February 2009: Book no 6

Well, I have done it! One month ahead of schedule I have reached my targeted 36 books for the year. I still have a lot of book reviews to catch up on here, but goal achieved!

Book no 6: Amsterdam by Ian McEwan

I discovered Mc Ewan last year when I read the bestseller "Atonement". I really enjoyed the book and I have subsequently read quite a few of his books. I share his fascination of mentally disturbed individuals or normal people being challenged on an emotional level to beyond general reasoning.

Amsterdam is an extremely clever story with a great unexpected turn to it. It is well written as one would expect of McEwan.

Cat's opinion: 8/10 and well worth the read.

November 2009; Book no 32

Book 32: Handle with care by Jodi Picoult
In general I enjoy Jodi Picoult's books that deal with controversial topics - like her most read "My sister's keeper" and "Nineteen minutes". This book has more than its fair share of controvercial and heart breaking topics.

The main character Willow never speaks for herself and the whole book is constructed from letters or conversations directed to Willow. This makes for interesting reading and an unique angle.

What I did find very uncomfortable, I can really find no other way to describe it, is that I really never got to like Charlotte, in a sense the hero of the book. She is portrayed in a way which evoked very little sympathy in me - maybe this is due to peronality on my side. On the other hand, I really liked sone of the other characters where the father, Sean, and the doctor, Piper attracted me immediately.

I really hated the end of this book and would have loved any other ending.

Cat's opinion : an ok Picoult - 7/10

November 2009: Book no 33

Book 33 : People of the book by Geraldine Brooks.

I can with all honesty say that this book will definitly find its place in my top 20 books of all times.

A very valuable and old Haggedah (Jewish prayer book) is saved twice by Muslims in Sarajevo - once right below the nose of the Nazis in the second world war and once during heavy shelling in the Bosnian war in the 1990's. But this is not the first time that this very special book has been saved from fire or other destruction. On these two instances of true life rescues Brooks base a long lifetime of stories for the earliest illustrated haggedah ever discovered.

Elegantly written with stunning true to life characters, it is truly exceptional. I can not wait to read it again. I will also make sure that I read more of her books.

Cat's opinion: a rare 10/10