REVIEW:
The Good - I read up on the author just before finishing. She did study literature in college, so that atones for the amazing flow of the story. The plot was very well thought out - everything tied together, even to the smallest child yelling something as the protagonist walked through the town. She did so well that I am now jealous.
The research was amazing for the book. I give her credz for the amount of work she had put into this and still managed to not write it like an essay for lack of energy left OR make the history sound so boring that you think this is an assigned book for class.
The writing style took a bit to get into for me. I am more of "get to the damn point" girl. Katherine Howe is the definition of a woman writer, which isn't a bad thing - just a taste you can be born with or not. I am not. She writes beautifully but strays too much on innate detail, in my opinion.
The Bad: It was her first book. She took so many easy-way-outs when she could've stretched and made it better with the main relationship. In one scene, Connie was floating across water in the dead of night, alone with her dog. Then, she bumps into another figure and it's Sam, the boy from town. "That was easy."
The antagonist wasn't evil enough and it seemed like she was toying with the idea to the end until the end where she mashed it together.
The relationship, lover wise, wasn't great. It could have been, but they really didn't bond over anything.
The characters were overdramatic. If I had wrote it, my characters would have thought all of it was amazing, just like me.
She spends a page with the character lost in thought and making tea. This isn't Lord of the Rings... Only Tolkein can get by with having a character dancing on a table for three pages in that tiny, single-spaced font.
Overall: I'd recommend it to people. 3.5/5 stars, I guess - never gave a star rating before.
IN OTHER NEWS...
Dad - *From his bedroom* I'm getting new maps for Battle Field 3.
Me - *From living room chair* Know what would be cool? Submarine battles. I'd play that.
Dad - Ooh, you're right.
Me - I know.
Amanda - *From kitchen table* What would be cool?
Me - Submarine board on Battlefield.
Amanda - Ooh, you're right.
Me - They're going to have a board like that.
Amanda - Ooh, serious?
Me - Yeah. *I tried to bite off my smile*
Amanda - Omg, I'm so excited. *raises voice* I'm going to be playing it!
Dad - Playing what?
Amanda - The submarine board.
Me - Yeah, I told her about the submarine board, Dad. *Then I start to really laugh.*
Amanda - *face falls*You suck.
I have done nothing but read today. I even read at work while my fatigue was slowly diminishing the little memory center I have working. Well, hippocampus and frontal cortex. Sometimes I think I don't remember damaging them. ... Anyone smiling? Anyway, clocked out of work - fixing to drive out of parking lot when I remembered I had a cart of unfolded show boxes that needed to be put back. How forgetful am I? Needless to say, I went back and fixed my time.
Wow, can't believe how boring that was.
Earlier, while reading, an ambulance passed with a high screech siren and my cat, who had been nearly asleep, immediately jumped up and ran off the bed to the middle of my room and simply stood there. He was perking his head in near circles. It was hilarious. Poor thing.
TRANSIT OF FUCKING VENUS TOMORROW.
Today was a comedy of errors because, for the second time in a month, I forgot my debit card at home and didn't realize it until I was out of my car to get gas.
Then couldn't pick up supper for my sister.
Then couldn't buy solar glasses, which I was going to hunt down today.
It's like the universe, in preparation, decided today was not plentiful in the fiscal situation.
Well, ladies and germs, time for me to retire.
"Ladies and Germs" I think I like it. I have to say that as a Tolkien and detail fanatic lover, I give this book a 4.5/5 but it has been a while since I read it. Aren't you glad I made ya?
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