August 2007 Book Reviews

I got off to a slow start in August, and then cruised through four books in the last week. A lot of beach time helps.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling, Rating: 4.3
She didn't let us down - while it's not better than the rest of the series, it's absolutely a worthy successor. I only slowly got into the plot, but by the end I found the book impossible to put down. I cried at the conclusion. (Happy tears or sad tears? You'll have to read it to find out.)
2. The Road to Samarcand, Patrick O'Brian, Rating: 4.4
This is a perfect summer read - fairly short, action-packed scenes, lots of emotional depth, and fascinating characters. This is my first Patrick O'Brian novel, and I plan to pick up a few more. The book was published in England in 1954, but is only now being released in the U.S.
3. The Yiddish Policemen's Union, Michael Chabon, Rating: 2.9
It wouldn't be fair, I suppose, if every book was great. I loved Chabon's earlier novel, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, but haven't liked any of his other works, this most recent book included. Which isn't to say it isn't well written. I think it probably is quite good, but it's not for me. Chabon has a gift for genre fiction. It's up to you, the reader, to like the genre he has chosen to write in. Noir mysteries are not my cup of tea.
4. The Post-Birthday World, Lionel Shriver, Rating: 4.0
The plot of this story hinges on a single decision - whether or not the narrator chooses to kiss a man. Chapter by alternating chapter, the book explores what would have happened if she did (or didn't). It's an interesting concept, a choose-your-own-adventure novel for adults, and it's beautifully executed. I love that the "right" decision is ambiguous throughout much of the novel. It's not really an easy book, but it's honest and intriguing.
5. Jack of Fables, Bill Willingham et al, Rating: 4.0
The Fables universe recently spun off this new series, featuring Jack (and the beanstock, the candlestick, Jack Frost, etc. - all the same guy). It's great. There's energy in the storytelling that has been lacking in the main series for awhile. Perhaps the creators just needed the freedom to create a new world.
6. Sin in the Second City, Karen Abbott, Rating: 0.5
I've seen perhaps a dozen reviews for this book in the past few weeks, and am convinced that not a single reviewer actually read the book. The subject matter has potential (very high end prostitution in Chicago around the turn of the twentieth century), but the execution is awful. Terrible. Seriously-wasting-your-time bad. Skip it.
7. On Chesil Beach, Ian McEwan, Rating: 3.8
This book is very different. The entire plot revolves around a single, emotionally-fraught night (a wedding night), as two newlyweds struggle to express their fears and feelings, without having the experience or emotional vocabulary to do so. The reading experience feels slightly inappropriate - the moment seems so private - and yet it's hard to pull away from. I do recommend it, but don't expect it to be a light read.