books i’ve read in the last few weeks:
Out — by Natsuo Kirino. i read this book first in about ’05/’06 and was absolutely floored. it is so intense a novel: stark, dense, captivating. completely unexpected and delightful. i like how kirino does not fall into the general author trap of male authors making male characters so fabulous and exceptional and female authors making their female characters so fabulous and exceptional. because it is trite and unreal, but in this book the characters are all painted in the harsh light of reality and it feels very true-to-life. also, no one is spared from this close scrutiny. very fast read, though…i wish the book didn’t actually have to end. and i can’t wait to get my hands on more of her translated works.
The Ruins — by Scott Smith. jeanne lent this to me, and it actually is a very fast-paced read. there’s a bit of horror/suspense element to it but really it’s just an engaging account of struggle in hopeless circumstances. just watching people completely fall apart because of their circumstances…not bad. none of the characters are particularly likable, but they are quite plainly human.
Night Watch — by Sergei Lukyanenko. the boy introduced me to the nightwatch/daywatch movies, which were spectacular but not at all in any way a true representation of the world of the watches. the first book is fast-paced, humorous and intriguing. lukyanenko makes contemporary russia actually quite interesting, which is somewhat unexpected. the characters are flawed and endearing and the line between good and evil is quite frequently blurred. really, it was an awesome book. i’m most certainly going to be re-reading it sometime.
Day Watch — by Sergei Lukyanenko. day watch is absolutely nothing like the movie. in fact, i can’t remember any part of day watch that actually makes it into the film. not to say that the film isn’t great, because it is, but the book is so much more. you delve further into the world of the watches and really flesh out the characters in this one. also, it honestly is a continuation of night watch. every action taken in the first book and in day watch has a consequence, and sometimes not always the one you would expect. i devoured this book, yet tried really hard to draw it out because again, did not want it to end.
Twilight Watch — by Sergei Lukyanenko. which brings me to twilight watch, which i just started on wednesday and am already 1/3 or 1/4 of the way through. i really like the new direction things are taking in the watch worlds. anton has really started to grow on me, actually since night watch he has, and every little bit extra that is revealed
book i ABSOLUTELY MUST READ as soon as possible:
Such A Pretty Fat — by Jen Lancaster. this book came out LAST MONTH and i still haven’t got my grubby little hands on it! wtf is that all about?! everything the divine mrs. lancaster writes is pure gold, and yet contemporary book stores with the shit i ACTUALLY WANT are woefully not anywhere convenient to me. stupid fucking boston. also, i was in 3 separate airports last week and none of the stands had it! w.t.f.
Final Watch — by Sergei Lukyanenko. i am literally going to be counting down the minutes till this book is available in the US. right now it’s slated for july 2008, but you know how these things go…nothing is ever concrete when you’re waiting for something you desperately want.
