Review: All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

Book: All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy

Genre: Lit. Fiction

Rating: A

For: Lit Flicks Challenge and Awards Challenge (National Book Award 1992)

I went into this book knowing absolutely nothing, except for the fact that the author is well-known for his book The Road. I came out of the book with the idea that this author has a very unique writing style, one of those styles that you have to kinda of get into the grove and flow before you start feeling it. Know what I mean?

Luckily for me, I got in the groove and ended up really liking this book.

Basically, this is the story of John Grady Cole (LOVE that name!) who, along with his buddy, decides to take off from his home in Texas and head to Mexico, just to see what would happen I think. Along they way, they meet another kid whose story they never really learn, but he adds some excitement to their life in a big way! They end up at a big horse ranch, and make quite an impression on everyone with their horse wrangling abilities. Of course, before long a girl gets involved in it all and then things get really messy. Poor poor John Grady Cole!

Even though the writing style was quite unemotional, plain and blunt, and even a bit stream-of-conscious at times, I still totally connected to this dude, and cared about what happened to him. However, this book may not be for everyone. I stumbled upon the reviews about it over at Goodreads and wow, people are all over the board with it!

Anyway, I've rented the movie from the library, and hope to get to that this weekend, so stay tuned for that mini-review.

Other reviews:

Trish's Reading Nook

Bending Bookshelf

Rose City Reader

Book Awards II Challenge

This challenge started last year and continues through July... I think. But it needed it's own page so I could link to it in the side bar, so here's my list that I'm doing quite badly on so far... but there's still time!

Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorenson

The Twenty-one Balloons by William Pène du Bois

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
The March by E.L. Doctorow
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
To Say Nothing About the Dog by Connie Willis

Review: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

Book: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon

Genre: Historical Fiction, Pulitzer Prize Winner

Rating: A

Challenges: Awards II, TBR, Pulitzer

I really feel a sense of accomplishment having finally finished this book. First, because it's been sitting there waiting it's turn for so long. Second, because I've put it on so many challenge lists (mostly because it's been waiting it's turn for so long!) Third, because I tried to start it many times and it just didn't take and fourth, because once I finally committed to it, it seemed to take forever to get done!

Now, that all sounds as if it was a hard, boring, too long, excruciating book to read. But it wasn't! Well, it was long. But it was very interesting and engaging and clever and different. I really enjoyed it.

I was surprised that this is basically an historical fiction book. We learn about the history of comic books and escape acts. We learn about the history of the Empire State Building. We get a different perspective on WWII events, including a stint at the South Pole during the war. We get a wonderful glimpse of New York City during this fascinating time of history. Basically, I forgot while reading that this was a novel. Everything seemed so real.

Then there's the characters. I loved Kavalier the best. He escaped his home in Prague just before things became unbearable there with the Jewish persecution. He came to live with his cousin in New York and they became a partnership in a comic book business. Meanwhile, he's trying to get his family over to NY also. His cousin, Clay, also has his own struggles to deal with, one that made me a little uncomfortable to read about. Then there's the girl, Rosa, who plays a big part in both of their lives.

So, even though it took me awhile to read, I truly enjoyed it and look forward to picking up some others by this author.

Review: Possession, A Romance by A.S. Byatt

BOOK: Possession, A Romance by A.S. Byatt

Genre: Literary Fiction

Rating: B+

This is my first book completed for the Awards Challenge. It won the Man Booker Prize Award in 1990. I've looked forward to reading it for awhile and I'm happy to have finally done it. However, I was just a little bit disappointed. I thought it would be more.... hmmm... more.... I don't know.... page-turning, or quickly moving or something. It was actually quite slow. I liked the story, about two scholars each with a particular poet as their speciallty. One of them discovers that there may have been a link in the past with the lives of these two poets. So together, they investigate and unravel the mystery. All of it is done with journal entries, letters and poems from the these poets and people in their lives. I loved how she did this, except the poetry. I must admit...shhhhh.... that I skipped the really long poems! But other than that, it was really quite good. Amazing that stories this complicated can come out of someone's head! Amazing!

Awards Challenge: Sign Me Up!

I can't believe I'm doing ANOTHER challenge. This makes three for me, which, I know, is nothing compared to what some of you other book crazies do! But, they really are quite fun, aren't they?

This challenge is all about reading stuff that has won an award of some kind. Hosted by 3M and all the details found here.

I made up the list for this challenge using only books I already have (except two and one is on the way from PBS!)

So here's my list for THIS challenge (which I'll also put on the sidebar soon):

1. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood (Booker 2000)

2. Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner (Pulitzer 1972)

3. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon (Pulitzer 2001)

4. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (Booker 1989)

5. Possession: A Romance by A. S. Byatt (Booker 1990)

6. The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx (National Book Award 1993, Pulitzer 1994)

7. All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy (National Book AND NBCC both in 1992)

8. The March by E.L. Doctorow (NBCC and Pen/Faulkner both in 2006)

9. The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley (Newbery 1985)

10. Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (Newbery 1998)

11. The Twenty-one Ballons by William Pène du Bois (Newbery 1948)

12. Miracles on Maple Hill by Viginia Sorenson (Newbery 1957)

Alternates:

1. The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman (Newbery 1987)

2. Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor (Newbery 1977)

3. The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox (Newbery 1974)

4. Lindbergh by A. Scott Berg (Pulitzer/Biography 1999)

5. March by Geraldine Brooks (Pulitzer 2006)

Wow! I can't wait to get started!