The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern (2011)

Reviewer: BeezusKiddo

Rating: 4 Pierogies

Review: The hype around The Night Circus has been crazy...I rarely pay enough attention to new books to know about them until they've been bestsellers for a long while. Erin Morgenstern managed to get hooked up with Starbucks, giving away a download of the first 100 pages of the book, and news of this novel spread like wildfire.

The Night Circus shares a competition between two magicians, for which they have trained their whole lives, and the circus provides a mysterious forum for them to display their talents.

The Night Circus is full of imaginative fun...I've heard it compared to Harry Potter a number of times, but Harry Potter is the go-to comparison for any kind of fantasy/magical novel now. It's an awful comparison for The Night Circus, because besides magic, this book isn't anything like Harry Potter. It's an awkward comparison.

The Night Circus' magic, and Morgenstern's skill, lie in description. The circus is there for exploring. All the major points in the story could be covered in about 20 pages, the remainder of the book is lavish descriptions of magical performances, beautiful clothing, and all sorts of fantastical sights. It's escapism, and it's wonderful.

Laura Miller at Salon.com did a thoughtful review in which she described The Night Circus as an "etsy novel"-- it's clever, hand made with lots of effort and care, and even has a few lumpy spots and frayed edges. I couldn't agree more. Morgenstern has obvious mastery of imagination and description, but the plot is simplistic and left me wanting. I spent most of the novel wanting to learn more about the rules and logistics of the game between the two young magicians, but when she finally comes around to providing an explanation, it's a mere recitation of basic rules I had figured out well before on my own.

Morgenstern, showing off her festive side.

The Night Circus is not well-suited for a sequel, but I do hope that Morgenstern comes out with a sophomore novel. She has talent, and even if she does not develop more complicated plots over time, her imaginative descriptions and mastery of wonder will make for more fun works. I don't know if the book necessarily was worth the immense hype, but it was worth my time and attention, so that's an all-around win.

The Thin Man, Dashiell Hammett (1934)

Reviewer: BeezusKiddo

Rating: 3 pierogies

Review: I do most of my reading right before bed. I'm pretty sleepy, and unless I'm very engaged in the story, I am prone to getting confused or mixing up characters. I'm thinking now that mysteries are the wrong kind of books for me at bedtime. With both Murder on the Orient Express and The Thin Man, I read through the story, had a general idea of what was going on, and then when I reached the resolution at the end, I'm like "Huh? What just happened?" And I feel like I missed a million different things. I read Hammett's Red Harvest in college and having the same issue there. Again, I likely was probably reading during my overnight shifts in the computer lab, when I wasn't entirely my sharpest.



The Thin Man is not a confusing story to the fully awake reader. There are quite a lot of characters, and the plot and dialog are fast paced. My difficulties in following things are totally tiredness/user error.

Nick and Nora, a swanky couple that just returned to New York, trade drinks and quips and although Nick swears he's done with his detective years, they can't avoid getting themselves pulled into a mystery. Nick gets wrapped up in investigating a murder of a young woman, which in turn pulls him into the world of an extremely bizarre family. The story is light, with quick fun dialog. A whole number of other strange questions and mysteries unfold in the course of the story, and now that I think about it, I'm now wondering whether they even solved the murder they set out to solve? I'll have to google that.

I did not dislike the book, and I really wanted to love it, but I feel like I wasn't following it closely enough to be able to do that. Perhaps I'll give it another try sometime in the future, but for now I've got about 8 other books in the queue to get through.

Murder on the Orient Express, Agatha Christie (1934)

Reviewer: BeezusKiddo

Rating: 3 Pierogies

Review: My impressions of Murder on the Orient Express are more of a reflection of the non-stop action nature of modern thrillers and mysteries, than a reflection of the Christie's most famous work, itself.



In Murder on the Orient Express, Detective Hercule Poirot is taking the Orient Express train when the train gets stuck in a snowdrift, and GASP! The man in the room next door is mysteriously murdered. Poirot, with the assistance of Monsoir Bouc work to solve the mystery of who the murderer is. Since the train has been stuck in a snowdrift in the middle of nowhere since the night of the murder, it has to be someone on the train, BUT WHO?!

A good 75% of the book is M. Poirot and M. Bouc interviewing people in the dining car. Yes, I recognize that a lot of detective work is talking to people, and there's not a whole lot else you can do in a train stuck in a snowdrift, but it doesn't make for particularly exciting reading.

I am used to mystery books showing the reader things, and gently nudging the reader toward figuring out themselves. Orient Express however works almost entirely through the characters telling one another things. I admit that I read before bed so I wasn't firing on all pistons, and may have missed things, but I really didn't figure out the answer to this for myself before the ending, where M. Poirot announces his conclusions.

It was an interesting story, and easy reading, but I did not think it was "mysterious" or "thrilling." It is likely that I had inaccurate expectations for this book. Orient Express feels like a Murder Mystery Dinner in book-form (although I'm sure Murder Mystery Dinners are inspired by Orient Express, not vice versa). That is to say, it is fun and entertaining, but it does not keep you on the edge of your seat, biting your fingernails.



I would be up for reading more of Christie's works. I would not reserve them all from the library at once and read the read them back to back, but they'd be fun to intersperse with other books.

My book club picked this book for our October meeting because it's dark and a mystery, and seemed fitting for Halloween. I agree that it was a good pick for October, and we'll have a lot to talk about because there were so many characters. It was also a good pick for a book club filled with busy people, because it was short and easy to read.

Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell (2008)

Reviewer: BeezusKiddo

Rating: 3.125 Pierogies

Review: My friend, Sandy, and I listened to Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers" on CD on our long drive to and from Philly. In Outliers, Gladwell examines incredibly successful people, and explores what, beyond innate talent, has led them to be so incredibly successful. We're not talking about "has a good job and is making a good salary" successful, Gladwell is more concerned with the Bill Gates and The Beatles level of success.



The premise of Outliers boils down to: Incredible success is made up of (1) talent, (2) hard work, and (3) access to the right kind of opportunities to lead to that success. Bill Gates as a child, for example, had a passion for programming, but also access to a computer which was highly unusual for a schoolkid in 1968, and was also exploring programming at a time where there was still a lot of that territory to be explored and developed.

I enjoyed Gladwell's deconstruction of the path to success for Gates, the Beatles, Mozart, and others. His theories are all straightforward and make sense. Of course you can have all the innate talent to be a prodigy oboe player, but if you have no access to an oboe, and therefore can't put in oboe practice time, obviously your future as an oboe prodigy will never come to fruition.

Gladwell's weaknesses in Outliers are that he overwhelmingly relies on anecdata. Aside from short the discussion of some statistics related to the month of birth of Canadian hockey players, the rest of his book is case studies. I don't know how Gladwell's theories could be objectively tested, but I felt like Gladwell should have had more numbers and figures, or at least broader support. Gladwell also relies too heavily on absolutes. In a section exploring how cultural backgrounds fashion our actions (which honestly felt a little out of place in the context of the book's purpose) Gladwell repeatedly insists "we must take cultural influences into account", and essentially insists that extreme success cannot exist outside his formula. The New York Times speared Gladwell for these weaknesses, but I probably would have been satisfied if he just used "should" instead of "must" more.

On one hand, Outliers was incredibly depressing to me. It made me feel helpless in my own success (or lack thereof), by making success so heavily reliant on access to unique opportunities. On the other hand, it made me feel more secure in not being a prodigy in something or another. My lack of Bill Gates level success isn't for lack of effort or intelligence, but for lack of those lucky opportunities.

Gladwell is an engaging storyteller, and did an excellent job of bringing his case studies to life. He also has a nice, soothing voice which made his reading of this book on CD very enjoyable. I recommend this book as a good poolside nonfiction, but it will leave you wanting more if you are seeking hard academic writing.

What Alice Forgot, Liane Moriarty (2011)

Reviewer: BeezusKiddo

Rating: 4 pierogies

Review: Alice Love is 39 years old, has three children, and in the midst of a bitter divorce and custody battle. She faints during a spin class and knocks her head on the bike handlebars, suffering a severe concussion. When Alice awakes, she thinks she's 29, fourteen weeks pregnant, and happily married. What Alice Forgot is her journey to piece those ten years back together, and find her way back into her own life.



This is a book that is above all about feelings and themes. The plotline is engaging, but is secondary to the emotion. I easily connected with the characters. Early on, I was worried that Moriarty was setting me up for disappointment, and blame all the hurt and heartbreak in Alice's 39 year old world simply on her being cold and bitter. Moriarty artfully avoids placing blame. Moriarty explores relationships tenderly, and with full consciousness that they are complex and that they can truly be (and not just seem) different depending on the perspective.

The driving theme is the momentum of conflict--how a problem in a relationship can develop and grow until you lose sight over what the conflict is about and you can't extricate yourself from it any longer. It wasn't just Alice's anger that built upon itself, all the characters consumed with this problem. Alice's amnesia creates a pause where the characters are able to stop and consider what the real problems are, and how they got to where they are.

Moriarty skilfully expresses Alice's emotions about having no memory of her three children, not even being able to recognize pictures of them, and that the men is (when she returns to consciousness) deeply in love with viciously hates her. I read much of this book laying in bed, and it gave me such deep heartache that I wanted to wake Baby Beez up and snuggle her. I gave my husband an extra few hugs and was extra thankful for our happiness. It's painful to see Alice wake up in love, after she had already fallen out of it.

The novel does become progressively happier. It's not a "feel miserable" book. The sad feelings just resonated with me the strongest. As she struggles, Alice grows. She makes the best of her circumstances, and truly works hard to repair relationships. What Alice Forgot works to a resolution that's satisfying, but not sappy. I look forward to reading Moriarty's other books, because this one was certainly engaging and well-written.

EPIC FAIL! 30 Day Shred Attempt #2

By: Elle Ewok

"YOU SUCK EWOK!"Well, I got to Day 11 of the 30 Day Shred without pooping out this time. In my defense, I came down with a vicious sinus infection on Day 12 and was put on a Z-Pack and other prescription meds. Z-Packs kill all my energy - I could barely walk up the stairs so the 30 Day Shred fell by the wayside. That said, I still intend to do it. I just started playing intermural soccer this week and my legs are destroyed (soccer at 32 is much harder on the body than at 12 or 22). A soon as my legs function again, I am back on the program - starting from the beginning.

Excuses aside. I was able to finish Level 1 of the Shred with some notable results so I figured I share them. The 30 Day Shred is comprised of three levels: Levels 1-3. My intent was to do each level for 10 days.

I completed Level 1 in 11 days. Level 1 was extremely hard at first and I had to stop numerous times to catch my breath or let the burning in my calves subside. I also had to follow Anita - the lady demonstrating the modified (i.e. easier) versions of the exercises a lot. The exercises are old school (push ups, lunges, crunches, jumping jacks) but Jillian presents them in Circuits (3 minutes strength, 2 minutes cardio, 1 minute abs) so you are moving the entire time. It makes the time go fast and keeps you from getting bored. This work out is HARD but it is only 20 minutes.

I really enjoyed the program though. Some people complain that Jillian yells too much and is mean but I like it. I have always responded better to negative reinforcement in the exercise context. When she says, "I have 400 pound people doing this SO CAN YOU!!!" it really motivates me. You should hear the horrible things I yell at myself when I am running and feel like quitting. Seriously, it is deranged.

The best part of the Shred is that the improvement in your strength and endurance is so remarkable and noticeable. By Day 10 I was doing Level 1 all the way through without stopping and following the medium to advanced versions of all moves. I'm convinced it is impossible to do the Advanced versions of the exercises (as demonstrated by Natalie) the whole way through. Why? Because even Natalie can't do it - watch closely she cheats all the time and I love her for it.

So here are the results after Level 1 (11 days). I tried to tick to a 1200-1400 calorie a day diet as well but fell off the diet wagon a couple times:

Weight: -2 pounds
Waist : - 1 inch
Hips: - .75 inch
Thighs: -.25 inch
Chest: Same

I was a little disappointed in the weight loss but I understand that many people actually gain weight doing Level 1 because of all the strength training (as we all know, muscle weighs more than fat). However I was THRILLED with the loss of inches around my midsection. Especially with only a 20 minute work out a day and inconsistent dieting.

I did one day of Level 2 and HATED it. It is almost entirely plank work. I can handle a plank exercise here and there in a workout but this was ridiculous. Although I am tall and "curvy" I have the bone density of a toddler with osteoporosis and my wrists just cannot take that much planking. Seriously, my wrists look like those of an 8 year old Japanese child. Plus I have a short torso and long legs so my weight cannot be distributed - it all goes on my puney wrists. Level 2 is going to be torture but I'm going to try to finish it on Attempt #3.

All in all I am really encouraged by the results from Level 1. Hopefully Attemp #3 at the Shred will be successful and I can share the total results.

Room, Emma Donoghue (2010)

Reviewer: BeezusKiddo

Rating: 5 pierogi

Review: Pick up Room when you have a day with nowhere to go. Room pulls you right in--you won't want to put it down. I started reading it at about 10pm, and by around 1:30 I was exhausted...so I skipped ahead to read the key spoilers, and was able to sleep for about 6 hours, only to wake up and pick the book right up again (and not put it down until I was done).



Room is told by 5 year old Jack, who was born in and lives in an 11 by 11 shed--Room-- with his mother, "Ma". "Old Nick" kidnapped Ma seven years ago, and imprisoned her in Room. Jack has never been outside of Room, and to keep her son as sane and stable as she can, Ma teaches him that there is nothing outside of Room. Eventually, they reach their breaking point, and something has to change. I can't say anything more about the plot without giving the whole thing away.

I worried that the narration from Jack's point of view would quickly become a tired novelty. It doesn't. At times the language seems more mature than a five year old's language, and at times it seems less mature...but children frequently seem older or younger than they are, so I suppose that quality made Jack's voice more realistic. Writing from Jack's voice is a unique approach. I felt that it made a horrible and terrifying situation less terrifying, and more human.



I was surprised how my identification with certain characters changed throughout the novel. There was one theme in the beginning of the novel that I had a negative opinion about, but as the plot and characters developed, I ended up having a very strong positive, and protective feeling about by the end. I wish I could share more details, but this book is driven by its surprises, and saying anything more would ruin it.

Room doesn't dwell on the horror of Ma and Jack's circumstances. It is more concerned with them as people, and their reslience. The book is rich with discussion fodder.
Themes about parenting frequently inspire only judgment, but in this book provides an opportunity to not only non-judgmentally discuss parenting, but also reflect on the judgment we cast on other parents. I was especially interested in some of the side characters. As the book progressed, I became increasingly protective over and defensive toward Ma and Jack, and certain side characters would stir up intense anger and frustration.

Room is Donoghue's seventh novel. I'm interested in going back to read her earlier work. She's a skilled and creative writer, so I'm excited to see what her other books have in store.