Review 495: Unmade

Unmade by A.R. Capetta
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 stars for the genre - Science Fiction, Young Adult

It takes a minute to get used to the writing style. But the story line is good. A young girl sets out with her friends to save the humans from being eliminated from the universe. Sad thing is, the ones killing everyone are human too, called the unmakers.

This is a second book of a series. Was a number of years since I read the first book. The series does not continue past this second book. 

Review 494: The Twenty Something American Dream

The Twenty Something American Dream: A Cross Country Quest for a Generation by Michael Lee Cohen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



What do you think of when you hear the phrase “The American Dream”? This book is finding out what young Americans thought about that.

This book came out in the mid-1990’s, and the young adults interviewed were in their twenties. The author himself as well. This book is about the Generation X coming of age and finding out what they think the about American Dream, and if they can achieve it.

The author traveled around the country just a few months after the Los Angeles riots in April 1992. This was an important moment in time and the author did want to see what his peers thought about this as well, but not that many included in the book mentioned it.

Each entry started with the name of the person. A brief history of the person with their parents and upbringing was included and often what the parents did for work. Other important biography of the interviewed person was included then it would continue sometimes in the person’s own words, other times summarized by the author, and occasionally with the author’s questions to prompt more information. Each entry was several pages long.

The organization of the book was broken into two main parts, those who believed the American Dream still existed and was possibly attainable, and those no longer believed in the American Dream. Further chapters were organized loosely on some beliefs, such as what the dream contains: The House, the Car, the Kids. Or other chapters were Same City, Different Worlds so taking several people who lived geographically close together but had entirely different upbringing and view of the world.

Overall it should have been an interesting book, but I found it just mediocre. Not sure if it was the editing of the interviews not being well done, what. I kept thinking of Studs Terkel and his work how fascinating those interviews were and this was well short of that quality. Or perhaps the problem was just in timing. Perhaps if read in the mid-90s when the book came out it might have felt more propitious.

Review 493: The Book That Wouldn’t Burn

The Book That Wouldn’t Burn by Mark Lawrence
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Somehow I got sucked into a kindle reading challenge and needed a book for the Series Pioneer. This book looked the most interesting from the list that fit that category. Turned out I enjoyed the book.

The world-building was awkward and confusing. As you get into the book you realize that is because the world is confusing to the main characters as well. The library is something that no one fully understands, this becomes the center of the book, and attempt to understand it.

The book follows two main characters in different time lines, one is Livira who lives out in the “Dust” and longs to live in the city one day. That day came sooner than she expected as a group of sabbers (enemy) attacked their town and took her and a group of children as captives. They end up getting away due to the city’s guard, who then takes them to the city. As they are assigned jobs, Livira becomes a librarian trainee as she is full of questions and smart.

The other main character is Evar, and alongside his adopted siblings is trapped living in the library, long after their ancestors died and their bones turned to dust. There are only five of them, four boys and one girl. Evar is always searching for a way out of their vast library prison.

I truly loved the character of Livira, a young girl that constantly asks questions and remembers everything. There is so much to this character to appreciate. Evar, on the other hand, seemed like a tentative quiet person.

It was an entertaining read, but there were a few instances where better editing would have improved the book. Not sure I’ll read the next book in the series, as happily this did not end in a cliffhanger, but it was left open for an obvious continuation of the story.

Review 492: The Kept Woman

The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is not typical reading genre for me. A police procedural, and book 8 in a series, I have not read the previous. It didn't seem to matter this is the middle of a series as the book covered background material on the main characters. That made me wonder if it was annoying to people who have read the previous as that may be repeated info.

The book was okay, but it isn't something I'm going to read further in the series. I tend to not want to spend my reading time in the darker side of things, with murder, rape, child abandonment and so forth. (although a book here or there from time to time does come up.)

I was got a copy of this book at a library conference, and I could have just given it away or something, but decided to see what Slaughter's writing was like. I think she has a lot of fans. I also heard her speak and she's quite funny. This humor didn't really come out in this book. I may read another of her books, or more likely not, but at least now I know her writing.

Review 491: I'd Rather Not

I'd Rather Not by Robert Skinner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a delightfully short book of autobiographical essays filled with humor. The author is Australian so most locations mentioned were lost on me. Exaggeration is used most often to make the humor, but in the end not sure what the purpose of the collection. Perhaps since he was part of a group that ran a short story magazine for a while, the only one in Australia.

It could be a good breather book in between long serious ones. I really was in the mood for something short, didn't know how quick that would go. The author said the first thing he was happy about the book was the length and I would agree with that. Probably a book better read via audio instead of print like I did.

Initial quick review:

A short book of autobiographical essays from Australia. Places names (usually) I had no idea where they were. They were filled with humor but in the end not sure what the purpose of the collection. The author himself said the first thing he is happy about the book is the length and I'll agree with that.