Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn

Here's what I love about Gillian Flynn, but others seem to dislike - not a single one of her characters are likeable, but somehow I always thoroughly enjoy reading her books. Sharp Objects is no exception. The story surrounds junior reporter Camille Preaker, a journalist at a third tier newspaper in Chicago. Camille is asked to return to her hometown of Wind Gap, MO to cover the story of a second missing girl. Camille reluctantly agrees and slowly, as only Gillian Flynn can, the background of Camille and her reluctance is laid out in the open.

I find one of the best things about Gillian Flynn's narrative style is how she uses the first person narrative voice and so forces you to experience the story as the main character. And for a while you trust and are lulled by the main character's point of view. You agree with them. You don't question them. Then, when you are good and comfortable, she smacks you with some objective truth or secret about the main character. And you realize you really knew nothing all along.

In this case, we slowly learn about Camille and her childhood. Flynn takes some pains not to make Camille completely unlikeable. In fact, I caught myself liking her despite myself. This debut novel is certainly not as polished as Gone Girl or Dark Places (you can read my review of Dark Places here), but it's timing of reveals is pretty brilliant. And while I did sort of predict the ending, it was still satisfying nonetheless. There were a few tropes that I felt cheapened the story a bit - for example, a line by one of the detectives that he's "fallen" for Camille. The whole dialogue in that section seemed out of character for the book.

Gillian Flynn is a master at writing and delving into unlikeable characters. Her heroes are always flawed and damaged. And there is something rewarding about that, as a reader, to explore with her. 

5/5 Stars.

The Litigators - John Grisham

I was pleasantly surprised that I actually really enjoyed this book. I haven't read John Grisham in a while. I've always associated him with 90s legal thrillers. I received this book over a year ago as a gift and just now got around to reading it. It's a comedy!

The story follows David Zinc, an associate attorney at a mega-firm in Chicago. One day David just can't go through another 12 hour day at the legal sweat shop a lot of these firms specialize in. So he goes on a fantastic drinking bender and then winds up on the doorstep of a two man ambulance chasing operation. The two partners at this firm are totally inept and hanging on by a thread. David decides to throw his hat in with them and becomes the firm's associate.

The two partners, Oscar Finley and Wallis Figg are bumbling along when one of them gets the bright idea to tag onto a giant mass-tort case against a major pharmaceutical company. Considering the pedigree and lack of ethics exhibited by the partners, the litigation does not go well, to comical results.

I enjoyed watching the Chicago backdrop of the legal community float through this book. It was entertaining and Grisham kept the action moving without getting thoroughly bogged down too far in talking about the minutia of the law suit itself.

4/5 Stars.

The Witch's Daughter - Paula Brackston

I'm mixed on this one. The writing was okay and the story was okay. I wasn't a big fan of the characters and the structure of the narrative.

The book starts with Elizabeth moving to a new town and on the lookout for some kind of danger that keeps following her. She befriends a teenager, Tegan, who proves to be kind of annoying.

Elizabeth starts sharing her history with Tegan who somehow doesn't realize the people in the story are actually earlier versions of Elizabeth until finally Elizabeth tells her a final story about love and loss.

Oh and this guy following Elizabeth disguises himself as other people and although Elizabeth gets a funny feeling around certain people, she never realizes its this guy until he kills a few people.

It's all fine but not excellent.

3/5 Stars. 

The Early Short Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald - F. Scott Fitzgerald

I really can't say enough good things about this collection of short stories. I have been a long time fan of the Great Gatsby and I've also read a previous collection of his short stories which included the unforgettable "Diamond as Big as the Ritz."

In this collection of early stories, you can see Fitzgerald process and explore themes following and during WWI. He's writing at a time when social mores are becoming undefined and the gender norms blurred.

The first story, "Babes in the Woods" explores a loosening of sexual restrictions among teenagers. Both play a game in which they observe the required social niceties, all the while thinking of how they will break them. When they fail to achieve their desired results, both are equally disappointed.

"Sentiment - and the Use of Rouge," follows a young man home on leave from the war who finds that he does not understand what has happened to society. He finds the women too "painted" and the men too scarce. The war may have meant something to him at the front, but it has wrought further changes back home.

"The Cut-Glass Bowl" uses a woman's conceit and pride to illustrate her downfall in both beauty and superiority. Just as the "Four Fists" shows a man learning life lessons at the end of a fist.

I cannot leave out the hilarious "The Camel's Back" in which a disappointed suitor attempts to arrive at a costume party as one half of a camel.

Lastly, the collection also includes "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," which I think I knew was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald but alas is nothing like the movie. It's main focus is on the things were learn as an adult, but shows them in reverse as Benjamin loses that knowledge as he becomes younger.

There's such a delicious voice of yearning, disappointment, understanding and disillusionment in so many of these stories. I can't recommend them enough.

5/5 Stars!

Loving Frank - Nancy Horan

My mom and sister received a scolding text message for not warning me I would cry in the last chapters of this wonderful and heartbreaking debut novel. So as I write this with swollen and red eyes at Midway airport I have mostly great things to say about this book.

The book takes an honest look at the role of women at the turn of the twentieth century. It is with a sense of relief and gratitude that the sacrifices and demands made by that generation such as the protagonist Mamah Borthwick made to ensure I and women everywhere would be evaluated and valued on our own contributions to society.

The author did a wonderful job of creating honest characters. Just as I was growing tired of one of the characters lamenting the situations they had made for themselves the character would also realize they were acting a little put upon.

They only detracting comment I can really say about this novel is that certain passages ran on and on and on. This may be part of a new author developing their craft but I found some pages largely unnecessary as Horan had done such a good job developing the characters already. 

I had absolutely no background in anything involving Frank Lloyd Wright aside from knowing where his homes are located and what the architecture generally looked like. This was such a pleasant and wonderful surprise. I can't recommend enough.

4/5 Stars.

The White Princess - Phillipa Gregory

Probably a 3.5 star book. I really liked the story but the middle of the book was repetitive and thus got a little boring. This installment in the Cousin's War books (do not need to be read in order) tells the tale of Princess Elizabeth of York who weds Henry VII (Henry Tudor), her family's enemy. Told from Elizabeth's point of view, the story focuses on a series of York pretenders to the throne and Henry's treatment of them. It also posits a possible back story for the final York pretender which Tudor historians named "Warbeck" but understandable skepticism exists regarding the plausibility here. I do appreciate that Gregory isn't afraid to go her own way on some of these unclear historical events. The tale ends before Henry's reign ends. I would have liked to see Elizabeth deal with her son's death and the eventual crowning of Henry VIII rather than all the pages wasted repeating Henry VII's fears regarding Warbeck which is basically the same chapter over and over for 100+ pages. I feel like that put the story firmly in Henry's domain rather than focusing on Elizabeth.  3.5/5 Stars.

Only Time Will Tell (Clifton Chronicles) - Jeffrey Archer

So this meandering tale follows Harry Clifton as he grows from boyhood into an adult. The story shifts between various narrators including Harry's mother Maisie, Harry's best friend Giles, Old Jack Tar and a couple others which would be giving away plot points to mention. Through the various characters different lines of the truth are exposed and it's interesting to learn certain facts when the perspective changes. 

There are a couple things about the writing that I was not a big fan of. Each narrative shift encompasses a few chapters. The first chapter after the shift is written in the first person. The remaining chapters after a shift are written in The third person. I'm not sure what Archer is doing here. It's just distracting. 

The second issue I have with this novel is that although it seems to be well placed in historical events, the author might have not looked in to American history as well as he should have. For one there is a scene at the end with a character being read his Miranda rights. In 1939. Miranda v. Arizona didn't happen until 1966 so that's a little lazy. 

Otherwise I found the story entertaining even if it's not the most eloquent writing I've read. I'll read the rest of the series I'm sure but I'm not going to be reading them back to back. 

3/5 Stars.