Britt's attempt...

So, I've been thinking that I should really start reading all the books I own and haven't read. It currently seems like the stacks of unread books are only getting higher in stead of lower, and since I only have a tiny little apartment I really should try to do something about it.
I haven't been on librarything for quite a while, but I figured I'd try to get some inspiration here and get some more reading done.

So, having established that I have over 200 unread books, and concluding that I won't be able to read them all in a year, I have decided to set a goal of one book per week, so 52 books for the entire year. I hope I'll be able to keep up with this...




1: Het Koningsboek - Arnaldur Indridason
2: Het Eiland Onder de Zee - Isabel Allende
3: Dit Kan Niet Waar Zijn - Joris Luyendijk
4: Het Weer en de Tijd - Joke van Leeuwen
5: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert M. Pirsig
6: Spitzen - Thomas Rosenboom
7: Eerste Keus Verhalenbundel - various authors
8: The Bone Clocks - David Mitchell
9: Het Fantoom van Alexander Wolf - Gajto Gazdanov
10: Een Kleine Geschiedenis van de Wereld - E. H. Gombrich
11: The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins
12: De Schilder en het Meisje - Margriet de Moor
13: All That Remains - Patricia Cornwell
14: Het Sindone Complot - Julia Navarro
15: Trainspotting - Irvine Welsh
16: At the Gates of the East - J. P. Barry
17: I Never Promised You a Rose Garden - Joanne Greenberg
18: Dat Weet Ik Zelf Niet - Hella Haasse
19: Waanzin in de Wereldliteratuur - Pieter Steinz
20: On the Origin of Species - Charles Darwin
21: De Laatste Gasten - Mensje van Keulen
22: Heblust - Ronald Giphart
23: Incendio - Tess Gerritsen
24: A Dream of Red Mansions - Tsao Hsueh-Chin
25: Gestameld Liedboek - Erwin Mortier
26: Zeesla en de Lepels van Alice - Kader Abdolah
27: The Descent of Man - Charles Darwin
28: Het Huis met de Blinde Serre - Herbjorg Wassmo
29: Darwin and the Beagle - Alan Moorehead
30: Iedereen Kan Schilderen - Emma Curvers
31: De Stille Kamer - Herbjorg Wassmo
32: Complete Works - Lewis Carroll
33: Thinking, Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman
34: Villette - Charlotte Brontë
35: Le Rouge et le Noir - Stendhal
36: De Vriendschap van Vreemden - Eileen Campbell
37: Het Verboden Rijk - Slauerhoff
38: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot
39: Napoleon Bonaparte en de Egyptische Expeditie
40: Their Eyes Were Watching God - Zora Neal Hurston
41: Onder de Ombu Boom - Santa Montefiore
42: Huidloze Hemel - Herbjorg Wassmo
43: Dear Henry - Danielle Hunebelle
44: Fury - Salman Rushdie
45: 11/22/63 - Stephen King
46: Storm in Juni - Irène Némirovsky
47: Spijkerschrift - Kader Abdolah
48: Uncle Silas - Sheridan LeFanu
49: The Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai
50: Principles of Literary Criticism - I. A. Richards
51: Papa Tango - Maria Boonzaaijer
52: Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami
53: De Glazen Brug - Marga Minco
54: Verlies - Nicci French
55: The Figure in the Carpet - Henry James
56: Over de Lengte van een Gang - Herman Koch
57: Arctisch Dagboek - Jelle Brandt Corstius
58: De Verbannen Taal - Imre Kertész
59: The Beautiful Cassandra - Jane Austen
60: Zink - David van Reybrouck
61: A Handbook of American Prayer - Lucius Shepard
62: Het Dagelijks Leven ten Tijde van de Farao's

Welcome to the group and good luck with your goal!

Welcome to the ROOTers, Britt. Groetjes van een mede Nederlandse!

I have a similar goal (and rationale), Good luck with your rooting!

Welcome aboard and good luck! This is a very supportive group :)

Glad you joined us!

Thanks for the welcomes!

I didn't really know where to start with my reading, so I used a random number generator to pick my first three ROOT's, and I'm quite pleased with the selection, so the books I'm starting with are:
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert M. Pirsig
Het Eiland Onder de Zee (The Island Beneath the Sea) - Isabel Allende
Dit Kan Niet Waar Zijn - Joris Luyendijk

Welcome to the group! This is my 3rd year in the group (although in year 1 I didn't participate much and I wasn't in the group the entire year) and I've whittled down my TBR pile from about 500 to just over 200, so it's all good! I've heard good things about the Allende book. I like to read books randomly, too, and usually have one of my grandchildren pick the book off my shelf for me!

Welcome to the ROOTers & good luck!

@tess_schoolmarm: I love the idea of having your grandkids pick books - unfortunately I have none (no kids yet either), but I'll keep that in mind as an option in 30 years or so ;)

I've read other books by Allende and loved those; this one has been sitting on a shelf for two years so it's about time it gets some attention. I'm enjoying it so far.

I've finished one ROOT, though not one of the three I selected:
Het Koningsboek by Arnaldur Indridason (original titel 'Konungsbók', translated from Icelandic) - SPOILERS in text
A young student and a famous professor go on a hunt to find the original manuscript of the 'Edda', the great ancient Icelandic literary work. The manuscript was stolen from the professor by a nazi book collector during the second world war. In a journey through northern Europe, they get into all sorts of troubles. In the end they do manage to find the manuscript - but part of it is lost forever.
A nice, easy read with plenty of twists and turns, though many events seem a bit unlikely. The book is represented as based on fact, but the only 'fact' about the whole story is that part of the Edda-manuscript is indeed missing, all the surrounding story is made up, so I found the 'fact' part a bit disappointing.
Not a bad read, but not great either - I'll be abandoning the book in a little free library.

One ROOT finished - and one book out of the house, so I'm satisfied.

I'm hoping to finish at least two more before the end of the month - I've managed to break my foot so I can't really get out of the house, so I'm hoping to get quite some reading done the coming week :P

A broken foot is a good excuse to stay home and enjoy some reading, as long as it is not painful.

Sorry about the foot, but the blessing is more reading!

Hope your foot heals well and that you have lots of good reading to help your recovery!

So, I've finished three more ROOTs for a total of 4 this month - I'll be writing reviews later, but just wanted to post this here and update my ticker :)

Thanks for the well wishes... It's not that bad, it doesn't really hurt, but walking on crutches is really exhausting! Like, really really exhausting! I had no idea - fortunately never broke anything before - so I'm a bit unpleasantly surprised. But, all the more reason to stay in a comfy chair ;)

>14 Britt84: Crutches ARE painful and exhausting. Hoping for a speedy recovery!

>14 Britt84: I remember having crutches for about a week when I broke my foot many years ago, and being surprised that the bit that hurt the most when using them was my stomach! (too bad I didn't have them long enough to actually make any progress towards a 6-pack). I hope that you have a very speedy recovery and can ditch the crutches soon!

So, I saw the doctor today and my foot is healing well, which means that I can at least start putting some weight on it again - still on two crutches, but being able to put my foot down is already quite an improvement!

When I started the challenge I had the ambitious plan to also write reviews for all books read - that way I can actually remember what I read and it gives me some opportunity for reflection. I'm going to try to keep up with that, but I'm already running behind...

Het Eiland Onder de Zee - Isabel Allende - 4stars
The book tells the story of Zarité, a slave who grows up on Haiti and during the slave rebellion stays with her owner to take care of his children. She travels with him to Cuba and later to America. In America she finally gets her freedom, but her past still haunts her.
I really loved this book. Allende has a great talent for telling historical stories. Her characters are lifelike and you soon grow attached to them and get very involved in their lives. The descriptions of the areas are great and really give you an idea of what life was like at that time.
Though the story in itself is quite sad, and many bad things happen to Zarité and other slaves, it is also a positive story. It shows courage and strength and love, and shows how even in bad situations people can still find joy. Aside from the slave owners and the white people who look down on the slaves, there are also people who are genuinely concerned for the well being of the slaves and support them in their quest for freedom.

Dit Kan Niet Waar Zijn - Joris Luyendijk - 3stars
Joris Luyendijk delves into the financial world - by interviewing different people who work in the financial sector he tries to find out what caused the banking crisis of 2008 - and how future crises can be avoided.
Though I am generally not very much interested in economics and financial affairs, I did enjoy this book. I think Luyendijk has a point when he says that the financial world is something that concerns us all and that it is important for people to get some idea of what goes on. He does a good job of sketching the people who work in the area, their jobs, and some of the key problems the financial world faces.
In general I think it could have been a more extensive discussion of financial issues and that Luyendijk could have taken the time to explain more about the financial world and different concepts he discusses. However, the book does give some insights and alerts the general, lay reader to the risks inherent in our current financial system. Luyendijk offers no solutions, and it seems like very little is being done in the financial world to avoid further crises. We can only hope there will be no major meltdown soon, but perhaps more reports on the workings of the financial world will lead to more attention for the risks of future crises.

Het Weer en de Tijd - Joke van Leeuwen - 3stars
I never read this book when I was a child because I never got past the first chapter - now that I've re-read it as an adult, I did enjoy it, but somehow I feel that it might be less suited for children.
In the book a young boy wins a trip to a cottage. The first night he and his parents are staying there, he finds a young girl sipping tea. He drinks tea with her, and tells his parents, but they think he's making up stories. He sees the girls shoes in a graveyard in the nearby village. The next night he has tea with the girl again. On the way home, his mother reads an old newspaper article about a young girl who was accidentally killed.
The situation seems to imply that there is a deeper story, that this girl might be the ghost of the murdered girl, that there is more than meets the eye. I wonder though if I would have spotted this deeper layer back when I was a child, or if it would just have seemed rather random. Without the double layer it just seems like an odd but somewhat boring story of a boy's weekend away in a cottage.
Van Leeuwen's style is somewhat eclectic, with pictures drawn in and she has her very own way of describing and illustrating things. I appreciate this now, but I remember that when I was younger I just found it odd and annoying.

So, that's three more reviews in. I've decided to hang on to all three books, so no opportunity to clear out some space this time around.

I've also finished two more books:
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert M. Pirsig
Spitzen - Thomas Rosenboom
Reviews will follow.

The next book I've started reading is The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell - I love Mitchell's work and I got this for my last birthday, I'm really enjoying it so far.

I also used the random number generator to pick three new books for the coming weeks and my upcoming reads will be..... *drumroll*
The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins
Trainspotting - Irvine Welsh
Le Rouge et le Noir - Stendhal (I have this in French, so it will probably take a while to finish it)

Get better soon, Britt. It must be nice to be more mobile on crutches!

>18 connie53: Thanks for the well-wishes!

I'm getting quite good with the crutches, by the time I can stop using them I'll be an expert ;)
I am getting lots of reading done, so it's not all bad...

Two more books finished:
Eerste Keus Verhalenbundel - free collection of short detective stories, no touchstone
The Bone Clocks - David Mitchell

Review for Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - 4 stars:
Really really enjoyed this book.
During a motorcycle trip across America the author combines the story of the trip and his past with a philosophical inquiry into the nature of knowledge, technology and the division lines within our system of education.
I feel like this is a book any scientist should read. It makes a number of interesting points about our scientific system which should be taken into consideration by anybody doing research.
Though the issues discussed are often left unmentioned in university courses, I do feel they are important; we are taught that doing objective research is important, but I feel like it's a good thing to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Any scientist should consider what objectivity really is and how our preconceived ideas influence our worldview.
Apart from the philosophical themes, the novel also gives a close view of a man with psychological troubles and the effects of the ECT treatment he received. It delves into the ways a person can go completely off track - and how ECT might not solve these problems entirely. It also gives some view of the impact this has on a family.
All in all a very rich book, a combination of a novel and a philosophical work, with a rich and intriguing set of characters.

Two more reviews:

Spitzen - Thomas Rosenboom - 2.5 stars
I wasn't blown away by this short novella. I generally like Rosenboom, but somehow this just didn't speak to me, and I never really became involved with the main characters - I really just found them slightly annoying and their adventures uninteresting.
The book tells the story of a middle aged man who finds his first love, but soon realizes that she is in love with someone else. Though at first he finds it exciting to know that she is deceiving the other man to be with him, he soon becomes jealous and unhappy with the situation. In the end, the relationship doesn't last.
I found the story to be quite predictable and not very enticing.

Eerste Keus Verhalenbundel - Various Authors - 2 stars
A collection of four crime stories.
All in all, not a very great collection. I wasn't very enthousiastic about the story by Sue Grafton, and the Luifel&Luifel and Russen stories only make me convinced that I never need to watch Dutch television again (the stories are both based on Dutch tv-series). Only the first story, by Minette Walters, was a nice read.

I'll be discarding both books. They're really thin ones, so it doesn't make that much space in my bookcase, but every book out of the house is positive ;)

I've also finished one more book: Het Fantoom van Alexander Wolf by Gajto Gazdanov. Review will follow.

I've started reading Trainspotting and Le Rouge et le Noir, but both are slow going, so I'll probably be reading some other books in between. Trainspotting really isn't the kind of book I want to read in one sitting, far too depressing!

Ahh, now I want to know what you think of The bone clocks, Britt.

>21 connie53: ok, I won't make you wait any longer ;)

Time to get my last reviews in:

The Bone Clocks - David Mitchell - 5 stars
I really loved this novel - I've read other books by Mitchell and think he's a great author, and this book definitely didn't disappoint.
The book tells the story of Holly, both from her point of view and from other people's point of view. The story is told in installments set about 10 years apart, from the 1980's up to the 2040's. Holly's life becomes intertwined with an ancient supernatural battle - at first she remains unaware of this, but later she has to participate more fully. Various characters she meets throughout her life are also entangled in this web of natural and supernatural events that determine the course of her future.
I really like Mitchell's writing style and his way of bringing characters to life. The different parts in the novel are written from the point of view of different characters, which means Mitchell switches his writing style and word-choice accordingly. The characters become very lively and 'real' because of this. The novel has a very intricate setup with both a 'natural' storyline about events in the normal everyday world and a supernatural storyline that is closely connected to the natural storyline. Different people show up in different times and places, showing close links between their lives.
Another thing I like about Mitchell's novels are the returning characters. Characters who were less important in earlier novels take on more prominent roles in this novel. Somehow, to me, it feels like this makes the characters more 'real' - like they have an actual life outside of the novel and we catch glimpses of their lives.
The novel keeps you on the edge of your seat as the story unfolds. Though the alternating narrators can sometimes be frustrating when you want to know what happened to a character, and then the pov changes, but it definitely keeps you reading. Mitchell manages the separate storylines wonderfully and manages to make them come together in a coherent whole.
Reading this book makes me want to (re)read all of Mitchell's work right away...

Het Fantoom van Alexander Wolf - Gajto Gazdanov - 4 stars
Lovely and intriguing story about the inevitability of fate - and how a single event can change a life forever.
A journalist living in Paris feels like his life has changed since he killed a man in the Russian civil war - then he reads a book in which the murder he committed is described precisely, but from the point of view of the victim, who survived. He sets out to find the author of the novel, Alexander Wolf, who long remains an intriguing mystery. When he finally meets him, it appears that his 'murder' in the civil war also had an enormous influence on his life. Their encounter soon turns to disaster...
I found this novel very intriguing - it reads a lot like a mystery or crime novel. The ending is not that surprising, in fact, it feels almost inevitable that this is how the story should end.
Aside from the intrigue surrounding the mysterious Alexander Wolf, the novel also shows an interesting insight into the huge influence a war can have on the lives of the people fighting it. Furthermore, it has some philosophical musings about what it means to kill someone - and what it means to almost be killed, but survive.
Something that strikes me is the fact that Russian novels all seem to share a similar writing style, a similar tone and rhythm. I'm not sure if this is due to the way these novels are translated or if it is really an inherently Russian style. I do find it pleasant to read, it has a nice calm sort of rhythm and good flow to it.

So, those were the last reviews. I haven't finished any new books, but am still reading Trainspotting and Le Rouge et le Noir. I also started De schilder en het Meisje and I'm making my way through Een Kleine Geschiedenis van de Wereld, so I'm hoping to finish one or two more before the end of the month.

I've also acquired three new books: Dooi, In Tweestrijd and Spaans Vuur - all three from a little free library, so no money spent :)

Also, I recently put all my unread books into a big pile and took a nice picture of it, so, this is what mount tbr looks like:



I've now put them all in alphabetical order and put them in neat stacks, so I'll actually be able to find a book if I want to read it :)

Yay, Bone Clocks sounds just as good as I hope it will be! :)

>23 Britt84: picture broken?

It's not there? :( It does show up for me...

Edited: ok, second attempt... hope it does show up now, I was so proud of myself for putting an actual picture in a post :P

I see it now! Wow! That's a big pile of books :D

>26 rabbitprincess: Yay! And yes, yes it is a big pile... We have lots of nice little free libraries and second hand book stores around here...

I don't think I'd dare pile up all my TBRs in one place! Looking at my jar of titles is scary enough!

Oh it's there now - pretty! (all big piles of books are pretty to me ;))

I see it now! Even stacked in alpha order, wow!

>23 Britt84: This looks scarily familiar...

>28 Jackie_K: I think your jar of fate is pretty scary to look at as well! So many little pieces of paper with sooo many books!

>29 avanders: Yes, it is rather pretty, isn't it? I did enjoy putting all the books together that had been spread across my apartment and seeing them all in one place...

>30 Tess_W: I sort of liked organizing them, they were all over the place, so sometimes I'd want to read a book and I knew I bought it at some point, but simply wouldn't be able to find it :/ At least now I can locate a book when I want to read it!

>31 MissWatson: I think that's why we have this group in the first place ;)

I've finished two more books and will post reviews in the next post...
I'm still making my way on Trainspotting and Le Rouge et le Noir, but I don't think I'll finish them before May... I've pretty much decided to finally start reading A Dream of Red Mansions, which is very very long, so that will take a while - I'll select some shorter works for May as well, to read simultaneously...

Review time...

Een Kleine Geschiedenis van de Wereld - E. H. Gombrich - 3 stars
I'm a bit torn about this one...
I did enjoy reading it. It gives a nice bit of history in short chapters and accessible language. It's meant for kids, and Gombrich uses a colloquial style, writing as if he's talking to you - it really feels like there's a nice uncle or grandfather telling you cool stories. I can very much understand why this book was once a very popular work as an introductory history text for children.
My problem with the book is twofold though:
Firstly, it is very much a book of it's time. I guess you can't really blame an author for writing in a way that is in keeping with the ideas in his own era, but reading the book nowadays some parts make you cringe. Gombrich writes very much from the point of view that Western Europe is the civilized world and Christianity the 'right' religion. Other peoples are described as primitive and he often breaths a sigh of relief that we weren't born in places with such barbaric culture. I think nowadays historians try to be more objective and more accepting of other cultures, keeping in mind that no culture is 'right' or 'wrong', they're just different.
Secondly, tying into his way of writing about other countries and cultures, the book is not really a history of the 'world'- it's a history of (mainly Western) Europe and Christianity, with some chapters about the ancient middle east (as the seat of our culture and Christianity) and a chapter about China. North and South America, Africa and Asia are really only mentioned as far as their relation to Europe is concerned. Australia apparently doesn't exist at all. I understand that Gombrich was aiming for a brief introductory text, but leaving most of the world out as if nothing important ever happened there is terribly eurocentric.
Though I did enjoy the book, and like said, I understand that it was popular at the time of publication, I feel like it's too outdated to still be relevant in this day and age. I would certainly not give it to my children as a history book, since I do not wish my children to be exposed to such cultural bias. It is a pity though, in a way it would be nice if somebody were to rewrite this book, in the same style, but with a more modern approach.

The Moonstone - Wilkie Collins - 4 stars
I ended up finishing this novel rather quickly - it's an early detective novel and though it had a bit of a slow start, I did really get drawn into it and at some point just had to go on reading because I wanted to know what happened.
In the novel a young girl, Rachel, receives a precious gem known as the Moonstone through an inheritance. The stone is said to be an ancient hindoo religious artifact, looked for by hindoo brahmins who will stop at nothing to retrieve it. While she and her family are still debating what to do with the gem, it gets stolen... After the disappearance a famous detective is called in to try to retrieve it, but he is led astray and the gem remains undiscovered until a year later, when the investigation is restarted and some unexpected findings lead to a startling conclusion.
Collins lets several of the main characters in the novel tell separate parts of the story, each person telling the part in which he/she was most involved. I like the way he gives each character a voice of his/her own and uses the stories to tell the different parts and to show different perspectives - at different points in time characters may or may not be aware of specific facts, making it an interesting intrigue to follow. I did feel that in his characterization of the main characters Collins is sometimes a bit over-the-top, but this also added an element of humor, so it wasn't very disturbing.
The character of Sergeant Cuff is a bit of a proto-Holmes - an eccentric detective with a love of roses and a tendency to spend long periods musing over the facts, but who also follows concrete clues to get to the truth. Though his investigations lead him to the wrong conclusion, this is not altogether surprising, since the final solution is not what you expected.
Though I did have a suspicion of the right perpetrator at some point half way through, it long remained unclear how he could have pulled it off and what happened exactly on the night of the robbery. Collins really keeps you guessing, but brings everything to a nice ending in which everything is explained.

>33 Britt84: I 've never read Wilkie Collins, although I have several of his books on my TBR shelves. I think I will move him up!

>33 Britt84: I've had a copy of this for a few years -- a Christmas gift. Maybe I'll give it a go, then donate if I find it too icky.

>33 Britt84: I've read The Moonstone but a long time ago, so I don't remember it. I need to reread it, and with my new challenge, I'll get to read him in the next few months (I'm reading my TBR alphabetically by author).

>34 Tess_W: I have really enjoyed all of his I've read!

>32 Britt84: oh yes, I can see that that would be very satisfying! :)

Sooo... I've been offline for a while, busy doing other things and no time to update, but I figured I'd at least get the numbers in before the end of the month. I did have a pretty good reading month, got my total up to 21 books read, so the half-way mark is not very far off.

I'm currently still reading Le Rouge et le Noir - slow going because I'm reading it in French, but I'll get there; A Dream of Red Mansions which I'm really enjoying and I've already started the third and last volume; and I've started The Descent of Man by Charles Darwin, following up on On the Origin of Species.

Reviews for the books finished in May will follow in due time...

Wow, those are very hefty tomes!

Some serious reading there. Congrats!

Yeah, great work on pulling some hefty ROOTs!

>38 MissWatson: >39 Tess_W: >40 avanders: Thanks for the kind remarks! I do feel like this group is stimulating me to read more ROOTs - and to pick up some of the books that have been around for ages and ages!

I'll try to catch up with review-writing this month - I'm very much behind - so here's the first batch of reviews for May:

De Schilder en het Meisje - Margriet de Moor - 4 stars
In this novel de Moor tells us two separate stories: the story of Rembrandt in his later days, when he has lost his second wife and has declared bankruptcy - he feels lost without his wife, but his love for painting remains strong and he goes on 'talking' to the canvas, doing his own, original thing. Alongside we are told the story of Else, a young girl who travels from Denmark to Amsterdam, commits a murder, and ends up on the gallows. The two stories come together on the day of the execution, when Rembrandt draws Else's body after the execution.
I did enjoy the stories; Moor shifts perspective and gives us flashbacks, giving a nice view of these two different lives. The book gives us some information on Rembrandt's turbulent life and I enjoyed her descriptions of how he views painting - I'm not sure how accurate this is, but it does feel like an inside view of the artists mind.
One thing I did find somewhat of a letdown was the development of the story of Else. I enjoyed reading of her trip to Amsterdam, but then it never really becomes clear why she should commit murder. There are no clues early on in the story, she seems like quite a normal, intelligent young woman looking for a better future, whereas chopping up her landlady with an ax seems more like the act of a madwoman. I just felt like there was something missing from the story - at various points it is discussed how odd this action was, yet we don't get any answers, which left me feeling dissatisfied.
Another thing was that the stories never really come together - the lives of Else and Rembrandt never really touch each other, and it remains a novel with two separate stories that don't really seem to have much to do with one another.
All in all, a nice read, with a nice style and some lovely insight into the mind of a painter, but not entirely satisfying.

All That Remains - Patricia Cornwell - 3 stars
A novel featuring Kay Scarpetta.
I generally enjoy Cornwell's work, and though Scarpetta sometimes annoys me (she really never seems to get her personal life together), I also like her as a detective - the point of view of the medical examiner being slightly different from the 'regular' detective gives Cornwell's crime stories a nice touch.
In 'All That Remains' Scarpetta is confronted with a serial killer who kills off young couples in a rather professional matter. During the investigation she gets tangled up with the FBI and CIA who are worried that the perpetrator might be a soldier gone rampant. The fact that the latest victims happen to be the daughter of a politician and her boyfriend makes things even more complicated.
The book focuses much more on the intrigues with the FBI and CIA and Scarpetta's personal entanglements, leaving the case a bit 'thin' - we get little insight into the killer's background and motives and at times the investigation seems a bit of a side show. Still an enjoyable crime story and a nice read, but not great.

Het Sindone Complot - Julia Navarro - 3 stars
In this story we follow an investigation of the art crimes department in Italy, who are studying the case of the 'Sindone', the shroud of Christ. Throughout history the Sindone has often been threatened; it is now stored in Turin, where strange fires and accidents keep happening, involving men who have no tongue and no fingerprints. Alongside the story of the investigation we are given a secondary story, telling the history of the Sindone.
It turns out that two competing groups are after the Sindone, and the investigative team ends up in the middle of an ancient conflict, with disastrous results.
I enjoyed the historical parts and thought they formed a nice background to the investigation. The investigation itself also keeps you on the edge of your seat. I did guess the involvement of the different parties at quite an early stage in the book, but I still enjoyed following the investigation.
One thing I found annoying is that Navarro feels a need to give lengthy explanations in a way that breaks up the story. Often she lets the investigators tell parts of the history to each other, even if the characters both know the story already - this gives the strange effect that obviously the characters are only having that conversation for the sake of the reader. It feels very awkward and also slows the story down.
I also found the ending somewhat annoying - nothing gets resolved, and there is no real 'wrapping up'. It seems like nothing has changed and the conflict will simply go on forever, with all the investigative work having been useless. I guess that is how it works sometimes, but it left me dissatisfied.

Trainspotting - Irvine Welsh - 4 stars
I've heard this novel being described as 'hilarious', but I mainly found it dark and depressing.
The novel follows a group of young Scottish drug addicts, in their daily lives. It's written in short episodes from different viewpoints, and very gradually you get quite a deep and vivid insight into their lives and their relationships.
Though I cannot say I 'enjoyed' the novel - enjoying is really not the right word for it - I do appreciate it for the insight it gives into a wholly different culture. A culture of drugs, violence, and despair - where people only live for the next shot, and suffer the agonies of withdrawal when they can't get it. The novel is an illustration of disillusioned youth, unable to hold down a job and live a great and exciting life, stuck in the poorer quarters of the city, where drugs seems the only way out of a life that has nothing to offer.
I'm glad I finally got around to reading it. I think Welsh did a great job in describing this part of society that often escapes our view. Definitely not something to read if you need cheering up though!

At the Gates of the East - J. P. Barry - 4 stars
I picked this book up thinking it would be more focused on the middle east (one of the first pictures is of a mosque in Cairo), but it turned out to be mainly about Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
I really enjoyed the book - it's dated, sure, and the tips Barry gives on how to get about and where to spend the night are probably worthless by now, but I really loved his descriptions. His style is very vivid, making you feel like you're actually traveling alongside him and seeing the beautiful landscapes and buildings. The lovely pictures add to this experience.
Definitely makes me want to visit the places he describes!

More reviews for May - working hard on catching up :)

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden - Joanne Greenberg - 5 stars
In this novel Greenberg describes a young girl's battle with mental illness.
Deborah is admitted to a mental hospital after a suicide attempt. Over the years, she has built up an elaborate alternative reality in which she can hide from the world, but as she grows older this 'safe' place becomes less pleasant and her suicide attempt is a desperate cry for help. In the mental hospital her situation initially gets worse, but slowly but surely, with the help of a devoted psychiatrist, she fights back the disease and makes her way back into the 'normal' world.
I really loved this novel; it gives a very impressive first hand insight into the mind of someone suffering from a mental disorder, and how this can affect all aspects of your life. The novel focuses on Deborah's experiences in the hospital and her feelings of fear, anger and depression. With her psychiatrist she digs into her past and tries to fight back her imaginary world, so she can focus on being in the real world. Though the process is difficult and she suffers relapses several times, she doesn't give up the fight.
I found the novel very realistic and, having suffered from depression myself, some parts were very recognizable. The methods used in the mental hospital are outdated, so the novel also gives a nice view of psychiatric treatment in the 60's.
I think this novel would be a good read for anybody who wishes to understand more about psychiatric disorders and what it's like for a patient. As for myself, Deborah's strength to get up and try again gives me hope for the future - there might be relapses, but you can always get up and try again...

Dat Weet Ik Zelf Niet - Hella Haasse - 4 stars
In this short essay Haasse gives a brief overview of the role of children and adolescents in novels.
She begins the story with a brief discussion of how children remain children for a much longer time now than they did centuries ago - a discussion which is still relevant to this day. Then she proceeds with a chronological overview of literature. It seems like children initially were pretty much absent from literature, only to become more prominent in recent literary works. Though her essay has somewhat of a focus on Dutch literature, she also discusses examples from other cultures.
I found this an interesting discussion and think she gave a brief, but quite complete overview of the material, with good examples from literary works.

Waanzin in de Wereldliteratuur - Pieter Steinz - 4 stars
Pieter Steinz gives an overview of insanity in world literature - in his discussion he makes a 'tour' of the Dolhuys Museum in Haarlem, using the different exhibition rooms in the museum to discuss different ways in which insanity crops up in literary works: he discusses insane characters, insane authors, psychiatrists in novels and psychiatric hospitals in novels.
Though brief, Steinz manages to give quite a comprehensive overview of the ways in which insanity plays a role in literature, with a wealth of examples.
I very much enjoy Steinz' writing style - though he does succeed in writing a scholarly essay, he still writes in a style that is easy and fun to read. A good introduction to the topic.

Whew you sure are working hard! Going back and writing reviews is such an undertaking! Nice work :)

>43 avanders: Yes, I always get behind on writing reviews. I really want to keep up to date this year and try to write reviews for every book I read, but it really is an undertaking. I have this rather elusive dream that one day I will have read and written a review for every single book I own. Will take a while before I reach that goal, I'm afraid :)

But... without further ado...more reviews!

On the Origin of Species - Charles Darwin - 5 stars
One of the most important scientific works ever written and a very impressive achievement.
Darwin discusses his theory of the origin of species in a groundbreaking work that changed biology forever. I was very impressed with the way he expounds his theory. The novel takes you by the hand and explains different reasons why he believes this theory to be correct step by step. His work abounds in examples and evidence gathered by himself and other scientists, making it a very comprehensive and exhaustive work.
Aside from discussing evidence in favour of his theory, Darwin also discusses many counterarguments. Some he refutes immediately, often with copious evidence, but others remain standing, even at the end of the book. Somehow, I actually rather liked this about him: he has a theory, he believes it to be true, but he is still aware that there are things that are problematic and isn't afraid to discuss them. It shows Darwin in a way that is simultaneously strong and convincing, as well as modest and almost fragile.
Darwin was fully aware that there were problematic aspects to his theory - most notably the lack of genetic knowledge in his day - but still makes a convincing case based on the evidence he had available. He was also very much aware that people would disagree with his theory, which has made his discussion of facts very rigorous. He knew people would try to counter it, and spends a lot of time debunking any possible arguments they might give.
I think for a person in our time it is somewhat difficult to truly comprehend the importance of Darwin's achievement. By now, evolutionary theory is so accepted that it is hard to imagine people ever believed otherwise. Reading Darwin's book you wonder that nobody saw this before - and some of the scientists in his own days felt the same way! Sure, there had been other theories and Wallace was proposing the same theory, so there definitely had been prior developments making this the logical next step, but it still remains an amazing thing that this book was written.
A great work that anybody with an interest in biology and evolution should read.

De Laatste Gasten - Mensje van Keulen - 4 stars
Florrie is a young girl who grew up with her unkind aunt. After the death of her aunt she needs to find her own way in the world. She ends up taking a job as a housekeeper in an old mansion where a number of artists are provided with an opportunity to work on their art. She gets to know the different people in the house and seems to find a place there, but soon mutual dislikes and recriminations among the inhabitants disrupt the quiet life in the mansion.
A lovely novel in which van Keulen presents us with a very diverse cast of characters, each with their own reasons for staying in the mansion. Florrie is described very lifelike, and you soon start feeling for this young girl who has had such a rough start in life. The connections between the characters keep you wondering who is trying to sabotage the quiet life in the mansion and the novel ends with a very nice twist.

A Dream of Red Mansions - Tsao Hsueh-Chin (Cao Xueqin) - 4 stars
I was hesitant to start reading this, because I was afraid it would be difficult to read as a non-chinese reader, and because I was afraid it would be long. Well, yes, it is long, but surprisingly enough it didn't feel like it was very long - the story drew me in and kept me reading, and though there are some aspects of Chinese culture that take some getting used to, it wasn't very difficult to read either.
Xueqin tells the story of a very wealthy Chinese family; he focuses mainly on the women of the house and one of the sons, Paoyu. Paoyu grows up in a protected environment, the favourite of his grandmother, pampered by numerous servants, spending his time gallivanting with his nieces in the beautiful gardens adjacent to the house. However, even rich households can get into trouble, and even Paoyu can't always get what he wants...
I very much enjoyed the story. I found the beginning (the first volume) a bit long winding, as it is mainly an introduction to the characters and the household, but from the second onward the story really takes off. We get to know the different members of the families and their likes and dislikes, and share in the worries of the family. Each character has his/her own story and though some of the female characters are slightly hysterical, you do get drawn into their stories and feel for the characters.
Aside from that, the novel gives a great historical view of Chinese society and tradition. I really didn't know much about Chinese culture before I started reading, and I very much enjoyed getting to know the ways of an ancient, wealthy family - the rules of conduct, the social connections, the household and the servants are all described and give a vivid idea of what life was like.
Though the writing style is somewhat different from the style in Western novels, I didn't find it difficult or daunting. Xueqin's descriptions are beautiful, and I enjoyed the way in which the story alternately slows down and speeds up, which works very well for a very long work like this.

>44 Britt84: wow that's quite a goal! I tried for a few years to review everything... I have since failed & decided against punishing myself for such failure ;)
But I do try to write SOME response for MOST of what I read... even if I reserve full blown reviews for early reviewer books... :) Good luck w/ your goal!!

>44 Britt84: When I was new to LT I tried to write decent reviews, but now I read too much! Unless it was 5 stars or 2 stars, I generally write just a1-2 line blurb.

I'm real bad in writing reviews. So I'm in awe of yours, Britt.

>45 avanders:, >46 Tess_W:, >47 connie53: - Well, that doesn't bode too well, if others have tried to review everything and failed ;) I do tend to read more than I review, so it is a challenge to keep it up, but I do like spending some time mulling over what I've read and trying to put down how I really felt about it - and trying to fathom why I liked something, and why some books are great and other just don't 'work' for me... Anyway, thanks for the kind comments, I'll try to at least keep up for this year, then we'll see about what I want to do next year :)

I've finished 31 books up till now, and still need to do a couple more reviews to catch up. Still on track to reach my goal for the year so I'm quite happy with that - I might even exceed my goal!

More reviews:

Heblust - Ronald Giphart - 1 star
A short story by Giphart about a girl who on her 21st birthday has sex with every single man she ever slept with.
I didn't really like this story. There is no depth to it, no real development, nothing interesting or intriguing. The main character is like a porn actress: no personality or anything, just an obsession with sex. The story isn't very realistic either.
Sometimes it feels like Dutch authors feel that the more sexually explicit the story, the better. I'm just getting a bit tired of the generation to which Giphart belongs, which seems to focus only on sex and has little else to say.

Incendio - Tess Gerritsen - 3 stars
I was rather pleasantly surprised, though I have to admit I didn't have very high expectations.
I violinist finds a mysterious piece of music that seems to have evil effects - she travels to Italy to solve the mystery, only to find that part of the mystery is a brain tumor in her head.
A quick read, but still one which had a couple of surprises and nice twists. It does seem like Gerritsen tried to put a lot into a tiny little book, making the wrapping up of the story a bit rushed.

Gestameld Liedboek - Erwin Mortier - 4 stars
Mortier describes his mother's struggle with dementia, and his family's attempts to deal with this.
In short chapters we are given short scenes of the life of a patient with dementia. We see the struggles to make sense of the world, the confusion and fear, but also the good moments. We also see the ways in which the family tries to deal with the loss of a loved one, who isn't dead yet, but who also isn't really there anymore.
Mortier writes in a way that gives a very powerful image of the disease and it's consequences. His descriptions of his mother are sometimes funny and sometimes sad, but always loving and caring. His descriptions of his father's concerns and problems are beautiful and heartbreaking.
A lovely portrait, and a great image of what dementia is really like, and what it's like for the next of kin of patients.

Zeesla en de Lepels van Alice - Kader Abdolah - 4 stars
In this book Kader Abdolah visits Dutch scientists and inventors to give an overview of progress in science and new ideas.
Abdolah tries not just to find out about the inventions and the science, but also about the people behind them, their reasons for doing what they do, and what makes them pioneers. He takes a very open, unbiased approach, willing to go into new fields and unfamiliar theories. He manages to make the topics clear and understandable, even for the lay person who knows nothing about it, whilst also giving an extra human touch in his portrayals of the people behind the science.
A nice overview, and a pleasure to read.
For me, the only sad thing is that not all topics are treated in depth, but I understand that that really isn't the intention of this work...

The Descent of Man - Charles Darwin - 4 stars
Very interesting to read, and definitely a very important work of science, though nowadays somewhat outdated...
I do very much enjoy and appreciate Darwin's writings. He is very thorough and really delved into his subject. Sometimes this makes the reading a bit difficult because there's so much information, but mainly it greatly strengthens his theories. He also relates his ideas to the findings of other scientists and gives elaborate descriptions of examples, observations, and readings.
I do feel that this book is less 'strong' than his 'On the Origin of Species'.
One important part from a modern perspective is his ideas on inheritance and his theory of pangenesis. As we now know this theory to be incorrect - and scientifically unable to explain the issues he discusses - this actually weakens his argument. In 'On the Origin of Species' he leaves the system of inheritance somewhat in the dark. He acknowledges that this is problematic, but this admittance of the problem works better than an incorrect theory - again, from a modern perspective. I do understand that he felt a need to provide this theory, since evolution doesn't work without some theory of inheritance, but the incorrectness of his theories makes this book less convincing.
Furthermore, I found the build-up of this book somewhat less structured than 'On the Origin of Species'. There, Darwin takes you by the hand and leads you along all the evidence he has collected, making for a coherent, logical whole. The problem with 'The Descent of Man', I think, is the fact that he is really writing about two things, namely the origins of the human species and sexual selection. He discusses both ideas pretty much separately, which means the book is less of a whole. It might have been nicer had he split up the subjects and discussed both more extensively in separate volumes.
Aside from these issues, it is still a great pleasure to read, full of interesting facts and great descriptions.

Darwin and the Beagle - Alan Moorehead - 4 stars
A lovely description of the voyage undertaken by the Beagle, and Darwin's experiences on that trip.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Having studied evolution and read some of Darwin's work, I found it very interesting to get an inside look into the trip that led up to his formulation of evolutionary theory.
In this book we see Darwin as a young man, embarking on a trip of a lifetime. We see him initially determined to find evidence supporting Christian theories of creation, but discovering more and more evidence that makes him doubt his convictions. He is presented as a very enthusiastic and nice young man, eager to explore and to do as much research as he can during his voyage, collecting thousands of specimens, and not hesitating to travel through rough territory to study the biology and geology of the area.
We also meet the crew members - the severely religious captain, who opposes Darwin's new ideas and provides a good, skeptical sounding board for him. We get an inside view of life on board, and how they spent their time on the ship - along with some discussion of the troubles they run into along the way.
I really loved imagining Darwin coming back to the ship and spreading his newest finds out on the deck, whilst the sailors wonder why on earth he is making such a mess...
I also really loved the pictures - I have an edition with a large number of pictures and maps, with many of the pictures being reprints of the original drawings made during the voyage.

Het Huis met de Blinde Serre - Herbjorg Wassmo - 5 stars
Wassmo has long been one of my favorite authors and this novel - the first part of a trilogy - did not disappoint.
In the novel the young girl Tora lives a life in poverty, in a poor northern part of Norway. Her mother works hard to make ends meet and spends much time worrying, her stepfather abuses her, and the villagers do not really accept her because her father was a German soldier, stationed there during the second world war. Tora spends her life walking on tiptoes, trying not to get in anybody's way - but her attempts to stay out of harm's way actually bring her into the middle of it...
Wassmo's writing style is lovely. She has a way of describing things in a very vivid manner, making you feel like you are right there with the characters, without going into lengthy, literal descriptions. The flow of the language is beautiful and she manages to give a realistic and intense portrait of the small, northern village where Tora lives.
The characters in the novel are also very vivid and feel like people you know personally. It feels like you are inside Tora, living her life, experiencing what she is feeling. The characters surrounding Tora are also complex and worked out very well, giving the novel a very realistic feel.
Though the novel is quite sad, there are also many funny and touching moments, making it a very complete story.
I feel like it is a pity Wassmo is so little known outside of Norway - I think she is a great author that many readers would appreciate.

>49 Britt84: Did you know there is an extended version of Incendio? It's called Speel met vuur

>51 connie53: Yes, I saw that later! But thanks for telling me :) Guess I wasn't the only one who felt there was a bit too much story for such a short book ;)
I'd like to read the expanded version some time - I looked for it at the local bookstore but they didn't have it... Guess that doesn't really help with the ROOT's, if reading one just leads to getting a new book :)

Some more reviews:

Iedereen Kan Schilderen - Emma Curvers - 3stars
In this book, the main character, Iris, describes her family, in which psychiatric problems are common. Her father and mother both suffer from psychiatric problems, which means that the lives of their two daughters are not always easy. Though the daughters have both left home and are studying in a different city, the university holidays in which they return to their parental home form the scene of many strange situations.
I did not really like this novel. The premise is interesting, but the story never drew me in. I think the main problem for me was the writing style: the events are related in a very dry, objective fashion, with no emotion showing. For me, this had a very detaching effect which meant that I couldn't really connect to the novel.
Aside from that, the novel doesn't really build up to anything. It's more of a dry summary of weird things that happen in the family, and you keep waiting for some sort of conclusion or grand finale to occur, but it never does. There is no plot-development or character development, no direction. The novel gives the impression that it works up to some sort of final 'bang', but this bang never comes and the ending is unsatisfactory.
What I did appreciate were the descriptions of the people and their actions. Though, like I mentioned, the descriptions are rather dry and unemotional, it does give an insight into what it's like to live with parents who are 'different'. In their lives, Iris and her sister have learned to tiptoe around her father, who will start destroying things when provoked and sometimes spends days in the bathroom. Aside from that, they feel forced to act like everything is normal and not to give anything away to others. It is interesting to see how difficult living with a psychiatric patient can be, and how this can have a huge impact on children growing up in such a situation.

De Stille Kamer - Herbjorg Wassmo - 4stars
This is the second book in the Tora-Trilogy
Tora's stepfather Henrik has gone to prison, giving Tora a much needed break from his abuse. Her relationship with her mother is complicated by the stark contrast between Tora's joy and her mother's sadness over Henrik's absence. Tora works hard in school and manages to get accepted into secondary education away from the island where they live - a chance for her to get away from the narrow mindedness and bad memories on the island. Before she can get away however, Henrik takes his revenge - Tora gets pregnant and spends her first months in school hiding her pregnancy until she suffers a miscarriage.
A great continuation of the series. We see Tora grow older and more independent - even though she has to fight for everything she wants. The first part of the novel gives an intimate view of here difficult relationship with her mother, and how she tries to stand on her own feet, while simultaneously trying to comfort and help her mother.
Just when we see her finally getting away from the island, getting to a place where she can be herself and grow into a complete person, she runs into new trouble when she discovers she's pregnant. The fear and shame of this pregnancy are enormous, and she does anything she can to hide it. It's painful to see her in this situation, knowing it's not her fault - it makes you want to reach out and hold her, tell her it's ok.
The story ends in the negative - after her miscarriage Tora is very ill and psychologically disturbed, and she is left alone in her rented room. Fortunately there's a third part of the trilogy to come - I hope things will start looking up then.

Complete Works - Lewis Carroll - 4stars
Very nice complete edition of Carroll's work - containing both 'Alice' books, both 'Sylvie and Bruno' books, poetry, short stories and puzzles, with the original illustrations.
Alice in Wonderland - 5 stars
Lewis Carroll's 'Alice in Wonderland' is a classic that everyone should read. Many of Carroll's characters and situations have become part of Western culture, which only shows his genius and how great his influence has been. His play with words, his insane universe with amazing characters, and his symbolism make this a work that can be read over and over. Each time I read it I discover new things, and look at it in a different way.
Alice Through the Looking Glass - 5 stars
When I first read 'Through the Looking Glass' I really didn't like it as much as I had liked 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland', but I find that it has grown on me with a number of re-readings. I think 'Through the Looking Glass' is perhaps a bit more difficult, or more 'mature' than Alice. It is also a bit 'choppier' because of the jumping between different scenes, whereas Wonderland is more of a continuous story.
Either way, I think reading it several times has opened my eyes to more of the symbolism in the novel, and has very much increased my enjoyment of it, and I think it's definitely worth the effort of getting more closely acquainted with it.
Sylvie and Bruno - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded - 4 stars
The two stories of Sylvie and Bruno really make up one continuous whole. Though there is an 'ending' to the first part, the second part is more like the second chapter than a second book.
Though still in line with the fairy tale style of Alice, Sylvie and Bruno is somewhat more serious. There still is a lot of wordplay and fantasy, but there are also more serious discussions on theology and philosophy. For Carroll, this book was supposed to be not just amusing, but also instructive.
A very enjoyable read and definitely gives you something to think about - though for children the discussion might be a bit long-winding at times.
Miscellaneous writings - 3-4 stars
Aside from his four main novels, Carroll wrote numerous poems, stories and puzzles during his lifetime. Though not all are equally great, we clearly see Carroll's style in all his works - even when discussing the wine stores of the Christchurch Common Room.
It's nice to have a more complete edition and read not only the novels, but also get to know some of his other writings. I especially enjoyed the 'Tangled Tale', with math-problems intertwined with the story, but there are many gems to be found among Carroll's Miscellany.

Phew, you're doing great w/ your review goal -- and you're almost at your ROOT goal too!! Congrats on your progress!

Your reviews are stellar and and a pleasure to read!

Thanks for the positive comments!

I've been absent for a bit and haven't been doing any reviews, nor have I kept my list of books read up to date. I have by now surpassed my goal and will try to update the ticker and booklist and post reviews over the coming days...

I'm glad at having reached my goal so soon already and will try to finish more books before the end of the year. I've really enjoyed getting some of the books read that have been lingering on my shelves :)

Thinking, Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman - 5stars
I really loved this book. Kahneman provides a brief but extensive introduction to concepts in the psychology of decision making - and how decision making can go wrong.
He discusses various theories and complements them with ample material from research - as well as from his own experience.
The book is an engaging and fun read, often surprising and entertaining, without becoming superficial.
Though it is of course not an extensive treatment of the subject, it is definitely a great introduction, and it gives plenty of notes and references for further exploration of the topic.

Villette - Charlotte Brontë - 4stars
A very enjoyable read - though it is a bit of a 'typical' Charlotte Brontë it also held some surprises.
Lucy, a young woman with no family who can take care of her, travels abroad and finds a position as English teacher at a girls' school. Though her situation is difficult at first, she encounters some old friends and begins to find her place in Villette, with old friends and new friends helping her through her troubles.
The novel is in some ways typical, a story of a female teacher and her hardships, with some obligatory gothic elements and female hysteria, but at the same time Brontë gives the novel an original twist.
The book focuses very much on the interpersonal relations in the school, where the headmistress spies on her pupils and employees, and where there are intrigues going on that influence Lucy's position and future. Brontë weaves an intricate web of relationships, in which new acquaintances of Lucy turn out to be intimately connected to old acquaintances.
In the midst of the intrigues and manipulations at the school, Lucy has to find her way to stay true to herself, whilst simultaneously maintaining her position in the school.
Apart from this, Brontë plays with the narration, turning Lucy at times into an unreliable narrator, giving an extra dimension to the novel.
Definitely more rich than I had expected, and a novel I'd like to re-read in the future.

Le Rouge et le Noir - Stendhal - 3stars
I had some trouble getting into this novel, and did not like it as much as I had expected/hoped.
In the novel, a young man, Julien Sorel, tries to reach a better position in society. He very much admires Napoleon and wishes for a life of greatness. In his search for greatness he gets wrapped up in two love affairs and ends up attempting to murder one of his lovers; he is subsequently condemned to death.
I think my main problem with this novel was that I never really liked Julien or his actions - this made it hard for me to really connect with him. Julien is very much obsessed with improving his position in life and seems to have little regard for others. He decides on a religious career, not because of any religious feeling, but simply because he thinks it's the quickest way to get power and fortune. When he initiates his affair with Mme Renal, he is initially not really in love, but merely interested in getting the attention of a grand lady. When he seduces Mathilde, he also soon finds he has no real feelings for her. Though there are moments in the novel where Julien does show emotion, and he does discover his love for Mme Renal in the end, his main motives are mercenary. I found him an unpleasant and unlikable protagonist.
Aside from this though, I have to admit that it is an interesting story, and a great sketch of the time and lives of people living shortly after the defeat of Napoleon. Aside from the story of Julien Stendhal adds a political and social background which gives an insight into the situation in those days.
In many ways it is not a bad novel. The setting is great and historically very interesting, Stendhal's style of writing is nice, the descriptions are often beautiful and the characters are vivid and well-rounded. Yet, for me, the lack of likable characters and often negative, cynical views made it not a very pleasant read.

Well done for reaching your goal!

Great reviews of books I have also enjoyed and/or struggled with. I read the Kahneman last year and found it engrossing; I am almost afraid to re-read Vilette, as the first read of it was so wonderful that I am afraid to burst that bubble. As to Le Rouge et le Noire, something I read in my late teens, so now 4 decades ago, I've always hoped I would come back to and find the redeemable bits. I still have that hope.

>57 Britt84: Bronte is one of my favorite authors and this book is on my TBR pile--I'm glad to see that you enjoyed it. I have a gothic book group here: http://www.librarything.com/groups/gothicnovels if you would like to join. No obligations, just WHENEVER you read a gothic novel, just pop in, list it and tell us other gothic readers how you liked or disliked it. And congrats on reaching your goal!

I'm a fan of the various Brontes, too although I haven't read them in years. But oh, did Jane Eyre tickle my younger self. I do plan to reread that one.

>61 auntmarge64: My fav Bronte is Wuthering Heights, by far.

Good job!

Woo hoo congrats on meeting your goal!