The Complete Joy of Home Brewing // Charlie Papazian

This was a quick read before re-reading The Hobbit to get the taste of the last movie out of my mouth -- blech. I've been the first to defend most of the changes Peter Jackson has made in the past, but TBH the Hobbit trilogy has gone from mildly annoying changes/additions, to extremely annoying and troubling romantic sub-plot, to just bad storytelling regardless of the original plot. 

ANYWAY.

Why I'm reading
I got a home brewing setup for Christmas!!! Including with this and one other book on home brewing. The other book is mostly recipes, so I won't be reviewing it.

Where I got the book
Mom and Poppy.

Expectations
No idea.

So how was it?

It was a little disorganized, but got the point across. I liked that it had a dumbed-down "first brew" section for newbies. The second section got into more complicated types of beers, mainly focusing on the foundations of each beer type so you can develop your own, with a few recipes at the end. The final section was an advanced look at the chemistry behind the brewing process, as well as even more complex techniques.

The tone of the book was friendly and conversational, and while I found the incessant slogan ("Relax. Don't worry. Have a homebrew.") kinda stupid, it always seemed to crop up right when I was getting a little anxious.

Recommendation
Although I don't have anything to compare it to, I would recommend it. As someone with no idea how to brew beer, it was engaging and started with the basics.

Feels
Friendly, engaging, conversational.

Favorites
The table in the intermediate section that lists the bare guidelines for each type of beer, allowing you to build your own recipe.

Least favorites
The organization of information is a little unclear in places -- definitely written by an expert who knows all there is to know about home brewing, but has maybe forgotten what it's like to not know anything, if that makes sense. I'm still not sure how to ferment in plastic buckets vs. glass jars ("carboys").

Writing style
Very clear and understandable, with a heavy focus on chemistry.

The Salmon of Doubt // Douglas Adams

Merry Christmas! Just got home and finished up the last few chapters on The Salmon of Doubt. The condo is a mess, and we got a waffle iron, a beer making kit (!), a battery backup (!?), and the new Rush R40 box set. In other news, I'll be starting my new job on January 6th! Super excited, except for the hour-twenty I'll be driving every other day, like an idiot. 

Why I'm reading
Finishing up the Douglas Adams classics! Although now I realize there are a few non-fictions I haven't read... 

Where I got the book
The Berlin-Peck Memorial Library. I was completely lazy and put a hold online, so they were waiting for me at the front desk. Even though it's a teeny library, and I occasionally work there, and clearly know where the books are.

Expectations
The third Dirk Gently book, unfinished.

So how was it?

Well... it wasn't the third Dirk Gently book. At least mostly not. That is to say, it did include a few chapters of the unfinished third book, but primarily it was, well, an epilogue to a life that ended way too early. It was the contents of Douglas Adams' computer, collected together by friends and family after his all-too-sudden death, as well as a few writings from people who knew him.

It doesn't sound like a great read, does it? But it really, really was. There were lots of little bits of non-fiction writing, which I -- having never read his non-fiction -- greatly appreciated. It was also, in some parts, a biography written by a friend, and you really feel his loss. And no, there's not a whole lot of moaning and groaning about it, because it's not necessary to realize what a great person and author the world has lost. What he wrote, and the stories about his life, do that perfectly well on their own.

Recommendation
A MUST READ for anyone who likes his other works. The individual essays will appeal to anyone with a quirky, intellectual, but not stuck-up sense of humor -- think Monty Python -- but given the biographical stuff, I would recommend reading his other works first.

Feels
Fun, incredibly insightful, beautiful, silly, down to earth, smart.

Favorites
Discovering Adams' peculiar love of music.

Least favorites
The reason the book was (had to be) written. Sadface.

Writing style
Smart, practical, outrageous, insightful, intellectual, silly, imaginative,
full of weird metaphors... Douglas Adams is a writing style unto himself.

Dirk Gently // Douglas Adams

First of all: I GOT A JOB I GOT A JOB I GOT A JOB! Signed the offer letter today, and I'm handing in my resignation letter tomorrow. 

The pros are... it's in a library (cataloging). It's a big library. I'll be making just about the same amount of money, maybe a teensy bit less depending on if I get 18 or 19 hours. And I'll only be working three days a week! And best of all, I'm leaving my secretarial job that I've had for five years. It's sad, but it's really, really, really time to go.

The cons... It's in a library... an hour and twenty minutes from where I live. Yeah. That's gonna be fun.

Why I'm reading
Everyone knows Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (and if you don't, you should). I've read them a few times. But I've never read anything else by Douglas Adams! This must be rectified.

Where I got the book
eBook format, from... places.

Expectations
Great writing, quirky humor, randomness. Douglas Adams! Retrospectively, I was expecting a much more likeable, sexy detective Dirk Gently...

So how was it?

Dirk Gently actually comes in three books: Holistic Detective Agency, The Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul, and The Salmon of Doubt. {Err... sort of.} The books loosely follow the private ("holistic") detective Dirk Gently, but honestly he's just one of a group of characters. That's the great thing about Douglas Adams: you don't get a story resolving around one heroic main character; everyone is the protagonist in their own personal story. I can't even explain what the plot of these books. They're complicated and full of coincidence, and eventually resolve themselves into a story, if not necessarily a plot.

They're also sci-fi without trying to shove the sci-fi down your throat. That was probably the biggest difference between this series and the Hitchhiker series... err... not that Hitchhiker really shoves anything down your throat, it's just much more sci-fi oriented. Because the Dirk Gently books take place entirely on Earth, you get to experience Adams' writing style in a more mundane setting. Of course, I don't mean to suggest that Hitchhiker's shoves the sci-fi down your throat, either; it can't help being set in space.

Recommendation
Douglas Adams is required reading for fans of sci-fi, but you might want to start with Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy first. Witty, intelligent writing like Terry Pratchett, Isaaic Azimov, and Neil Gaiman. According to Wikipedia the Dirk Gently character began with Doctor Who serials written by Adams, which -- hello -- yes! Great for fans of Doctor Who.

Feels
Relaxing, with a teeny tiny hint of gentle mind-blowing.

Favorites
The writing, of course. In terms of the individual books, I have to say I enjoyed the first one much more than the second. My favorite character was absolutely the Electric Monk.

Least favorites
I didn't find the worlds or characters as engaging as Hitchhiker's, but this is a "weakness as strength," since it showcases his fantastic writing style.

Writing style
FanTAStic. I'm not even good enough to describe how good it is. Every once in a while he gives you these brilliant gems that are strange, witty, a little cheesy, out there, and absolutely perfect.

Astounding Stories

I’ve just loaded a whole batch of Astounding Stories onto my Google Books to read when I’m bored. They’re these fun little sci-fi stories from the 1930s, issued in a monthly magazine. Check them out on Project Gutenberg!

The Queen's Necklace // Alexandre Dumas

Why I'm reading
After Monte Cristo, I wanted to check out the author’s other works. I picked The Queen’s Necklace at random.

Where I got the book
Project Gutenberg (again!)

Expectations
I’m going into this blind, for once. I'm expecting something like Monte Cristo, maybe a little more mystery - robbery? - and less action. But I must say, the first line… "Our old acquaintance, the Marshal de Richelieu, having with his own hands colored his eyebrows with a perfumed dye." What have I gotten myself into?!

So how was it?

I found out after the fact that this is the second book in a series, so... yeah. I might look into reading Memoirs of a Physician and The Marie Antoinette Romances.

The story has three plots intertwined - and when I say “plots” I do mean “plots”. One, enterprising young Jeanne maneuvers herself into the high life she believes she deserves; two, the mysterious Monsieur de Cagliostro takes interest in a doppelganger to the queen; and three, Beausire, the doppelganger’s seedy boyfriend, plans the elaborate theft of a necklace made for the queen.

Recommendation
For readers who enjoy court intrigue, historical dramas, and mistaken identity. Not for fans of action and adventure. If the slow parts of The Count of Monte Cristo were too slow for you, avoid The Queen’s Necklace.

Feels
Sedate, with sparks of mystery and surprise. Lacks closure.

Favorites
The introduction is extremely engaging; unfortunately, it doesn’t have much to do with the story. M. de Cagliostro was my favorite character - almost like the Count, but we’re not told much about his motivations.

Least favorites
The story was slow, and lacked a lot of the tension that made Monte Cristo such a good read. I’m not a huge fan of the whole doppelganger trope - and, even though the queen figures it out fairly early, she does nothing to avoid the typical doppelganger shenanigans. At least everything falls apart quickly and realistically (if not intelligently) instead of building an improbably web of assumptions and mistakes.

Writing style
This is episodic, just like Monte Cristo. Once again the different perspectives are used to create dramatic irony.

So what did I really think?

Click "read more"... massive spoilers ahead!

Gone Girl // Directed by David Fincher {Movie}

Why I'm watching

I’ve heard great things about it, one of my favorite musicians did the soundtrack, and the book was flying off the shelves this summer. Alas, I am a bad librarian, and didn’t read the book. 

Where I saw the movie
Our local theater.

So how was it?

How well do you know your loved ones? Nick and Amy live a placid married life, until one day Amy disappears from their suburban home. Her diary, and a romantic scavenger hunt set up for their anniversary, point to her husband as the killer. I can’t summarize too much, because this is the kind of movie you don’t want spoilers for.

Alan came home the next day and said “oh good, you’re still here.” Jerk.

Let’s talk about the music.
Gone Girl is the third soundtrack created by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, of Nine Inch Nails fame, in collaboration with director David Fincher. They won an Oscar for their first effort in The Social Network, and later won a Grammy for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Fincher found inspiration at the spa/chiropractor, where the new-age background music was "inauthentically trying to make him feel alright." And… yeah, even if they’d never worked together before, Reznor is exactly the guy you want for music that’s just a little bit off.

I knew about the soundtrack before seeing the movie, but conveniently forgot… until a completely normal, run-of-the-mill, boring cocktail party had me on edge. Without the music, it was a fairly boring expository conversation between two characters; with the music, you can pick up on the claustrophobia and anxiety.

The Wikipedia page has a great write-up of the soundtrack’s development and response from critics. NPR has a great First Listen article. USA Today has some great insight into the theory and mechanics behind the music.

Recommendation
For fans of psychological thrillers. I know it stars Ben Affleck, but this is not a date movie. I repeat: this. is not. a. date. movie.

Feels
Uneasy into downright terrifying. The movie is best described with the inspiration for its soundtrack: new-age music gone bad.

Favorites
Can I pick the whole thing? Because wow, that blew me away. The casting was perfect (yes, even Affleck), the cinematography was great, the pacing of the story was excellent, the plot was interesting and original, the surprises were surprising, and the music - oh my god the music.

Least favorites
I’m not sure how well the movie will stand up to re-watching. The movie doesn’t rely on a big twist (like, say, the 6th Sense) but part of the thrill comes from not knowing what will happen next.

Astounding Stories // multiple authors

Finished the October 1930 Astounding Stories of Super-Science!

Some of these would make good Twilight Zone style TV episodes. A couple of them are hilari-bad. They’re chock full of familiar Sci-Fi tropes and early imaginings of the future, along with some fairly awful science.

Stolen Brains // S. P. Meek 
A Sherlock/Watson-style duo solve a case involving mysterious amnesia, an unexplained spherical ship, and a brain-goo-stealing megalomaniac dwarf. Simple, but not painful.

The Invisible Death // Victor Rousseau 
Invisible Comrad Mad-Scientist-cum-Emperor decimates the United States with fuzzy science, Explains His Plan to the Manly Hero, and is betrayed by Misguided Female Love Interest. An adventure in thirteen verbose chapters.

Prisoners of the Electron // Robert H. Leitfred 
A honey-I-shrunk-the kids plot, with kitschy futuristic inventions, dumb-as-bricks female characters, awkward and uncomfortable romance, heaps of treknobabble, and -- I kid you not -- subatomic dinosaurs. The author tortures his thesaurus and describes his characters’ eyes no less than 9 times before anyone even gets shrunk. I could go on. and on. and ON. A fantastic candidate for literary MST3000.

Nanette gazed with staring eyes... 

Also, can we appreciate this stunning feat of metaphor and thesaurus abuse?

Dazzling white teeth caught the glow of the blue-white incandescents along the platform, and became under the bow of her red lips a string of priceless pearls.

Jetta of the Lowlands (Part 2 of 3) // Ray Cummings 
An interesting look at climate change from a 1930s perspective.

An Extra Man // Jackson Gee 
Something goes wrong in the invention of a Victoria-age transporter -- yes, a transporter, like Star Trek. In terms of prose, this one strikes an incredible balance between vivid and (deliberately?) absurd; it reminds me of Doctor Who, somehow. Best of the bunch.

John Wick // Keanu Reeves {Movie}

Why I'm watching
Keanu Reeves + action movie = AWESOME. 

Where I saw the movie
Our local theater. I LOVE our local theater… matinee tickets are like $5, and the chairs are super comfy. You can even move the armrests out of the way to snuggle. We went by ourselves on a weeknight, so the theater was mostly empty.

So how was it?

John Wick is your typical, formulaic action/revenge movie. And it. is. awesome. John Wick is the guy you send to take out the guy from Taken.

The story is pretty basic. After his wife’s death, ex-hitman John Wick comes out of retirement for revenge. And by revenge, I mean take down the Russian mob and kill everyone involved. It has all the tropes: retired hitman, deceased wife, revenge, cool cars, seedy underground crime organizations, Russian mobsters, annoying sons of Russian mobsters, gun fights, knife fights, car chases, a chase scene through a crowded club, dramatic one-liners and sarcastic quips… everything you could want in an action movie, and it’s all done really, really well. And it keeps a perfect balance between stylized and realistic.

Recommendation
This is an action movie that will appeal to pretty much everyone, as long as you don't mind a little blood. There is a lot of violence, but no excessive gore.  

Feels
Touching, sad, cheesy, hilarious. You will sniffle, you will laugh, you will cheer.

Favorites
The realism and detail in the fight choreography, especially the club scene. What action movie is really complete without a chase scene through a crowded club, techno music blasting? And NO ONE can deliver a cheesy action hero one-liner like Keanu Reeves. I don’t want to give anything away about the (very sparse) plot, but the opening scenes definitely get you ready for some serious hardcore revenge.

Least favorites
There was one death that I wish hadn’t happened, although I can see why it was sort of necessary for the plot.  

Related viewing
If you liked this movie, check out the Korean action movie Man From Nowhere starring Bin Won. The fight choreography has a similar level of realism and intricacy, and Bin Won has a similar deadpan delivery.

So what did I really think?

Click "read more"... massive spoilers ahead!

The Count of Monte Cristo // Alexandre Dumas

The 1800s version of an action movie : love, jealousy, revenge, unbelievable wealth, badassery, and triumph over your enemies. 

This month has been a mixture of sending out all sorts of job applications (hire me!!!!), taking two ballroom lessons a week (yikes!), competing, and getting ready for Halloween (shoulder angel and devil!). Oh, and we just started planning Friendsgiving.

In between all that, I’ve been reading The Count of Monte Cristo… which, as it turns out, is a great frickin’ read. I’ve also figured out how to get Google Books to read eBooks from Project Gutenberg. Not gonna lie, I did a little victory dance.
 
Why I'm reading
So, I’ve got a weird reason for finally reading this. I’ve been watching anime on Crunchyroll recently, and came across an anime adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo. More specifically, a psychedelic-space-vampire-demon anime adaptation called Gankutsuou. So I’ve got the gist of the story, but I’m guessing the Count isn’t actually possessed by a vampire-space-demon.

Where I got the book
Project Gutenberg! The Project Gutenberg library hosts eBooks that can be freely used in the United States, because they are not protected by U.S. copyright law (or authors have given permission). That means entirely free (no ads) and entirely legal.

Expectations
A long story about betrayal, revenge, and setting things right. I wonder if the Count will be a more sympathetic character in the original, and if I will agree with his idea of “setting things right.” I’m also expecting it to be a little hard to read, in terms of writing style/complexity.

So how was it? 

First of all, why hasn’t HBO or AMC made this into a miniseries yet?! The characters are so engaging - the servants, the enemies, the frenemies, the good guys; they all have backstory and personality. And the whole thing is so full of suffering and delicious revenge.

The story follows Edmund Dantes, a salt-of-the-earth (salt-of-the-sea?) first mate aboard the Phaeron. Things are going pretty well for Dantes: he’s young, attractive, does his job well, he’s engaged to a pretty woman, and he’s about to be made captain. Then politics and jealousy get in the way, and he ends up in prison for fourteen years. He escapes and acquires a massive fortune; for the rest of the story, he uses his money to exact sweet, sweet revenge.

The book is separated into volumes, but I would separate it into six thematic sections: before prison, during prison, recovering from prison, rewarding friends, building revenge, and closure. Each one has a different feel to it. The revenge section is by far the longest, and perhaps the slowest - but by then, I was hooked, and I liked waiting for the hammer to fall on the count’s enemies.

Recommendation
Anyone who loves a historical fiction, adventure, or suspense. This is also a great read when you only have time for a chapter or two in one sitting. 

Feels
Well-rounded, exciting, colorful. Satisfying (lots of revenge and wish-fulfillment).

Favorites
The side characters are fantastic, and I’m a sucker for good villains. The thing is, no one is “the evil villain” - they’re regular people, and you understand them even as you hate them. I also loved the way storylines intertwine, but without cheesy parallels. A lot of modern books/TV/movies tie the story up in a perfect little bow, everything symmetrical and no loose ends. 

Least favorites
The ending was satisfying, but it did feel a little rushed.  

Writing style
Just as elaborate as I was expecting, but surprisingly easy to read, once you get used to the names. The perspective bounces around to different characters/locations every chapter or so, letting you see each new event in a slightly different light. You see the Count as himself in one chapter, then you meet a “mysterious stranger” in the next (with a wink and a nod from the author). Dumas doesn’t always tell you what the count is doing, so much as he leads you gently down the path to figuring it out yourself. 

So what did I really think?

Click "read more" - massive spoilers ahead!

Glamour Addiction // Juliet McMains

An exploration of the social and economic factors behind the glamorous world of competitive ballroom dancing, based on the author's personal experience, interviews, and limited research into similar ethnographies.  

 
Why I'm reading 
I've been participating in competitive ballroom dancing for nearly ten years now, so I wanted to check out what sort of literature is out there.

Where I got the book
Interlibrary Loan from the Berlin-Peck Memorial Library.

Expectations
A researched look into how the ballroom industry works. I've seen a preview, and it seemed a little wordy.

So how was it? 

Glamour Addiction is an exploration of the "Glamour Machine" that drives the American ballroom industry.

Honestly... I couldn't really get into it. She has some excellent insight, but ignores many aspects of the ballroom world that don't fit her model of an omnipresent oppressive glamor machine. Every point she made brought to mind similar experiences in my own ballroom career, but tons of counter examples too. And many of her points are just subjective opinion masquerading as fact.

Recommendation
This will really only appeal to ballroom dancers. I would recommend it to pro/am dancers (both pro and amateur). BUT I would only recommend with a warning: this is an interesting perspective, but not the be-all and end-all of the ballroom world.

Feels
Jaded. Even just a few pages in, I started to feel the author's resentment of her chosen profession. 

Favorites 
She makes a lot of painfully true points about the intersection of immigration and ballroom, and the image professional dancers must project. She's certainly made me think about certain relationships in the studios I visit... not rethink, because the relationships are pretty obvious, but to put them in the context of a bigger social system.

Least favorites 
Not one of her characters isn't hustling, struggling, or taking advantage of someone. No student who respects their teacher and just wants to dance. No am/am partnerships. No happy, fair, supportive studio owner with a white picket fence and two kids. No teens having fun and helping to pay for college. I know these people. I know they may not be the majority, but to simply ignore their resistance because they don't fit her thesis is a joke. 

Writing style
Bounces erratically between formal academic language and flowery prose. You can tell that the author has glued together several smaller essays.

Beijing Bastard // Val Wang

An early adult coming-of-age story, following a second generation Chinese American who moves to China, hoping to find a career in film and journalism.

Why I'm reading
I straight up don't remember requesting this book, but it showed up in my mailbox, and it doesn't look awful, so why not?

Where I got the book
I received an "advance uncorrected proof" copy for review, from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. AWESOME.

Expectations
From reading the back cover, I'm expecting a relaxed coming of age story, a hint of Dragon Mom, a Bostonite view of mainland China, peppered with some edgy not-quite-racist humor.

So how was it? 

For most of the book, Beijing Bastards feels like it's trying very, very hard to get to a point, when I'm not entirely sure there is one. But that's ok; I enjoyed the ride, even if there was no destination.

It's the author's memoir of her early to mid twenties, when she decided to move to Beijing - not to reconnect with her heritage, but to escape her Chinese-American parents and follow her dreams. The title comes from an artsy-edgy movie about Beijing subculture. She's looking to connect, to become part of that subculture, to discover the "real" Beijing.

I liked it. Despite repetitive focus on the author trying to figure herself out, it's really more of an exploration of her experience in China. Her ultimate goal is to film a documentary in China, and the book was written in that same spirit.

It's very much what I expected - maybe a little less humor, but that's a good thing. Sometimes the people she meets come off as caricatures, but sometimes they're surprisingly real. I'm reminded of that time we all have late in our teenage years when we realize our parents (and all adults, and other people, too) have entire lives outside of what we know of them. That goes both for the author's family and for the people she meets along the way.

Recommendation
For fans of quirky memoirs, readers looking for a quick beach read that isn't romance, and anyone interested in a Chinese-American point of view.

Feels
Introspective and colorful.

Favorites
The littlest side characters are somehow the most engaging.

Least favorites
It's a little self-indulgent, but it's aware of its self-indulgence at least.

Writing style
Fun, lots of detail and flair, a typical "memoir" voice. Who couldn't love phrases like "having robbed me of my ancestral rent-controlled birthright" ?! And OH BOY the metaphors and similes. There's at least one every two or three sentences. That usually drives me nuts, but while I was certainly aware of it, it wasn't annoying.

THE END OF THE WORLD // Don Hertzfeldt

A full-color, hard-cover, coffee-table-worthy graphic novel about the world slowly and bizarrely falling apart ; from the creator of the Rejected cartoons and It’s Such A Beautiful Day.

Why I'm reading 
Feeling a bit restless. I think I need something a little less scholarly in between books of Tolkien. And I wasn't in the mood for humor.

Where I got the book
The coffee table! Alan bought it a while ago, but I've not been in the right mood to read it.

Expectations
I've seen a lot of the author's work, which ranges from gross/silly to existential and dark. This seems to be leaning towards the latter... but hopefully not as depressing as his movie about mental illness.

Meanwhile my wisdom teeth (or lack thereof) are doing better. Nobody tells you that you just have these, like.... deflated holes in your gums after they take out your teeth. I thought they'd sew it up more, but apparently the holes will go away on their own.

So how was it? 

Hmm. I don't know, I really don't. Where is the line between nonsense and trying too hard? Well, one way or another it had a very dystopian "Year Zero" feel to it. I'm glad I waited to read it until I was feeling a little bit tired, a little bit bored, not really all that up to thinking.

The story is... well, you can't really call it a story. It's more like a collection of random snapshots from a post-apocalyptic world. We're not talking Mad Max here; it's more like reality is coming apart at the seams.

In relation to Hertzfeldt's other works, this was random-all-over-the-place like Rejected, with a little bit of cartoon quirk, but had the darker feel of It's Such a Beautiful Day. According to the author's journal, "if the films were albums, i guess these would be the b-sides."

Recommendation

For when you're feeling just a little bit melancholy.

Feels
Somewhere in the middle of meaningful, dumb, and funny.

Favorites
I liked the art and the phrasing: very simple and bold, characteristic of Hertzfeldt. I like the little notes in the info page.

Least favorites
I wish it wasn't quite so "random". Certain parts felt like they were trying too hard, like a teenager taking about sporks and penguins.

Writing style
Esoteric, simple, unfinished.

The Sandman // Niel Gaiman

Illustrated by Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Jill Thompson, Shawn McManus, Marc Hempel, Michael Zulli, Todd Klein (lettering), Dave McKean (covers)

Where I got the book
My local library has copies of all the bound collections!

Why I’m reading
Another one of those “I’ll get around to reading it eventually” books. I finally decided to give it a go after I saw Boyhood with a friend, and we got to talking about manga and graphic novels. We also talked about a manga called The Gamer that I'm following now. He specifically told me about one small storyline that sounded awesome: a guy in a bar is bragging that death is for suckers and he’s having none of it; Dream and Death decide it would be fun to go ahead and give him immortality. Dream meets up with him every hundred or so years, and eventually people notice and start thinking they’re some sort of mythical conspiracy. In retrospect, I think my friend made it out to be more ‘hilarious hijinks’ than it actually was.

Expectations
90s goth sensibilities, lots of eyeliner, hijinks and messing around with mortals.

So how was it?

First of all, I may have been hopped up on Vicodin for the first few books. I powered through them in a day and a half after getting my wisdom teeth taken out. I’ve eaten mostly baby food and spaghetti-os for the last week. Fun times.

I liked this a lot more than I thought I would, even though it was less “fun” than I was expecting. I was worried it would be over-dramatic and full of dull tropes, which it wasn’t. I should trust Gaiman at this point, I don’t know what I was thinking.

The graphic novels focus on Dream, the sandman, who is one of seven entities called the Endless. The other six are his family: Desire, Delirium, Despair, Death, Destiny, and Destruction… wow, I just realized they all started with a “D.” They exist as anthropomorphic representations of patterns or concepts in the human psyche. Dream isn’t just involved with sleeping dreams; hopes, creativity, waking dreams, etc., are also his jurisdiction.

The story follows Dream’s capture and escape from a sorcerer, righting his past wrongs, searching for his brother, and defending the dream world. His siblings are major characters, along with his servants and several humans. It’s also a story about stories, with all sorts of interwoven side characters and side stories; sometimes you’ll go an entire chapter barely seeing Dream or one of the other Endless.

The artwork is great: creative, imaginative, without getting to “comicbooky.” Dream is so much 90s Trent Reznor it’s not even funny. With maybe a dash of Alan Rickman for flair. It threw me a little that the artwork changes depending on the story, but once I noticed it was happening, I loved it. It’s very subtle. Dream’s clothes were probably the coolest, especially his cape; not sure how I felt about his helm, it was a little too sci-fi buggy.

Recommendation
For fans of mythology, traditional Gothic and Romantic literature. 

Feels
Somber and introspective, but not depressing. Loving. Sometimes funny.

Favorites
It’s the family dynamic between the Endless that really makes the story, especially Dream’s relationship with Death, Delirium, and Destruction. The characters are anthropomorphic concepts whose behavior is based on what they represent; but at the same time, it’s a very real family dynamic, not some attempt at philosophizing. Gaiman also gets really deep into itty bitty side characters, making them just as interesting and real as the main characters.

In terms of actual characters, I didn’t fixate on just one, which is unusual for me. I loved Dream, but Delirium, Death, Lucien (the librarian!) and Fiddler’s Green were also favorites. Matthew the crow ended up being a surprisingly touching character, as did Despair.

Least favorites
I wouldn’t say that there was anything missing, but I wanted to see the main character, Dream, go wild at least once. The artwork was fantastic, and the conceptualization of Dream’s powers were so imaginative and cool, and we do see him using it in a lot of creative ways. But… I don’t know, I wish there was a chapter or two where we could just see him create. Dream felt a little fenced in, which is entirely keeping with his character, but seeing him let go for a while could have created contrast and would have been satisfying for me as a reader. Basically, I think it could have benefited from a few more artwork-heavy pages with swirly capes.

For characters, there were a whole bunch that I didn’t necessarily connect with, but that’s fine. The only one that was actually a little disappointing was Desire; I felt like we don’t get much insight into the character or the concept, even though s/he gets a lot of screen time. Despair felt deeper, despite having much less screen time and sort of boring powers.

Writing style
Subtle, very subtle. There was a lot left unsaid, lots of little details, intertwining plots, and the story never spoon-fed you meanings or feelings.

Related reading

• William Shakespeare is actually a side character; Dream commissions his plays A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest. The folklore fairies Titania and Auberon are characters.
• The Sandman is one of only a few graphic novels to make it onto the New York Times Best Seller list, along with Maus, Watchmen, and The Dark Knight Returns.
• Several other DC comic book characters appear, including John Constantine, Batman, and several Justice League characters.

Boyhood // Directed by Richard Linklater {Movie}

A coming-of age drama following a young boy from ages six to eighteen, living in Texas with divorced parents ; filmed in near real-time.

Where I saw the movie
I didn’t drive, so I honestly don’t remember. Oops.

Why I’m watching
Alan's been on about it for years; he's a big fan of the director. And I'll admit, he got me excited for it.

So how was it?

Boyhood was filmed over the course of a decade, using all the same actors. The main character started at about 8 years old, up through 18. It was weird watching everyone age.

I liked it, I thought it was a worthwhile project, but it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. It wasn’t as fun as it could have been. It wasn’t even as “deep” as it could have been. I didn’t love any of the characters, or even like them very much, but I could empathize with them and understand their decisions. It was just sort of… real. In a way, it was a little disappointing; at the same time, life is a little disappointing, and we see most of the characters go through that. You expect these awesome, meaningful things, but life just sort of happens, and you do the best you can.

Alan described it as “looking through a window at a real person.”

Anyway, I feel like this review is overly negative, and I don’t want to end it like that. It was a good movie, and absolutely worth seeing. It’s something that hasn’t been done before, and it’s an extremely realistic portrayal of life and all its little disappointments and challenges. The acting (except a few teen side characters) is fantastic. Each of the characters is a real complex person, not just the main character’s mom/dad/sister/etc. And I bet that those characters will resonate emotionally for a lot of people who have had similar life experiences. For me, only a few things were close enough to my life to really have an emotional impact: the divorced dad sharing music with his kids, the mom making ends meet (thankfully the only thing she had in common with mine), the teenage whatever and I’m bored.

Recommendation
For people who like portrayals of real life (and don’t need closure).

Feels
The movie didn’t hit me in the feels, really. Some of the decisions left me a little unsettled and annoyed at the characters, while still understanding them. 

Favorites
The cognitive dissonance when he walked into his elementary school classroom, and it looked like every elementary school classroom ever. Suddenly my brain is recognizing stupid posters, door art, reading slogans, fonts, etc. that were entirely forgotten back in the 90s.

Least favorites
Several scenes with teenage actors (other than the main characters) were not very good. There was one scene that felt like a horrible cheesy anti-drugs-and-alcohol PSA, complete with stilted conversation, overt peer pressure, and cheesy teen lingo. The whole movie seemed to put too much emphasis on alcohol, which was a little distracting. I get it: alcoholism is bad. Yeah, I guess teen drinking is sort of bad. But there’s no need to focus the camera meaningfully when random adults are pouring a glass of wine at a low-key party.

Related reading (or viewing):

• The decade-long filming has been done before in movies like American Promise, Paradise Lost, and the non-fiction Up series.

The Lays of Beleriand // J.R.R. Tolkien

Unfinished epic poems ; mainly the Ley of Leithian (following Beren and Luthien) and the the Lay of the Children of Hurin (following Turin). 

Where I got the book
A very expensive birthday and Christmas present.

Why I’m reading
I’ve loved Tolkien’s works since I read LoTR, but the Silmarillion really sealed my fate. The world he created is amazing.

Expectations
I’m halfway through this section right now. I remember expecting… well, more of the same, after finishing the BoLT. I was also expecting much more fragmentary works. 

So how was it?

The lays are… lays! They’re written as long poems. For some reason, I was not expecting that. I also wasn't expecting it to be so pleasant to read; I usually hate poetry. It reminds me of a fanfic drabble: every word chosen carefully, lots of rich details but nothing extraneous. Maybe when I have the house to myself I will read them aloud. {EDIT: I did, and it was amazing.}

"The Lay of Leithian" is the familiar story of Beren and Lúthien. The rhyming couplets are perfect for this story; I prefer it over all the other prose versions. It also has a lot more detail. "The Lay of the Children of Húrin" is in alliterative verse, and I enjoyed it, although maybe not as much. I don’t know a lot about poetry, but alliterative verse was a much better choice than rhyming couplets, since it’s a much darker story.

Favorites
Lúthien faces down Morgoth. She is brilliant as always, but it’s the characterization of Morgoth himself that gets to me: you can feel his hatred of the Valar, how convincing he can be, and how twisted his view of the world. [Lúthien faces down Morgoth. She is brilliant as always, but it’s the characterization of Morgoth himself that gets to me: you can feel his hatred of the Valar, how convincing he can be, and how twisted his view of the world. (hide spoiler)]

Least favorites
None of it is finished! Luckily we know how the stories end, but I would love to read them all the way through in verse.

Writing style
Alliterative verse and rhyming couplets.

The Book of Lost Tales // J.R.R. Tolkien

A collection of very early manuscripts, including early versions of stories later included in the Silmarillion ; edited and commentated by his son Christopher Tolkien.

Where I got the book
A very expensive birthday and Christmas present.

Why I’m reading
I’ve loved Tolkien’s works since I read LoTR, but the Silmarillion really sealed my fate. The world he created is amazing.

Expectations
I’m writing this having already started and finished the BoLT volumes, so I will try to remember my expectations going in. I did try to read a little bit of the HoME/UT as a teenager, in these awful paperback books, and just couldn’t get into it. So I expected a struggle. I also went into it with a huge preference for elves and elvish history, and wasn’t so excited to read stories about humans. In retrospect, I might have been struggling through The Children of Húrin back then...

So how was it?

First of all, what IS The Book of Lost Tales? It’s a collection of Tolkien’s unpublished and unfinished writings, brought together and annotated by his son Christopher Tolkien. It includes rejected ideas, drafts, outlines, and variations as well as comparisons and notes on the evolution of the texts. Ever wanted to know how Tolkien developed his iconic elves, what Melian was originally named, or a more detailed account of Gondolin? BoLT is your book.

No idea what I’m talking about? Check out my post on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.

The BoLT blew my mind, especially Part I. These are Tolkien’s very early writings, before his concept of the world was fully developed. And wow, I’m very glad that he did develop it further. His elves were once decidedly closer to fairies and gnomes. He had an entirely different framework for telling these tales, one which he eventually (and in my opinion, rightly) discarded. Some of the concepts and ideas were very whimsical and childish (like “the cottage of lost play”) and don’t seem to fit Tolkien’s high-fantasy world.

Part II and the later sections of Part I are much closer to Tolkien’s finalized world. There are all sorts of familiar stories, not always “accurate” to published canon, but often with much more detail; most of these stories were revised and shortened before being added to the Silmarillion. The tales were not yet sewn together by the story of the Silmarils; the jewels were a side-story at best, and the Sons of Fëanor were not fully realized. I don’t think I appreciated how intricately Tolkien wove the Silmarillion together until I read BoLT.

Favorites
Glorfindel! He’s a side character at best, but one of my favorites. The BoLT contains the full narrative of the Fall of Gondolin, which is only summarized in the Silmarillion. Gondolin itself, while not a “character,” is one of my favorite sections, especially Tuor and Idril. I won’t lie; I broke out the sticky notes to mark Gondolin sections. The detailed variations on the creation story, the sun and moon, the trees, etc., were also wonderful. It was fascinating to watch the Silmaril narrative develop.

Least favorites
Oh god, Ælfwine. The original framework was the story of Ælfwine, an Englishman who journeys to an elven land and hears tales of elvish history. It ties the story together and embeds it into English history… but the entire thing is just too whimsical and fairytale-like. I love the sort of nonsense whimsy you find in children’s bedtime stories, but it just isn’t right for Tolkien’s world. [ The original framework was the story of Ælfwine, an Englishman who journeys to an elven land and hears tales of elvish history. It ties the story together and embeds it into English history… but the entire thing is just too whimsical and fairytale-like. I love the sort of nonsense whimsy you find in children’s bedtime stories, but it just isn’t right for Tolkien’s world. (hide spoiler)]

Writing style
Tolkien paints a wonderfully full, detailed, high-fantasy world, full of fantastic characters and beautiful scenery. Lots of repeated themes: betrayal, greed, love, oaths, etc. Many of the stories seemed darker than in the Silmarillion, which I very much appreciated.

I recently had a friend (a reader and a fantasy fan) complain that Tolkien “interrupts” his story too often. I can see where she’s coming from; but to insist that side stories like the Entwives were interruptions and just bad writing, not world-building? This is what happens when you speed read through everything, children. ಠ_ಠ

Finally, you can’t tackle BoLT without warning: CHRISTOPHER TOLKIEN IS SUPER PEDANTIC. No criticism is intended; it’s just that he has taken great pains to present and interpret his father’s drafts, notes, corrections, re-writes, name changes, etc. etc. as accurately as possible. So be prepared to read (or skip through) his analysis and explanations for every section.

Similar books

• Christopher Tolkien’s notes are similar to what you would find in a study Bible.
• Most of these stories can be found in their final form in the Silmarillion.
• The stories of Tuor and Eärendel are similar to the epic tales of Aeneas (the Aeneid) and Odysseus (the Odyssey) while Túrin’s is closer to the Oedipus tragedy.
• The story of Beren and Lúthien (Tinúviel) shares themes with Romeo and Juliet, although to me it has always felt like Baucis and Philemon. And, of course, it is similar to the love story between Arwen and Aragorn. 

The works of J.R.R. Tolkien

 

I started reading Tolkien a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away (...ok, a decade ago in Fairfield). The books were a huge part of my teenage years. I re-read them every once in a while, so I’ll probably review Tolkien’s main works a bit later. But for now, I’m inching my way through three fat volumes of Tolkien’s unfinished work, published and annotated by his son Christopher. Believe me, it’s not for the faint of heart. (Or the sleepy, which is why it’s taking me so long).

But first! The shortest-guide-ever to reading Tolkien:

1. Start with The Hobbit. It’s comparatively short and an excellent introduction to Tolkien’s world.
2. Loved it? Move on the The Lord of the Rings. Did you find hobbits suuuper boring? Trust me: plow through the first few chapters, until they get out of the Shire, and it gets a lot more action-packed.
3. Can’t get enough of dem elves? The Silmarillion might be for you. It can be a tough read, with sections that are all mystical-abstract-y, passages that get deep into geography or genealogy, and lots and lots and lots of names. For me, that’s part of the charm, along with the long and intricate history it builds. If you hit a chunk that you just can’t get through, just skim to the next part.
4. If The Silmarillion was a little too “out there” for you, The Children of Húrin might be more your speed. It’s a darker adventure set around two human characters, compiled by Christoper Tolkien but formatted like a full story.
5. Found yourself obsessed with Tolkien after all? You probably don’t need me to tell you that The Unfinished Tales and The History of Middle Earth are next on your plate. These works were published by Christopher Tolkien, and never fully finished or integrated together; Chris does a lot of piecing-together and version-control. It’s not a light read, but some of the stories in there are absolutely worth it.

Finally, Encyclopedia Arda and Wikipedia's Middle-earth Portal are your friends :)

I’m currently working my way through The History of Middle Earth as well as The Unfinished Tales. The copies I have were published together in The Complete History of Middle Earth, three super-thick books with Bible-thin pages (that's them over on the left). So far I’m through the first two volumes of HoME and halfway through the third. That means I'm only halfway through the first big book. I’m going to review them separately, because they were actually published separately… and because that’s a whole lot of pages and stories to summarize in one place.

Hyperbole and a Half // Allie Brosh

“Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened ” ; a full-color graphic novel based on the eponymous webcomic.

So, I'm about two weeks out from graduating with my MLS, which means I actually have time to read books again! And look for a job. And let's be honest, TV too. I've been re-watching Star Trek and blogging that -- more reactions than reviews -- which inspired me to do the same for the books I read. I've never tried before, so we'll see.

I'll start with something I read fairly recently, and really loved: Hyperbole and a Half, a graphic novel (sort of) by Allie Brosh. Check out her blog (same idea, same name). If you spent any amount of time on the internet, you've probably encountered at least some of Brosh's work. The Alot is extremely popular, and her (clean) ALL the things! image is a pretty popular meme. Her work doesn't really look like a traditional graphic novel: it's definitely a web comic style of illustration, with chunky sort-of-stick-figures. It works.

She writes stories based on her life: her childhood, adulthood (mostly her dogs), and even her experience with depression. But these aren't your run-of-the-mill trips down memory lane. How do I put it nicely? She's NUTS. In the best of ways. She has this twisted, unique outlook on life - not at all dark, just... special. And honest. At times, incredibly insightful. I've never experienced depression, but I've heard many people say that hers was the most accurate description of depression they've ever encountered. I know that I found it very empathetic, and (I'm not sure how) still incredibly funny. But if you're not interested in reading about depression, please don't let that turn you off from her work; it's just another topic she turns her unique attention to, right next to the simple dog and the Alot.

I'll be honest: there are some duplicated stories from her blog, and she definitely has some blog posts that are funnier. You won't meet the Alot in her book, either (and yes, a lot of people are complaining.) But it was absolutely worth reading.