Wow, my darlings, where has this week gone? Oh, right, it went into me fixing my iPod. It decided to die, taking all my 100+ audiobooks, 1000+ songs, and podcasts, movies, etc, etc, with it. It is working, for now, but keeps trying to act up. I see a trip to the Apple store in my very near future. It has been super annoying having to listen to the radio (said in my best contemptuous voice). I should also mention the two (count ‘em TWO!) sick kiddos. Don’t worry, they are on the mend, even if they like to act like it’s far worse than it is.
Drama queen. AND king.
It’s been a long week my dears.
So, how are you? How have you been? What are you reading? Me? Why, thank you for asking! I feel just fine, if slightly tired…. As for the reading, it’s been touch and go this week. Very touch and go, and not purely from a “I need more time” standpoint. Surely you’ve experienced this: You’ve read two parts of a three part series. The third one takes YEARS to come out. YEARS. You check constantly. When is it coming out? First it’s 2009. Then it’s 2010. Then, when you’ve almost given up hope! You see it on Netgalley. OMG you say. FINALLY! You promptly request it. You promptly start reading it. Then, you promptly start feeling…. disappointed?
Say hello to my experience, so far, with The Wild Rose by Jennifer Donnelly. I don’t know what it is. Too long between books? I don’t think so! I still remember much of what happened in them. Plus, Donnelly has “recap” sections. The characters? For the most part, no! I still love these characters, although, one in particular has made a choice that I am not happy with AT ALL. Have I grown as a reader? Yes! But not to the extent that I would be more advanced than this book I think.
I *think* the problem is there are two many characters. There is too much plot. Too much going on! The first book didn’t have this many characters. Donnelly introduced more in the second book. Now the third has even more! It feels like a cast of thousands! And no one is getting enough screen time; especially my favorite character of all – Fiona – the main character of the first book, The Tea Rose. I adored her spunk, her strength, her courage, her determination, her desire and drive and above all, her love. No, there is not nearly enough Fiona and so far, not one of the other characters measures up to her. I’m about a third of the way through the book, so things do have time to come together.
Thanks to the Big iPod Melt Down of May 2011, I had to take a few days break from Oryx and Crake. I should have finished it by now, but I actually think that break was a good thing for me! I was getting a little…shall we say…exasperated? with it? It felt terribly slow to me. Now, with 20% of the book to go, following a 5 day break, things are moving at a right good clip. I can see this is probably a love-it-or-hate-it book. I’m not sure where I am on the fence yet. Five days ago, I think I would have been a Hated It. The break helped put things in perspective. I’m starting to see some awesome-sauce around the edges. I can see where Atwood (maybe?) is going and I think I like it. And dude, her vision? It’s freaking scary. This is a dystopian future that scares the pants off me, purely because I can totally see where something similar could happen. And if she goes where I think she’s going, Atwood is a freaking master class in twists, turns, and hair-raising brilliant plotting. We shall see.
Oh, and Campbell Scott? The reader? Awesome. Just. Love. Him.
That is too bad about the Donnelly… I have owned the first two books forever and still haven't read them. Marg challenged me to read the first one this year. I still haven't done that, either! I have read Northern Lights by her and liked it. I also bought Revolution, but haven't read it yet… I have been glancing at it lately, though, so I think it will be read soon.
Atwood is a love it or hate it author with me. I actually wound up putting Oryx & Crake in the love it choice. The sequel was pretty good, too.
Oryx and Crake is on my TBR list…I've found out the hard way how important the reader is so I'm going to try this one on audio! Thanks for the tip!
I'm reading The Wild Rose right now too (Netgalley). I'm not very far in but I couldn't remember who anyone was. I read the 2nd one, not the first. I agree there are so many characters, she needs to focus on one or two. Hopefully, I'll end up liking it though.
Boo for disappointment! I'm reading Atwood right now, too…Cat's Eye. Quite different and much slower going than O&C.
I haven't read either of those two books. I LOVE that cover for Oryx and Crake though! It's beautiful
Sorry to hear about the iPod fiasco 
What a bummer. I totally feel you with the pain of having to listen to the radio. I have XM radio so I usually listen to that. There's always some awesome channel on there. They even have a 24/7 LGBT channel! It's awesome. If I HAVE to listen to the regular radio, I usually listen to NPR…though there are FOUR different NPR channels on XM :p
It's been a slower reading week for me. Took me all week to finish The Peach Keeper! I liked it, but it took me far too long to read it.
Sorry to hear about the iPod and the sick kiddos. I hope both are on the mend and you can wipe out Oryx and Crake when you get back to it.
I'm gonna finish Sherry and Narcotics this weekend and dig into The Tiger's Wife.
Oh Heather…sorry about your week!!! Those kinds of weeks can just drain the life out of you.
I hope the munchkins are feeling much, much better by now!!! And your iPod…oh my, I just want to cry for you.
Max has been sick all week, too. Luckily he always takes being sick like such a trooper–despite the fact that he's on his fourth day of a fever and is practically hacking his lungs out and isn't really eating, he hasn't complained about being sick a single time. *Everything else* is on the table though when it comes to him complaining though.
I'm sorry you're not enjoying the Donnelly book as much as you'd hoped. Fingers crossed that it will turn itself around! Atwood scares the crap out me, but Oryx and Crake will likely be the one I first read when I finally work up the guts. My reading has been nearly nil this week, and it's all been school stuff. I am so eagerly awaiting yours and Kelly's review of A Discovery of Witches though!!!
Happy weekend, sweetie!!!
I hope your iPod is feeling better. I'm with you on the characters, I don't want my reads to be littered with people I can't remember.
Ann