10) American Gods by Neil GaimanRead: 10 April - 12 May
Pages: 583
I found this book very hard to get through; why, I'm not sure. The story in itself is both intriguing and thoughprovoking, but somehow it never gets exciting. This isn't a colourful adventure like some of Gaiman's other books, and in my opinion, it's not his best. I was only mildly interested in the characters and what happened to them - in fact, the most suspenseful part was when the old clunker would fall through the ice. The idea is good though, and I might have enjoyed it more had I been in a different frame of mind. Might have to try it again some other time.
Rating: 3
11) The Shakespeare Secret by J.L. CarrellRead: 18 May - 31 May
Pages: 480
I really wanted this book to be good, but unfortunately it left a lot to be desired.
It seems to me the author wanted to write about a treasure hunt for one of Shakespeare's lost plays, but had no idea of how to get the hunt started - or how to finish it, for that matter. The explanation of how Kate, the main character, came across the clue to the lost play feels very contrived, and I didn't believe in either her or the bad guy's motives for wanting the play. The introduction of the competent sidekick Ben was utterly unconvincing, and the poor guy never developed a personality. There were some better parts in the middle of the book, but mostly the whole thing felt rushed. The author also got lost in a subplot trying to figure out who Shakespeare really was, but after introducing a bunch of Earls and ladies, it sort of dwindled into thin air. I can't help but see this as a rather poor attempt at Da Vinci Code fame - even the title and some dubious family relations are similar.
All this being said, I don't regret reading the book in any way. It was quite suitable for holiday reading, which is how I read it, and made me want to read up on my Shakespeare.
Rating: 2
No comments:
Post a Comment