Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Review: The Commoner by John Burnham Scwhartz

The Commoner is the story of a young woman, who is of no aristocratic blood, that marries the Crown Prince of Japan in 1959. This may seem mundane today.  After all, just within the last few years, we've watched the Prince of Spain marry a woman who had alreay been married once before, and most recently Prince William of England married Kate Middleton, and Prince Albert of Monaco, too, married what we refer to as a 'commoner'.  But in 1959 Japan, this was unprecedented.  It had never before occurred in their recorded history.
 
We meet Haruko, who is the well-educated, only child of a succesful sake brewing, businessman father, and mother. We come to know her as a young woman, we are with her when she first meets the Crown Prince during a tennis match they play against one another, we are with her when she becmes a newlywed, and eventually when she becomes Empress of Japan. Through it all she opens up her heart to the reader.

When the prince first meets Haruko, he is at once drawn to her and a kind of courtship ensues.  But when the prince sends his most trusted advisor to the home of her parents to ask for her hand, her beloved parents respectfully decline the great honor.  They realize only too well what their beloved daughter would be up against if she were to marry into the Imperial family and they fear for her and do not want to lose her, as they surely would.  For once married, she would not be allowed to visit her family. Their fears were, unfotunately, well-founded.  Once married she must navigate the treacherous depths of the Imperial Sea, which holds fast to tradition and does not welcome newcomers, let alone a common one. This book sweeps you into Haruko's life. It is beautifully written. I highly recommend it.

I'm rating this: The Result of a Master Storyteller

Friday, September 23, 2011

Friday Book Beginnings

How to participate: There's nothing quite like the anticipation that comes from cracking open a book for the first time! Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.

Title: The Invisible Bridge
Author: Julie Orringer

Later he would tell her that their story began at the Royal Hungarian Opera House, the night before he left for Paris on the Western Europe Express.

This book was not even on my list of books to read but came so highly recommended by a friend that I'm putting everything else on hold.  He's giving me his copy as soon as he finishes it sometime over the next couple of days.  I looked it up quickly on Goodreads to see what others think about it and it has received glowing reviews from all.  I can't wait to start it!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Neverwhere by Neil Gamain

As soon as I started this book, I was immediately impressed by what a master storyteller is Gamain. His voice and the manner with which he writes reminded me immediately of one of my all-time favorite authors, Roald Dahl. (James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and The BFG are still some of my fave books). But this is far from being a childrens book.  It is definitely reading for adults but it has something of that tone which I loved in Dahl's books as a child. The way I can see the characters, and notice their quirks and ticks, and hear their voices.

From the protagonist, Richard Mayhew, to the two 'bad guys', Croup and Van der Mar, I was entirely entertained.  I felt as though I was a kid again, devouring this story with these characters who live in the 'real world' but discover that there is the 'fantastical' world within. In the case of Neverwhere, it is London below, a place where the 'people who fall through the cracks' end up- a magical, dangerous place full of colorful, funny, interesting characters.
Neil Gamain has quite an imagination and I found Neverwhere to be a wonderful story told by a master storyteller. I can not wait to read more of what he's written. This was not a book that I couldn't put down. I could. I wasn't dying to see what happens. It was more that I missed the characters and I wanted to pick up the book and read so that I could catch up with them. It was as though they weren't just there contained in that paperback- simply a gathering of words put together, telling me a story-but actually alive somewhere in London Below and through this book I had something of a direct line to them and their adventure. I sort of wish I could go back there.
I guess I'll have to pick up American Gods. It's next on my list of Neil Gamain books to read.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Movie Adaptations of Our Favorite Books

I was thinking how pretty much everyone I have ever encountered agrees that the movie version of a book never lives up to the book.  And I agree. I love movies, but if the movie is based on a book I  have read, I go into knowing that it will disappoint me in some way. However, there are some exceptions. Here are just a few movies that come immediately to mind.

 Pride and Prejudice-The BBC version with Colin Firth.  Also, the recent film version with Keira Knightley.  While definitely not perfect, I think it was wonderful.

Jane Eyre-the version which was relesed this year. I loved it!

Little Women with Winona Ryder.

To Kill a Mockingbird

The Harry Potter films

These are movies that I liked better than the books:

The Notebook

In Her Shoes

Under the Tuscan Sun

Bridget Jones Diary

I would love to hear what films based on books you have enjoyed, and which films you liked more than the books.

I am having trouble posting comments. Does anyone have any suggestions? I have deleted cookies, as Blogger Help suggested but it hasn't helped.

Friday Book Beginnings

This Meme is hosted by A Few More Pages and will be up all week.
Post the first line or first few lines of your current read.

This is the book I will be starting when I finish Neverwhere in a couple of days.

Title: The Commoner
Author: John Burnham Schwartz




From the prologue:

When I was a girl, my father told me the story of two whooping cranes who set out to fly across the world together to fulfill their destinies.

I really like this first line. It's very beautiful and gives me the impression that I have as my narrator someone who will tell me a well-written story. I know from reading the back of the book that the narrator is Haruko, Empress of Japan and the year is 1959.

My copy of this book is the Bound Galley, therefore not the cover they ended up using when it was published in January 2008. I prefer my cover although I think both are beautiful.
The cover that it was published with is below.  Which cover do you prefer?

Friday, September 2, 2011

Friday Book Beginnings Meme

How to participate: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.
From the prologue:
The night before he went to London, Richard Mayhew was not enjoying himself.

Title: Neverwhere
Author: Neil Gamain

A nice first sentence. I am really enjoying this book. I got it a couple of years ago when a co-worker of mine was extolling the author.  He did not actually mention this particular book but shortly after I came across Neverwhere in the bookstore and thought I would give it a try. So far I am glad that I did.