Book #25: Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Will Grayson, Will Grayson is completely amazing. It. Just. Is. So. Much.

I understood so many pieces of the characters. From o.w.g.'s hurt regarding his friendship with Tiny Cooper to w.g. feeling as if everyone else has it easier than him, like no one can truly understand. Also, Tiny Cooper was just pretty awesome, despite his flaws. His character was beautiful.

In the case of o.w.g. and Jane I particularly related to the discussion/metaphorical actuality/whatever it was regarding Schroedinger's Cat. The idea was, if they opened the box with the cat in it (their relationship), would they (the physicists) find it to be dead? Should they risk opening the box, if it might be dead?

So, um, to explain this better: there's this boy. Yeah. So I was wondering the same thing at the time, but all is wonderful now.

i feel like my life is so scattered right now. like it's all these small pieces of paper and someone's turned on the fan. but talking to you makes me feel like the fan's been turned off for a little bit. like things could actually make sense. you completely unscatter me, and i appreciate that so much. (37)

Book #24: Anything Considered

I loved Anything Considered. It isn't something I would typically consider reading, but the style is just lovely, very light and funny and interesting. The settings, too, are interesting.

This book is just so well written that even when the situations become increasingly ridiculous and nearly impossible, it is still believable. Very fun read.

Also, the order of monks were hilarious. Oh dear.

Unattached Englishman -- Mid thirties, personable, fluent French, seeks interesting and unusual work, preferably in the AIX/Avignon Area. Anything considered except marriage. (20)

Book #23: Little Bee

I was drawn to this book, Little Bee, after reading a few pages and the inside flap. There were some beautiful parts, and the style felt very different and stark, and I liked it... mostly.

My problem may be that I lack an understanding of the conflict, but in theory this shouldn't be a problem, because I believe the author wrote it to raise awareness. But maybe so.

The ending was very, very perplexing. So I don't know.

Book #22: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did, though I had heard it was good. I put it on hold at my school library twice before I got around to it, but when I did I was glad. The next few posts may be a little lame, as I've been putting off posting for a while, but I read them! Sorry about that.

The storyline of this novel was intriguing. The main character goes to a boarding school, but to me it seemed much more like a college campus (I think I was channeling Gilmore Girls, because I have experience in neither). In any event, it makes for plenty of interesting happenings.

I enjoyed the book in general, but I couldn't understand Matthew's group of friends. Alpha had a lot of funny lines, but I didn't understand him either, and I felt that at the end there was a bit of "Oh, Frankie is insane." She didn't seem insane to me, but who knows. What she did served them all right, I think.

Also, this book gets definite props for mentioning P.G. Wodehouse. Definite win.

Alpha finished eating and pushed his plate to the center of the table. "I would like to assert," he said solemnly, "that if Matthew were an animal he would be a seahorse." (164)

"Let's see, the prize is some sort of certificate of muffin enlightenment, and once you have eight of them you get a medal that proves you are Master of the Muffin. I'm serious. All the Yoga teachers can do six muffins. They do six muffins every morning as a matter of course." (226)

Book #21: Something Blue

I take back my former dislike for this series, because I quite enjoyed Something Blue. While I hated Darcy in the previous book, she definitely went through the process of changing in this installment, to the point that I was rooting for her to find happiness.

This is a big change, if you'll refer to my last post. I don't know how this happened, but hats off to Emily Giffin for managing it.

Despite this, though, I still don't understand the attraction between Darcy and Ethan. Ethan still seems too good for her. I guess I still hold a grudge against Darcy for her jerk-like tendencies, but I'll live. I still really enjoyed the book.

I don't own the next book in the series (I had the first two, which accounts for the fact that I read the second, even having been so frustrated by the first), but I may seek it out. Yay for the series being redeemed!

Book #20: Something Borrowed

20 of 100 completed! 1/5th of the way!

The plot of Something Borrowed, in my own terms: "My best friend is a jerk. Oh no, I accidentally slept with her fiance. But now I love him! We love each other! Awesome! What now? Let's just let the wedding date get closer and closer. So what if they're supposed to get married? LET'S JUST HAVE FUN BECAUSE I LOVE HIM YES AWESOME I DESERVE IT BECAUSE MY FRIEND IS A JERK FACE."

True enough, in some regards. The MC's best friend is a jerk. In fact, she has been a jerk for the 20-odd years that they have been best friends. I don't honestly care if she deserved it or not: the moment the realization that the MC and her best friend's fiance loved each other the wedding should have been called off. But NO. That would be too logical.

Possibly it's an okay book and the content just rubbed me the wrong way, because the writing itself wasn't horrible and I enjoyed it enough to keep reading. But... it all seemed so. freaking. stupid. I can't bring myself to read the next book in the series, which is narrated by the best friend. I have no idea why anyone talks to her at all, because she is such a big jerk. Well, besides the fact that she's stunningly beautiful.

My favorite character was Ethan. He seems to be the only one who isn't completely off his rocker.

"Yeah, it's funny the way the Brits don't celebrate our independence from them... But it's a holiday in my heart, Rachel." (128)

Book #19: The Glass Menagerie

While it may be a play, we read The Glass Menagerie in my English class and I felt like counting it. It was in book form. Therefore... I... um, counted it. We're now watching the film version of it, which I have a feeling I would dislike were it not for the fact that Katharine Hepburn plays Amanda. I love Katharine Hepburn.

I'm not sure how I feel about The Glass Menagerie. I didn't actively dislike it, but I didn't like it much either.

"Go on, I trust you with him! There now--you're holding him gently! Hold him over the light, he loves the light! You see how the light shines through him?" (83)