September 2016 books

American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst by Jeffrey Toobin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I grew up hearing bits and pieces of this story from my mom (who is the same age as Hearst and also grew up in CA). So I always knew it was a crazy story, but my goodness, if you told me this was a work of fiction, I would have said it was too fantastically unrealistic and should be toned down a bit.

This story has everything, and the book is riveting. The author does a good job explaining the political climate in the 1970s, especially as opposed to that of the 1960s. I also like how he doesn't draw any heavy-handed conclusions about the central question of the book - was she "brainwashed" or not? Instead, we're presented with the facts and left to decide for ourselves. There is, after all, only one person on earth who can know for sure.

This book also made me wonder what a book written about, for example, the 2000s will have to say in about forty years, because I did some serious eye-rolling at the 1970s. So much of their political posturing and counterculture armies and manifestos just seemed so childish and naive. And pervasive! I was flabbergasted when, time after time, these wanted fugitives - who had already literally murdered people and continued to attempt to murder people - were harbored, transported, or given refuge by ordinary citizens. One perfectly lovely woman was like, "oh, I remember my father's time in the IRA in the old country. What the heck, I'll shelter these fugitives too." LADY. Get yourself to the police station RIGHT NOW. I just don't think ordinary people harboring high-profile criminals would happen these days. But maybe I'm the one who is naive.

View all my reviews

Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters by Joan Ryan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I only have one wish for this book: that it could be updated. The fact that it was written in 1995 just kills me - one more year and it could have included so much analysis of the USA's performance at the 1996 Olympics! Twenty years on, an update could shed light on how much has changed in gymnastics in the years since tiny waifs like Moceanu (who hardly appears in this book) and Shannon Miller. To the relatively untrained eye, it would seem that US gymnastics has moved away from the practice of starving and breaking its star gymnasts since the publication of this book - US and other gymnastics teams these days seem to be stocked with strong, muscular almost-women who sometimes even have boobs and butts and thighs. I enjoy reliving the suspense of the 1996 women's all-around as much as anyone, but on some levels it's hard to watch since we now know the deprivations these girls endured.

I also think an updated book would have substantially less hysterical hand-wringing and fewer anecdotes in favor of fact- and research-based content.

Probably an objectively four-star book, but bumped up to five stars since it treads in such nostalgic waters for me - the late eighties through mid-nineties were peak gymnastics/ice skating consumption for me, so these were familiar names, faces, controversies, and competitions for me.

View all my reviews

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Second reading 9 September 2016

I didn't like this as much the second time around. I didn't like the letters (I felt like they really slowed things down) and I could see through the story to the fact that what enchanted me the first time around was the resemblance to Persuasion. I think sometimes that it was THAT book I was so excited about being able to read again for the first time, in a way, rather than the book that was actually in front of me (this one).

Still a lovely read, though. Four stars.

View all my reviews

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you are a faerie book person and don't mind a slice of sexytimes with your faerie books, then READ THIS SERIES RIGHT NOW.

If you are not a faerie book person (like me), maybe still read it? Despite the faeries (and sexytimes)? I thought this book was loads better than number one in the series, even though I almost put it right the heck down after chapter two. I had forgotten about all the faeries, and sex, and faerie sex. But I picked it back up again and ultimately had a great time reading it.

I loved that the author turned the "my powerful, gorgeous boyfriend protects me by fighting all my battles for me and keeping me safe at home" narrative from book one into something really thought-provoking here. Fayre, who in book one was your standard besotted young woman, grew and matured and became something of an awesome feminist, in my opinion.

There are certain types that Maas writes - strong, unapproachable men with troubled pasts, and women with a lot of potential who need to work through their demons (figuratively and literally) and eat more food to get their strength back. I could roll my eyes at the fact that she repeats these character types in every book she writes...but guess what? She does it so well that I forgive her.

(All that said and 4-star rating aside, if you read this book, I may not be able to look you in the eye next time I see you.) (Mostly because of the faeries.) (But also because of the sex.)

View all my reviews