Book Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Photo taken from Goodreads

Book Info

Title:  The Art of Racing in the Rain

Author:  Garth Stein
Publisher:  Harper Paperbacks 

Language: English

Format: Hardcover

Pages:  336 pages

ISBN - 10:  0061537969

ISBN - 13:  978-0061537967

Source:  Purchased, National Book Store

Buy this book on Amazon 

Summary

From Goodreads: 

"Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.

Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life's ordeals.

On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side. Having learned what it takes to be a compassionate and successful person, the wise canine can barely wait until his next lifetime, when he is sure he will return as a man.

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it."

Review

There's a new philosopher on the block, and he's got  four legs.  Meet Enzo, a lab terrier mix who considers himself a dog with a human soul.  An avid car racing fan who gains his education through his race car driver master, as well as through watching television, he believes in the Mongolian belief that once a dog serves his lifetime as a dog, he will be reincarnated as a man - which he learned from the National Geographic Channel and therefore must be true.  The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein gives us this lovable four-legged wonder who could probably give Deepak Chopra a run for his money.

Born in a farm and taken as a puppy to live with race car driver Denny Swift, Enzo is fond of relating the intricacies of car racing to dealing with everyday life.  It is a cliche, yes:  relating the art and science of complicated race car driving techniques to daily living is a common - if not pedestrian - premise, but use a dog as a narrator, as its prime preacher, a dog who could not speak, could not move his paws as human hands could due to lack of thumbs, then you have a pretty interesting inspirational fiction that will surely be appealing to readers of all ages.

If you are wondering about what your dog is thinking, then wonder no more and just read this book.  His obsession with opposable thumbs, his frustration due to his inability to speak, and his shame at being 'such a dog' was such a joy to read about, and his natural sense of humor will have you smiling as you turn the pages of this dog's story - which is not his story at all, not really, but the story of his brilliant master's life as only a dog can tell it.

The voice is sound and distinct, although the narration had something to answer for, because no matter how many times I go back and forth, I could not reconcile the parallelism of the first chapter to the last - yes the plot is still the same but the circumstances did not seem to align.  But maybe that's just me.  Otherwise, the hardships, triumphs and the life lessons from a dog culled from his knowledge of car racing will have you admiring the style of writing and the versatility of Mr. Stein to be able to write such a believable character.  The really rough patch that Enzo's master encounters in his life is a bit too tiring, dragging, and unrealistic, but the reader will get the point that as this is an inspirational book at its core, he/she must be able to always expect the worst in order to understand the teachings that this philosopher cum car racing buff dog imparts to this book's audience.

Makes me want to get a new dog more.  And of course, to read other books by Garth Stein.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way. 

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.  

Book Review: The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve

Photo taken from Goodreads

 Book Info

Title:  The Pilot's Wife 

Author:  Anita Shreve
Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company
Language: English

Format:  Mass Market Paperback 

Pages:  320 pages

ISBN-10:  0316788228

ISBN-13:  978-0316788229

Source:  Gift

Buy this book on Amazon

Summary

From Goodreads:

"With five novels to her credit, including the acclaimed The Weight of Water, Anita Shreve now offers a skillfully crafted exploration of the long reach of tragedy in The Pilot's Wife. News of Jack Lyons's fatal crash sends his wife into shock and emotional numbness: "Kathryn wished she could manage a coma. Instead, it seemed that quite the opposite had happened: She felt herself to be inside of a private weather system, one in which she was continuously tossed and buffeted by bits of news and information, sometimes chilled by thoughts of what lay immediately ahead, thawed by the kindness of others ... frequently drenched by memories that seemed to have no regard for circumstance or place, and then subjected to the nearly intolerable heat of reporters, photographers and curious on-lookers. It was a weather system with no logic, she had decided, no pattern, no progression, no form." The situation becomes even more dire when the plane's black box is recovered, pinning responsibility for the crash on Jack. In an attempt to clear his name, Kathryn searches for any and all clues to the hours before the flight. Yet each discovery forces her to realize that she didn't know her husband of 16 years at all. Shreve's complex and highly convincing treatment of Kathryn's dilemma, coupled with intriguing minor characters and an expertly paced plot, makes The Pilot's Wife really take off."

Review

Many married couples would probably say that they know everything there is to know about their spouse - the way an arched brow might be a sign of disapproval, a tick in the cheek a sign of irritation.  But how well do we really know the person we love?  This is the challenge served to the readers in this emotion-packed novel by Anita Shreve.

Kathryn was content - content with her married life with Jack, content with her only daughter Mattie, content with their home in Fortune's Rock and the life she and her family had built there.  But when a man appears on her doorstep to inform her of her husband's death, the carefully-spun life of contentment unravels and she is left with a long thread of doubts, mysteries, and grief.  Reading through this book, one question nagged at my mind:  How do you deal with the truth behind one's person?

This book was so full of deep sorrow that I would almost advise those who are easily depressed to steer clear of this book, but to do so would mean never having the chance to experience the beauty of this poignant novel.  Alternating chapters of Kathryn and her daughter's dealing with their loss with that of Kathryn's life with Jack presented a clear view of the inner struggles that occur in marriages:  the complacency, the insecurity - the faith.  I first thought that this was a book that had some deadly mystery in it surrounding Jack's death, but when I saw those alternating chapters, I suddenly had this feeling that this book is leading me somewhere else.  Imagine my surprise with all the twists this book had taken - I wish I could tell you, but I could only warn you that it's not what you think!

The melancholic, lyrical, and profound writing suited this novel well.  The narration's voice was filled with this deep sense of dread, urgency, and emotion that would surely urge the reader on, letting him/her experience the same surge of feelings that the characters felt as if living within the book itself.  The characters themselves were very interesting, in that they all had something to offer - a story of their own.  I look at Mattie and I see a young woman tormented by the death of her father and she could have her own book in which she could be shown dealing with her loss.  I see Julia - that's Kathryn's grandmother - and I could almost read a whole prequel to this book of her life with a younger Kathryn, with her children, and how she coped with her own losses and struggles and how she enjoyed her triumphs.  I then turn to Robert Hart and I immediately have a sense of his life with his ex-wife, his views of his strange job and his complex personality.  At its heart, this book is Kathryn's story, but the other characters are very well-drawn and lifelike that their own stories emerge through the pages without really meaning to.

But although this is Kathryn's story, this is also a story of understanding that things are not what they seem, that truth itself is relative.  The truth for one person may be only half-true for another, it only depends on how much either of them knows.  That even the person you were most intimate with could be keeping secrets that are beyond your wildest imaginings.  That the world is only real so long as you believe in it.

This may be more of a dramatic fiction, but it probably serves up one of the best mystery plots ever written.  And I do believe having you told you that, you do not need any more convincing to read this book.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice 

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way. 

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.  

Book Review: Still Alice By Lisa Genova

Photo taken from Goodreads

 Book Info

Title:  Still Alice 
Author:  Lisa Genova

Publisher:  Pocket Books

Language: English

Format:  Paperback 

Pages:  337 pages

ISBN-10:  1439170045

ISBN-13:  978-1439170045

Source:  Purchased, National Bookstore

Buy this book on Amazon 

 

Summary

From Goodreads: 

"Alice Howland is proud of the life she worked so hard to build. At fifty years old, she's a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard and a world-renowned expert in linguistics with a successful husband and three grown children. When she becomes increasingly disoriented and forgetful, a tragic diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease changes her life.

As the inevitable descent into dementia strips away her sense of self, fiercely independent Alice struggles to live in the moment. While she once placed her worth and identity in her celebrated and respected academic life, now she must reevaluate her relationship with her husband, a respected scientist; her expectations of her children; and her ideas about herself and her place in the world.

At once beautiful and terrifying, Still Alice is a moving and vivid depiction of life with early-onset Alzheimer's disease that is as compelling as A Beautiful Mind and as unforgettable as Ordinary People."

Review

I have been eyeing this book for the longest time!  When I read about this, I searched every bookstore I could visit but could not find a single copy.  I thought of getting a copy online but I was too cautious about spending on books with my credit card because I might end up with an exorbitant book debt.  So this has been on my wish list for the longest time, until I came to this bookstore in a place I don't usually go to, and there I saw it, a copy of this book and it was all I could do to keep from jumping for joy, I was so excited!

On to the review.  Because of what I have been reading about this, I had very high expectations for this book, and I am very glad that it did not disappoint.  This book was about Alice who had Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease and how she lived out the remaining lucid days she had.  Genova had utilized her neuroscientist background to paint a very scientific yet emotional picture of Alice Howland and how her life plays out when she discovered that she had the disease.  For a renowned Harvard professor, noted for the sharpness of her brain, her intelligence, and her success as an educator, this was such a big blow and it translated well on the pages.  The occasional mention of events that were inconsistent with what actually happened even solidified the evidence of Alice's mental decline.  The book was narrated by third person but mostly seen through Alice's eyes, which provided the readers with an all-encompassing view of what was happening to Alice as if they were experiencing it themselves.  

Dialogue between the characters were used economically and sparingly, but every bit significant in contributing to a more potent painting of the situation with Alice.  Her family, her colleagues, her whole social circle were portrayed as that of real people who have an Alzheimer's patient in their midst.  Intelligently-written but very simple conversations would evoke empathy on every reader, especially for Alice's children.  Alice's husband alternated between denial and acceptance throughout the story and although it sometimes showed him as unfeeling and brutal, you could still sympathize with him as a very aggrieved husband.  As for Alice's children, their fears and dreams were given ample attention but not too much that they overshadowed their mother's story.  Even their occasional bickering was a bit humorous to read about as it was effectively written to sound as if real adults were speaking, and in a real world.

I liked how the author wrote this story with a very strong and successful woman as a subject.  It helped quell some myths about Alzheimer's, especially those about the susceptibility to this disease.  It showed how this illness does not just affect older people, but may also attack the brains of young, active individuals.  It also taught readers a lesson not to base your self-worth on your career.  Alice Howland was a successful Harvard professor, therefore, she was a successful human being.  But when Alzheimer's struck, she herself doubted her own abilities and her self-esteem dropped.  Eventually she found herself appreciating the simple things in life, like eating ice cream while walking in the streets on a sunny day. 

Although this book would ultimately sound a bit sad as we know that there are still no happy endings when it came to Alzheimer's, the tone of this book was actually very hopeful and happy as it narrated to us the story of Alice as she struggled with her disease and learned to live for the present and be proud of what she was and happy for what she still had.

A day after finishing this book, I visited this bookstore that I usually go to, and there on the shelves were two copies of this book. 

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice 

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way. 

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions. 

Book Review: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Photo taken from Goodreads

 Book Info

Title:  Wuthering Heights 
Author:  Emily Bronte

Publisher:  Penguin Classics, Deluxe Edition

Language: English

Format:  Paperback 

Pages:  352 pages

ISBN-10:  0143105434

ISBN-13:  978-0143105435

Source:  Purchased, Fully Booked

Buy this book on Amazon 
*Part of my Mini Reading Challenge* 

 

Summary

From Goodreads:  

"Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte's only novel, is one of the pinnacles of 19th-century English literature. It's the story of Heathcliff, an orphan who falls in love with a girl above his class, loses her, and devotes the rest of his life to wreaking revenge on her family."

Review

I admitted recently that I have never read this book ever.  And so, I am remedied that problem by getting a copy of this book, specifically this one with the cover design by Ruben Toledo - which I thought was pretty chic.  My mother, who is a big Bronte Sisters fan (but obviously not very much because she did not have her own copy of this one that I could have just borrowed), was so thrilled that I got a copy and read it before I did.  She told me that in her elementary days, they were made to write a book report on their favorite book, and this was the book she chose to write a report on.  Her teacher, upon learning that she chose Wuthering Heights, reacted odd and commented, "That is really what you want to read?  Do you really understand this story?"  My mother felt a bit strange that a teacher would ask that of her because she really loved this book and also told me that it might get tough to connect to this book at first, but once you understand what it's all about, it would blow your mind.

And it did.

Unfortunately, I could not just read this in one sitting - not the book's fault - but I often reluctantly put this down for when life happens.  When I finished reading this, I had a long chat with my mother about this book and she was glad that I liked it too.  She even asked me when I'll be writing a review.  I told her that actually, it felt disrespectful that I would attempt to review a classic, since in my opinion, next to the Bible, the classics are the most reverent books ever written.  But she said that I should write a review, do an article where a modern eye critiques a classic book, and try to convince people to read this and not be daunted by its supposedly 'queer' story.

The Bronte Sisters were a group of people who were never allowed to make free with their lives as we are now.  They could not just get out of the house and do whatever they wanted, and so, they poured their boredom into writing.  One thing that would stand out to me about Emily in this book:  She was a very observant person.  And now I understand where 'Emily The Strange' came from.  Why?  Not because Heathcliff and Catherine were monsters, but because this story is such a powerful love story that proves love conquers all - even transcending the mind and only listens to the heart. 

I do not know if I got it right, but I thought that a love story between two obviously insane people - one out of the abuse he received from childhood, one inheriting a familial flaw - is not just humorous, but also very touching and compelling. Another thing adding to the humor was the fact that it was told through Nelly Dean's and Mr. Lockwood's eyes, two people who were very outside what was really happening between the key characters of the story, especially Mr. Lockwood who I think is a good description of a reader who had just begun reading this book and felt lost.  Mr. Lockwood was very much the clueless tenant which somehow reflects the reader in the first few pages of this book, until the story unfolds and clarity slowly creeps into the reader's mind - and then the similarity with Mr. Lockwood fades as the reader has acquired new knowledge about the story, yet Mr. Lockwood remains ever the confused gentleman.

Either this is the most confusing story ever written, or one of the best love stories of our time, but I have to hand it to Ms. Bronte - she knew how to create alive and vivid characters.  They all jumped out of the book and seemed to live in the real world for all their strangeness and individuality.  Their voices were very distinct and different.  You never confuse any of the characters, not even Catherine and her daughter, Catherine II.  Even the narrators, Mr. Lockwood and Nelly Dean had their own nuances in their narration that you knew exactly who was talking and their attitudes also made it easier for the reader to realize whether the narrator saw it accurately or was too forgiving/undiscerning as in the case of Nelly Dean.

I sometimes wonder whether Ms. Bronte realized what a powerful book she had written, seeing as it was the only novel she completed and her only main audience were her two sisters Anne and Charlotte.  She has written great characters studies, and not only were the main characters given unique personalities, but the minor ones as well.  Her strict attention to detail from the characters to the setting to the writing itself was remarkable and interesting.  This is not just a romantic novel - it is also an intelligent manifesto on then society's stratified status and she also poked fun on both the educated and uneducated people, always giving a touch of humor to every chapter.  This the kind of book that makes you want to just write a letter to its author, or as Holden Caulfield said in The Catcher In the Rye:  "What I really love about a song, or a book ...if it's really good. I mean if the writer is really talking to you. Then you feel like they're this really great friend of yours and you can just call them up on the phone whenever you want."  That is exactly how I feel about this.  If Ms. Bronte were alive, I would definitely write her a letter to tell her what a great novel she has written.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice 

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way. 

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions. 

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Photo taken from Barnes & Noble

Book Info

Title:  If I Stay

Author:  Gayle Forman 

Publisher:  Speak

Language: English

Format:  Paperback

Pages:  272 pages

ISBN-10:  014241543X

ISBN-13:  978-0142415436

Source:  Purchased, Powerbooks

Buy this book on Amazon

Summary

From Barnes & Noble:

"A critically acclaimed novel that will change the way you look at life, love, and family.  In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen­year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, Mia's story will stay with you for a long, long time."

Review

Dear Ms. Forman, 

I read and finished your book in just one sitting, and if that's not enough of a confirmation that you have written a really good book, I don't know what else would convince you that I really enjoyed the story.  It was compelling, touching, and exciting.  It was sad most times, but even then, the story never felt dull or lacking.

I was pulled inside Mia's world and watched as she fought with herself to choose.  Mia was wrong when she said she was alone.  I and other readers were there with her, watching her come to terms with what had happened to her and her family.  The readers were given a good grasp of what kind of person Mia was. I like how you incorporated those flashbacks about Mia's family as she struggled to make a decision on whether to live or die.  Some have commented on the fact that Mia seemed to be more focused on her boyfriend Adam and best friend Kim more than the death of her family.  I disagree.  The fact that most of the stories revolved around her family - her mother's rebel personality, her father's transformation from punk dad to role model dad, her brother's boundless energy, and especially the life of music that they shared - showed how much she cared.  But like most people who lose very important people in their lives, they at first could not quite comprehend their lost, are still in denial with what happened to them, that they could not immediately face the fact that they are now alone.  They appear all right, but everything about them betrays their real feelings.  The memories that Mia recounted while deciding betrayed her loss, betrayed her grief, betrayed her true feelings.

The characters were very unique and very human.  The parents were a bit sketchy - I admit I was a bit skeptic about them not minding that their daughter and her boyfriend are locked up in the bedroom.  I'd have thought that no matter the time nor age, parents are parents and they would rather die than know their young child is engaging in sexual activities in their house.  Their loose and permissive attitude towards their children is a bit too 'utopian' for teenagers.  But maybe I was just seeing it that way because it was Mia talking, and she could only observe what her parents may be outwardly expressing, but who knows?  You would know, I guess.  But it could be that they might be really very worried and concerned about her but just thought that the best way for her to learn was through experience.  Other than that, the characters were very 'there' and alive.  

As for the writing, I enjoyed the humor that you combined into Mia's voice.  The lyrical quality of her narration were both subjective and objective at the same time which was actually one of the reasons I could not put down this book.  The flashbacks alternated with the present time but it still provided a seamless account of what Mia was going through.  I never felt a touch of confusion while reading, because I knew that each recollection of a past memory was related to what was currently happening to her.  Everything was related, and I guess Mia was that kind of person who had an easier time of expressing herself through telling a story about herself wherein she felt the same way.  The stories emphasized on her thoughts and her fears and grief, that even though she was not openly grieving about her loss, her stories showed how much she was ravaged by sorrow over the death of her family.  The ending was exquisite and very simple it bowled me over.

I really look forward to reading more of your writings, and I would especially watch out for the second book you have written about Mia and Adam, and I am sure that like this book, I would be again be captivated by your heartfelt writing.

                                                                                                                        Sincerely,

                                                                                                                           Nina 

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way.

 

Back In The Game by Holly Chamberlin

Photo taken from Goodreads

Book Info

Title:  Back In The Game

Author:  Holly Chamberlin

Publisher:  Kensington

Language: English

Format:  Paperback

Pages:  352 pages

ISBN-10:  0758216521

ISBN-13:  978-0758216526

Source:  Purchased, Booksale

Buy this book on Amazon 

Summary

From Amazon

"Nobody said life was fair. That love was forever. Or that getting back in the game would be easy. Then again, nobody said they had to play by the rules, either...Jess Marlowe doesn't know why she suddenly stopped loving her husband, Matt. According to her mum, it's because of Jess' inability to stick with anything, from ballet in the third grade to Bart, the "nice young man" she dated in college. Trust her mom to forget that Jess was bullied at ballet and that Bart could have earned a degree in crazy. So now Jess' marriage is over, but it feels like life is just beginning, if she can navigate this terrifying, thrilling, newly single existence that includes dates with S&M-addicted colleagues, a divorce "support" group that offers anything but, and a whole new way of thinking about love, lust, and everything in between. And the greatest surprise of all comes in discovering what she really wants from a future that's wide open - and utterly unpredictable..."

Review

On some levels, this could double as a novel and a self-help book. It was like a long essay about putting your life back on track after divorce, but written very creatively to read like a story as well.

As I have never been divorced nor married before, those areas are really very  foreign to me.  Of course I witness how my parents' marriage went, as well as those of my other relatives but I really don't have a firsthand account of what happens between man and wife.  Coming from a predominantly Christian country where divorce is illegal and frowned upon, I admit that the mention of it at times make me uncomfortable but not because my mind is closed to that idea, but because I think that it's a very sensitive topic to talk about.  Which is not to say that marital breakups do not occur - I myself have an aunt and uncle who separated 10 years after their marriage because the husband had an affair.  But I digress...

I liked the concept of this book.  I thought it was supposed to be just about Jess and picking up the pieces of her life after her divorce - it turns out it's about four divorced friends:  Jess and her supposed 'inability to stick with anything' according to her mother; Nell who found out her husband of 20 years had been having an affair - with a man; Laura who wanted to find a man who's willing to give her a baby; and Grace who left her artist husband after he had an affair but continued to be at his beck and call financially and emotionally.  I was excited to read about the lives of these four women and how they would deal.  I also felt that this would be sort of a 'pro-women' novel.

Unfortunately for me, things did not play out as I thought they would.  I barely read much about Jess considering that she's the one featured on the book's blurb you'd think that she would be the main focus.  Her story seemed uninspired and incomplete, as if the author suddenly ran out of ideas for executing a good plot for Jess.  She did learn a lot throughout the book and was able to get past her confusion and guilt after her divorce but it would have been better if her 'inability to stick with anything' had been explored more and her relationship with her mother given a better resolution.  Her mother sounded too much like a villain, too unsupportive and dismissive of her daughter's efforts to have a better perspective of her life.  I cannot imagine having a mother like this but what do I know?  Maybe there indeed exists a woman like that.  Reading the whole book, I think the one who had it best was Grace, her story was very well-played out and hers was actually the one that had the most action, the most significant changes.  Grace could have a novel of her own, come to that.  Nell sounded too one-dimensional and her side of the book fell a bit too flat and unrealistic.  Laura's on the other hand, sounded the most outrageous although it was all balanced in the end.  I somehow doubt the authenticity of her character but who am I to say such things?  Laura was very impractical, impulsive, judgmental and self-righteous to the point of forcing the reader to question how the other women could stand being her friend.  Although her character seemed to be the source for comic relief and the one who says things other characters won't be caught dead saying, it just seems unrealistic.  However, the treatment of her character was very effective - not just once did I find myself shaking my head in disbelief at the things she said and did.  It was like Laura's character was created so that we could have a literary 'punching bag' while reading this book.

When I previously mentioned this book sounding like a long essay, I was not kidding.  The book was mostly dialogue about divorce, forgiving yourself, forgiving your partner, opening up to new possibilities, etc.  I sometimes wondered if this book was misplaced at the bookstore - instead of being placed at Self-Help it was mistakenly piled up at Fiction.  I don't mind reading about those things this book talked about, but I think it would have been better if those lessons that the author wanted the readers to learn were not just presented through character conversations but were used to play up the story.  Instead of preaching, practice; instead of speaking, storytelling.  

I really wanted to like this book and I thought this was going to be one of those that I could share with my mother - we love sharing books and talking about it afterward - but I don't think this is ever going to make it to my mother's reading list.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here. 

Notice

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced by any party in any way.

 

Me, Dead Dad & Alcatraz by Chris Lynch

Photo taken from Goodreads

Book Info

Title:  Me, Dead Dad & Alcatraz

Author:  Chris Lynch

Publisher:  HarperCollins

Language: English

Format:  Hardcover

Pages:  240 pages

ISBN-10:  0060597097

ISBN-13:  978-0060597092

Source:  Purchased, Booksale

Buy this book on Amazon 
 

Summary

From Goodreads

"Elvin Bishop's uncle is a lot like Elvin's father. They're both dead, for instance. But Elvin's cool with that; it's the way it's been for as long as he can remember.

Then one day it turns out that Uncle Alex isn't exactly dead. He is, instead, sitting on the couch, chewing a scone, and preparing to make up for lost time by fixing his sad-sack nephew before it's too late. Not long out of prison and perhaps not long for this world, Alex embarks on a crash course of tough love designed to turn Elvin into a real Bishop man.

Despite his mighty powers of resistance and denial, Elvin is dragged on an odyssey that introduces him to glam tuba, hellfire-hot food, and the horrors of gym membership. Along the way he finds things he never wanted to look for -- lost relatives, history, roots, regrets, and his own wobbly brand of strength."

Review 

A fellow blogger told me that she had been unimpressed with Lynch's latest works, but heard great things about this author for his earlier books.  This book I got from the secondhand bookshop in the mall nearby, and I did not read the first pages initially, I just based on the synopsis which was pretty interesting.  

I should not have skipped on reading a few pages first.

I'm not saying that I shouldn't have picked this up, it's just that had I read a few pages at first, I wouldn't have placed too high an expectation on this book just because the synopsis sounded totally intriguing.  I say this because when I began reading, I got bored and irritated by the first chapters.  Elvin as a narrator was like reading through a biased account of events.  He was very self-centered, weak, and a sense of humor that was meant to be self-deprecating but came off as more 'inversely-conceited'.  I could not sympathize with him, could not appreciate his humor, could not laugh at his jokes.  Even his sarcasm - and I love me a dose of sarcasm - was a bit forced.  While reading, I tried to learn some more about this book online and found that this was the third book in a series, the first books including Slot Machine and Extreme Elvin.  This surprised me, because if this was the third (last?) book, some semblance of character improvement would have happened already, right?  But Elvin seemed averse to change, in  fact, he admitted it himself and that's one of the major themes in this third book.  That Elvin was a fourteen-year-old boy who could not easily adapt to change but sometimes makes very adult - if warped - observations of what's happening to him I think is a bit inconsistent, and that's another flaw I found in Elvin's character.  

And another thing, my imagination was sort of restrained because this book was written without actually presenting a vivid setting of the story.  We just know that this happens in a town with a Thai Restaurant, a gym, a barber shop owned by a psychedelic barber named Nardo, another barber shop by an old barber named Sal, a school, a church, and not much else.  I was even confused as to whether Elvin was in the UK or US, but I later assumed he's in US because he mentioned United States Penitentiary and the Wild West.  This is not the first time I ever encountered the 'white room syndrome,' where the setting is not described and readers have no idea where the characters are, but in other books, that has not limited my imagination, and was still able to picture them in a particular place doing what they're doing in the book.  In this story, though, it bugged me a bit.

On to the better parts, this book found redemption in the middle to the last chapters.  Elvin's subtle maturity development - or his knack for rolling with the punches - helped him cope with his uncle's presence, and in the end, not only did his uncle found acceptance from one family he wronged, he was able to understand the Bishop way of things:  he understood the father he lost, he understood his bloodline, which was like a mystical thing to him before his uncle came into the picture.  He understood the concept of family, of being a part of a family.  

Despite what I mentioned in the first few paragraphs, I enjoyed this book once I got past the boring and irritating parts.  This book had too much dialogue, but I think that's because the story happens more within Elvin's mind as he struggled to grasp the changes that went with the reappearance of his uncle, so that's forgivable.  Apart from the sometimes 'unfunny-funny' Elvin, the other characters were very 'out there' and real.  I genuinely loved Uncle Alex, and would find myself shaking my head or grinning over Elvin's mom's actions which sort of remind me of my own mother.  However, because I was really rooting for Uncle Alex, I was kind of disappointed with the ending, although it was very comical, the way the story finished.

Overall, the book was fine and I am glad I was able to read this.  It was a bit disappointing that the book would come revving up on the middle to the last parts, I mean, why can't that happen after the first few chapters right?  But hopefully other readers would find it more amusing and interesting than I did, especially the younger readers to whom this book is directed at. 

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here. 

Notice

All opinions expressed in this book review are my own and not influenced in any way. 


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Like this new format?  This will be the new format for my book reviews from now on.  I hope you'd like this better than the previous formats.  Don't hesitate to leave a comment if you have questions or anything :D