Play It as It Lays by Joan Didion

Play It as It Lays (1970) is one of Joan Didion's best known novels and included in Time Magazine's "100 Best English Language Novels from 1923 to 2005." 

Maria (Mar-eye-a) Wyeth is a 30 year old model and actress living in California. She is divorced from a film producer and has a daughter, Kate, who has been hospitalized for a long time for physical and mental issues. Maria spends her days basking in the ennui of the 1960s privileged Beverly Hills elites. She constantly cruises the highways in her car (without any destination) and has multiple relationships with abusive men. She eventually suffers a mental breakdown.

Maria is a complex character. She has no purpose in life. She is self-destructive, submitting to emotionally abusive men, not eating, doing nothing in hotel rooms for days on end, drinking and taking drugs in excess. Maria's life is hollow and lonely, but it's a life she has chosen. 

Didion's writing is chilling. She crafts each sentence honestly, realistically and hauntingly. Didion also includes many symbols and motifs in her writing. More descriptions of the Californian landscape would have enhanced the plot, but I'll play it as it lays.

Play It as It Lays is well written, and although it's not a pretty story, it's one you can't stop reading. For these reasons, Joan Didion's indictment of the 1960s West Coast elites gets five out of five stars. 

Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck

Sweet Thursday (1954) is John Steinbeck's sequel to 1945's Cannery Row (previously reviewed here).

Sweet Thursday tells what happens in Cannery Row after WWII: Doc returns from serving in the war; Fauna takes over Dora's Bear Flag Restaurant; Mack and the Boys still live in the Palace Flophouse; Lee Chong has left; and Suzy, a new character, moves in to the Row. Like Cannery Row, Sweet Thursday details the intersections of the lives of these and other characters. 

Because I throughly enjoyed Cannery Row, I had high hopes for Sweet Thursday. However, many of the elements that distinguished Cannery Row were not present here. These included the gorgeous descriptions of the coast and of the town itself. In Sweet Thursday, the evocative descriptions were fewer and less magical. Sweet Thursday's minor character plot lines were also less interesting and less developed than Cannery Row's.

I was happy that the plot still focused on Doc, because he is one of Steinbeck's most interesting characters. Doc remains honest, helpful, friendly, and, of course, likable in Sweet Thursday. I was disappointed, though, that Steinbeck left many loose ends in Doc's story. After I'm introduced to a great character,  I want to know what happens to them. 

With few exceptions (like Toy Story 2 and The Godfather Part II), the original is better than the sequel and that is also true with Cannery Row. I rate Sweet Thursday three out of five stars, because it lacks many of the elements that made Cannery Row so perfect. 

The Grand Babylon Hotel by Arnold Bennett

The Grand Babylon Hotel was originally published in 1902 as a serial in The Daily Mail in London. It has since been adapted into two films of the same name.

Theodore Racksole is a New York millionaire vacationing with his daughter, Nella, in London. The Racksoles are staying at the luxurious and famous Grand Babylon Hotel. After being unable to order dinner that wasn't on the menu, Theodore impulsively purchases the hotel from the owner. Once he takes over the hotel, though, Theodore discovers a nasty conspiracy against a guest implicating members of his staff. 

I throughly enjoyed the plot of this book: there were mysteries, cliffhangers, and intriguing characters. These elements kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. That being said, I was disappointed that most of the action took place outside of the hotel. I wanted to hear more about how a hotel in the early 1900s was run.

Some of my favorite parts were the descriptions of London, and in particular, the Thames. The descriptions weren't all that imaginative, but they were nonetheless cool to read. 

The writing was also not very imaginative. In fact, none of the writing was exceptional in quality or style. It's annoying that the writing wasn't better, because it would have complemented the great plot.

This book does have a few laughs, some swashbuckling moments, and loads of plot twists, but better writing would have made this a great book. Three out of five stars.

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

Published in 1973, Breakfast of Champions is Kurt Vonnegut’s seventh novel. The story was adapted into a 1999 film of the same name.

Kilgore Trout is an aging science fiction writer. Trout is invited by his only fan, Eliot Rosewater, to an arts festival in Midland City where Trout will read some of his stories. Dwayne Hoover is a lonely, mentally ill old man who owns a Pontiac dealership in Midland City. Trout and Hoover eventually cross paths, provoking Hoover’s illness to erupt in violence. Most of the action alternates between Trout’s journey to Midland City and Hoover’s further descent into insanity.

Vonnegut writes well. His use of technical terminology connects the reader with the topic. In addition, he uses humor to make the most boring things sound interesting. Breakfast is also peppered with whimsical drawings of everything from buttons to chickens. These little bonuses were unique and entertaining.

The satire in the book is well done; it’s funny, unique, thought provoking, and topical for the time (The Vietnam War). The plot itself was tedious and unamusing. I also didn’t like when Vonnegut inserted himself into the action in the final third of the story. I found that completely unnecessary and distracting from the two main characters. Throughout the book, Vonnegut jumps from one topic to the next, constantly ranting about the things Americans do. That’s okay, especially if it’s done cleverly, as it is here. However, I wish he had fully completed his thoughts before moving on to other rants.

Overall, I think Vonnegut’s satire on America is humorous and engaging, and I wish he were around to write one about America today. The lackluster plot and random, incomplete rants are not as praiseworthy. Two and a half out of five stars.

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck

Published in 1945, Cannery Row is about the characters and happenings in a section of the central Californian city of Monterey during the Depression. (The characters return in Sweet Thursday, written nine years later.) Driving through Cannery Row and visiting the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, CA, inspired me to read this book.

Doc, a local marine biologist, has always been nice to the people of Cannery Row without asking for anything in return. To thank him, Mack and “the boys” arrange a party at his house, but Doc never makes it. The party spins out of control, and the next morning Doc returns to a house turned upside down. Mack and the boys feel awful and vow to throw Doc another party for his birthday. This time, the party is a success.

Cannery Row has a simple plot and its characters don’t change much but these factors do not affect its ability to engage the reader. In fact, they enhance Steinbeck’s portrayal of the people of Cannery Row, who are essentially good despite being thrown with some of life’s toughest challenges. No one in the town is wealthy, yet everyone seems satisfied with what they have. Mack and the boys throw the party even though they cannot afford it. Even after the first party’s failure, they don’t give up on the idea of rewarding their friend. Doc, to be generous, will buy a frog from anyone for a nickel. Doc also takes in a mentally challenged boy, Frankie, and is always patient with him, even though the boy constantly makes mistakes. Almost everyone in Cannery Row owes money to Lee Chong, the owner of the local grocery. Lee never asks to be repaid. Despite economic hardships, Dora, the owner of Cannery Row’s whorehouse, always gives generously to charity. Through his illustration of these characters, Steinbeck is saying that good people can be found in the most obscure and dirty places and in the most difficult of times.

The most interesting character in the story is Doc. Doc frequently goes down to the coast to collect specimens and works in his lab doing experiments. He lets anyone help who wants to. He helps everyone with anything and is always honest. He also does some surprising things. After a hitchhiker warns Doc about having a beer while driving, Doc punches him in the face. Doc also eventually allows Frankie to go to an institution. Doc made the right decision, however, I had expected Doc to adopt Frankie.

John Steinbeck is a wonderful writer. His introduction is evocative: “Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.” By the time you finish the story, you discover all of those qualities to be true. Steinbeck’s descriptions of the sea creatures Doc finds and of the California coast are beautiful. His writing is also humorous and entertaining.

I believe that Cannery Row has much to offer the reader; a laugh, a tear, heartbreak, and a promise. A very solid five out of five stars.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

When it was originally published in 1954, Lord of the Flies sold fewer than 3,000 copies in the United States. Today, it is required reading in many US high school and college English classes. 

The story centers on British schoolboys stranded on an island after their plane crashes. The boys are quick to realize that there are no adults and that they need to fend for themselves. Two leaders emerge: Ralph and Jack. Ralph's priority is keeping a fire lit in order to be spotted by a passing ship, while Jack is more focused on hunting pigs to obtain meat. Their different concerns cause a schism between them and, from that point on, they lose all interest in cooperating and havoc results. 

This novel asks the reader if humans, as portrayed by the children, are inherently good or evil. Golding wants us to believe the latter. He has created a story about innocent young boys who, when there are no rules, do unforgivable things to each other. I agree with Golding, because it's easier to do the wrong thing than the right thing. 

Golding peppers his novel with symbolism and detail. The symbols were enjoyable to spot and their meanings developed over time. The details which described the island gave the novel a more realistic character. 

My only negative criticism would be of the dull moments in the plot. In the middle of the book, there's a repeated cycle of back-and-forth conflict between Ralph and Jack. I found this boring.

Overall, I really enjoyed this work. It spelled out very well the theme of man's intrinsic evil and, for that, I give it four and a half out of five stars. 

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is perhaps F. Scott Fitzgerald's most famous short story. It was adapted into a 2008 film starring Brad Pitt.

Benjamin Button is born an old man in 1860 and ages in reverse from then on. Over time, Benjamin gets married, has a child, goes to college, and fights in a war -- while his mind slowly regresses. By the end of the book, he returns as a baby to the care of a nurse.

This book was rich for its length. In fifty-two pages, Fitzgerald portrays an impossible situation while making the themes of youth and age seem relatable. He uses a depressing tone to describe aging which is still relevant today.

Fitzgerald's writing is the perfect mix of being concise yet still infused with richness and meaning. This novella is short but enjoyable. Five out of five stars. 

I would like to wish all my readers from around the world happy holidays and a happy new year.

Orkney by Amy Sackville

Published in 2013, Orkney is Amy Sackville's second novel. Her first, The Still Point, won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize in 2014. 

Newlyweds Richard, a sixty-year old literature professor, and his wife (her name is never mentioned), his twenty-one-year old ex-student, venture to the Orkney Islands for their honeymoon. As the two weeks of their honeymoon pass, we discover just how little Richard really knows about his wife. 

Richard narrates the story in diary style (he starts each chapter with the day of the week). I liked this style because it established a genuine voice for Richard and it helped me get to know his character best.

The writing in this book is sublime. The descriptions of Orkney are beautiful and there is much imaginative imagery, symbolism, and figurative language. There is also a plethora of literary allusions shared by the couple. All of this made the book a rich and savory stew.

On the other hand, I found the book sometimes repetitive. Each night is the same: Richard's wife has a nightmare about the ocean and wakes him up. Each morning is the same: they wake up quietly and eat the wife's bad cooking. Each afternoon is the same: Richard's wife goes out alone to walk on the beach while he tries to concentrate on writing his book, but he can't because he is obsessed with watching her. I did not need to read this five times to get that Richard's wife is not who he thinks she is.

This novel and Gone Girl (previously reviewed) share some strong parallels. The husbands in both novels are completely unaware of their wives' depths. They try to connect to their wives and it becomes harder over time. Then, both wives do something radical to their husbands, but to say more would ruin Orkney's plot for you. 

The writing in Orkney is excellent, however, the redundant plot scenarios and lack of resolution are not. Three out of five stars. 

Looking For Alaska by John Green

This is John Green's (The Fault In Our Stars) first novel. It won the Michael L. Printz Award and there are plans to adapt it into a film.

It is difficult to summarize this book's plot mainly because mid-book, there is an event that changes the course of the novel. I'll just fill you in on the first half.

Floridian Miles Halter is looking for a fresh start to his junior year in high school and opts for his Dad's old boarding school in Alabama. There he makes new friends including the mysterious Alaska. She sucks Miles into her complicated life while making him fall in love with her. That is really as far as I can go in summarizing the novel without giving away the plot.

I read this book three years ago and decided to reread it after the recent explosion of popularity of The Fault In Our Stars. I didn't really appreciate the beauty of Looking For Alaska the first time around. This book has so much depth, richness, and sadness. In addition, its message is so relatable to the teen experience; teens are often lost in their own mazes of life from which it can seem like there is no way out. 

Green's writing is neither beautiful nor imaginative, but it is raw and still entertaining. That is what gives the book its distinct edge.

Looking For Alaska can be read on multiple levels. You are required to interpret the ending for yourself and the author does not give much closure. If there were no additional thinking required, this book would be a meaningless tale about teenagers. I rate this book five out of five stars because it is a labyrinth (read the book, you'll get the diction) in and of itself. 

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

I picked up this book at Barnes and Noble last week, straight off the shelf. With no prior research on the book or its author, I took an uncharacteristic chance in choosing this book for this week's review -- and it turned out to be great. 

Starting in Cinque Terre, Italy, the story follows Pasquale Tursi as he manages a small inn that he inherited. Every character that emerges subsequently is, in some way, connected to Pasquale. The story hops across continents and spans decades while beautifully detailing the romance, hardships, and happiness that occur in each character's life. 

I really enjoyed this book. The writing in this story is like kettle corn; savory, but ever so sweet. The plot is like 60% cacao chocolate; bittersweet, but enjoyable. Reading the book is a slow-melting indulgent treat. 

I'd recommend this book to anyone because it is a masterpiece of great story-telling. The way the characters' stories intertwine is magical and I award it five out of five stars.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger

My first book review is of The Catcher in the Rye, a 1951 high school English classic. It's about a depressed teen, Holden Caulfield, who hops between boarding schools. Holden narrates the story, giving the novel a consistent, strong, and sometimes even predictable voice. Throughout his journeys, Holden makes mature observations about the world as he experiences it. He realizes that there are many phonies and that most of the people in his life are insincere. 

Over the course of the novel, Holden matures. Before Holden had a taste of the real world, he was somewhat apathetic. The more he saw and experienced, the more empathetic he became towards people in all types of situations. 

I don't see a moral lesson that could be learned from The Catcher. I can learn from it what mistakes not to make; not to get kicked out of boarding school, not to order a prostitute up to your hotel room (it ends in embarrassment because you're not mature enough for it), or not to blow all your money over the course of two days - but no moral lessons. 

I would rate this book three out of five stars because it was good but not great.