2016 First Quarter One Page Reviews

January, February, and March the following book fell supremely short:

I picked up A Beggining, A Muddle, and an End by Avi on my craft book binge. I was looking for things to include in weekend workshops or help with my workshop series at the library or even for use next year in teaching. It sounded so cute. An ant and a snail talk about writing. Lots of interesting little nuggets in a funny little comedy, perfect.

Yeah, no. I was wrong. It was tired. In fact, reading it made me tired. According to the cover it’s philosophical. ROFL. That alone is funnier than the entire book. Let me share jst a few “highlights.”

“…but instead write a book about my life. I’m hoping that writing will allow me to find myself.” “I had no idea you were lost.”

“I’m afraid I don’t have a way with words.” “Avon, by now you should know that words don’t really weigh anything.”

“Because my father always told me not to be thoughtless.” “And my father always taught me that it’s the thought that counts.” “I’d much prefer that.” “Why?” “Because I’ve always been good at mathematics.”

The whole book is this way. But at least it’s short, so my torture did not extend too tall, because extending yourself is dangerous, as the book would have said.

Lost for Words – Edward St. Aubyn

Oh god, this book. I couldn’t even finish it. I tried I really did, as you know I have issues with leaving a book unfinished no matter how bad it is but this one…

The idea behind the book: a satire of literary works and the competitions that judge them. Ha- ha, how funny this will be. Um, no.

The book is so busy being what it makes fun of that it was unreadable for me. Sentences go on for half a page, filled with words of four syllables or more. Let me give you an example of one of the more readable sentences that goes on for half a page.

“… the substitution of a slightly resistant adjective to engender a moment’s reflection, in short, the joys of editing, all carried out without forgetting the art that disguises art, giving the appearance of ease to the greatest difficulty and bringing clarity to tangled and obscure ideas.”

Yeah and that was just the last quarter of that sentence. What ever happened to say what you mean and mean what you say and don’t say it mean?

Grey – E.L. James

I gave this one 20 pages. Seriously, it opened with a dream. There are not even words.

Why was I even reading this travesty? Ok so my oldest friend in the world begged me to. She loves the Grey series. And she swore that Christian Grey’s business partner was me incarnate, so please please would I just try it?

I tried. I failed. It went back to the library.

I’m posting this one a smidge early, I know it’s still March, but with the beginning of April begins A to Z Challenge and I will be blogging about lessons learned at Norwescon in the A to Z format.