The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

I am a big fan of Harry Potter and Daniel Radcliffe, so I was curious to see what his next movie after completing the HP Franchise would be. When I saw the previews for The Woman in Black I was interested as I am a big fan of horror movies - the suspenseful/thriller kind, not the blood and gore kind. However, I have a strict rule - I always read the book BEFORE seeing the movie. I don't think I have ever seen a film that I loved (or even liked) more than the book. I have to read the book first because more often then not, the movie ruins the book for me. So with the release date of The Woman in Black quickly approaching (February 3rd) I decided to pick this up.

I think I might have been expecting more than I got with this book. It really is a simple ghost story, written in the Gothic style. It tells the story of Arthur Kipps, a young, rising lawyer, who is sent to Crythin Gifford to attend the funeral and handle the estate of Mrs. Drablow, a client who has passed away. Upon arrival, Arthur learns that there is much more to this story and that the town is haunted by a woman dressed in black - a relative of Mrs. Drablow. Through the course of his duties, Arthur is forced to spend some time in Eel Marsh House - Mrs. Drablow's house and has several encounters with the Woman in Black.

The story wasn't all that terrifying and it was somewhat predictable, but it was well written and I did enjoy it. I liked how the book was presented - having Arthur look back on the events years later after putting his life back together and reaching some level of peace with the haunting events that rocked his world. I have a feeling that it will translate well to film, and that some license will be taken to make it more suspenseful and scary.

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

I picked up this novel because it has appeared on a bunch of best-seller lists, but I clearly did not pay attention to the details. 1Q84 is an extraordinary work of fiction, but word of warning...it is 946 pages long! So only pick it up if you are willing to spend some time with it. It is not a quick read.


Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer who has a very interesting writing style. It is very different from any other author I have ever read. To read this story, you have to be willing to jump into the world created by Murakami with no reservations. If you are not a fiction lover, don't bother picking up this book. There are several things that happen in this book that surprised me and left me asking, "What?" or "How is that even possible?" There are several twists and turns in this story - many of them requiring a lapse in logic and reason. Many parallels have been drawn between 1Q84 and George Orwell's novel, 1984. I can't comment on that as I have regrettably not read Orwell's novel. It is on my "to read" list. I just haven't gotten to it yet.


It is hard to summarize the story because it is so intricate and detailed, but I will try to give a general synopsis of the story. There are two main characters in the book - Tengo and Aomame. These characters met back in elementary school when they were in the same class for two years in a row. Both of them lead less then ideal childhoods, and shared a brief encounter at the age of 10 that had a profound effect on both of them. However, when Aomame transfers schools, Tengo never sees Aomame again. The two characters spend the next 20 years thinking about the other, and wondering how their lives might have been different if they had had the courage to act on their connection. Tengo becomes a Math teacher and aspiring fiction writer, while Aomame becomes a fitness trainer and a trained assassin. Through a series of events, Tengo and Aomame find themselves transported from the normal world of 1984, to the world of 1Q84. Aomame calls this world 1Q84 to distinguish it from the "real world" of 1984. The two worlds are very much the same, with the biggest difference being the number of moons. In the 1Q84 there are two moons - the normal moon and a smaller green moon. Aomame and Tengo have been sent to this world in order to find each other, however their are forces working against them who are trying to prevent this.

I enjoyed the book, but it took me a long time to get through it. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character - most often switching between Tengo and Aomame. I think this kept the story from slowing down and dragging out, which easily could have happened if told as a straight narrative. It also allowed the reader to see how the different events in each of the character's lives was moving them closer and closer together. It surprised me to realize that this story is actually a love story. There is so much going on in this novel that it is easy to miss it at first. I don't know if that was the intention of the author, but at the heart of this story is the connection between Tengo and Aomame and their search to find each other after 20 years. I was hoping for more at the end of the story. I feel like there were several loose ends and unanswered questions. However, even though the ending is a little lack luster for me, 1Q84 is worth the read.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a very fun and interesting read. It is a story about a teenager named Jacob who through a series of strange events comes to realize that the stories his Grandfather used to tell him as a child are in fact true. Up until now, Jacob always assumed that the stories his Grandfather told him about the home he grew up in - a home run by Miss Peregrine and full of children with peculiar gifts - were just that...stories.

After his Grandfather is murdered, Jacob finding himself questioning everything, including his own sanity. Armed with the few clues his Grandfather has left him, Jacob sets off to find the mysterious Miss Peregrine and her peculiar children. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - the narrative is well written and engaging, but what really adds to the story are the photographs scattered throughout the book. According to Ransom Riggs, these photographs are real - found by collectors who scour estate sales and flea markets - and only a small few have undergone any alterations. The pictures add a sense of reality to the story, after all, "seeing is believing." But more than that, they provide a true contrast of the worlds Jacob travels between - the present day and 1940s. Even separated from the story, the pictures are in and of themselves an interesting collection. Ransom Riggs is a collector as well, and often posts some of his more interesting finds on his blog, which I encourage you to check out (click here).

The book is left wide open for a sequel, which Riggs has already announced is forthcoming, and I will be interested to see where the story goes and what new images he will find to include. The film rights have also been purchased, and if it ever comes to the big screen I will be excited to see if they are able to capture the feeling of Jacob's two realities and the wondrous characters who reside in them.

Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

Pride and Prejudice is one of my all-time favorite books, but I must admit that I am late to join the fan fiction party. This was my first foray into this world, and I was sorely disappointed.

Death Comes of Pemberley picks up 6 years after Elizabeth and Darcy's marriage. The book opens with the author recounting the events over the past 6 years leading to the blissful life enjoyed by the occupants of Pemberley as they prepare for their annual ball to honor the late Lady Anne.

I do not feel that the author did my favorite characters any justice. Elizabeth Bennet is one of my favorite female characters - she is strong willed, witty, and I have a feeling that she and I would have gotten along splendidly if she had been more than one of Jane Austen's imaginings - however, in this book she is largely reduced to an insipid, worrier lacking all of the characteristics that has made her one of the most well-known and respected literary female characters. Darcy - who I have always harbored a secret literary crush on - does not fare much better. P.D. James does a better job with other characters such as Wickham, Jane, and Mr. Bingley.

Death Comes to Pemberley is billed as a murder mystery, as the peaceful life of Pemberley is thrown into disarray with the unexpected arrival of Lydia, in hysterics, shouting that her husband is dead. A search party is mounted only to find Wickham, covered in blood, hovering over the dead body of his friend. Wickham is quickly arrested for murder and a trial ensues. There is little in the way of mystery in the story, but rather a general revealing of facts, with little in the way of intrigue. The "mystery" wraps itself up neatly with little surprise. I will say that it P.D. James manages to wrap up the mystery surrounding Wickham very much in line with his character.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

There seem to be two schools of thought on this book: either you  love it, or you hate it. I happen to love it! However, I can see how some who read the description of the book might find themselves disappointed, as it does hype the book up to be a little more than it really is. 

The Night Circus is about Le Cirque des Rêves (The Circus of Dreams), a mysterious circus that simply appears over night with no announcement. It is simply there, when the day before it wasn't. The Circus is unlike any other circus that has ever existed. It is completely devoid of color - everything is black and white, or shades of gray. There are no clowns or elephants - instead the attractions of Le Cirque des Rêves are far more mysterious and wondrous.  

The descriptions of the Circus were my favorite parts of the book, however some have criticized them as being too wordy. I disagree with this assessment. I found the descriptions to be a perfect aid to my imagination. The Circus is truly a fantastical and wondrous backdrop to the greater story.

Unknown to the may patrons of Le Cirque des Rêves, the Circus is actually a battleground for a challenge taking place between Celia and Marco, two magicians who have been training for this challenge all their lives. Their instructors are old rivals who have held similar challenges throughout the ages, both claiming that their teaching methods are superior to the others. Celia and Marco find themselves caught up in this rivalry without a clear explanation as to the rules of the challenge. One thing becomes clear however - the challenge doesn't end until there is only one competitor standing. The use of the word "challenge" is slightly misleading - it implies that there are epic battles of magical power. This is not the case. The challenge is more a battle of endurance - as Celia and Marco attempt to one-up each other with magical creativity, becoming more and more entangled in the magic of the Circus and struggling to maintain it, while protecting the lives of those involved with the Circus. Those expecting action packed battles will be disappointed.

Complicating matters, Marco and Celia fall in love. Their love story is another point of criticism. If you know that ending the challenge will result in the destruction of the one you love, why wouldn't you continue to play? Easy, because the subtle nature of the challenge won't allow it. There has to be a winner. Maintaining the magic of the Circus while continually adding to it is exhausting - eventually one player will not be able to continue. It is almost cruel - Celia and Marco were chosen as pawns in a game between their two teachers who are determined to show the superiority of their methods. They have no regard for the players themselves, willing to sacrifice them if they should lose. What's intriguing is that the players are not only bound to the game, but also each other. They love and understand each other in a way that no one else can. I found the love story between Marco and Celia very sweet and also a little sad. It added a sense of inevitability and tragedy to the fantasy of the Circus - despite their love, they know that one of them must destroy the other, or sacrifice themselves to save the other. 

Summit has bought the film rights to The Night Circus. It will be interesting to see how this book translates onto film. I am excited to see the Circus come to life, but I have a feeling that artistic licenses will be taken and more action will be added to make the film more exciting to the detriment of the story. I hope that this will not be the case, but I guess we shall see...

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This book has been on my "to read" list for a while now. I read the review in the New York Times and I was intrigued by the idea of the story. As a History buff, the 1960's is one of my favorite time periods to study - in fact I even wrote my senior thesis in college on Jim Crow Laws from Reconstruction through the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. 

It always amazes me how Americans could spout the ideals of equality and freedom, while denying these same ideals to a large portion of the American population. When I read about Hilly's Home Help Sanitation Initiative, which encourages white families to install separate bathrooms for their colored help to prevent the spread of diseases, I can't help but shake my head at the idiocy of the logic that prevailed during this time period. It's sad to think that people really did think that way. It's even sadder to think that there are still some groups in our society who still face these same issues, however one thing has been proven right again and again throughout our history - American might not always get it right the first time, or the second, but in the end equality and freedom always win.




I enjoyed the book and the characters' stories. I found myself laughing at some of the crazier stories, saddened by some, and outraged by some of the injustices faced by some of the characters. 

I particularly liked a conversation between Aibileen and Minny where they talk about lines  - "Aibileen shakes her head. "I used to believe in em. I don't anymore. They in our heads. People like Miss Hilly is always trying to make us believe they there. But they ain't.'" I thought it was an interesting concept - the idea of lines, and it made me think how often we stop ourselves from doing something because we are afraid to cross those imaginary lines. It's so easy to imprison ourselves in these lines without even realizing it, to hide behind them because it's easier than admitting that they really don't exist. That's what the Civil Rights Movement was all about - making people realize that these "lines" didn't exist - that there was no need for them.

The ending disappointed me a little. There was a huge build up to the question of what would happen after the book was published, but to me the resolution was almost nonexistent. I felt like I was on a roller coaster climbing the track for the expected plunge, only to reach the top and realize the coaster has run out of track, so it slowly just reverses back the way it came. The endings of the characters' stories were short and lacking detail. As I turned the last page, I found myself saying, "That's it?" Despite the ending, I did like the book. It's not one of my favorites, but definitely worth the read.


All You Desire by Kirsten Miller

All You Desire is the second book in the Eternal Ones series. The first book followed a girl named Haven Moore - an outcast in her small southern town, known for her strange visions - as she learns that she is in fact an Eternal One, and the visions she has are not in fact visions, but memories from her previous lives. These memories draw her to her soul mate, Iain Marrow, and they both narrowly escape the clutches of Adam Rosier - a more than human force who has a sick obsession with Haven. Adam is the leader of the Ouroboros Society, an organization whose members all have past lives.

At the end of the first book, Haven and Iain, having faked his own death, escape to Rome where they spend a blissful year. This is where All You Desire picks up - one year later in Rome. Haven is called back to New York when Beau, her best friend (and brother in their past lives) suddenly goes missing. Haven is forced to enlist the help of an underground group called the Horae to save Beau, and in exchange for their help becomes a pawn in their plot to destroy Adam Rosier and the Ouroboros Society. In the process, Haven finds herself drawn to Adam and questioning and risking everything and everyone important in her life.

All You Desire was a good follow up to The Eternal Ones. I enjoy the series, and am intrigued by the idea of past lives, which is what originally drew me to the series. Many of the characters experience "flashbacks" that appeal to the historian in me - All You Desire has Haven reliving a past life in Florence at the outbreak of the Black Death. It's not the best series I've ever read, and it's not one that I will read over and over again, but Kirsten Miller is a good storyteller and mixes the right amount of suspense in with romance. The twists in the plot are not always predictable, which makes for an interesting read. Like the first book, this is a quick read. I would recommend it if you have a short flight or are just looking to waste away the afternoon.