Frankie Reads 2010

[Nollaig]

I've just checked and it's a novel by N. H. Kleinbaum and unfortunately it's based on the motion picture I thought it would be the real thing

 

Oh that's a shame

[frankie]

I'm not sure if I feel like reading the book anymore... Maybe should just watch the movie.

[Nollaig]

Well, I'd watch the movie FIRST at least, but there might not be... too much harm... in reading it?

[frankie]

I think I'd read the book first, since the movie is so great. If I watch the movie first, I'll think the book'll be amazing and none of us knows what it's like. The book is only 166 pages long so it wouldn't be a huge effort and waste of my time to try and read it. Just read a little snippet of it and it seemed decent.

 

Edit:

 

Well, I'd watch the movie FIRST at least, but there might not be... too much harm... in reading it?

 

Of course I haven't heard you talking in real life but I can just hear it in my head what kind of nervous, sort of semi mock-optimistic tone you'd say that in

Edited January 27, 2010 by frankie

[BookJumper]

Aaaaaaaaargh, a novelisation!

 

I hope the snippet is a truthful one and that the book is enjoyable; if perchance it isn't, please still watch the film - it's beautiful. When my high school English Lit teacher showed us it, hankies were being surreptitiously passed around at the end, and mine was the class that pretty much stopped any film 15 minutes in claiming it was 'bo-ring.'

 

I, on the other hand, was found in teary tatters on my desk by the next period teacher; when asked what was wrong, I could only blubber 't-t-t-the film...'!

[Nollaig]

Of course I haven't heard you talking in real life but I can just hear it in my head what kind of nervous, sort of semi mock-optimistic tone you'd say that in

 

LOL! Yup, that's pretty much exactly how I was thinking it

 

I see your point about approaching the lesser version first, my only concern would be discovering the plot through a more poorly executed medium and having that spoil the impact of the movie. But either way, there's positives and negatives, so do whichever you think would suit you best. I wouldn't be entirely sure, myself.

[vodkafan]

I see your point about approaching the lesser version first, my only concern would be discovering the plot through a more poorly executed medium and having that spoil the impact of the movie. But either way, there's positives and negatives, so do whichever you think would suit you best. I wouldn't be entirely sure, myself.

 

ah, the old book/film debate....it's a dilemma.

[frankie]

I see your point about approaching the lesser version first, my only concern would be discovering the plot through a more poorly executed medium and having that spoil the impact of the movie. But either way, there's positives and negatives, so do whichever you think would suit you best. I wouldn't be entirely sure, myself.

 

Ah, that's a fair point. Why did you have to come up with that and confuse me Well, I think I'll just go for the book first since I have it and don't have the movie.

 

Now that I'm thinking about it and have read the blurb, I have this vague idea that I've tried watching the movie ages ago, and didn't fancy it that much. But I think I didn't start watching it from the beginning, I just saw little snippets of it.

[Kylie]

I don't want to confuse you further, Frankie, but I'm with Noll on this. The movie is so powerful (one of my all-time faves) and I would hate for anything to be ruined by a mediocre book.

 

Oh, and nice haul getting all those books from Rory's list! I have A Streetcar Named Desire on my TBR pile already (the movie with Vivien Leigh is also awesome).

 

And I think the title Men Who Hate Women is very apt for that book. Do you know what the other two are called in Swedish/Finnish?

[frankie]

I don't want to confuse you further, Frankie, but I'm with Noll on this. The movie is so powerful (one of my all-time faves) and I would hate for anything to be ruined by a mediocre book.

 

Oh boy Is the plot so full of twists and turns that the possibly mediocre book will totally ruin it for me? I'm still thinking book first.

 

Oh, and nice haul getting all those books from Rory's list! I have A Streetcar Named Desire on my TBR pile already (the movie with Vivien Leigh is also awesome).

 

I'd never even heard of ASND before Shona's list I'm actually a bit horrified that so many books on Rory's list are plays, I haven't read plays in ages. It'll take some time getting used to.

 

And I think the title Men Who Hate Women is very apt for that book. Do you know what the other two are called in Swedish/Finnish?

 

The second book in the trilogy is called The Girl Who Played With Fire both in Swedish and Finnish and I think it's the same in English? The third book is The Air Castle That Blew Up in Swedish, in Finnish it's The Cloud Castle That Collapsed. I have no idea how they got the English title I guess I will when I've read the book.

 

By the way, you cannot believe the coincidence! I'm reading that Anastasia book and she has to read Johnny Tremain for her English class but she'd rather read .... Gone With The Wind! She's watched the movie and loves Clark Gable. She has some wonderful thoughts on the novel I'll post them when I've finished the book

[Kylie]

Oh boy Is the plot so full of twists and turns that the possibly mediocre book will totally ruin it for me? I'm still thinking book first.

 

Well, there aren't really many twists, but there is one important part near the end that is very powerful to watch in the movie.

 

I'd never even heard of ASND before Shona's list I'm actually a bit horrified that so many books on Rory's list are plays, I haven't read plays in ages. It'll take some time getting used to.

 

I've only read one play before (well, voluntarily) and that was Waiting for Godot. I wasn't impressed. I'm sure ASND will be much better, especially if the movie is anything to go by.

 

The second book in the trilogy is called The Girl Who Played With Fire both in Swedish and Finnish and I think it's the same in English? The third book is The Air Castle That Blew Up in Swedish, in Finnish it's The Cloud Castle That Collapsed.

 

Ooh, interesting titles. I prefer the Finnish name of the third book because it has nice alliteration.

 

By the way, you cannot believe the coincidence! I'm reading that Anastasia book and she has to read Johnny Tremain for her English class but she'd rather read .... Gone With The Wind! She's watched the movie and loves Clark Gable. She has some wonderful thoughts on the novel I'll post them when I've finished the book

 

Wow, that is quite a coincidence! We should have a group viewing of the movie after we read the book, and then I'll share an amusing anecdote about the first (and only) time I watched the movie.

[Nollaig]

Well, there aren't really many twists, but there is one important part near the end that is very powerful to watch in the movie.

 

I'd say two! But it's all part of the one event, what you're talking about and the very last scene, both of which I always personally found to be so perfect BECAUSE nothing needs to be said - I'm not sure how anyone could do that justice with words. Plus, ROBIN WILLIAMS!

[Kylie]

That's exactly right, Noll. I think I'm going to have to watch this again on the weekend.

[frankie]

Well okay I'm taking the book back to the library. I don't know when I'll be able to see the movie though, I'm not big on renting movies and I don't know if the library has it.

 

Kylie, if you're interested in good plays I would heartily recommend The Importance of Being Earnest, that's one witty and delightful read! There's a movie with Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon and Judy Dench, some of my favorite actors, but I have to say I didn't like it though for some reason.

 

Wow, that is quite a coincidence! We should have a group viewing of the movie after we read the book, and then I'll share an amusing anecdote about the first (and only) time I watched the movie.

 

I'm up for the movie watching, I think I have it on my digibox! Haven't been able to watch it yet though because I've always wanted to read the book first. And I can't wait to hear your anecdote!!

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Book 8. Anastasia Has the Answers by Lois Lowry

 

Blurb:

 

Humiliated. That's how Anastasia feels whenever she tries to climb the ropes in gym class. How come everyone else can climb those hateful ropes?

Since Anastasia has decided to become a journalist, it should be easy for her to answer most questions. Then why can't she understand about Daphne Bellingham's parents' divorce? And why can't she please Ms. Willoughby in gym class?

Finally, Anastasia thinks she has the answers! When a team of foreign educators visits her school, she plans a big surprise that will amaze her classmates, Ms. Willoughby, and the visitors.

 

Thoughts (or more like rambling to myself, there's so much to this book that I want to talk about but I don't think anyone else on this forum reads these books, so I'm writing this for me):

 

This is the 6th book in the amazing Anastasia book series by Lois Lowry, one of my favorite series as I was growing up. I've always idolised Anastasia: she has awesome parents, has an amazing room all to herself and she's made friends with Gertrude Stein, the nextdoor neighbor (no, not that Gertrude Stein). She's quirky, she tries to blend in, but she isn't afraid of being her wonderful self. She's just as clumsy and awkward in gym class as I used to be, and loves books, movies and lists. And she has the most amazing little brother Sam, who's never done babytalk but started speaking in full sentences ever since he thought it would be the approriate time to voice his opinions out loud.

 

In this novel Anastasia is fighting the ropes. She hates it when all the other girls can climb the ropes all the way to the ceiling and she can't. She hates to think that her amazing and kind gym teacher Ms. Willoughby feels sorry for her. Especially when it seems that Anastasia has developed a girl-crush on her. When she finally admits it to herself, she asks her Mum about it, pretending that her friend whom her Mum doesn't know has a girl-crush, and does she think it's disgusting? I love the way her Mum deals with it, I love how this family is able to talk about anything.

 

Coincidentally, there's a lot of talk about Gone With the Wind in this book! (some of us are going to read the book in February as a Rory Gilmore Book Challenge) Anastasia's class is assigned to read Johnny Tremain and while Anastasia is a great student in English, she finds this novel boring and would wish they'd read Gone With the Wind instead. She gets a C+ on Johnny Tremain (she usually gets A's in English) and Mr Rafferty the teacher wants to talk to her about it after school. The scene is hilarious!!

 

"She had tried to explain that to Mr. Rafferty. "I think you ought to assign Gone with the Wind instead," she suggested. "At least for the girls. Let the boys read Johnny Tremain."

Mr. Rafferty looked very startled. He was an ancient, elderly man, probably about sixty, Anastasia thought, with gray hair. The only interesting thing about Mr. Rafferty was that he wore colorless nail polish. Or at least Anastasia thought he did. Maybe his fingernails were naturally glistening - but she was pretty certain he wore nail polish. She pictured him at home, at night, preparing English quizzes for the seventh grade - making up sentences with misplaced modifiers - and polishing his nails at the same time, holding them up to see how they looked, blowing on them so they would dry. It seemed very weird.

"Gone with the Wind?" Mr. Rafferty said, startled. "But, Anastasia, that book has some, well, some unsuitable-"

"Sex?" she asked. "It doesn't, really, Not explicit."

Mr Rafferty began to shuffle the papers on his desk nervously, and Anastasia realized that she had made a terrible blunder, saying the word "sex" to someone so old. But now, having said it, she was stuck with completing her explanation.

She tried to describe it very tastefully. "When Rhett carries Scarlett up the stairs," she said, "and into the bedroom, the book doesn't tell a single thing after the door closes. They might have been playing Scrabble in the bedroom, Mr. Rafferty." (Secretly, Anastasia was absolutely certain that Rhett and Scarlett had never played Scrabble in their lives. Ashley and Melanie, they played Scrabble, the wimps.)"

 

Another GwtW moment presents itself with the arrival of George, Anastasia's uncle. He's just recently become a widower, her wife having died of food poisoning. The word 'salmonella' sounds like the name of a mobster or a hit man to Anastasia. "My Aunt Rose was killed by Sal Monella." George is the spitting image of Rhett Butler, and Anastasia doesn't waste any time in trying to figure out how to make George hook up with her best friend's divorced mother. I'm only glad Anastasia isn't swooning over him herself

 

I could go on and on.... 5/5

Edited February 7, 2010 by Janet
Removed some of the ----- as they 'broke' the board. :)

[Kylie]

Great review Frankie! The part about Scrabble made me laugh.

 

Does Anastasia grow older throughout the books or is she always the same age? I had thought she was reasonably young in the book I read many years ago, but she sounds older in the passage you posted (it's quite possible I just have a very bad memory ).

 

I really enjoyed The Picture of Dorian Gray, and this play sounds interesting too, so I might have to put it on my wish list.

[frankie]

Great review Frankie! The part about Scrabble made me laugh.

 

Me too First you think okay of course they don't play Scrabble, they didn't have Scrabble at that time, and then you read on and see what Anastasia really thinks about who's playing Scrabble I love her logic!

 

So you have read one Anastasia book? I didn't know that! Or when we were talking about this series maybe I understood you wrong. In the first novel Anastasia is 10 years old and her little brother Sam doesn't exist yet. From what I can quickly gather from my books Anastasia is 13 years old in books 3-6 So she does grow a bit but rather gradually. And she's always been very intelligent and mature for her age. I don't know what age she'll be in the last 3 novels, I hope she doesn't grow up too much

 

I really enjoyed The Picture of Dorian Gray, and this play sounds interesting too, so I might have to put it on my wish list.

 

I think you'll find that other people have enjoyed it too, I remember laughing out loud when I was reading that play, so it can't be bad!

[Nollaig]

Frankie: Sorry we turned you off the book, but I do think you'll thank us when you eventually see the movie. I hope so, anyway

 

Kylie: Earnest is a great play! My favourite of his, I'm sure you'll thoroughly enjoy it

[frankie]

Nollaig that's quite alright, I have far too many books to read at the moment anyway so it was probably actually better that you made me doubt the novelisation I'll let you know if I still feel the same after having seen film and read the book

[cosychair]

I don't think I'll be having problems with it either, unless I'm getting too distracted by other books. There are so many novels which I want to start reading immediately I might have to make a serious effort to start reading ICB!

 

Book 5. Lady, My Life as a Bitch by Melvin Burgess

 

I read this some time ago but the book was such a weird and annoying one I haven't actually bothered to write a review about it before, and won't do so now either Just thought I'd mention I've read it.

 

Book 6. A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon

 

Blurb:

 

George Hall doesn't understand the modern obsession with talking about everything. 'The secret of contentment, George felt, lay in ignoring many things completely.' Some things in life, however, cannot be ignored. At fifty-seven, George is settling down to a comfortable retirement, building a shed in his garden, reading historical novels, listening to a bit of light jazz. Then Katie, his tempestuous daughter, announces that she is getting remarried, to Ray. Her family is not pleased - as her brother Jamie observes, Ray has 'strangler's hands'. Katie can't decide if she loves Ray, or loves the wonderful way he has with her son Jacob, and her mother Jean is a bit put out by all the planning and arguing the wedding has occasioned, which get in the way of her quite fulfilling late-life affair with one of her husband's former colleagues. And the tidy and pleasant life Jamie has created crumbles when he fails to invite his lover, Tony, to the dreaded nuptials. Unnoticed in the uproar, George discovers a sinister lesion on his hip, and quietly begins to lose his mind. The way these damaged people fall apart - and come together - as a family is the true subject of Mark Haddon's disturbing yet very funny portrait of a dignified man trying to go insane politely.

 

Thoughts:

 

Well well well. I've read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time which was one of my favorite reads in 2008 and one of my favorite reads ever, and when I was getting into this book I decided to carefully keep in mind that this book is probably nothing like The Curious Incident and I need to keep an open mind with this one. I think I managed that task quite well and I did enjoy the book, eventhough I was still slightly disappointed in the novel.

 

However, Mark Haddon does write well and I definitely consider him as one of the best contemporary authors Britain has to offer. His characters are always juicy, three-dimensional and quirky and with this book I grew attached to them all. George was a particularly delicious person and I feel that Haddon portrayed him very well and had a lot of fun with that character, I could totally sympathise with George and yet at the same time I couldn't keep from laughing at the poor fella. He was such a rigid, stiff English gentleman who was too polite and selfless and politically correct to let anyone know that there was something wrong with him. One of the most hilarious moments in the novel is when he decides to operate on himself. If you've read the book you'll know what I'm talking about!

I'll give this book 4/5 and will happily continue to read anything Mark Haddon has to offer

 

I really enjoyed this book too, especially the 'operation' scene funny in a cringing ' oh please no' sort of way.

I do think some people are a bit hard on it, mainly due to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time being utterly amazing, but it does have it's own merits especially the portrayal of George. So glad someone else also appreciates it.

[frankie]

I really enjoyed this book too, especially the 'operation' scene funny in a cringing ' oh please no' sort of way.

I do think some people are a bit hard on it, mainly due to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time being utterly amazing, but it does have it's own merits especially the portrayal of George. So glad someone else also appreciates it.

 

Glad you enjoyed it too I think if this book had been Haddon's first novel people would've appreciated it much more, instead of reading this after The Curious Incident and not liking it that much. The operation scene was awful in itself but I couldn't help but to laugh, it was so unexpected Another scene I enjoyed a lot was

Jamie hooking up with that fellow who was allergic to schrimps (?) and ending up vomiting while he had a hard-on

[Kylie]

So you have read one Anastasia book? I didn't know that! Or when we were talking about this series maybe I understood you wrong. In the first novel Anastasia is 10 years old and her little brother Sam doesn't exist yet. From what I can quickly gather from my books Anastasia is 13 years old in books 3-6 So she does grow a bit but rather gradually. And she's always been very intelligent and mature for her age. I don't know what age she'll be in the last 3 novels, I hope she doesn't grow up too much

 

I recall reading at least one Anastasia book years ago, but I can't remember which one or even what it was about. I think it must have been the first one, though, because I think she was about that age.

 

Thanks for seconding the nomination, Noll (not that I expected anything less from you!)

 

Regarding A Spot of Bother, I remember being irritated by a lot of the characters and situations, thinking they seemed a little cliched. But overall I rated it pretty highly.

[cosychair]

Glad you enjoyed it too I think if this book had been Haddon's first novel people would've appreciated it much more, instead of reading this after The Curious Incident and not liking it that much. The operation scene was awful in itself but I couldn't help but to laugh, it was so unexpected Another scene I enjoyed a lot was

Jamie hooking up with that fellow who was allergic to schrimps (?) and ending up vomiting while he had a hard-on

 

I'd forgotten about that bit!

[vodkafan]

I read "Curious Incident" a while back and liked it. But "A Spot of Bother" sounds hilarious! The blurb had me at "strangler's hands......."

[frankie]

Strangler's hands indeed Vodkafan do you think you'll be reading the book? If so, clear your mind of The Curious Incident because most of people's complaints on this book is that it was nothing compared to The Curious Incident Otherwise I really liked it.

 

Book 9. Macbeth by William Shakespeare

 

I haven't read anything by Shakespeare in a really long time. I think the last time (well, probably the only time?) was years ago in our English plays course where we had to read King Lear, School for Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The Recruiting Officer by George Farquhar, and The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Before that I don't think I'd ever read a play in my life. Thinking back I really enjoyed reading all of them, especially The Importance of Being Earnest and School for Scandal.

 

At first I struggled with the language and was even thinking about getting a Finnish copy so I could make sure I'd understood everything I'd read so far but I got used to it after a while. Overall it was an okay read but I tell you, if this had not been a Shakespeare, would it be so highly esteemed today, in it's own right? Not in my opinion anyway. Like I already said in the Book Activity Today -thread, it was mostly

kill, kill, kill; flee flee flee

. I still give it a 3/5.

 

 

Book 10. Anastasia's Chosen Career by Lois Lowry

 

Blurb:

 

Anastasia Krupnik has exactly one week to work on her school assignment called "My Chosen Career." Determined to be a bookstore owner, she must first develop poise and self-confidence. So Anastasia takes the plunge and spends her life savings on a modeling course at Studio Charmante.

She has one week to interview a bookstore owner, write a report, and complete her modeling course. Luckily, her new friend Henry is with her most of the way. Is Anastasia destined to be a succesful bookstore owner or a glamorous model? Only Anastasia has the answers!

 

Back to my favorite teen villain! I can't stop admiring Anastasia for taking one thing (becoming a bookstore owner) and making it all about self-confidence and poise. This is a kind of recurring theme in Anastasia's life. Previously she's signed up for a tap dancing class (well, to get free tips from the telemarketing person on how to make a fabulous and romantic dinner) where she was hoping to become less clumsy and become more poised. There are other numerous examples. Actually, Anastasia only wanted to become a bookstore owner so she could take a trip to Boston (where she's supposed to interview a bookstore owner) and take the modeling course. As she spends time with the bookstore owner Barbara Page she realises that she actually has a lot of potential in the field of selling books.

 

The start of the course is not too promising: there are only five kids, of which one is a pompous monologue-reciting moviestar wannabe and one is a very shy girl who seems very out of place. And, drum roll! One of the kids is a boy. And not just any boy, but Robert Giannini, the briefcase bearing nerd from Anastasia's old school. O the horror, the horror! (I got very teenagy and emotional when Robert Giannini made a come-back, he wasn't mentioned in the previous novel at all, to my astonishment)

 

The course turns out to be a success. Anastasia makes a new friend, finds out that Robert Giannini isn't that impossible in the end, and they discover the secret of the shy girl. They have wonderful experiences and lifelong lessons.

 

I hate the fact that I have only two more Anastasia books to read I'm going to miss knowing more and more about her. I'm going to have to buy the Sam books, maybe she'll be mentioned in them. I'm also getting more and more curious about Sam himself.

 

A definite 5/5 again.

 

Edit: Oooh I forgot to tell you! I just found Lowry's website last night, with her e-mail details and I couldn't resist writing her about my utter admiration for Anastasia

Edited February 1, 2010 by frankie

[frankie]

Wow, I cannot believe Lois Lowry already wrote me back! She thanked for my e-mail and said it was a treat to read it, and that she feels like Anastasia is a very dear old friend - just like I feel. Unfortunately the publishers told her sometime ago that they wouldn't publish any more of Anastasia novels and she had to give them up.

 

You know, when I was just finished with highschool I wanted to become a translator and applied for a uni that did translation courses but I didn't get in (I was 0.07 points short of getting in, can you believe that?). Since then I've kind of changed my mind about the translating thing, although it's sometimes nice to think that I would do it... Anyway, as far as I know, the last four Anastasia books have never been translated into Finnish and when I realised that I thought to myself, I would soooo want to translate them!! It would be so nice, one of my dreams coming true, and with an Anastasia book as well It may sound silly to you guys but to me it would be such a huge thing. The Anastasia books mean so much to me.