Books read recently

A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby: This is an excellent read, because it handles serious, thought-provoking subjects with humor, in a unique way. It's really amusing , and it covers a wide range of emotions. It's easy to relate to the characters, who are very humane, flawed and believable, while also being fascinating. I think their voices weren't very well-handled: sometimes they sounded all the same, but the use of their voices made me understand exactly what was going inside of their heads. The cultural references and criticism to our society was interesting.
The Tale Of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo: This is a good children's book. It has a simple story that reminds you of fairy tales, while using more modern, simple, even if beautiful and language. The characters are convincing, I just thought Miggery Sow was too badly treated. The storyline was interesting, with a simple, interesting story, various points of view, mystery and suspense and a good climax. The illustrations are gorgeous and they focus on the differences between light and darkness, a subject that's important in the book.

The Ivy Chronicles by Karen Quinn: This book was really very bad. It reads like the dreams of an immature, ignorant, disinteresting 40-year-old, filled with descriptions of being rich and very lucky without deserving it (that last part is my opinion). It is so ridiculous it's laughable. The leading character is shallow and despicable (I felt like slapping her, and you are supposed to relate and like her) and all the others are boring and lack dimension. It's badly written, without beauty or feeling: it feels like a telegram. The narrative is very fast and some aspects are forgotten and then picked up far later. The only fine aspect was the leading character's professional aspect, with funny characters such as the kids and their parents: this is not explored enough, though.

The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles: This is a great, innovative, impressive piece of fiction. It tells a gritty, thought-provoking story using precise, descriptive, and at the same time ethereal writing. The characters are fascinating, as is their quest for a perfect zero, perfectly mirrored in the arid desert's descriptions. The foreign culture is well-captured, with detail and a personal vision. This is not an easy read: it's disturbing, very thought-provoking, innovative and brilliant.

A Home At The End Of The World by Michael Cunningham: I liked this book, even if it's one of Cunningham's worst. The writing is poetic and beautiful, but not as much as in his other books, the characters are fascinating and their point of view is interesting, but this isn't as gripping as his other stuff. I blame this on the storyline, which drabs a bit at the beginning and doesn't develop the most interesting subjects here. The characters were a bit annoying sometimes, also. I had high expectations and I was disappointed, but this is still a good book.

The Hiding Place By Trezza Azzopardi: I enjoyed this book. The story of a poor family of immigrants facing trouble has been told many times, and this isn't unique. Even so, it is interestingly written: the entire book is composed of few important, detailed scenes that chronicle the progressive deterioration of the family. The writing is somewhat poetic and metaphoric, giving the story an ethereal feeling. The characters are mostly developed and very humane, except for the father, who's a cliché. The storyline is fine, but not any original. It's worth a read, but by no means an obligatory book.

Life Of Pi by Yann Martel: I liked this book a lot. It tells a surprising, scary, gripping, hugely imaginative tale with security and intelligence. It uses a wild, gory adventure that seems perfectly believable (thanks to the writing) to create a profound reflection about animals, men's capacity to survive and religion. It has affecting segments, with hallucinations and a shocking ending twist that leaves you thinking about what actually happened. The leading character is interesting, the descriptions are breath-taking (you see what's described) and the action keeps you hooked. It's a great book.


Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer: I adored this book. It made me cry, it made me laugh, it made me think. This has a very beautiful message about family, grief, growing up and love, which is reached in a non-sappy, very touching way. Besides, it's also a subtle meditation on the open wounds of today's society. The characters are realistic, flawed and very likable, their voices are humane, distinctive and unique, the relation between them is subtly portrayed and affecting. I found the book very innovative: there were several different points of view, pages with only a sentence, others with numbers, photographs (the ending is breathtaking), colored words and underlining, amongst others. It's a gripping, moving read that I wholeheartedly recommend.