Venison anyone? (my take on Before You Know Kindness)

The first thing that struck me as I began reading Before You Know Kindness was that it was not going to be fun. None the less, I perservered because I have read books by Chris Bohjalian before (Trans-sister Radio and Midwives) and have felt that he offers a balanced look at some controversial issues.

One issue at stake in this book is animal verses human rights. The story begins with the accidental shooting of an animal rights activist who is mistaken for a deer. The circumstances and relationships surrounding this event are then fleshed out.

Ratings: Originality and unpredicitibility, 8.
Characterization is 6.
Themes of this book is 7.

I enjoyed being insulted (My take on Colors Insulting ...)

Just finished Colors Insulting to Nature by Cintra Wilson

Colors Insulting to Nature is about one girl’s quirky quest for fame. The heroine, Liza Normal was weaned on a diet of Hollywood dreams and believes that if she just perseveres, her effort will pay off. This conviction leads Liza into many troublesome situations where she learns that real life does not follow a script.

The story begins by mocking the standard happy ending and repeatedly warns the reader that things are not going to occur like they would in a movie. Despite this self conscious boasting, the ending of the novel was a little too tidy for me. I could have used a little more ambiguity. One of the book’s strongest points was its characters and their relationships. The path that Liza takes to achieve her fame was unpredictable and yet maintains cohesiveness through her network of family and friends.

Since this book is about the gap between Hollywood ideals and real life there is ongoing dialogue throughout the book about what Liza is learning. In the end it seems that the lesson is that your dreams are within reach but in a way different than you might have imagined. Additionally the shallowness of fame is explored in a humorous and sometimes frightening manner.

Unpredictability 6
Character Development 8
Exploration of Themes 6

The soul of our nation? (My take on American Gods)

American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

Shadow is intent on minimizing the risks in his life. After carefully serving a prison sentence, he anticipates a quiet life with his wife. However all of Shadow’s plans are destroyed and, following his release from prison, he is hired by a mysterious con artist and begins a journey.

This book definitely is unpredictable and original, although it compares in ways to The Odyssey. The worse criticism I can give is that it tries to be too many things at once and the character development suffers. Also the plot at times seemed to wander. The best thing I can say about the book is that American values are portrayed in a symbolic and ironic manner. I especially enjoyed Shadow’s trek from Wisconsin through Illinois. Anyone who enjoyed Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins will want to read this book.

The themes that I found most prevalent were the idea of how to live one’s life to the fullest and a warning about allowing our leaders to manipulate us through our fears. The author explored these themes in a clever manner and I needed to reflect a little to appreciate them.

Unpredictability 9
Character Development 5
Exploration of Themes 7

What's next?
Colors Insulting to Nature by Cintra Wilson

What I look for in a book

In looking for a book to read, I tend to have a variety of qualities that I am seeking. One of the most important characteristics that I look for in a novel is originality and unpredicitability. It is because of this requirement that I generally avoid genre fiction.

I would also say that realism is pretty important to me as well, but not in the way one might think. I am perfectly comfortable reading a novel that has some supernatural elements if it's characters and their relationships are realistic. That said, another of the elements I am interested in is whether the book explores the human condition.

I will try to rate the books I have read by three criteria. Each criteria will receive a score of 1-10.
#1 Was this an original work or a fresh perspective of an earlier work?
#2 Are the characters interesting, well developed and interacting with others in a realistic way?
#3 Does the book have anything of value to offer, beyond reading enjoyment?