Polka Dot Rock Posted March 22, 2007 Author Share Posted March 22, 2007 I have decided upon The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon Started reading it last night and it's immediately grabbed me. So much so, that I've even brought it to work with me, on the off-chance I might be able to sneak a few pages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiseog Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 Title sounds great tell me more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted March 23, 2007 Author Share Posted March 23, 2007 Title sounds great tell me more! Your wish is my command Louise! The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon One night in 1939, Josef Kavalier shuffles into his cousin Sam Clay's cramped New York bedroom, his arduous and nerve-wracking escape from Prague finally achieved - with the help of his mentor, the master illusionist Kornblum. But little does he realise that this uneasy first meeting is the start of an extraordinary friendship and even more fruitful business partnership. For Sam, Joe's formidable artistic skills are a chance to liberate them both from lives as inventory clerks at the Empire Novelties Incorporated Company. Together, they create a comic strip called The Escapist, its superhero a Nazi-busting saviour who liberates the oppressed around the world with his Golden Key. The Escapist makes them their fortune and their name, but, as the situation worsens in Europe, Joe can only think of one thing. How can he effect a real-life escape, and free his family from the tyranny of Hitler? Michael Chabon's exceptional new novel is a thrilling tight-rope walk between high comedy and bitter tragedy, and confirms his position as one of the most inventive and daring of contemporary American writers. In Joe Kavalier and Sam Clay, he has created two unforgettable characters bound together by love, family and cartoons. Their story, which ranges from the heady heights of the American Dream to the desperation and grief of the Second World War, and which journeys from New York and Czechoslovakia to the Arctic Circle, will live on in the mind of every reader long after the final page is turned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freewheeling Andy Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 As I said somewhere else, I love this book. It's both fun and substantial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted March 23, 2007 Author Share Posted March 23, 2007 It's both fun and substantial. Y'know: I like that description so much, I might use it as my signature! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay is the March book for my 'Doorstep Challenge'. I've been commenting on it there mostly, so I thought I'd splice my thoughts so far for my blog: I'm just about halfway through now and I'm really enjoying it. Definitely one of those doorsteps that doesn't feel like a lot to wade through. I polished off a hundred pages on Sunday alone! The characterisation of Joe and Sam is wonderful, and that's one aspect that's guaranteed to get my interest in a novel. Joe's escape at the beginning was jaw-droppingly amazing (and tense! My nerves were shot). But I've also decided that this novel is evil: it makes me stay up late to read it! I'm so tired! Just when I think I'm going to finish a chapter and go to sleep, I look for the end of the next and think 'Oh. It's not that long. I'll read another chapter'. Then I repeat the previous behaviour at least five times It's a brilliant book to properly start the Doorstep Challenge - you just fly through it, yet absorb everything. It reminds me of Middlesex although they are quite different from one another (although both won the Pulitzer prize!). Like The Night Watch, it's a different prespective of WWII which I really enjoy reading about: this time, it looks at how Jewish-Americans reacted to what was going on in Europe... although that's only a small (but significant) part of a novel that's thematically rich. Plus it's also about comics (ahem, graphic novels), so that's doubly interesting for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiseog Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 Right on wish list, sounds brilliant (not that I need any more ideas about reading!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 Sorry Louise!! I can have this affect on people (See: Purple Poppy). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 Forgot to mention this: I ordered The Book of the City of Ladies by Christine de Pizan (after buying the sequel by mistake ). It arrived yesterday and I dipped into it last night. Very readable and really interesting! Christine de Pizan (c.1364-1430) was France's first professional woman of letters. Her pioneering Book of the City of Ladies begins when, feeling frustrated and miserable after reading a male writer's tirade against women, Christine has a dreamlike vision where three virtues - Reason, Rectitude and Justice - appear to correct this view. They instruct her to build an allegorical city in which womankind can be defended against slander, its walls and towers constructed from examples of female achievement both from her own day and the past: ranging from warriors, inventors and scholars to prophetesses, artists and saints. Christine de Pizan's spirited defence of her sex was unique for its direct confrontation of the misogyny of her day, and offers a telling insight into the position of women in medieval culture. The Book of the City of Ladies provides positive images of women, ranging from warriors and inventors, scholars to prophetesses, and artists to saints. The book also offers a fascinating insight into the debates and controversies about the position of women in medieval culture. There's already a great quote that I want for my signature, so I need to sort that out. Ooh, and Book Depository sent me the new Classics version which I wasn't expecting, so it matches the other one now These things make me happy. I've also updated my reading list. Again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiseog Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 I'm now reading the Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant, this is what Amazon said, and I am gripped The Birth of Venus is all the more fascinating a historical novel for the author's inability to make up her mind what it is about. Is it a novel about the limited choices available to a woman with talent in Renaissance Florence--marriage or the convent? Or is it a novel about the choices you make to survive in a totalitarian society? As Savonarola takes Florence closer and closer to being an ascetic theocracy, Alessandra, her gay brother and his lover whom she has married for mutual protection find themselves in more and more peril. It could also be a detective story--Allesandra is in love with a painter whose religious mania and fascination with the body makes him a plausible suspect for a series of killings and dismemberments. Some historical novels wear their research too heavily--Dunant's is light, fluent and pacy, but her fascination with the possibilities revealed by research leaves her failing to make choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 Ooh I remember looking at that in summer! I'll keep an eye on your progress with it. May be (ANOTHER) one for the TBR pile... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted March 29, 2007 Author Share Posted March 29, 2007 I'm still whizzing through The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and am now up to page 470: I squeezed in a hundred pages in an hour last night! Firstly, I reached a very tense part of the book ( regarding Thomas', Joe's brother, passage to New York. I was too stunned and numb by it all to even consider crying! ). Then - I have to say - I found the next part ('Radioman') quite boring, so I employed my champion 'skimming' abilities! It was just a bit cliched, I felt ( 'Radioman' is the part where Joe has been deployed to Syberia- I think? - after enlisting in the US Army. I'm not a fan of War Lit, so I found this part quite tedious. Despite this, I thought the letter scene at the end was heartbreaking ). However, I'm still really enjoying this novel Can't wait to get back to it! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * In other news, Poppy Shakespeare by Clare Allen arrived at my house yesterday, whilst I was at work. Well, I have no idea how that happened! So I'll just view it as a happy accident that will remain a mystery... *cough* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted April 1, 2007 Author Share Posted April 1, 2007 The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon Paperback: 656 pages Publisher: Fourth Estate; New Ed edition (31 Jul 2001) Language English ISBN-10: 1841154938 ISBN-13: 978-1841154930 The 'blurb': One night in 1939, Josef Kavalier shuffles into his cousin Sam Clay's cramped New York bedroom, his arduous and nerve-wracking escape from Prague finally achieved - with the help of his mentor, the master illusionist Kornblum. But little does he realise that this uneasy first meeting is the start of an extraordinary friendship and even more fruitful business partnership. For Sam, Joe's formidable artistic skills are a chance to liberate them both from lives as inventory clerks at the Empire Novelties Incorporated Company. Together, they create a comic strip called The Escapist, its superhero a Nazi-busting saviour who liberates the oppressed around the world with his Golden Key. The Escapist makes them their fortune and their name, but, as the situation worsens in Europe, Joe can only think of one thing. How can he effect a real-life escape, and free his family from the tyranny of Hitler? Michael Chabon's exceptional new novel is a thrilling tight-rope walk between high comedy and bitter tragedy, and confirms his position as one of the most inventive and daring of contemporary American writers. In Joe Kavalier and Sam Clay, he has created two unforgettable characters bound together by love, family and cartoons. Their story, which ranges from the heady heights of the American Dream to the desperation and grief of the Second World War, and which journeys from New York and Czechoslovakia to the Arctic Circle, will live on in the mind of every reader long after the final page is turned. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay was the March book for my 'Doorstep Challenge'. It was a brilliant book to properly start it off - you just fly through it, yet absorb everything. Definitely one of those doorsteps that doesn't feel like a lot to wade through. I polished off a hundred pages on one day alone! The characterisation of Joe and Sam is wonderfully rendered from the start, and that's one aspect that's guaranteed to get my interest in a novel. Joe's escape at the beginning was jaw-droppingly amazing (and tense! My nerves were shot by the time he reached New York). Like Sarah Waters' recent novel The Night Watch, Kavalier & Clay offers a different perspective of WWII: specifically, it looks at how Jewish-Americans reacted to what was going on in Europe... although this is really only a small (but significant) part of a novel that's thematically rich. The other contextual backdrop was the burgeoning comic book industry: highly involving and clearly a labour of love on Chabon's part, that never appeared superfluous to the actual narrative of Joe and Sam. The description of comic strips and their stories were lovingly detailed, so much so that I could visualise the panels myself. When Chabon 'blurred' the two styles, e.g. when the hotel Joe is performing is bombed by his white-supremacist nemesis , I could actually feel the morphing of the graphic story into the actual reality of what was going on. Brilliant! The 'fantastical' elements of the story that bookended the novel, such as Joe's escape from Prague and his eventual return , actually heightened the sense of humanity and 'down-to-earthiness' of the characters and situations. I was impressed by the ending, as Chabon clearly decided to take his time so that what happened wasn't rushed, and drew a sense of the inevitable about it. There was one part of the novel that disappointed me slightly, the section entitled 'Radioman' where Joe has been deployed to Syberia - I think? - after enlisting in the US Army. I'm not a fan of War Lit, so I found this part quite tedious and, to be honest, pretty clich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted April 3, 2007 Author Share Posted April 3, 2007 Unusually for me, I've ended up reading two books simultaneously: as well as Poppy Shakespeare, I'm also delving into Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. I really enjoy reading Atwood but I never particularly fancied Oryx and Crake. But my mum picked it up from a charity shop a while ago, and I noticed that in this week's Guardian Review, John Mullan is looking at it for April's Book Club. So, I thought I might read along! I started it last night and am really grabbed by it - managed to consume fifty pages, so that's a good sign. Meanwhile, I'm not sure what to make of Poppy Shakespeare yet. I'm just about halfway through but I feel as if the plot hasn't really started properly yet. The narrative voice is very strong and well-written, but the (deliberately) mangled English has made me feel quite relieved that I've started another book in clearer prose! I am keeping an open mind about it, tho'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renniemist Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 Hope you enjoy Oryx and Crake Aimz. It was one of my favourite reads last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted April 3, 2007 Author Share Posted April 3, 2007 Ah, fantastic! Thanks Rennie How are you getting on with Lolita, by the way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 I am reading 'Oryx and Crake' by Margaret Atwood after I finish 'The Robber Bride' by the same author (which I am really enjoying). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted April 3, 2007 Author Share Posted April 3, 2007 I enjoyed The Robber Bride, I read it last year - where are you at in it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 In the middle, x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renniemist Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 Hi PDR I have finished Lolita at last. To me it was a difficult read because of the subject matter, but I did like it. There is so much to take in really. I think I will have to re-read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted April 3, 2007 Author Share Posted April 3, 2007 Rennie - I've just posted on your blog, re: Lolita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted April 9, 2007 Author Share Posted April 9, 2007 (List Update) Well, I had a bumper book reading time this weekend, what with being off work for Easter bank holidays and the sunny weather. I finished both Poppy Shakespeare (Clare Allen) and Oryx and Crake (Margaret Atwood) on Saturday, then embarked on Disobedience by Naomi Alderman yesterday and I only have 69 pages left! So I think my thoughts on the aforementioned are due: Up first, Poppy Shakespeare. Unfortunately, this never took off for me which was a shame as I was really looking forward to reading it. However, I think in this case, it was more to do with me than the novel itself: It was described was a cross between One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a favourite of mine, and Catch 22, which is one of the few books I've ever given up on. It was more the latter, to my mind. I don't think either of these books are badly written, it's just that I don't 'get' the particular satirical humour they use. I think I prefer the humour to be darker. So I'm afraid we were never going to get along! On the writing itself, there were two major problems for me: firstly, the actual plot seemed to take aaaaggess to begin. The novel was developed from a short story and at times, it felt like it was a short story that had been stretched too far. This also could have informed the second point that annoyed me, which was the supporting characters. I felt like they were getting in the way of the narrative development as they didn't add anything to that or to N's and Poppy's characters. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest uses it's assorted characters in a much more effective way, either by becoming key characters or by demonstrating some aspect of the mental health institution. I felt that in Poppy Shakespeare, they were just 'gimmicky' and I didn't feel anything towards them at all. I ended up skimming most of the book, so I wasn't entirely sure what to make of it in the end. But if you love Catch 22, then I recommend you give this a try Happily, Oryx and Crake was a different experience. I've read quite a bit of Margaret Atwood over the years now, and she's not disappointed me yet. I wasn't sure if I should try Oryx and Crake as I'd heard mixed opinions of it, and Atwood's previous venture into sci-fi/dystopia, The Handmaid's Tale, is one of my favourite novels so I didn't want to be disappointed. But I wasn't at all! You could see how much research had been invested into the novel, but by using 'arty' Jimmy as the protagonist, it ensured that the science never overwhelmed the plot. The melancholic tone throughout was wonderfully consistent and appropriate, especially as Jimmy didn't have a wonderful life to begin with. His life seemed quite wasted even before 'what happened'. He was quite an empty person, I found, but strangely likeable so that you cared (or at least wanted to know what happened to him). Some of the names and brands were a bit silly, but the narrative was so strong that I soon got over that. However, I do think that might cause the novel to date quite quickly - which is always a problem with sci-fi set in the not-too-distant-future anyway. Overall, I really enjoyed Oryx and Crake: it's beautifully written, which also helps with Atwood's trademark way of being able to create discomfort as the reader is confronted with a sinister and somewhat morally bankrupt 'pre-acoplocalptic' world and its scarily blank aftermath (which, in a weird way, seemed better!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted April 10, 2007 Author Share Posted April 10, 2007 I finished Disobedience by Naomi Alderman last night: a great novel, a brilliantly assured debut. I can definitely see myself returning to it so this one's a keeper It's beautifully written and contains some really vivid and memorable scenes. Think I'm gonna try and sneak a review in Up next, I think it's high time I picked up The Tenderness of Wolves, as I've been looking forward to it for ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted April 11, 2007 Author Share Posted April 11, 2007 Updated list Started The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney last night: wonderfully powerful beginning. In fact, I can't remember the last time I was so impressed by the opening pages of a novel! However, that means it has to continue to impress Very promising start though! Went for my usual lunchtime walk and ended up on a cheap book spree: The Woman Who Walked Into Doors by Roddy Doyle and Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen for 99p each, whilst The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and Finn Family Moomintroll byTove Jansson were on a 2-for-1 offer so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Updated list Started The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney last night: wonderfully powerful beginning. In fact, I can't remember the last time I was so impressed by the opening pages of a novel! However, that means it has to continue to impress Very promising start though! Ooh.. I have this one upstairs. I may have to get to it soon.. let me know your thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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