The Silver Linings Playbook | Book Review

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I saw this movie and loved it and knew I had to read the book. I started reading and was blown away by the quality of writing - not just the story, but the humor and drama and subject matter and every tiny ingredient involved in this delicious literary casserole. As a writer myself, there are so many things here to commend, and I try to note them all in my review. The movie and the book are different in a lot of ways. But I think the movie retained the spirit of the book. And so does the author. So I'm with him.

Writing Technique: ★★★★1/2 Quick is a brilliant writer. He turns a guy with crippling mental illness, violent tendencies, and a serious one-track mind into a heart-warming, charming, hilarious, and moving narrative. Let this be a study for all novelists in voice, because this guy nails it. He also unravels a compelling modern hero's journey with a very limited first person POV. This work is fantastic.

Plot/Story Development: ★★★★ As I said, this is a modern hero's journey. Pat is not your typical hero (see more in char dev). But his journey is truly admirable. He leaves a neural health institution with one goal in mind: be reunited with his wife Nikki. Every single action he takes is made with her in mind: working out obsessively, his attitude and actions toward others, his pursuit of a greater literary education, etc. He is trying to write his own story - his own movie. He is single-minded in his pursuit of a happy ending, a true silver lining. It doesn't go exactly as planned, which is to be expected. And here is where novelists should study Quick's work, because it is a model case study of want v. need. As The Rolling Stones said so eloquently: "You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, well you might find...you get what you need." (Now that song's stuck in your head. You're welcome.)

Character Development: ★★★★1/2 So what does Pat need? Well, he thinks he needs Nikki. But we all know he doesn't need Nikki. He needs to adjust to his new reality. To find embrace his new life and find a happy ending in it and not in the past. Pat's not your typical hero because he's psychologically ill. His treatment, his healing is a long internal process. And I love seeing where he's at on the last page. The closing line for me is beautiful.

Message/Theme: ★★★★★ I love the difficult issues this book tackles. And having read some author interviews, I admire him for writing something that reflects at least in part a personal struggle. SLP addresses depression, mental illness, grief, physical and emotional abuse, marriage, love, friendship, family, obsession, personal growth, and the true nature of happy endings.

Rating: R for language and sexuality

Audiobook Performance: ★★★★ Ray Porter is a great voice for Pat's somewhat deranged inner monologue. He also excels at all the men's voices - Philly, Indian, inner city black accents - he nails 'em all. But all the women sound exactly the same. It's difficult being a voice actor, I know, but it drew me out of the moment a few times. Especially when Jeanie and Tiffany talk back and forth, there was no change. So points lost.

Overall: ★★★★1/2 This is a great read. I don't think I could possibly recommend it more.
And yes, you should watch the movie too. Here, watch the trailer.


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Days of Blood & Starlight | Book Review

Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm trying not to freak out about this book. Trying really hard. Mostly failing. There's a chance this is the best book I've read all year. And this is book 70 for 2012. So, that's saying something. I feel absolutely inspired by this story. I want to study it, and dissect it, and tear it apart, and put it together just so I can see how all the pieces work because it is actually 100% total gloriousness. I liked Daughter of Smoke and Bone -- a lot. I really really liked it. But it doesn't hold a candle to the magnitude of Days.


Writing Technique: ★★★★1/2 Taylor's style is incredible. Beautiful and comedic and dramatic and conversational and poetic and surreal/fantastic all at the same time. The words she uses--UGH. The way she strings them together--GEEZ. How is she so dang good?? I envy this writer so much. Her manipulation of the English language is divine.

Character Development: ★★★★★ Where to even start? Book 1 followed just Karou and Akiva. Book 2 follows like 17 people. All SO unique. The difference between Akiva and Liraz and Hazael and Joram and Jael is galaxies wide even tho they're all angels. Akiva's plot is a path to redemption and OMG did I love watching him get there?! Liraz and Hazael are so much more complex than they were in Book 1, and I fell in love with both of them and both made me straight up cry because the changes they went through. And then Karou - GEEZ LOUISE! Her journey is just PAIN. And Ziri and AGH! There are so many. Watching these "people" fight and try to survive and get revenge and start rebellions and work together and OMG. Rife with character development. Taylor doesn't not fail in the deep complex changing growing lovable hateable character department.

Plot/Story Development: ★★★★★ Um... seriously. Perfection. I can't even tell you why it's good without spoiling things for you. But there are soooo many twists that I just didn't see coming. Hazael?! Birds? Ziri? The Wolf? I-- I-- There was too much. It's so freaking good. At the end of like every chapter, I would look up and go, NO FREAKING WAY. And I kept thinking I knew where things were going, but I had no idea. Sigh. I'm so sad this book is over.

Message/Theme: ★★★★★ Revenge --> Revenge begets revenge begets revenge. Thus the eternality of war. --> Revenge is not the path to a better life. Hope. There is a better way to live. Peace is worth fighting for (that sounds contradictory but it makes sense in the book). Redemption. Love. Hatred. Friendship. Family. What truly makes a monster--appearances or actions? Integrity. Second chances. Resurrection. Rebellion. Hope. Hope. Hope.

Overall: ★★★★★ I wish I could give this more stars. I wish I could accurately express how great this book is. This caliber of story is what I'm attempting to write, and honestly it's overwhelming and inspiring to have seen someone do this so well. I am blown away.

And I HATE that I have to wait OVER A YEAR to see how it all ends. I could DIE before then!!!



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Code Name Verity | Book Review

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book tore me up. Let me begin by saying this is a book for everyone. There is something here for girls, guys, old, young, whatever. It has two female protagonists, but it is not by any means a girl book. The story is largely a British spy's written confession to her Gestapo captors. But it becomes so much more as she weaves the tale of her friendship with a young female pilot named Maddie. The twists and turns, the heartbreak, the terror, the beauty--it is all here in Wein's masterful WW2 story set in Occupied France 1943.

This isn't a story to swallow in one gulp. I recommend taking your time so as not to miss any of the great details.

Writing technique: ★★★★1/2 Wein is a goddess. This story is hard and heavy with the weight of war and torture on every page. But somehow she makes these two girls hilarious. And they each have very distinctive voices. Everything she writes sounds so authentic and plausible. She incorporates French, German, poetry, and music into the story seamlessly. She made me laugh, cry, gasp. And when a writer can do that, she owns me.

Character development: ★★★★ Queenie and Maddie have a great adventure in this story. They both grow and change. They have hard choices to make. Daring actions to take. Neither are fearless as they make very clear, but they overcome their fears and take on new ones. Then they overcome those fears. It's so brave. And so inspiring. Ah I want to crawl inside this book and live in it forever. Even though it can be painful and terrifying and sad.

Plot/Story development: ★★★★1/2 Oh the plot devices this novelist employs are amazing. I can't tell you what they are without ruining it, but dang! I loved all the ways she surprised me. But it's a war story without the gimmickry. People make horrible mistakes. People get hurt. People die. People change. But the story is masterful.  Let me say--you must focus on this--if you listen to the audiobook like I did, don't try to multitask. There are too many great things to miss.

Message/Theme: ★★★★ Oh the theme of this story is friendship. When you find someone who loves you and understands you and supports you and laughs with you and cries with you -- when you find that person because the world is tearing itself apart -- they can carry you through the worst of circumstances -- even being a POW in Nazi-occupied France. There's more, but this in itself moved me beyond belief.

Audiobook Performance: ★★★★★ Morven Christie reading Queenie in all her accents and French and German and singing was pure magic. I adored every word she spoke. Ugh I wish every audiobook could be as beautifully narrated. And Lucy Gaskell as Maddie was hilarious and lighthearted and amazing. They both pulled my heart along on this ride. I think this one of the most wonderful audio performances in existence. Please listen to this.

Overall: ★★★★★ I HIGHLY recommend this book.



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Paper Towns | Book Review

Paper Towns by John Green

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Writing technique: ★★★★ This is my third John Green book (I read An Abundance of Katherines and Will Grayson, Will Grayson before), and I love him. I love how you uses words. I love how he writes teens. I love this overly-philosophical way of looking at life. I love that he makes me want to read Walt Whitman and listen to Woody Guthrie and google random crap like "paper towns" and go on a road trip and write in black moleskin notebooks and plan and complete all-night adventures and use three names. He's a great storyteller. And I'll read anything with his name on it.

Character development: ★★★ Quentin thinks he knows Margo. He doesn't. He learns that he doesn't. But in learning, he has to do things and be someone he's never done or been before. His adventure is lighthearted, fun, youthful, quirky. Q becomes more introspective and curious and adventurous. He becomes less afraid. Margo is spunky and wild in a way everyone wishes they were, but also kind of damaged and sad. I thought this would be a lot more about her development. But really, it's how Q's perception of her changes and he realizes he never really knew her at all.

Plot/Story development: ★★★★ This story wasn't what I thought it was. Multiply that line by four. That's how many times I thought - ooooooh this is what this story is about. It's a good story, but I can't really tell you what it's about without spoiling it for you. But I liked it. Simply put, it goes: crazy night of adventure, clues clues clues clues, roadtrip. Basically. It's not overly complicated, but it did surprise me.

Message/Theme: ★★★★ Can you ever really know someone? Can you ever really know yourself? Is anyone real? Or are we all just paper people - fakers, pretending to live and be happy when really we're all empty inside...?

Audiobook Narration: ★★★★ I began this audiobook and thought I don't think I want to listen to this. I don't know if I like this narrator. I think I want to read it with my eyes. But I persisted, and I'm glad I did. Dan John Miller did an amazing job. I particularly LOVE how he reads RADAR. Sounds like a totally different guy. He made Q's thought come alive (even if he didn't pace and phrase things the way I initially though he should).

Overall: ★★★★ Great summer read. Great teen read. Solid John Green novel.



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