Book Review - Lacy M. Johnson's The Other Side

Anyone who has been following my book reviews, knows that I'm a huge fan of Tin House. Lacy M. Johnson's memoir, The Other Side is a new offering from Tin House and as soon as I saw it advertised, I had to read it. 

PLOT- Lacy M. Johnson fell in love with a Spanish professor who was teaching at the college that she was attending. He was charming and handsome at first, but when she moved in with him, the abuse started. After several years of putting up with his erratic behavior and both physical and mental abuse, Johnson left him. She thought that he had left the country, but instead he was waiting and plotting revenge. He kidnapped Lacy and brutally raped her, threatening to kill her. She would have been dead, if not for his mistake of leaving her alone, tied up, giving her enough time to escape. Although she escaped, she is left with scars and he fled the country, making it impossible for her to feel safe.

LIKE - Johnson's story is a powerful force that is impossible to put down. I think the style is what works best. She writes in a finessed stream of consciousness. She floats between flashbacks to her childhood, the abusive relationship, the rape and her life after the rape. She teases out the information about the rape, not divulging the full details until the very end of the story. This may sound sick, but I kept reading, wanting to know exactly what he did to her. It was horrific and upsetting. It was a strong choice to keep this at the end of the story, as it added to the tension.

I also like that we knew early on, that in the end, she was able to marry a nice guy and have kids with him. This sense of a happy ending, made the horrific portions easier to bear. Johnson is raw and honest, but never tries to make the reader pity her. This makes her a compelling protagonist worth rooting for.

DISLIKE-  The only very minor negative, is that when Johnson switched between flashbacks, it sometimes took me a few moments to realize that a switch had occurred. Occasionally, the transitions were not as clear as they could be. However, this was only in a handful of sections and usually the floating between timelines worked very well. 

RECOMMEND- Yes. A huge yes! The Other Side is a very powerful memoir and Johnson is brave for sharing her experience. I would especially recommend this to anyone who has or is currently in an abusive relationship. It would also be good for younger women who are starting to date, as a cautionary tale for understanding what is unacceptable behavior and where it could lead. 

Book Review - George R.R. Martin's A Feast for Crows

Many years ago, I bought a box set of the first four books in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. I was reading each book shorty before each coresponding season of the HBO series Game of Thrones aired. The third and fourth seasons of the series were supposed to have encompassed the third book, so I held off on the fourth book until this month, finishing it on the day that season five begins.

PLOT- This is the middle of the saga, so I really can't even begin to explain plot. Anyone who is familiar with the series will understand it is heavy with plot and characters. You can't possible jump into this book without reading the others in the series. Even if you've read all of the books, there will still be moments of confusion. Luckily, Martin has anticipated this and there is a handy appendix listing all of the characters (major and minor) plus the houses in which they belong and their relations. This is helpful, but it also spans eleven pages, which is daunting. 

Martin did a good thing with this particular book, which he explains at the end of A Feast for Crows. He had so many characters and so much plot, that rather that have all of the characters in this book, he limited it to half and will dedicate the next book in the series to the other half. I wish that I had known this going in, because I kept wanting to get back to Daenerys and her dragons. She was sorely missed in A Feast for Crows. However, I think that this was a good decision, as it was easier to become invested in a few characters and their adventures, rather than trying to keep track of everyone.

LIKE- I liked Martin's depth of character development in A Feast of Crows and in his previous books.  I marvel at this ability to juggle all of these characters and plots. I feel like his brain must always be on the verge of exploding from trying to keep all of the plot lines straight, yet he pulls it off. 

DISLIKE- Frankly, although I love the television series and I admire Martin's talent, these books are not my cup of tea. I guess I was going by the idea that books versions always trump the adapted television/movie versions. However, there is a reason that I didn't plunge into the fourth book after finishing the third, I find them a chore to read. I like certain characters ( Daenerys, Sansa, all of the Lannisters), but I find most of the chapters to be sluggish, bogged down with extraneous characters and overwrought descriptions. 

RECOMMEND - I have many friends who absolutely love the series, including A Feast for Crows. I even have a friend who will not watch the HBO adaptation until all of the books have been released. She doesn't want the show to ruin the books for her. For me, I don't feel compelled to read more of the books. I'm content with getting my story resolution from the television series. There are too many wonderful books out there to take up my time with a series that I'm not enjoying. 

Book Review - David Brooks' The Road to Character

I spotted David Brooks' latest non-fiction book, The Road to Character, while I was browsing new books available on NetGalley. It looked like something that I might enjoy and perhaps even find to be inspirational. Thank you to Random House for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT -  In The Road to Character, New York Times Columnist David Brooks profiles a range of people spanning several eras that he considers to have a strong sense of character. These are mostly very flawed people, who experienced a bumpy road on their way to developing admirable characteristics. Brooks examines how society's definition of morals and strong character has shifted dramatically over generations. He ends his book with a look at our current society and how technology has shaped our idea of self and character.

LIKE- I was most drawn to Brooks observations of current trends, which comprises a small portion of The Road to Character. I found a few of his character profiles to be fascinating, especially Francis Perkins, an middle-class woman who fought for worker's rights. Brooks sprinkles his book with interesting information involving well known historical figures and ordinary citizens, who are made extraordinary through their depth of character. I enjoyed these glimpses and tidbits.

DISLIKE - The Road to Character was a chore to read. I had to bribe myself to finish it... "Ten more pages and you can make a latte or read something else." The pacing was sluggish. Although Brooks picked some great lives to profile, I'm not sure that I always agreed with his idea of "character". There was a "not so subtle" undercurrent of religion and faith as being a huge factor in character, yet he backpedals at the end of the book, with a mention of religion not being a prerequisite for good character. I agree that religion isn't a must, yet his examples pushed the idea of religion.

Although interesting, I found a majority of the lives that he profiled to be archaic, with lives and values being so vastly different from modern times, that the comparisons rang hallow. I liked how he showed shifts throughout the eras, but I wish that the primary focus had been modern and thus, have current relevance. I anticipated that this book would leave me with thoughts on how to change my own life and shape my own character in modern times, but it didn't. It was a disappointment. 

RECOMMEND - No. The Road to Character was a dull read and not as relevant or thought provoking as it should have been.