I have yet to see The Crucible in its play form so it feels a bit unfair to judge what is only a script. I have no doubt that the play is more compelling when seen than when read. Because, let me tell you, it's not that compelling when read. This is primarily the fault… Continue reading Book Review: The Crucible by Arthur Miller
One of the great powers of fiction is to bring history alive. A good, well-written novel can teach the reader more than ten history books. And may access find readers who would never pick up a history book. Like many in North America, I know very little about Chechnya. It's history is long and complicated… Continue reading Book Review: A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
Steven Price was one of my favourite professors when I was in university. I took a few courses with him, including a grammar class that remains one of the most practical courses I've ever studied. All that to say, I was biased to like By Gaslight before I even started it. However, I didn't particularly… Continue reading Book Review: By Gaslight by Steven Price
I read a review of A Grief Observed recently that suggested this is a book read primarily by the bereaved and I think that's a pretty fair assessment. This is a book read by those who have experienced loss and who are struggling. I've read it once before, more than a decade ago, but it… Continue reading Book Review: A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis
If you like Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice in particular - you will probably enjoy this early twentieth century twist on a familiar story. If, like me, you find Austen rather dull and her characters frustrating, you might want to skip I Capture the Castle. Set in the 1930s in England, this is the… Continue reading Book Review: I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
(Update: I neglected to mention originally that I read this book in an Advanced Reading Copy and the novel will be published in January 2017.) Swimming Lessons is the story of a family told from opposite directions, a mystery and a disappearance in the middle. In the present day storyline, sisters Nan and Flora return… Continue reading Book Review: Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller
For young readers looking for a new and fun fantasy series to launch into, Peterson's Wingfeather Saga might be a perfect fit. Goofy and adventurous, the first book in this quartet, At the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, has lots going for it. Set in the land of Skree, overtaken in recent years… Continue reading Book Review: At the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson
This post-apocalytic story has several unique features that make it stand out from the usual fare in this increasingly popular genre. The apocalypse here is brought about by the Georgian Flu, a virus with an insanely quick incubation period and a fatality rate of approximately 99%. The novel follows three intersecting stories and timelines: Before,… Continue reading Book Review: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
The Glass Castle exploded onto the scene of the book world - Jeannette Walls' hugely popular memoir of her unconventional childhood. Many cite Walls as the first in a growing trend of memoirs from "average" people (ie: not celebrities). A huge part of Walls' memoir (and its appeal) were her parents, especially her mother, Rosemary.… Continue reading Book Review: Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
When a friend loaned me a copy of The Dirty Life I wasn't that excited. I don't read a lot of memoirs and it's rare that they appeal to me. My friend also happens to be a little more of a hippy than I am and I wasn't sure I was interested in reading a… Continue reading Book Review: The Dirty Life by Kristin Kimball
