults him out of his workday existence and into a world that is at once eerily familiar and utterly bizarre. And a strange destiny awaits him down here, beneath his native city: neverwhere.

Comments:
A very light and enjoyable read, full of vivid and unique characters. The world underneath London is nicely portrayed and bears striking similarities to London Above. It loses points for the way in which Gaiman describes the characters in the exact same way time after time (for example, Door's eyes). For the life of me I cannot think of anything else to write, except to repeat that it was very enjoyable, and that I'll be seeking out more Neil Gaiman in the future.

Z for Zachariah by Robert O'Brien

Rating: 7/10

Published: 1975
Number of pages: 188

Started: 17 February 2008
Finished: 20 February 2008


Summary (taken from blurb):
Lone survivor after a nuclear holocaust, Ann Burden sees her solitary peace threatened by this unknown intruder. She hides, he watches, they both wait. Is he a friend and ally, or the terrifying near-maniac she begins to suspect? Just as Adam was the first man on earth, so this man must be Zachariah, the last...

Comments:
This is a quick and interesting read aimed at young adults. It's a story concerning the end of the world and the survival of a 16-year-old girl who believes she may be the last person alive...until she sees someone else entering her valley. I wouldn't necessarily call this a dystopian novel - it's more post-apocalyptic. Still, I'll count it as dystopian because it's on Wikipedia's list of dystopian literature.

I thought the main character was a little too naive (or maybe just too optimistic) but I always love an ending that leaves something to the imagination. A pretty good read!

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Rating: 10/10

Published: 1966
Number of pages: 336

Started: 31 January 2008
Finished: 17 February 2008


Summary (taken from blurb):
Controversial and compelling, In Cold Blood reconstructs the murder in 1959 of a Kansas farmer, his wife and both their children. Truman Capote's comprehensive study of the killings and subsequent investigation explores the circumstances surrounding this terrible crime and the effect it had on those involved. At the centre of his study are the amoral young killers Perry Smith and Dick Hickock, who, vividly drawn by Capote, are shown to be reprehensible, yet entirely and frighteningly human.

The book that made Capote's name, In Cold Blood is a seminal work of modern prose, a remarkable synthesis of journalistic skill and powerfully evocative narrative.

Comments:
In Cold Blood is a terrific blend of journalistic skill and creative writing. Capote begins the story by introducing the reader to all of the main players: the Clutter family (the victims), and Perry Smith and Dick Hickock (the killers). We get to know them very well - their personality traits and quirks, their views on life, and basically all of their background stories. Other characters, ranging from local gossips to detectives, are introduced equally vividly.

Although the reader knows what's going to happen, Capote masterfully builds up the story and draws out the suspense, leaving the reader with numerous questions as to the 'why's and 'wherefore's of what's about to happen. Of course, they're all answered in time, but it's an intriguing journey and well worth the read. The story is never dull, and I had to keep reminding myself that this was not a work of fiction.

Truman Capote worked tirelessly to gather his information (along with the aid of his friend, Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird) and put it together meticulously to create this incredible, true story. It's chilling and scary, but absolutely terrific! Highly recommended!

The Day of the Locust by Nathanael West

Rating: 7/10

Published: 1939
Number of pages: 215

Started: 27 January 2008
Finished: 30 January 2008


Summary (taken from Amazon.com):
Novel by Nathanael West about the savagery lurking beneath the Hollywood dream. Published in 1939, it is one of the most striking examples of the "Hollywood novel" in American fiction. Tod Hackett, a set designer, becomes involved in the lives of several individuals who have been warped by their proximity to the artificial world of Hollywood. Hackett's completion of his painting "The Burning of Los Angeles" coincides with the explosion of the other characters' unfulfilled dreams in a conflagration of riot and murder.

Comments:
This is an interesting story, full of vividly written archetypal Hollywood characters. There's the wannabe star with platinum hair, the vicious dwarf, the big-shot producer, the child star and his stage mother, etc. The characters, scenes and settings are all very nicely written: West does some lovely descriptive writing, and he takes his time in setting up each scene so that the reader has a clear image of it in their minds before he continues on with the story.

There's not really much of a plot happening here; it's mostly a series of interactions involving one or more characters. There are several funny moments and the story builds up at the end into a frightening scene of mob hysteria...and then it ends very abruptly, leaving the reader curious as to the fate of several characters. It's not a book that I would necessarily recommend to everyone, but it's an interesting read nevertheless.

My edition also came with a second, shorter story called The Dream Life of Balso Snell. I wasn't very impressed with this one - it was bizarre and difficult to follow. Lots of ramblings from random characters on religion, art and love. I didn't take this story into consideration when deciding my rating, otherwise the rating would have gone down a point or two!

I am Legend by Richard Matheson

Rating: 9/10

Published: 1954
Number of pages: 176

Started: 7 January 2008
Finished: 8 January 2008


Summary (taken from Dymocks website):
Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth, but he is not alone, for every other man, woman and child on the planet has become a vampire and they are hungry for Neville's blood. By day he is hunter; by night, the prey. How long can one man survive like this?

Comments:
Often the shortest books can pack the biggest punch, and I am Legend is no exception. It's quite fast-paced and had me on the edge of my seat several times. I thought Matheson did a great job of exploring the psyche of Robert Neville and a world without people. I found the medical descriptions dull, but knew they were necessary in order for the author to logically explain the appearance of vampires. An ending to a story like this has the potential to be hugely disappointing, but happily this wasn't the case with I am Legend: the ending was simply brilliant. An excellent read.

No-Balls and Googlies: A Cricket Companion by Geoff Tibballs

Rating: 8/10
Published: 2006
Number of pages: 192

Started: 5 January 2008
Finished: 6 January 2008



Summary (taken from blurb):
Cricket, or 'the elegant game', occupies a long-established and distinguished position in the annals of sporting history. Skilful and graceful, technical and tactical, the intricacies and multi-faceted nature of the sport have enthralled and baffled spectators in equal measure over the centuries. Delving into its rich and varied history, No-Balls and Googlies uncovers the origins of this captivating game, and explores its traditions, records, milestones and memorable moments through a fascinating array of facts and figures, anecdotes and curiosities.

...

For cricket fanatics the world over, No-Balls and Googlies also provides an amusing insight into the sport's many quirky characters, and presents a wealth of facts, trivia, quotations and stories taken from this great sport's illustrious history.

Comments:
This is a charming little book full of fun facts and trivia regarding the long history of cricket. It's not a book one would usually read straight through; rather, it's one that can be dipped into occasionally. That said, I read the entire thing while watching (what else?) the cricket.

Some of the stories and incidents mentioned in the book make the current spat between Australia and India seem not so bad. Just another colourful event in the long history of the game. It's really given me a greater appreciation for the sport, its rules, its origins, and the people who have represented their teams over the year. Highly recommended if you're a fan of the sport (and if you're not, it might help you see the game in a new light!)

The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett

Rating: 7/10

Published: 1983
Number of pages: 285

Started: 21 December 2007
Finished: 5 January 2008


Summary (taken from blurb):
On a world supported on the back of a giant turtle (sex unknown), a gleeful, explosive, wickedly eccentric expedition sets out. There's an avaricious but inept wizard, a naive tourist whose luggage moves on hundreds of dear little legs, dragons who only exist if you believe in them, and of course THE EDGE of the planet...

Comments:
After eyeing off Terry Pratchett's Discworld series for many years, I have finally gotten around to starting it! I was actually putting it off because I knew I'd like them and I really couldn't afford to get sucked into reading such a big series, but you've gotta give in sooner or later.

I wasn't too sure what to expect from this book because I'd read a few reviews stating that it wasn't as good as his later works. It turned out to be pretty much what I was expecting; not overwhelmingly brilliant but a good read that has got me interested in continuing with the rest of the series.

I liked the characters, particularly Rincewind and Death, and look forward to seeing them more in future books. My one minor gripe was that it seemed a bit repetitive: Rincewind would get himself into one similar life-threatening predicament after another. I feel a bit lousy criticising this book when it's a nice, light read, but there you have it. Ultimately, it's fun and enjoyable and I'm looking forward to reading The Light Fantastic to find out what happens after that, er, cliff-hanger ending!

Reading through the Decades Challenge

Another challenge I've decided to take up is the Reading through the Decades Challenge (RD). The challenge is to read 1 book from every decade, beginning with the 1900s and ending with the 2000s. This is 11 books in total and if I have time I may start working backwards from the 1890s!

RD reading in 2008: (currently reading)
1890s Oscar Wilde: The Picture of Dorian Gray
1910s May Gibbs: Snugglepot and Cuddlepie
1920s Thornton Wilder: The Bridge of San Luis Rey
1930s Nathanael West: The Day of the Locust
1940s George Orwell: Animal Farm
1950s Richard Matheson: I am Legend
1960s Truman Capote: In Cold Blood
1970s Robert O'Brien: Z for Zachariah
1980s Terry Pratchett: The Colour of Magic
1990s Neil Gaiman: Neverwhere
2000s Geoff Tibballs: No-Balls and Googlies: A Cricket Companion

TBR books that qualify for the RD challenge (2 listed per decade):
1900s Miles Franklin: My Brilliant Career (1901)
1900s Kenneth Grahame: The Wind in the Willows (1908)
1910s Frances Hodgson Burnett: The Secret Garden (1911)
1910s James Joyce: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916)
1920s Agatha Christie: The Secret Adversary (1922)
1920s F Scott Fitzgerald: The Beautiful and Damned (1922)
1930s Daphen du Maurier: Rebecca (1938)
1930s Nathaniel West: The Day of the Locust (1939)
1940s Anne Frank: The Diary of Anne Frank (1947)
1940s Hermann Hesse: The Glass Bead Game (1946)
1950s Ralph Ellison: Invisible Man (1952)
1950s CS Lewis: The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia) (1950)
1960s Ann Holm: I am David (1965)
1960s Charles Webb: The Graduate (1963)
1970s Richard Adams: Watership Down (1972)
1970s Robert C O'Brien: Z for Zachariah (1975)
1980s Ruth Park: Playing Beatie Bow (1980)
1980s John Kennedy Toole: A Confederacy of Dunces (1980)
1990s Ian McEwan: Enduring Love (1997)
1990s Tim Winton: Cloudstreet (1991)
2000s Jasper Fforde: The Eyre Affair (2001)
2000s Maggie O'Farrell: The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox (2006)

Other RD books I'd like to own and read:
None. I have enough choice as it is!