This is my first foray into the writings of Freida McFadden. It’s hard to describe but I really didn’t care for her writing, but I also couldn’t put the book down.
I cannot overstate how surprised I was by this book. I was expecting historical fiction. What I got was horror. Historical horror… Whatever the genre, Toni Morrison is true to form here and pulls no punches.
Want to hear my thoughts on this book? Listen to Literary Treks episode 385.
King Henry VI, Part 2, was a bit easier to follow than its predecessor. It was weird that there was no mention of Talbot or Joan of Arc since they featured so prominently before. But I guess we’re into a new story here.
You can usually tell how a book is going to read if it won the Pulitzer as this one did. Basically, it’s going to be heavy and probably a little tough to get through. This book is no different. It is clear that Colson Whitehead was blessed with the gift of writing. But sometimes I don’t want a lot of flowery language or metaphor slowing me down.
Historical fiction is great and all, but when you add a real-life family story into the mix, the emotions can really come alive. This is a fictionalized account of a real family’s struggle for survival during the Holocaust.
This book was mentioned numerous times in Stephen King’s memoir, On Writing. I think I’d heard of it before, but throughout school I had always been required to use other sources. And when I was browsing the Writing section of a Maui Friends of the Library location and happened across this little gem, I had to pick it up.
I am not a parent of humans. And since there were no animals harmed in the writing of this novel, I feel compelled to point out that my review may seem a little… um… harsh. So just bear that in mind as you read on.
The start of a big Star Trek crossover series of novels always has a big lift. In this case, the author has to take a concept created by two other people, create an original Star Trek story, end on a big cliffhanger, and set the stage for six additional original novels (plus a short story collection). This book does some of it well and other parts… just okay.
The second book by Michael Crichton, but twelfth overall when considering his publications under pseudonyms, didn’t exactly age well. Published in 1972, some of the things mentioned wouldn’t pass an editor’s review today. But does the actual story pass muster?