No Moon was another book acquired through Early Reviewers. Though it is a story for young adults, I found myself drawn in to the narrative and wound up finishing it in one afternoon. (Mind you, this says as much about my reading speed as it does about the lure of the story. I would have to say it was an equal balance of the two.)
The first chapter features a rather whirlwind approach; a representation in the prose of the confusion of childhood. As the protagonist ages and develops, there is a growth of understanding and clarity reflected in the prose. Such reflection is not often developed by writers, and I appreciated it very much.
The plot-line was engaging – it developed the main character, gave her a story, and was not a typical “Titanic” book. I was drawn in and genuinely cared about the fate of Louisa. In fact, though the voyage and sinking was the climax of the story, it felt rather personal to Louisa, rather than an event outside of her, and part of History – deliberate capital.
Some of the subjects touched upon were very emotional ones, not typically something one would see in literature for younger readers, but they were presented in a sensitive and realistic manner. Louisa faces a number of tragedies in her life, but her story is not, looking at the overarching theme, a sad one. It felt like a representation of what life can throw at us, both good and bad, and how we face them.
The other characters were a little predictable and set in their roles, but not at all in an offensive or distracting way. In light of the intended audience and length of book, I feel that the level of depth was perfectly suitable. They were colourful enough that there was some variety, but did not delve so deep that they were distracting. They were as fleshed out as they needed to be without crowding a relatively short book.
Overall, I have to say that I enjoyed this book a great deal. I’ve always been fascinated by the Titanic, and would probably have loved this story when I was younger.

(As usual, nitpicking and miscellaneous mutterings: I spotted a typo on page 17, and another later on, though by then I was too involved in the reading to stop and note which page it was on. Additionally, and this is a bit of a spoiler, I wound up doing a bit of research into the fate of the pregnant cat. Possibly just a wishful rumour, but apparently Jim Mulholland was a stoker who saw the cat carrying her four kittens off the ship before they set said across the ocean. He mentioned this later to a reporter as it was the reason why he decided to actually not sail himself. Though I haven’t verified this at all, other than some web searching, for the sake of my peace, I’m going to assume that that small family made it out alright, at least.)

Filed under: Books, Review by Lensblot
No Comments »

I first encountered Little Big Man during my first year as an undergrad student. It was used as an excellent example of an unreliable narrator. The first hint of this coming when the main character claims to be 111 years old in the framing narrative. This narrative is penned by a “Man of Letters” and is a small masterpiece in itself; inciting cocked eyebrows and small smirks. My memories of the first time that I read this book were hazy but positive – a vaguely sad but exciting travelogue – and I decided to revisit them when I wound up sick in bed a while ago.
I can’t say I have much to compare to: this is definitely not the type of book I typically read. Here the plot progresses much more from the various actions external to the main character, rather than the internal musings of various characters aligning their emotional states in whatever means. Jack Crabb, or Little Big Man, propels the book forward as he undergoes his various adventures. He tells us what is happening in the first person, always with an air of utter honesty, even as the coincidences and sheer implausibility of events mount against him. As one of the closing statements in the framing narrative says “It is of course unlikely that one man would have experienced even a third of Mr. Crabb’s claim. Half? Incredible! All? A mythological!But you will find, as I did, that if any one part is accepted as truth, then what precedes and follows has as great a lien on our credulity.” (Berger 440) The play with truth and reliability constitutes a great deal of the novel, but that what pulled me back was, ultimately, the story.
In a word, it is epic. Crabb travels not only over land, but through time, giving the reader insight into a myriad means of accessing history. He lives with the Cheyenne, marches with Custer, fights against him, hunts buffalo, pans for gold, and a participates in a slew of other lifestyles that I’m not going to recount. This may not be in the vein of the other books I read, but it is entertaining, and provides insight into a point of view I would normally not venture toward. The presentation is so much like a story – a real story you would tell, from event to event – and given in such an honest and personal way, that I can’t help but be caught up and be charmed by Crabb’s exploits.

Filed under: Books, Review by Lensblot
No Comments »

I’m a member of LibraryThing Early Reviewers and have been lucky enough to get my bookwormey and bibliophileish hands on two books so far. I thought I’d post my reviews here, too. This one is pretty short and to the point, owing to the rush of classes.

Poetic Lives: Coleridge by Daniel Hahn
I found this book to provide a good general overview of Coleridge’s life. It does not delve deeply into the influences in his life; rather, it tells the reader what events he was undergoing, and through this provides a context for his poetry.
It’s a short read, the writing isn’t anything extraordinary (as Luxx said, it is terse and distant), but I feel that it does it’s job well. It’s a good introduction to the poet, and will give reader a bit of insight into what he was doing when he wrote some of his works. I like the fact that the poetry is included in the volume (even if some of it is abridged), because it makes for a quick reference.
Definitely not a book for an advanced scholar of Coleridge or for someone looking for his artistic motivations, but good as a sketch of his life for someone not familiar with it. The inclusion of a page at the end with suggested further readings is a thoughtful detail.
Poetic Lives: Coleridge on LibraryThing

Filed under: Books, Review by Lensblot
2 Comments »