ARC Review: Warp by Lev Grossman

Title: Warp Written by: Lev Grossman Published: September 20, 2016 by St Martin's Press (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The lost literary origin story of #1 bestseller Lev Grossman - including a new foreword about how and why he wrote his first novel: "It is the intense, concentrated, boiled-down essence of the unhappiest years of my life."  Twenty-something Hollis Kessler languishes in a hopelessly magician-less world (with the exception of a fleet-footed nymph named Xanthe) not too far from where he graduated college. His friends do, too. They sleep late, read too much, drink too much, talk too much, and work and earn and do way too little. But Hollis does have an obsession: there's another world going on in his head, a world of excitement and danger and starships and romance, and it's telling him that it's time to stop dreaming and get serious.   This re-publication of Lev Grossman's debut novel, Warp, shows the roots of his Magicians hero Quentin Coldwater in a book that is for anyone (and everyone) who has ever felt adrift in their own life.

*** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher at BEA. This fact has not changed my opinion. ***

Well, I wanted something different and that's definitely what I found here. I'm not sure how I would judge this book on it's own merit but as a fan of Lev Grossman's work I think it was pretty good.

For one thing, this is a book about nothing. And I really mean nothing. It is perhaps the most extreme slice of life kind of story I have ever read. It's a few days in the life of a guy in his early twenties as he flounders around life drinking, smoking, and making incredibly questionable choices with his friends. And that's about it. There is no cohesive plot, no real plot development at all, and no resolution. I should not have liked that, but despite the fact that I found myself thinking more than once "is there even a plot to this book" it kind of worked. Because you know what, this book isn't trying to have a plot. It's a book about nothing and that is so freaking 90's so yeah, it worked.

This characters of this book just kind of existed, much in the way the plot does. Hollis Kressler is the main character and kind of a stereotypical slacker. He's barely making it through life but your guess is as good as mine as to how. He just sort of exists, going through the motions and making questionable decisions. But he does have this really active imagination. He's constantly thinking narrating his life and imagine outlandish things to keep him from totally connecting with the real world. But honestly that made him relatable to me. It's a book about a guy who doesn't know what he wants but knows that it's not this and he's probably just going to keep doing what he's doing. And yeah, I get that. Same.

This is Lev Grossman's debut and it's supposed to be the book that influenced The Magicians trilogy. I'm a big fan of The Magicians. You can see a lot of Quentin in Hollis. They have the same kind of pessimism and escapist mentality. You can also see Grossman's writing style as he was trying to craft it. It has that same kind of highfalutin overt literary prose. Not to mention that he continues to play with the tropes and our expectations, just this time he does it with contemporary novels.

I also think this book has a pretty good nostalgia factor going for it. For one thing the Boston setting had me missing New England but more than that, this book is distinctly 90's. Yes, this book is a reprint of something that was originally written in 1997 so that shouldn't really be a surprise. It's references and even tone feels very 90's. I wouldn't really call this historical fiction but I would say that you should read this through the 90's lens. So maybe put on your round colored-lens sunglasses before you read it. But I think that added to it's charm because the 90's are back so good timing.

Warp is a short and interesting read. It's not my typical read and therefore was the perfect palate cleanser. There isn't much plot here but with interesting characters and a nostalgic setting I enjoyed it.

I give Warp by Lev Grossman 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Borrow/Buy. This I would say is a must read for fans of Lev Grossman and The Magicians trilogy. But even if you aren't a fans and you are looking for something to fill your need for 90's nostalgia or want a book with a slice of life kind of feel check this out.

Have you read Warp? What did you think? Are you a fan of The Magicians trilogy and planning to read this one? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Audiobook Review: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Title: All the Light We Cannot See Author: Anthony Doerr Published: May 6, 2014 by Scribner (Simon & Schuster) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When Marie-Laure is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris, and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.   In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge

All the Light We Cannot See comes very highly recommended. A few blogger friends loved it, it was the Goodreads Choice for historical fiction last year, and just recently it won the Pulitzer for Literature. So I had very high hopes for this one. I don't usually love books that are set during World War II but after hearing such great things and loving The Book Thief I gave it a try and I'm glad that I did. It was a beautifully-written and emotional read with likable and complex characters.

One of the best things about this book is the characters. The author does a fantastic job connecting you to the main characters very quickly. Both of our protagonists have had some incredible hardships in their life but they have this amazing inner strength. Marie-Laure is blind and living in Paris with her father when we first meet her. But because of the war, her and her father have to flee in the night to a small village on the coast of Brittany. The interesting thing about Marie-Laure is that sometimes you forget she's blind. She doesn't let her disability get in the way of her life which is one of the things that makes her so likable. Then there is Werner. He's an orphan living in Germany who learns how to fix and build radios and other electrical equipment. He's also incredibly resourceful and smart but with this caring heart that makes him just as likable. Doerr's characterizations were so brilliant and it really made for a really enjoyable read.

Even better than the individual characters is the way that they interact. There are so many amazing relationships here. Most notably, Marie-Laure and her father. He was so caring and committed to taking care of her. He often went to great lengths for her and it was heart-warming and just one of the things that led to the feels for me. Marie-Laure also had a great relationship with her uncle Etienne. Being blind she really had to depend on others but they never thought any less of her and all their help was to make her independent. With Werner, it's really about friendships. As an orphan his only family is his sister who he is separated from pretty early in the book. So he is spending a lot of time connecting with others to find companionship. He is very sympathetic in that way, and you can't help but also like the characters he befriends at school and in the military. These relationships and the characters search for connections really helped as a reader to connect with the story and made it such an emotional read.


And once again I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed a book set during Europe in World War II. I used to say that I found them all the be very similar and not at all creative, that they tended to just focus on the most obvious historical events of the day. But now I'm starting to think that I was just reading the wrong ones. Like The Book Thief, which I loved, this focuses on the homefront. The war is happening around us but that is not the focus of this book. The history is subtle and not the focus of the book. And while All the Light We Cannot See has won awards for historical fiction to me it reads more like "Literary Fiction." The pacing of the book was slower and focus was more on the characters. The writing is purposefully sentimental and beautiful. I wouldn't say that it's purple prose but it definitely had a lyrical quality to it. All of this added up to make a powerful and emotional story that will definitely stick with me but it's not necessarily the kind of style that blows me away.

Or maybe I wasn't blown away because I experienced this book as an audiobook. And while it was a good audiobook I don't think it was the best way for me to read the book. The narrator did a great job establishing the atmosphere of the book but I usually prefer my audiobooks to have more action to them. In the case of this book it almost lulled me to sleep. Not so much to sleep, but it did lull me to distraction. I would have to rewind and relisten to what had happened because I would realize that I hadn't comprehended anything that had just happened in the book. So while I did enjoy it, I think I would have liked it a little better if I had read it instead of listened to the audiobook.

I give All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. This is a must read if you are fans of Lit Fic. It is a beautifully written character-driven story that will stick with you long after you are finished reading. If you also like historical fiction set during WWII then check this one out. I would also maybe recommend this if you want to try some historical fiction but don't want to get overwhelmed by historical events.

Have you read All the Light We Cannot See? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: March by Geraldine Brooks

Title: March Author: Geraldine Brooks Published: January 2006 by Penguin Books (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Winner of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize For Fiction. From the author of the acclaimed YEAR OF WONDERS, an historical novel and love story set during a time of catastrophe, on the front lines of the American Civil War. Acclaimed author Geraldine Brooks gives us the story of the absent father from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women - and conjures a world of brutality, stubborn courage and transcendent love. An idealistic abolitionist, March has gone as chaplain to serve the Union cause. But the war tests his faith not only in the Union - which is also capable of barbarism and racism - but in himself. As he recovers from a near-fatal illness, March must reassemble and reconnect with his family, who have no idea of what he has endured. A love story set in a time of catastrophe, March explores the passions between a man and a woman, the tenderness of parent and child, and the life-changing power of an ardently held belief

So this is basically Little Women month here at My Thoughts Literally. It was supposed to be retellings but I've read more books about Little Women than retellings. One could argue that this is a retelling but it's more a companion novel. March is a look into the life and history of a character in Little Women who didn't receive much attention, Mr. March.

I've previously read a different work by the author, Geraldine Brooks, and I really enjoyed the story she was able to create by blending fact and fiction. In the case of March that was no different. Her writing is beautiful and lyrical and draws you into the struggle of the characters and their experience in a difficult time. In the case of March I didn't quite get the sense of wonder that I had in People of the Book but I was able to immerse myself in a beautiful and thought-provoking story steeped in history. Like Little Women, it is philosophical without being to preachy. It handles some difficult concepts with care and makes you question a lot of different things.

March, as a winner of the Pulitzer Prize, had a Literary Fiction type of feel to it. It's a character-driven story about a progressive idealist in the American South during the Civil War and witnessing things that reinforce his feelings of equality and the injustice that the slaves suffer. It's a very different kind of Civil War story. It is not about the battles, nor is it really even about soldiers. It's more about the contrast of between life in the South and life in the North at the time. It's about the different attitudes people feel about slavery and the conflict those attitudes can result in during that time of war. Like all good Lit Fic, Geraldine Brooks creates a story that is both interesting and makes you think. It balances Mr. March's experience during the war with the story of his past, including his first time in Virginia and how he met his future wife. Speaking of Marmee, we also get a period of the book from her perspective as well and it was fantastic to see her in her own words.

In addition to the elements of Lit Fic, Brooks also balances the book with elements of Historical Fiction. Like all good books in the genre, it was well-researched and balances the imaginary with actual moments and figures of history. And one of those historical figures is Bronson Alcott, Louisa May's father, who the original character was based on. The Alcotts ran with a circle of transcendental reformers, writers, and philosophers in Concord and this is the circle that the Marches interacted with in the book. People like Thoreau, Emerson, and even John Brown made an appearance and helped created the world and historical context for the book. But it's essentially a book about the Civil War and it incorporates many elements of the culture and history of the time.

The author has also done a fantastic job creating the character of Mr. March. In Little Women he is only viewed through subtext and on the periphery but here he takes center stage as a fully-fledged and interesting character all his own. As I've already mentioned, the original character is based on Bronson Alcott, but there's a great balances between his life, knowledge of the character from Little Women, and something brand new. Mr. March, like his daughters, is far from perfect. He has lessons to learn and mistakes to make along the way. He doesn't quite have the redemptive character arc but he is still sympathetic and interesting. But Mr. March isn't the only character from the original novel that gets a little more screen time. As a big fan of Little Women, my favorite thing about the book and it's characters was the additional references and moments with some favorite characters like Marmee and Beth.

March is a definite read for fans of Little Women. It gives us a more gritty look at the historical time period and the characters of that beloved Classic. Geraldine Brooks has managed to write a beautiful and interesting story that balances the history and well-loved characters with a plot that makes you think.

I give March by Geraldine Brooks 8.5 out of 10 

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy/Borrow. Fans of Little Women should add this book to their collection as should fans of Literary Fiction. This book has won the Pulitzer Prize, and award that I usually have good luck with when it comes to Lit Fic so if you are like me then check it out.

ARC Review: The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant

Title: The Boston Girl Author: Anita Diamant Published: December 9, 2014 by  (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: From the New York Times bestselling author of The Red Tent and Day After Night, comes an unforgettable coming-of-age novel about family ties and values, friendship and feminism told through the eyes of young Jewish woman growing up in Boston in the early twentieth century. Addie Baum is The Boston Girl, born in 1900 to immigrant parents who were unprepared for and suspicious of America and its effect on their three daughters. Growing up in the North End, then a teeming multicultural neighborhood, Addie's intelligence and curiosity take her to a world her parents can't imagine - a world of short skirts, movies, celebrity culture and new opportunities for women. Addie wants to finish high school and dreams of going to college. She wants a career and to find true love. Eighty-five-year-old Addie tells the story of her life to her twenty-two-year-old granddaughter, who has asked her "How did you get to be the woman you are today." She begins in 1915, the year she found her voice and made friends who would help shape the course of her life. From the one-room tenement apartment she shared with her parents and two sisters, to the library group for girls she joins at a neighborhood settlement house, to her first, disastrous love affair, Addie recalls her adventures with compassion for the naïve girl she was and a wicked sense of humor. Written with the same attention to historical detail and emotional resonance that made Anita Diamant's previous novels bestsellers, The Boston Girl is a moving portrait of one woman’s complicated life in twentieth century America, and a fascinating look at a generation of women finding their places in a changing world.

What struck me most about The Boston Girl is that that it is full of heart. Fans of Modern Classics like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, To Kill A Mockingbird, and The Heart is A Lonely Hunter will easily connect with Addie and enjoy this coming-of-age story of a young woman growing up in Boston and learning about life and love with a character-driven plot with great characters. 

This book follows the formative years of Addie Baum in the early 1900's through the Great Depression. And while it touches on a lot of historic events it really doesn't come close to mentioning the major events of the day. But that's not really the focus of the book. Fans of Historical Fiction may be disappointed by this fact which but it gives The Boston Girl more of a Literary Fiction feeling. And the character-driven nature of the plot also makes it feel more like Lit-Fic. It focused less on the moments and more on the feelings for the characters during these times. It's less about being there for things like World War I and the Roaring Twenties, and more about what it felt like to be a young woman in this time period. And because it was more about the people, the mood of the book was at time sad and depressing while still being sweet and sentimental.

But what made it all the more sentimental for me was the characters. The characters were likable and I was definitely invested in their struggle. Addie was the perfect "modern woman" to not only place in this tale but make it's narrator. She was intelligent and ambitious but had to navigate the waters of a society and family that was more traditional. I also really enjoyed Addie's family and friends. Her family felt so genuine and timeless. You could tell they love each other despite being hard on one another, like families are. Her friends seemed to be ushering her into the modern era and supporting her through the ups and the downs. My favorite character was probably the love interest. He was perfect and sweet and when they final got together I was extremely giddy. It really felt like Addie had earned it. It sounds like a weird thing to say in Lit-Fic but I definitely shipped them in this book. On the whole I was invested in the characters struggle and they made this book really enjoyable.

As for the plot and the pacing, I'm learning that with Lit-Fic the pacing is going to be slower and less important than the plot-driven books I usually read. It didn't make the book bad, it's just that I'm going to find it much harder to be blown away by a character-driven story than a thrilling plot-driven one. With these kinds of books it's more about the connection to the characters and I had that here. Plus Anita Diamant's writing was beautiful and had a nice flow when it moved from moment to moment. Despite the fact that it would skip years and moments, it was still easy to follow what was happening and I never felt like I was missing anything. It wasn't really the kind of book that you can devour in a quick period of time. The beginning of the book was like a slow progression as we got to know the characters and then all of a sudden I read 100 pages and it was almost over. It was like I blinked and a third of the book had passed me by. That is definitely a good sign for a character-driven book.

I give The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant a 9 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. Fans of Literary Fiction should absolutely read this book. The Boston Girl was a simple and enjoyable with likable characters perfect for fans of coming-of-age stories and modern classics that make you feel what it was like to grow up in a certain place at a certain time period. Read it!