The Chaperone.

When I first heard of this book and it's 1920s flapper-era setting I was instantly on board. Anything having to do with the Jazz Age is right up my alley. The beautiful cover of this novel only added to my extreme desire to read it.

This novel is about the silent movie star Louise Brooks before she became famous and the chaperone (*hint hint*) who was her guardian when she first went to New York City.

Cora, the chaperone, is a beautiful character and the story is much more about her than Louise, hence the title. But throughout the novel I wanted more about Louise. There were a few moments when the plot was focused on Louise, but they were quite brief. The mix of fact and fiction was confusing at times, as well. Overall, though, I was pleased with the story. I was hooked throughout and was always wanting to read on.

My main issue with the novel is the writing style. Sometimes I grew annoyed because I felt that Laura Moriarty was telling me so much and showing me so little. But that is a preference thing. I always want to feel the emotions and actions taking place. I don't want to be simply told what is going on. I like these interpretations to be left up to the reader. In other words, I felt like I didn't have enough room for imagination. As cheesy as that might sound.

It is truly a fascinating and intriguing book. I definitely learned a lot more about the era and Louise Brooks as a person. I highly recommend this book to those who love the 20s and historical fiction.

Rules Of Civility-Amor Towles

I believe I heard of this book through a GoodReads recommendation. The cover captured my interest immediately. It seemed like my kind of book, New York in the 1930s, what's not to like?

----WARNING------SPOILERS-----

Amor Towles writes from the perspective of Katie Kontent, a young secretary born and raised in Brooklyn.  I enjoyed the beginning as Katie has a fascination with books and plays bridge with three imaginary characters, each with a distinct personality. She makes me feel a little better about being an introvert.

Katie has a friend who lives in an all girls boarding house with her in the city. This friend's name is Eve and she is described as "one of those surprising beauties from the American Midwest. 
In New York it becomes so easy to assume that the city's most alluring women have flown in from Paris or Milan. But they're just a minority. A much larger covey hails from the stalwart states that begin with the letter I--like Iowa or Indiana or Illinois. Bred with just the right amount of fresh air, roughhousing, and ignorance, these primative blondes set out from the cornfields looking like starlight with limbs. Every morning in the spring one of them skips off her porch with a sandwich wrapped in cellophane ready to flag down the first Greyhound headed to Manhattan--this city where all things beautiful are welcomed and measured if, if not immediately adopted, then at least tried on for size. "

Katie and Eve are at a quite jazz bar on New Year's Eve when they meet a man named Tinker. Tinker lives an extremely luxurious lifestyle, taking residence in an apartment on Central Park West and carrying a gold inscribed lighter to make sure all his lady friends have a light for their cigarettes. The three become fast friends, the girls each hoping for more than friends. Eve ends up capturing Tinker for herself, after they get into a car wreck and he nurses her back to health.

The plot follow through a year and a half, though to me it felt much longer. Tinker and Eve come and go and Katie stays in Manhattan doing her best to improve her mundane life.

I think Towles has a great talent for writing. His work is pleasant to read and his sentences beautifully formed. He is described as similar to Fitzgerald in certain reviews and I can certainly see this in his grammar and diction. However, in the category of characters and plot I would not even give Towles the honor of comparing him with Fitzgerald. I found Katie Kontent to be a rather bland character. Maybe it was a man writing from a woman's perspective, but I was left wanting more from her. And after a few situations, if I were Katie, I would have ended my friendship with Eve. And there were several other circumstances that made this character unconvincing as a woman.

I kept reading, though slightly irked. The book did work to redeem itself, there were a few twists and turns and I was entertained through the end. I still wanted some more depth to Katie and Tinker. Overall I give this book three out of five stars. It was wonderfully written, but the characters weren't real enough to satisfy my taste.

Please let me know what you think of this review, especially if you have read the book!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

*********************SORRY THIS HAS TAKEN SO LONG***MINOR SPOILERS**********

I wish I had read this book before the movie was advertised. But I knew I had to read it before the movie came out. I am so glad I did. Upon beginning this book, by Stieg Larson, I was transported to beautiful and cold Sweden. Mikael Blomkvist is an investigative journalist, whose career has just come to a screeching halt. He was convicted of libel and his reputation has been greatly thwarted. He received some information about a financial superpower, Weenerstrom, but was unable to prove it. Blomkvist is editor in chief of a magazine called Millennium. He is also having a long time affair with his married co-editor Erika Berger.

So Mikael is in a bit of a predicament. Until he gets a call from a man named Henrik Vanger. Henrik was the CEO of a very major corporation until his nephew Martin took over. He has a large, mysterious family and has a very special job for Blomkvist. Henrik wants him to find out who killed his niece, Harriet.

Lisbeth Salander is an anorexic looking punk style young woman. She has been deemed mentally unstable by society and is required to have a guardian watch over her and her finances. She is a private investigator and has an unconventional method of digging up information. Her character is absolutely incredible. She is independent, despite her government appointed dependence. She has dealt with much and deals with even more during the story. I enjoyed seeing her progress. Her character is certainly one to be remembered.

The plot follows these two characters and how their paths cross. The mystery is intriguing and exhilarating. Many twists and turns take place, and the ride is incredibly exciting.

I don't want to give away too much. I have seen both the Swedish and English films. I was disappointed with the Swedish version. The book was very long, and I understand that some details have to be left out, but there were parts of the book that I wanted to see portrayed on-screen. The acting seemed a little shallow to me. At times it was difficult to take them seriously.

Then I saw the English version. The movie begins with some trippy computerized psychedelic scenes. They were interesting, a little unsettling, but I could not seem to place any of it with the plot. Other than that, I thought the production was better than the Swedish version. I enjoyed the cinematography and the atmosphere of the film. It seemed to capture the darkness that Larson created in the novel. But I felt that many of the details mentioned in the book were not explained in the movie. Much was left to be understood. I would love to hear from some who had not read the book going into the movie, because I know that if I had not read the book I would have been very confused.

I am no movie reviewer, I cannot act, but I was left wanting more from Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig. It just didn't do it for me. And then the end, oh the end. It was so different than the book. If anything should remain from book to movie I think it ought to be the end. After seeing the English version, I preferred the Swedish because of that aspect. Overall, though, it was a great film. I think it is a noteworthy story and, though very dark, is one to be heard whether that be through novel or through film. Or both! 

The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Cover of The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Here it goes, my first book review.

I love reading something that is more than sheer entertainment. When I choose a book, I want to feel enlightened. I want to scratch the surface of a new subject. I want to read about new ideas and thoughts. With The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, I found just that.

WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS

The story, told from two perspectives, begins with a young girl, Paloma Josse. She lives in Paris, in a very fancy hotel. Her parents are wealthy, living an extravagant lifestyle. Paloma, despite living "the good life" is quite the cynic. She is extremely intelligent, I will give her that. But, due to her conclusions about life on Earth, she plans to kill herself. She has the whole scenario figured out.

The second perspective is that of the concierge in the hotel. Renee Michel describes herself as old, fat, and with bunions on her feet. However, she is infatuated with Tolstoy. She even named her cat Leo. She loves literature, philosophy, and learning in general. Beneath a frame less-than-pleasing to the eye is a mind swirling with beautiful thoughts.

What happens next I won't tell. But I will tell you my impression of this novel.

At first I was delighted to read a novel with so many new topics to offer. The characters were fascinating, holding an intelligence I wish I could attain. And then I grew slightly annoyed. They began to seen arrogant and proud, almost unaccessible. Their level of intellectuality was too far above my head. But still I read on.

Just when I thought this book was a failure and an annoyance, a new character comes into play that seems to bring out the best of both narrators. Suddenly they are not living these lonely intellectual lives, but instead come together and find beauty. And the ending, which is very unexpected, brings the book in full circle. I felt satisfied upon the end, as well as truly enlightened.

Overall, I think this book is fantastic. The narration is unique in that instead of viewing the world from an outsiders perspective, or directly through the characters eyes, we live in the mind. I found this to be a fresh change of pace. Muriel Barbery is a groundbreaking modern author and truly inspiring. She launches the reader into a new world, told in a new and delightful way.

Buy the book on Amazon here! You won't regret it.

Please let me know what you think of this review and what I could improve upon! I know I have a long way to go from here.