It’s been ages since I’ve last posted anything in my blog, what with work, baby, etc… Little time to read and review. But I’ve been reading, and here are a couple of recent reads to comment on:

Love Sex & Other Foreign Policy Goals

I really wanted to enjoy this book. Looking for a break from all the recent fantasy novels that have dominated my reading, I was looking for a funny, quirky and light story. Receiving an advanced copy from Netgalley, I dove head first into the story of these 20-something guys (mainly from Britain) driving to Bosnia on a peace mission. The author is a celebrated British comedy TV writer, so expectations where high… and yet, to be honest, I barely managed to finish it. The main character and narrator, Andrew, is built as this anti-hero, capturing the nature of a person who tags along on an unselfish peace drive only to selfishly get the girl. And I found him insufferable. It seems the author went too out of his way to capture the British idiosyncrasy, the constantly awkward and ambiguous attitude to life… the end just comes and goes and quite frankly, you just feel relieved that the story is over and you don’t have to put up with him anymore.

And here’s something I find unforgivable. The author clearly did a lot of research on Bosnia and the conflict in 1994. Yet, somehow, there’s a character called Baltimore Ravens (because he’s wearing the NFL team’s cap). Yet, the Ravens were only established in 1996! Not enough research after all…. not impressed.

2 out of 5

 

Tower Lord

The second book / film in a trilogy can be a mixed bag. While the first book is more an origin story, setting up the pieces, it’s the second book where all goes full-speed ahead and takes for you for the proper ride. It’s no coincidence that Empire Strikes Back or The Dark Knight are hands down the best films of their respective trilogy. Tower Lord is a strong Book 2, but it doesn’t fully deliver… and it pales in comparison to how good the first book, Blood Song, was.

Tower Lord just takes too long to take off, and it seems to disregard the setup of Blood Song. A lot of time has passed since the first book, and there’s very little continuity in the characters or stories. The world and characters remains the same, but rather than a continuation of the story, it feels more like a completely new and disconnected chapter. It’s only towards the second half of the book that you feel once again truly engaged. The author does amazing work in describing the battle scenes, keeping you at the edge of the page.

Tower Lord was a good book, but not nearly as strong as Blood Song. Queen of Fire (the conclusion) comes out later this year. Let’s see if it does a nice job of tying up the story together and making for a satisfying end…

4 out of 5

 

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

I’m trying to improve and diversify my reading selection, and was intrigued with the premise of this Pulitzer winning novel. And I really enjoyed it. It was a great book, with unforgettable characters, told through the backdrop of Dominican history and life of Latin immigrants in the US. Really enjoyed the book, and strongly recommend it.

4.5 out of 5