December Reviews

Stopping in for a few quick seconds with December's sad, sad reads. Considering I was off for ten days of the month you'd think there would be more, but that's the holiday season with a crazy baby for you! 

The Round House by Louise Erdrich

317 pages

I read this for book club and was really pleased with the discussion it inspired. It's about a thirteen year-old boy' whose mother is brutally attacked on their reservation. He is determined to help find the assailant and dives into dark secrets that force him to mature. Erdrich still includes humor and antics that thirteen-year-olds possess, but this nonetheless still an intense novel.

Verdict: I think this is a super solid book that would interest readers of both mystery and contemporary literature. The writing is good, but it is still accessible. 

 

Funny Girl by Nick Hornby

373 pages

I was a little nervous going into this book, since I'm a huge Hornby fan. His last few books haven't been as good as his early work (High Fidelity, About a Boy, etc...), so I wasn't sure what to expect. Funny Girl is the story about Barbara, or Sophie (stage name), who becomes a small-town British girl turned London comedy actress during the sixties. We read about the success of the show she's on, her relationships, and also about the writers and producers on the show. Hornby's subtle wit is present and the time period was fun to read about (especially since I was concurrently listening to a Paul McCartney podcast).

Verdict: I thought 80% of this book was great- the ending, though, brought down my overall impression, though. Hornby skips decades into the future when everyone is older and has them reunite, a turn that I thought was very unnecessary. Why the need to tie up everything (don't worry, this isn't a spoiler)? I could see this possibly being a movie, and given Hornby's recent work in screenwriting I wouldn't be surprised if he had that in mind while writing. Not his best, but not his worst.