The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

The inside of this book jacket (along with mention of it's eleven book awards with names like the Dagger) included a brief description of the contents as follows:

"A spellbinding amalgam of murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue."

I've always loved the word amalgam. It's just fun to say. Amalgam. A mixture of equal parts. How you get that out of amalgam I have no idea. So I asked myself the question, is this popular book by Swedish author, Stieg Larsson, who unfortunately died of a heart attack right after delivering the manuscripts of the three books in this series, a fine-tuned mixture of mystery, saga, love, and intrigue?

It is, at its heart, a family saga with the main point being - What happened to 16-year old Harriet Vanger who vanished without a trace forty years ago? Her grandfather, Henrik Vanger, has hired a down on his luck journalist and magazine editor, Mikael Blomkvist, to dig up the skeletons in his family tree and find out what happened to her. But, Blomkvist has his own set of problems: his girlfriend is married to another man (must be a Swedish thing), he's been forced out of his current job and is therefore running out of money, and he's about to start a three month prison sentence after being convicted of slander against a dirty corporate industrialist that took him to court over a story he wrote. (Yes, pant, pant. Just like the book...)

Blomkvist takes the job for Vanger because he needs to get away, and, of course, the money won't hurt. For help, he recruits a computer hacker with a dragon tattoo on her neck, a girl named Lisbeth Salander, who is by far the most interesting character in this series of books. Think of a tinier, craftier Laura Croft with an even worse attitude and she's your gal.

Next then, mixed thoroughly throughout is plenty of mystery and intrigue, some of which is in the form of tons of backdrop on the world of finance (the first 100 pages or so bored me to tears), then throw in some magazine and journalist type lingo, some Nazi backstory, and lastly the occasional political statement that jolted me from the story when I started to doze off. There's also a whole lot of violence. Really terrible violence. I've heard the original title in Swedish was Men Who Hate Women. After reading this book, I believe that was entirely appropriate.

And love? I would never think of this as a love story. Not. At. All. For instance, our main character's girlfriend's husband has no problem that she and Blomkvist still "see" each other on a regular basis.

Hmm...
Right.

Really there's just a whole lot of sleeping around by pretty much everyone, married or no. It's like a magical, casual sex fairy land where condoms aren't even necessary and no one worried about diseases. Again, maybe that's a Swedish thing.

Aside from what I've just mentioned, when taken as a whole, I will admit this was an interesting book. It improved as it went along until, aside from bathroom breaks, I had a hard time putting it down. It was well-written and moved at a great pace. All the characters are well-defined, complex and super meaty. Larsson had no problem weaving together the story lines, and I didn't even have too hard a time keeping track of all the Swedish names, like Gregor, Gottfried, Gerda, we're talking umlaut central here. You just have to somehow get through all the violence against women and casual sex.

Good luck!

So now I feel all Swedishized! Meatballs recipe anyone?
3.5 stars.


Be sure to check out Cym Lowell's Kindle giveaway!!

A Vampire Reunion

Too funny Stephanie!

For all you vampire lovers, see here.

And, speaking of vampires, where's my review of the recently seen----

New Moon - The Twilight Saga?

It doesn't exist because I want to keep my friends.

(Whom I had a most excellent time with by the way.)

I only have my evil man twin's review -

Bella was hot! And boy can she act!

(In The Panic Room)

The end.

Masterpiece Classic Begins Again December 20th!

It looks to be a great new season on Masterpiece Classic this coming year, starting with something to make that long Christmas break go by a little faster! An encore presentation of Cranford starting December 20th! I loved this movie when they aired it the first time, and am really looking forward to being involved in the lives of these crazy ladies again.

This year I want to read the books again as well, starting with this blurry covered one. Along with the yellowing pages and mysteriously stained lines, hopefully the writing with be legible at least. I'm a sucker for a good yarn.

Set your timers and tape this one, those of you who still own a V-C-R that is, because it's excellent!

Intimations of Austen by Jane Greensmith

Intimations. For the longest time I thought that said Imitations of Austen, which means to copy actions, appearance, etc., but the word, Intimations, well, it just sounds more English doesn't it? I almost travel back in time as it rolls off my tongue like liquid butter dripping off a hot muffin when I say it.

Intimations.

Sigh...

I'll admit, gulp - I had to look that one up. I suspected it held a similar meaning to its root, intimate, which means marked by close acquaintance or familiarity and that would perfectly describe how I believe the author feels about Jane Austen, but the word choice of intimation, I was happy to discover, brings Greensmith's ardor into even sharper focus.

Intimations of Austen by Jane Greensmith - A collection of short stories inspired by the words of Jane Austen. A hint, a glimmer. An inkling of Austen even. A whisper on a sun-drenched afternoon. These would've been perfect to read in summer, but winter it turns out was just as good. Better to drink it in with a hot, steaming beverage.

These stories are perfect for anyone who likes Austen even a tiny little bit. Perfect for anyone who has read these classics over and over again and wondered, what happened after the last word. Or even better, what happened before the first one! What made Frederick Wentworth return to Kellynch Hall in the first place? What if Elizabeth Bennet (holy cow gasp!) had married Col. Fitzwilliam instead of Mr. Darcy? What was going through Mr. Darcy's mind as he wrote that letter to Elizabeth after she'd rejected him? And the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet? Greensmith even tackled that one with a conclusion that brought a smile to my face.

Altogether a delight. And most importantly, she did not rehash the novels, a common complaint that drives me nuts with Austen fan fiction. All were very original and well written. But the highest praise I can give? After reading these, I had to watch and wanted to read Northanger Abbey and Persuasion again with a fervor.

So to that I say, a job well done then Greensmith.
4 stars

A special thanks to the author for sending me this book because my library had no copy. I'll pass it on to anyone who wants it.

Also, be sure to check out Cym Lowell's Kindle giveaway on his Book Review Wednesdays! He always gives away the best stuff!

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

There's something about Autumn that brings out the spook in all of us. Perhaps it's the smell of dead and decaying leaves, or the crunching sounds they make beneath the feet of our children when they race to school in the early mornings, blowing circles of frozen carbon dioxide from their mouths in round o's.

But at the same time, Fall is one of the most beautiful and colorful times of the year. Bold reds, yellows and golden browns give one last blast of fireworks before a change occurs from life to death, almost overnight. We expect it. We know it will happen besides. Maybe that's why we're so easily able to allow a little of the scary in, the supernatural. Or even the wicked, into our lives. Reminded a bit of our own mortality, our darkest fears hover a little closer to the surface. Waiting to be exploited.

We all worry about different things, every day, like money, health, what to make for dinner, etc., but our most primal fears I believe remain the same for all of us. Fears of growing older, fears for our children and their safety, and almost always, regret. Guilt. These things haunt us all don't they? Such is the theme of Bradbury's timeless classic -


Something.
Wicked.
This.
Way.
Comes.

Taking place within a slice of Americana in the 20's or 30's, our story begins with two 13 year old boys, Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade. Born within minutes of each other at the end of October, these two are perfect mirror images of each other, not the same, but identically different. You can't have one without the other. They know this and love each other for it.

It's one week till Halloween and a mysterious autumn carnival has come to town, but this in no ordinary carnival. It feeds off a town full of fear, regret and chaos. What I found funny is that the boys, and even most people in the town sense this, yet still they can not stay away. What the boys see while there frightens them, a mysterious merry-go-round that can reverse age, or increase it, as it circles around. The side show acts, like the Human Skeleton, the Witch, the Dwarf, and most especially, the Illustrated Man, Mr. Dark, all scare the boys out of their wits.

Will's father, Charles, a man haunted by his own demons of getting older and wanting to be young again, his regret already continually eating away at his ever growing loose skin, discovers the truth about what's going on. That the carnival means to feed off the town's regret, fear and greed, as they have done for centuries. A battle ensues where in the end, Will and Jim, and most especially Charles, must battle their own demons to overcome the temptation to have what they most desire, for what is right.


This is my first Bradbury novel, and I loved it. L-o-v-e-d it! Long before Stephen King became a master of greed and the horror's that follow, Bradbury brought us a classic tale of regret, desire and redemption.

Even though Disney made a pretty scary movie version of this, it's not a children's book. In fact, I would agree that the main character is probably Will's father, Charles, and the main point being the life's lessons he learns about what's really important for true happiness in this life. I couldn't help wondering what Bradbury's age was when he wrote this. Was he going through a mid-life crisis as well, looking for a way to cope?

Thanks to the Good Books Club for recommending it.
Despite the creepy nightmares it gave me, this is an excellent book.
4.5 stars

November - What are you reading Mondays?

November is marked by half! This month has flown by. I've not turned too many pages this month, too distracted - holidays, children that demand to be fed, other pursuits, future hand modeling career, you know, basic stuff.

But I did manage to finish this last week -




A classic horror -

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

A brilliantly etched, gripping novel -

Something Wicked This Way Comes - by Ray Bradbury

And a current cult hit -

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - by Stieg Larsson

These were some entertaining reads. I feel thoroughly philosophised! But on to new ventures!

I just started a book mailed to me by the author that I'm really looking forward to -

Intimations of Austen by Jane Greensmith

And continuing on my young adult kick -

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

and

Witchchild by Celia Rees

But what are you reading this month?

Be sure to check out others at J Kaye's book blog!

Speaking of Frankenstein - Meet the Franks

I tried to embed this but I could only post the link here.

You're right Suzette. This was extremely funny.

Frankenstein

By Mary Shelley

Even if you’ve never read Frankenstein, you know its story: man uses science to create something, then that creation runs amok. You’ve seen it over and over again, too, in the Terminator movies, in Jurassic Park, in The Matrix (and its abominable sequels) and I am Legend, not to mention the numerous Frankenstein movies including my favorite, Young Frankenstein. There are few books that have had such a far-reaching and lasting influence.

In spite of this, the book was a constant surprise. Most noticeably, there is no triumphant, “It’s alive!” moment in the book. On the contrary (spoiler ahead), Victor Frankenstein flees in terror the moment his creature takes its first breath, setting in motion all the tragic events that occur thereafter.

Therein lies my problem with this book, the reason that I did not give it five stars. The truth is, Frankenstein is a selfish coward and a hypocrite and I despised him throughout the book. The book was difficult for me to read, let alone enjoy, because I was struggling with anger and disgust almost from beginning to end. (If you want to know how I think Frankenstein should have behaved, simply watch Young Frankenstein!)

In spite of this, it is clear to me why Frankenstein is a classic. I’m no philosopher, but even I found myself considering some big questions. What makes us human? What is our relationship with God? Is science evil, or only when scientific advancement is pursued recklessly with little thought of morality or responsibility? These are issues that resonate with all of us.

Frankenstein's relevance, longevity, and influence definitely make it a five star classic, but it was a four star read for me.

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters by Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters

It's official! Jane Austen has no doubt rolled over, and over, and over again in her grave. In fact, she's probably kicking and screaming, pounding the walls of her underground wooden solitude using words like, it is not merely this affair on which my dislike is founded!

Perhaps to make her works more appealing to MEN, her tales of love and romance have been mercilessly invaded by first, the brain-eating, the scab-forming, walking corpses of gray loose and rotten flesh. Now it's muscular green Stretch Armstrong sort of men with tentacles where they shouldn't be, and I have no doubt aliens will be landing with Anne and Captain Wentworth in Lyme by this spring.

I'm not the first to notice this modern manification, or shall we call it - the "Horrification of Jane Austen", Misfit Salon also has a great link on this here, and I really can't complain because I gave the first offshoot 4 stars for crying out loud, but this one...well, I'm sorry to say it was hard for me to finish. Painstakingly hard. Not because of the writing. Ben Winters is a good writer, by my standards anyway. Maybe my normal tolerance level to B Movie Austenite violence was breached like the hull of a sinking ship after Zombies.

Illustration by Shane Harrison

Maybe I just didn't find the idea of sea monsters, such as man-eating octopii, hammerhead sharks, giant clams, amoeba-ish creatures absorbing unsuspecting humans whole, etc., trying to kill all the main characters, again and again, interesting enough after the first 100 pages or so.

Maybe not enough of the original story was included in this sea monster dance of death to hold my attention throughout. I believe this was mainly the case. I've read the original novel numerous times, and although it's not my favorite, not even close to being as witty as her others, I still enjoy many elements of this story, and I absolutely love the movie versions. The romance, the betrayals, they play out well on the screen. Here, although initially fun, it got old after the first ten deadly encounters or so.

If you like this sort of thing, then this book is for you. For me, it just wasn't a good fit for this particular story.

Maybe it's because I don't like to eat sushi, or shrimp, or lobster, or any other poor sea creature! But I would love to learn to knit! That counts right? Maybe?
2.5 stars

Helluva Halloween Challenge
Everything Austen Reading Challenge

I'm a Winner! True Compass by Edward Kennedy

Woo-hoo! My unlucky streak must be over...yeah right, but several hundred people entered this contest and I was one of the lucky three to win a brand spanking new copy of this book.

I believe we lost a great man this year and I'm really looking forward to reading more about this political icon, this "lion" of the Senate. Unlike some who've recently published memoirs..., ahem, Ted Kennedy had a captivating and full life. I'm sure I won't be disappointed. Has anyone else read this yet? I'm curious what people think about it.

Special thanks to Bookin' with Bingo for hosting this giveaway.

nanowrimo

Seems like a lot of jibberish I put in the title, but it is national novel writing month in just a few days. Lula, I don't know if you want to host something here on the blog. The goal is to write 50,000 words in thirty days. An entire novel, not exactly good, in one month. Do you accept the challenge? Check out this site www.nanowrimo.org for more information. It could be fun.

The Ramshackle Knight

A classic regency romance. Boy meets girl, a dillema arises, and the final question is 'will they fall in love?'. I completely enjoyed this book. It may be the startling contrast to the other books I have been reading this month(books on serial killers, ghosts, soul snatching, maze running) and this was a sweet, witty, romance. You can't help but like the main characters, even for their faults, and you definitely hate the bad guy. He is evil from beginning to end. Most of all, I love the words the characters use like crush for a party and brain box for head. Insults were not quite the same, for instance, "what a bumblebroth" and "dandy" and "what a nuttlehead". Not really great insults, but fun to read. The story takes place in early 1800s London, upperclass individuals, and a poor girl brought into it all.
This is a perfect book to read:
if you are sick, which I am
if it is crappy weather, which it is here.
if you need a quick escape from real life, which I always do.
or really anytime at all.

Lula I am interested in what you think of her writing. I know you have read many regency romance novels and I wonder how she compares in your opinion. For me I look forward to reading more.

Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut

While reading a great selection by Padfoot and Prong's new online Good Books Club, I discovered yet another embarrassing fact in an unendable list of uninteresting facts about myself: I've never read Kurt Vonnegut. I can barely even spell his name. And I have just one word to say about that:

Wow.

What a great book. In Mother Night Vonnegut makes fun of the landscape of war and peace, a social commentary of what makes us who we are and why. Are we truly what we seem or are we all masking our own indifference in a world we believe should only revolve around ourselves? We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.

Howard Campbell Jr. is a great pretender. An American who became a notorious Nazi propagandist during WWII, Campbell is concerned about one thing: himself. A writer and one-time playwright (for no one is a better liar than a man who has warped lives and passions onto something as grotesquely artificial as a stage), recruited early on in the war by the American government to use his popular broadcasts to relay secret information to their operatives, Campbell is a spy in every sense of the word. He's a ghost of man. An empty shell. In his own words: a nationless person by inclination. Now twenty years later and a war criminal imprisoned for encouraging millions of Nazis in their crimes, Campbell is writing his own autobiographical play, his confession of sorts. In his dedication he calls himself a man who served evil too openly and good too secretly, the crime of his times.

Sounds serious right? It is, and darkly funny at the same time. Vonnegut, like Joseph Heller has a way of weaving the hardness and blackness of war and its aftermath, and making you laugh despite the circumstances. Who can do that I wonder, who can create a person who is both vile and sympathetic at the same time, a character I can't decide if I like or hate? A gifted storyteller can, and Vonnegut stands in league with those few that separate truth and fiction with great skill.

He concludes his introduction with yet another moral to this tale: When you're dead you're dead. And make love when you can. It's good for you.

Yesterday is not soon enough for me to read the rest of his books.
4 stars

Other great reviews:
Hamilcar from 5-squared
ELFay from This Book and I Could be Friends
25 Hour Books
Ooh.. Books!

Extreme Pumpkins by Tom Nardone

Gourd artist, Tom Nardone, is wondering when pumpkin art went from scary to cute. He's written and illustrated a book attempting to set the record straight, reminding us that Halloween is supposed to keep us shaking in our boots! Want your neighbors to think your crazy? Insane? Not playing with a full deck? That you're bored with too much time on your hands? If your a man, that you can't get a girlfriend? Ever.
Check out these ideas here.
If you dare that is..

Nothing says Halloween like a pumpkin a flame on your porch.

I guess.

Helluva Halloween Challenge

Wuthering Heights and pie.

I love old books. Even old paperbacks, and yes I know they can be pretty gross, but something about the brittle, yellowed pages and the unknown stains help set the mood for me, especially with an old classic. I've been collecting them for a while now.

My favorite find is Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.
This particular copy is from 1943. It includes the original Biographical Notice and Editor's Preface, both written by Currier Bell (Charlotte Bronte), and has wood engravings throughout by Fritz Eichenberg.

I love this cover of Cathy Earnshaw.

Aren't they the coolest? This book is one of my all time favorites. My mother loves it. My grandmother loved it! And my daughter better love it too. It's in her blood!

And since I obviously have a problem with this...

(Seriously I NEED HELP!)

I can't seem to quit canning.

And because there's nothing like pie and a good read, I made this because I like to torture myself.

Here's the recipe for this fantabulous apple pie filling!

5 cups sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cornstarch

10 cups water

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp salt

Cook until thick and bubbly.

Add 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Pour over sliced apples in 7 quart jars to within one inch of the rim.

Process and seal 25 minutes in a hot water bath.

Books and pie: A lethal combination.