Great question. Here's the answer: I've decided to turn this space into a place where I talk about my favorite subjects (books and music). I will keep you updated on the music I'm listening to and the books I'm reading and you will be inspired and become giddy with excitement at the mere thought of reading my superb blog.
Today - If I was thinking, I probably would've decided to do this when I was just starting a book...but clearly advanced planning is something I'm not a HUGE fan of. Sooo, instead, I will tell you that I am currently devouring Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. I'm big into this genre of romantic teen novels and I'm waiting with baited breathe for the rest of the books in the Fallen, Infernal Devices, and Need series'. However, I try to pepper these with classic writings that I've always wanted to read. So I made up a book club wherein I can flex my reading muscles. On the docket for February are The Picture of Dorian Gray, Persuasion, Entice, Linger, A Tale of Two Cities and Hush, Hush. I know. Very exciting.
Anyway, so I'm about half-way into Shiver which I began by being utterly indifferent to. Actually, that's being kind...I wasn't amused and didn't feel like it had much promise. Now that I'm half-way through, my opinion has changed. My initial qualm was that these two people appeared to be connected by, well, nothing. And I hate when they do that in novels...beg us to believe there's a connection there that just doesn't make sense and that no one bothers to explain. Anyway, the book has gotten steadily better and the descriptions the author uses are inventive and well-constructed.
I'll add more here when I'm finished reading it...but as for right now I'm overwhelmed by trying to catch you up on the whole book. Stroke of genius! Pros and Cons list
Pros
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1.) An artistic eye and an equally artful description of what is seen through both the author's and the character's eyes.
2.) Characters that are a bit different and experimentation with the classic roles of men and women. The main female character is hardly the damsel in distress and the main male character is actually...gasp!...sensitive? This is one for the Emos.
3.) The author does great perspective work in this book by rotating whose perspective we are hearing the story from without rehashing the same thing over and over again.
Cons
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1.) If you don't consider yourself an artist, this could be a little rough on you at times...it can get a bit pretentious.
2.) It's darker than your average teen romance...although this could also be considered a pro.
3.) This book takes "how it would feel to be a werewolf" a bit too seriously for the genre. Do we really need to be reminded that animals mark their territory and live by scent every twenty seconds? Probably not.
