literature

Cover Love, Cover Hate

/ caitlinemccann / 14 Comments

This week’s Broke and the Bookish meme is about the top ten cover trends that I love and/or hate. So for my Top Ten Tuesday post I’m going to talk about the top five cover trends I adore and the top five cover trends I wish would go away. Cover art is so important when it comes to selling books. Shelf appeal can make or break my wallet when wandering around Barnes and Noble. A good cover can snag my attention, while a bad cover can make me pass by a potentially brilliant read.

*As usual all the lovely pictures were respectfully borrowed from Goodreads.com*

 

Eye Catching Covers

Memoirs of a Geisha      Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse #1)

1. Movie Covers. You’ll notice this item appears twice on my list for two very different reasons. When movie covers are done well, they’re stunning. My favorites are the ones that don’t immediately clue you in to the fact that it’s a movie cover. I think what I mean by this is that the good movie covers don’t look like movie posters. They’re tie-ins, but don’t dominate the book’s identity. These two covers are striking but don’t feel like they’re trying to over sell the movie. So when a movie cover strikes that balance of tying in to the film without dominating the book, I’m all for it.

Dear Girls Above Me: Inspired by a True Story           The Partly Cloudy Patriot

2. Toy Vignettes. This may be a weirdly specific cover trend but it always catches my eye and makes me want to read the back jacket. I didn’t quite know how to label this cover style, but I love it when these old school style dolls/toys get used in a creative manner. It’s just different enough that it really stands out.

The Chronicles of Narnia      Jurassic Park / The Lost World

3. Fancy bound, gilded, raised glories. Who doesn’t love these kinds of books? These two are from Barnes & Noble’s collection, and I realize they’re kind of pricey but I love books with the gilded edges and embossed details. They’re beautiful and right now they’re relegated to classics only because publisher want to have proven numbers before they put something this hefty on the market. I wish it were a bit more commonplace though. If they released Harry Potter with these gorgeous embossed, gilded, leather-bound editions I would shell out for sure.

Crush    Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald

4. Black and White Photography. Original black and white photography covers are so stunning. They feel like a piece of modern art on your book cover. Richard Siken’s Crush (above, left) is not only one of my favorite poetry collections but it is maybe one of my favorite covers because it is so evocative of what you’re getting into when you read his work. I haven’t read Zelda yet but the cover is quite pretty. I think it’s also key that the shots are original. Though I don’t mention it below in my bad cover trends, using pieces of classic art sometimes feels like a cop-out and doesn’t tell me anything about the book’s content. So I enjoy the originality as much as the graphic nature.

The Fault in Our Stars      The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike, #1)

5. Blatantly Unusual Typeface. With a bundle of standard looking typefaces gracing covers left and right, I’m really enjoying the trend of having script or type that looks like handwriting. There are other kinds of unusual typefaces that I also gravitate toward. I think it’s just a matter of looking different from other books. And the pseudo handwriting also adds the illusion of a personal touch. Even if it’s an illusion, I like that element. Though I haven’t had a chance to read The Fault in Our Stars, this cover is lovely. The graphic clouds and the chalk-like script is an excellent combo.

Eye Sore Cover Art

The Great Gatsby      The Other Boleyn Girl

1. Movie Covers. The two covers above illustrate what I was talking about earlier about movie covers just using the existing movie poster rather than trying to do something new. There’s nothing here to enhance the book experience it’s just a blatant ploy for the movie. It doesn’t help that these two specific books had really iconic covers to begin with. And if the movie bombs then the movie-book cover discourages readers. So clearly movie covers for books are a bit of a double-edged sword.

Sahara (Dirk Pitt, #11)      Lord of Ice (Knight Miscellany, #3)

2. Vague Design. And yes, I realize my description is a little vague. But these covers tell me nothing. Sahara is an action adventure with twists and turns. Its cover is a sand dune, which while accurate to the location of the book is utterly boring. Lord of Ice is one of Gaelen Foley’s best historical romance novels, but this cover doesn’t hint at any of the intrigue, sensuality, and drama of her book. It’s a palatial estate, which again is the location but doesn’t help me with enticement as a reader. Locations aren’t enough. They usually end up being incredibly nondescript, which is vague design.

The Darkest Seduction (Lords of the Underworld, #9)

3. Mismatched Humanity. Nothing will piss me off faster than when the people on the cover of the book do not match the character description. DID SOMEONE AT THE PUBLISHING HOUSE NOT READ THE BOOK? We live in the era of Photoshop, people. If the model doesn’t specifically match in eye color or hair then it’s a quick freaking fix. I feel like the worst offenders are romance novels in this regard. What’s truly horrifying is when a book cover features a white woman or man when the main character is supposed to be a person of color. And I can tell you it has happened. Bad publishing houses! Bad!

Night Games      Blue Moon (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #8)

4. Torsos. In order to avoid number three on this list, I feel as though plenty of publishers just use faceless torsos to hawk their books. I find it very weird and uncomfortable. I get that usually these are romance novels and that sex is involved, but you’re making a person faceless and are only validating their bodies. It’s literal dismemberment. Above and beyond my qualms about personhood, you see so many faceless torsos on bookshelves that they’re kind of ubiquitous. They just don’t stand out or grab any one’s attention because half the cover out there have headless, ripped humans.

Surrender      The Scarlet Letter

5. Flowers. Oh, is it a book for women? Let’s slap a flower on it and call it a day! I’d say at least a quarter of the bookstore looks like an ode to horticulture. Romance novels are prone to this but so is anything remotely in the realm of chick lit. This edition of The Scarlet Letter makes little sense to me. The flower isn’t even red. I blame New Moon: that bloody white rose on a black background was striking and kind of inventive. Now flowers are way overdone. And I do not care if flowers are supposed to evoke vaginas and female sexuality. Putting a blooming rose or orchid on the cover tells me nothing about the book. If I wanted to ogle some flowers, I’d go to a garden.

So those are my loves and loathes about cover art in modern literature. What are your best finds and worst offenders from this list?

Books in My Beach Bag

/ caitlinemccann / 4 Comments

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these, but I love a good TBR list so I couldn’t resist. This week’s Broke and the Bookish meme is about the top ten books that will wind up in your beach bag. As I’ve been thinking about what I’d like to read this summer, I’ve realized that most of these do not come off as typical beach reads. But that’s what makes these lists fun.

All pictures and links are from/lead to Goodreads.com

 

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Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton: One of my best friends, Brittany, is obsessed with this series and it was a bone of contention in our friendship that I had never read the original text, though I was acceptable friend material for having seen and loved the movies. Well, girlfriend, I am finally reading the book. She is stoked. I haven’t taken this one to the beach yet, but I’m definitely enjoying the read thus far. Above and beyond the fun films, Crichton has such a cinematic language that it’s easy to see why his books so often get adapted for the screen.

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The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield: I picked this one up at my library recently and still need to start it. But it seems like a perfect beach read with the mystery of unveiling another person’s life story. It’s been out for a bit now, but I just never got around to reading it. Now is the time! Have any of you read The Thirteenth Tale? Is it any good?

The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #1)

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon: This is another friend recommendation. My friend Clara told me that the premise was right up my alley and that the translation was beautiful. Now her description of the plot differs somewhat from what Goodreads is telling me. From an amalgamation of both descriptions, it seems like a story about a boy who chooses a forgotten book from a bookstore and when he falls in love with the author’s writing, the boy tries to find more of the author’s work. Mystery unfolds as the boy discovers that someone is destroying all the copies of the author’s work. I’m intrigued and am looking forward to this one for sure.

The Film Club: A True Story of a Father and Son

The Film Club by David Gilmour: I’m pretty sure that I’ve had this book on TBR lists in the past and I still haven’t managed to read the darn book. I fell in love with the book at a Barnes & Noble after doing the first page test and suddenly finding myself plopped on the ground and on page ten. Despite that initial draw, this poor book has languished on my shelves ever since. It’s a nonfiction memoir about a father struggling to reach his rebellious son. The son doesn’t want to go to school anymore and at his wit’s end, Gilmour agrees that the kid doesn’t have to go anymore if and only if he sits down and watches movies with his old man three times a week. The memoir covers the three-year span that he and his son go through this “film club.” Gilmour is a highly humorous and emotive writer, so his stories really captivate.

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Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters: This anthology of poetry is about the residents of a small town–Spoon River–who tell their stories in verse from beyond the grave. The personality of the town and its inhabitants is supposed then is elaborated through these afterlife reflections. It’s such a compelling concept for a collection and I can’t wait to dive in. Poetry in general is a great beach read because it’s so easy to consume.

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A Feast For Crows by George R.R. Martin: I have been waiting till the summer months to dive into book four of The Song of Ice and Fire Series. These books are so time-consuming and huge that I like being able to dedicate solid reading time to them before I begin. Because if I don’t dedicate time to Martin’s books, they tend to take my time anyway. I can’t tell you how many nights I have lost to Martin and this series compelling me to just read one more chapter. So very worth it though!

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Love is a Mix Tape By Rob Sheffield: Another memoir that already sounds heartrending. It is about love lost and how Sheffield deals with his grief through music and mix tapes. As a former Rolling Stone journalist, the man knows his music but it goes beyond esoteric knowledge and reaches out to anyone who uses music for catharsis. I probably need to have the right mindset to read this book because it could emotionally destroy me. But is sounds so good. I’ll risk reading it in public anyway.

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The Genius of the System by Thomas Schatz: Technically this one would be a re-read. This was one of my textbooks for a class on American Film History and I really enjoyed the chapters we read, so I’d like to go back and read the whole thing. Schatz is extremely well researched and has a way of making non-fiction read like a narrative tapestry. I’ll read this one with my pencil and post-its next to me.

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The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger: This is another one of those books that has been on my shelf for too long. I think summer is probably the perfect time for some frivolous chick lit. Who knows, maybe I’ll like the movie better? I’m just such a fan of the Anne Hathaway/Meryl Streep  combo. That’s who I’ll be picturing for sure.

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The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks: What makes this the perfect beach read is how thin the book actually is. You could easily get lost in this little book and read it all day in the sunshine. It may be another one of those books that requires a certain frame of mind or else a willingness to weep in public. But I’m finally going to commit to reading this tear-jerker.

These are the books I’m hoping to tackle this summer. And maybe they won’t make it to the beach, but they’re definitely at the top of my TBR list.  Enjoy!

The Silver Linings Playbook

/ caitlinemccann / 2 Comments

Recently, I have rediscovered the bountiful joys of going to the library. My own personal library continues to grow, but I think all readers have a mental hierarchy that they immediately sort potential books into. When I hear or read about a new book recommendation, my brain attempts to categorize it as buy-able, downloadable, or borrow-able. Instead of taking a purchasing plunge here lately, I have been pulling books from the Orange County library.

One of my recent finds was The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick. Now, I haven’t seen the movie yet, though I hear it’s amazing. But I’m quite happy to have read the book first. Sometimes I’m incapable of separating books from their movies to the point where one of them ends up disappointing me, and it’s usually the movie that lets me down. When I do get around to seeing David O. Russell’s film, I hope it’s up to par because I could really see Quick’s writing translating well to the big screen.

Anywho, on to my review…

The non-tie-in cover. Though I couldn't not-see Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence as their characters after all the movie hype.

The non-tie-in cover. Though I couldn’t not-see Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence as their characters after all the movie hype.

I devoured this book. The chapters are brief, with quirky titles, and an engaging first person perspective. One of the first things that struck me about this novel was that it could be a modern companion piece to Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. The key differences would be the male perspective and the more hopeful attitude of The Silver Linings Playbook. But both stories deal with individuals who slide into mental unrest and are trying to recover the best way they know how.

Yet Pat Peeples in undeniably himself and no other. Pat has recently been checked out of the Bad Place a.k.a. a mental health facility in order to live with his parents. While he has been away, the world has moved on without Pat: his brother is married, the Eagles have a new stadium, and his father cannot look him in the eye. What keeps Pat afloat is his determined optimism and his conviction that he will reunite with his estranged wife, Nikki. Pat centers his life around obsessively bettering himself for his wife by exercising, reading classic literature (including The Bell Jar, which he hates), and attending mandatory therapy sessions. When friends introduce Pat to depressed widow, Tiffany, Pat has to face a new set of challenges that he may not be ready to accept.

There is something childlike about Pat that allows the reader to be compassionate instead of judgmental. Quick writes with humor and transparency, so that even when Pat does something not quite “right” you can empathize with his choices. Watching him stumble through his emotional journey is at times hard to read because of that empathy, but it makes every little success all the more powerful.

One of my favorite parts of The Silver Linings Playbook was Pat’s reading of certain classics. It was amusing and poignant how Pat boiled down the plots of books we have to read in high school and college. He asks the question every single human being has asked: why do we have to read such depressing books?!? Pat’s ability to read his own situation into well-known novels is also something most readers have done, and it made it that much easier to connect with Pat.

The Silver Linings Playbook is Matthew Quick’s first novel. Quick has been quite prolific since the 2008 publication of this novel, and it seems as if he primarily deals with stories of eternal optimism and mental health. While I haven’t read these books myself, based on the descriptions alone I will not be seeking any of them out. Quick handles the subject matter well, but I’m not sure I want to read multiple versions of the same type of story.

I would highly recommend The Silver Linings Playbook though. It would be an ideal beach read for this summer and it’s a great library read: not one to own but definitely one to check out!

Authorial Confessions

/ caitlinemccann / 6 Comments

For this week’s Broke and the Bookish weekly meme I’m looking back on a former topic–authors I have never read. As a former English major and ongoing fan of books in general, some of these make me blush. The concept of revealing my top ten unread authors reminds me of a game in one of my favorite books called Humiliation (the book, if you’re interested was Changing Places by David Lodge). In Humiliation you admit famous literary works you’ve never read and gain points for everyone in the group that has read each of your unread beauties. So in the spirit of David Lodge’s party game, let’s see how many points I can rack up, shall we?

1. Kurt Vonnegut: I can hear some of my hipster friends crying as I confess this. Sorry, y’all. I’ll get around to reading Slaughterhouse Five someday, I swear.

2. Ernest Hemingway: To justify myself a little, I’ve read his short story “Hills Like White Elephants,” but never one of his novels. Hemingway has beautiful, evocative language, so he should be my kind of writer. I think what held me back was that initial high school intimidation after reading his short prose and realizing the man was allergic to explaining who was talking. Maybe if I can get past that age-old terror, I’ll give him a shot.

3. Douglas Adams: This poor man is forever on my TBR lists. There is no particular reason for avoiding A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, just a persistent case of later-itus.

4. Barbara Kingsolver: Critics agree that Kingsolver is one heck of a writer, but I’ve never really had an inclination to pick up one of her books. I can’t really see that changing anytime soon, to be honest. Nothing against the lady personally but I’ve yet to be grabbed by one of her back-jackets.

5. Jack London: Nope. Nope. Nope. Wilderness survival stories and angry animals are not for me. Nope. Nope. Nope.

6. James Joyce: Intimidation, thy name is Joyce. Several friends took a study abroad class on Joyce’s Ulysses while we were in England. Some of them cried about it. Either real, salty tears or cries of rage and frustration. But many of them walked away happier for the experience. Most of them that I’ve kept in touch with still talk about that summer course, so I feel compelled to give in on this one at some point.

7. Jonathan Franzen: I’d love to cross this guy off my unread author list. He’s an epic writer of the modern era, and he even wrote a hefty book set in my hometown (The Twenty-Seventh City). I also had a beloved teacher in high school recommend Franzen to me, so I may be feeling particularly guilty about this one.

8. Ursula K. Le Guin: For a good long while I’ve heard that Le Guin is an amazing fantasy writer. And I’m inclined to believe it! Another author that has been recommended by some very trusted sources. I imagine Le Guin won’t languish on this list for long.

9. Nicolas Sparks: I swear, every movie that bears his name makes me more determined not to read anything he puts out. The Notebook was an amazing and moving film, so I would probably be willing to make that exception. His other novels, not so much.

10. John Green: His books are supposed to be compelling and well written YA fiction. I’m not nay-saying any of that. I just haven’t gotten around to him yet.

So how many points did I manage? I’d love to be able to cross a few of these writers off my unread list soon, but others may just languish there for the foreseeable future. If I can slog through any of these in the near future, I’ll try to post about if they met or failed any expectations I may have had. Happy reading!

Best in Book Show…So Far

/ caitlinemccann / 2 Comments

For any of those regular Goodreads users, you might be familiar with the site’s yearly reading challenge that encourages all comers to read as much as possible. I pledged to read fifty books by the end of 2013, and so far I’ve managed to complete twenty books towards that goal. This week’s Broke and the Bookish meme is dedicated to the best books read so far this year. While I may not have as many read as I would have liked, there are still some excellent reads to be found on this list.

*The following links lead to Goodreads.com*

discovery of witches cover

  1. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness: I mentioned the sequel–Shadow of Night–in my last Top Ten Tuesday post. Part of the reason I think I was so charmed by the characters is that I instantly connected with the academic Diana. Once you connect with a character, it’s hard to let a series go. I recommended Discovery of Witches to both family and friends and those that have picked it up have absolutely loved it.Literary Escapism
  2. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin: Do I really need another post where I spout off about how much I adore this series? I don’t think so. You might reach your saturation point with my Martin talk. So just read the series when you get a chance and enjoy!the-walking-dead-tpb-1
  3. The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman: This is an interesting add to my list. I started with the television show, which is truly groundbreaking, particularly in the makeup department. The makeup was so good I started having vividly terrifying nightmares. So I stopped watching the show, but randomly decided to try the graphic novels. No nightmares yet, but I’m even more attracted to Kirkman and Charlie Adlard’s black and white graphic style. Right now, I’m four issues in and am completely hooked.9780307454560_p0_v1_s260x420
  4. The Girl Who Kicked Over the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson: This is the final book in the Millennium trilogy. I started reading the series several years ago on a recommendation from my Aunt Kris. I waited patiently for this one to come out in paperback and then it sat patiently on my shelf for a while while I finished reading other things. Wonderfully satisfying book overall.the help
  5. The Help by Kathryn Stockett: I’m usually way behind on my consumption of popular literature, and The Help is no exception. While I’m not quite finished with this one, I should be within the next twenty-four hours. And I’m already confident that Stockett’s prose deserves a spot on this list.Cover 1
  6. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood: Oh Madame Atwood, how I respect you. Her prose pours over you like poetry. Even better, she’s a great storyteller. This book was written in 1985 but is still eerily fresh and relevant. It’s also one of the American Library Association’s top 100 most challenged books for the years 1990-2000. Sometimes it’s more important to read the banned or challenged books than to swear by the most beloved ones.10335308
  7. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me and Other Concerns by Mindy Kaling: Laugh out loud funny. Kaling is such a charismatic personality, and reading this book makes you want to take her out for a drink because you get the sense that she has more stories to tell.AttachmentsPBBlog
  8. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell: Huzzah for fluff! This was such a pleasant and quick read. For more of my thoughts on Rowell’s novel scroll down to my last post.HectorHappiness
  9. Hector and the Search For Happiness by Francois Lelord: It’s the Little Prince meets The Tao of Pooh. Philosophy about what it means to be happy. I’m not saying that this book has all the answers, but it might make you think twice about what matters.9780307347091_p0_v1_s260x420
  10. Courtesan by Diane Haegar: Historical fiction in any courtly era usually is right up my alley–particularly the great love stories. Haegar brings tender life to the mistress of King Henri II of France, Diane de Poitiers. Very well done piece.

That’s the best of my read’s from 2013…at least so far. I may have a slightly different list by the end of the year. We shall see.

Happy reading everybody!

Read in the Sun, Read in the Shade

/ caitlinemccann / 8 Comments

One thing I always associate with summertime is the leisure to read what you please. During the school year, I try to read for myself a bit, but my time is dominated by what I need to read rather than what I want to read. This week’s Broke and the Bookish meme is dedicated to the books we aim to read this summer. This summer feels like it’s going by faster than ever, so I’d better get started.

*All links from here on lead to Goodreads.com*

Ready Player One

  1. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline: This has been an intriguing item on my TBR list for many months. It’s set in a dystopian future where people plug into a virtual reality to live a better life. Inside this virtual utopia are puzzles made by its 1980’s obsessed creator; puzzles that could lead to a vast fortune if solved. So it’s a pop-culture themed mystery. I’m already excited.     shadow-of-night
  2. Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness: I can hardly wait to crack this one open. Harkness’ first novel, The Discovery of Witches, was one I happily devoured this spring in my limited free time. The story thrives in both past and present with a paranormal bent, as lead character Diana Bishop is both a historian and a witch. There’s also a decent romantic sub-plot. I patiently waited for Shadow to come out in paperback and even pre-ordered it on Amazon. This novel should pick up where the last left off, and I cannot wait.AFeastForCrows
  3. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin: If you’ve been following this blog, then you’ve been able to track my obsession with this series. It’s been about a year, and I’ve gone through the first three books. I’m really drawn to Martin’s characters–even the ones that are deplorable–and am always ready for a return journey to Westeros.

    (borrowed from Ms. Rowell's site)

    (borrowed from Ms. Rowell’s site)

  4. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell: This next book seems like the epitome of summer fluff. Two female coworkers know better than to share personal emails through their work account, but just can’t seem to help themselves. Security officer, Lincoln, discovers the ladies’ interactions and knows he should report them, but he’s unaccountably charmed by their banter and starts to fall for one of them. See? Fluff! I love it. And it seems like the perfect book to take to the beach.Three Musketeers
  5. The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas: Oi. I realize I’m reaching high with this one. It’s another hefty book, but I’ve always wanted to read Dumas unabridged. As a kid, I was familiar with the basic story and it always captured my imagination. As an adult, it continues to hold a special place in my heart. So if I’m feeling brave, I’ll tackle Dumas’ first in the series this summer.FilmClub
  6. The Film Club by David Gilmour: A wonderful nonfiction piece about a father making a bargain with his fifteen-year-old son. Gilmour had no idea how to reach his son, who was failing out of school. The only thing he knows is film, so that becomes the author’s solution. His son can drop out of school if he agrees to watch and discuss three films a week with his father. Gilmour’s memoirs cover the three-year span of their agreement. I picked it up at a bookstore and haven’t had the time to dedicate to it since.Y the Last Man
  7. Y: The Last Man, Vol.1 by Brian K Vaughan: Recently, I got back into comic books, and the clerk at my local store suggested I check out this series. It chronicles the adventures of Yorrick, who is apparently the last man on Earth after a disease wiped out all those with Y chromosomes. If it’s good, then I’ll have an awesome new series to get into.World_War_Z_book_cover
  8. World War Z by Max Brooks: Several of my guy-friends have been after me to read this one for a good long while. Plus the film comes out soon. Most of what I’ve heard about the film is that it is nothing like book. With that in mind, I’m not sure if I want to read the book before or after I see the movie. Either way, the idea of the zombie apocalypse will probably terrify me.The_Notebook_Cover
  9. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks: This is another one of those books I just feel compelled to read. I loved the movie, and now feel like I ought to read the book. I tried reading it many years ago–high school, maybe–and it didn’t grab me at the time. But my taste as a reader has grown since then, so I thought I’d give it another try.SpoonRiver
  10. Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters: Every character in this story is dead. And, no, it’s not related to zombies. This is a poetry collection where those buried in Spoon River have the chance to tell their stories. Originally published serially in 1914, this collection still holds its own. I want to get back into reading poetry more frequently, and this will be my start.

There is my TBR list for the summer. I’ll likely diverge from it as the mood strikes, but I hope to get a few of them crossed off. When I created a fall TBR back in September, I ended up reading four of the ten I named. The other six are still books I’d love to turn the pages of however. I’ll get around to it all eventually; at least, that’s every reader’s favorite little lie. We’ll see how many books from this list I can get through this summer.

Good luck on your summer TBRs and enjoy!

Book Review: Game of Thrones

/ caitlinemccann / 3 Comments

“If Tolkien and Dickens had a baby it would be Martin.” –Caitlin McCann (Me)

I recently finished George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones and have been recommending this thing like a madwoman. Heck, I was recommending it before I had the whole book finished.

I got into Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series because of my friend Chelsey. She kept telling me about this amazing series I had to read. For months I put her pick on the back burner, because as any bibliophile knows, a must-read list quickly becomes an infinite thing. Plus, Game of Thrones is about 800 pages and I was waiting for summer time to read this mammoth at my leisure.

A reader’s tip: I read the appendix first to get a good feel for the characters and the history of Martin’s world. It made me feel more knowledgeable, and I wasn’t constantly flipping to the back of the book.

I also read the book in segments of fifty pages or more because this book is dense (in the best way possible). You have to attack this book or risk defeat. For me, the density is a bonus, but I understand it may not be for everyone. Some of my favorite authors are Tolkien, Irving, and Dickens: all known for their detail and depth.

I rattled off my quote above to my friend Carolyn, as I was making yet another recommendation. Truly, if Tolkien and Dickens had a literary baby it would be George R. R. Martin. Tolkien fans will be drawn to the fantasy element of Game of Thrones. There’s a well-developed backdrop of fantasy that bolsters but doesn’t over-dominate the plot. Dickens lovers will also appreciate Martin’s skill at character development and casual craft of language.

The novel takes awhile to truly pick up in pace, but what will pull readers through the intellectual thicket is the characters. Martin has a talent for connecting readers with his characters. Everyone will have a favorite. Mine are Daenerys Targaryen, the naive but regal young exile, and Tyrion Lannister, the witty and honest dwarf of a noble house. Game of Thrones is composed of small chapters, each told in the voice of one of eight characters. As I writer, I have to give Martin praise for the finesse it takes to balance so many perspectives. He takes on adults, children, men, and women, as well as differences in class. Martin’s gift is that each character is fully developed as if the whole novel was theirs. It’s damn hard, and he makes it look easy.

The multiple perspective format enhances the element of mystery inherent in the story as each character reveals new information that helps the reader piece together the plot. I felt more drawn in to the story because each chapter took me somewhere new. I also appreciated that not every character was pristine and 100% lovable. Some were definitely more likable that others but each is flawed and has to come up against those flaws in some way or another. I thought the characters made the book worth the read. Beware, they will grab you.

Game of Thrones is the first novel in a series, and it sets the tone well for a visual thrill ride full of strong characters. If you’re not already a fan of the HBO series by the same name, then get on that too. The stellar visuals translate beautifully to the small screen, and book purists will be happy to note the TV series follows the novel respectably. [Note: I haven’t seen the second season yet so I can’t pass judgement on it.]

George R. R. Martin has quickly risen to my personal pantheon of favorite authors. I can’t wait to start the next installment, A Clash of Kings. And next time, I’ll be moving Chelsey’s picks to the front of the line.