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How did the language of psychoanalysis become the dominant idiom in which the middle classes of the industrialized West speak about their emotions? Ernest Gellner offers a forceful and complex answer to this intriguing question in The Psychoanalytic Movement. This landmark study argues that although psychoanalysis offers an incisive picture of human nature, it provides untestable operational definitions and makes unsubstantiated claims concerning its therapeutic efficacy. In a new foreword Jose Brunner expands on the central argument of The Psychoanalytic Movement. Placing Gellner's work in the context of contemporary hostile critiques of Freud, Brunner argues that these two blatantly different thinkers might also be seen as kindred spirits	Placing Gellner's work in the context of contemporary hostile critiques of Freud, Brunner argues that these two blatantly different thinkers might also be seen as kindred spirits	Gellner	neutral	0
MISTER MONDAY is the first in a new series by Garth Nix, author of THE SEVENTH TOWER. Well paces and written for it's intended audience, younger readers, it weaves a spell binding story of reluctant heroes and less than evil villains. The young protagonist; Arthur Penhaligon, is chosen by the Will (the last instructions from the Great Architect, read God, before she takes off to places unknown,) to be the heir of the Keys to the Kingdom, to be the master of the House and the known universe. Problem is he's in the seventh grade and doesn't want to rule the world, all he wants to do is save his family and friends from a plague let lose by the same forces who don't want him to succeed, principally Mr. Monday, one of the seven trusties entrusted with the Will while GA is off gallivanting about. Although a lot of the characters, ok most of the characters, are rather bizarre the one that stands out in this sea of strangeness is Arthur. Throughout the story Arthur, even though given one of the keys to the universe, remains little more than a boy, a seventh grade boy. No superhero, no genius, just a boy who's forced to do something he really doesn't want to do. Written slightly below the level of the Harry Potter books this series should still capture the attention and imagination of young readers attracted to these types of stories. I found it to be a fun and enchanting read, maybe a little tame, but then I'm somewhat older than the target audience. I would certainly RECOMMEND this book to all the young readers out there, and even a few of the older ones	Although a lot of the characters, ok most of the characters, are rather bizarre the one that stands out in this sea of strangeness is Arthur	Arthur	negative	0
In her book A History of the Wife, Marilyn Yalom traces the history and changing roles women have had in marriage from early history through the women's liberation movement. The Meaning of Wife picks up where that excellent book ends. It is clear from the cover of this book (a woman's left hand, flipping off the reader-with a perfectly manicured and wedding band-clad ring finger) that this is a book for a generation of women who are both used to confrontation and longing for tradition. It is this dichotomy in their lives that fuels the book. As women are working outside the home more, demanding more equitable treatment, and becoming market forces, they are also struggling to define what being a wife actually means to them. Kingston examines that many facets of wifeliness that seem to prevail: helpmeet, virgin, Cinderella (equally entranced by the wedding dress as she is of scented toilet bowl cleaner), victim of abuse, shrew, spinster (or unwife), or supporting actress. The main struggle for women now isn't whether or not to get married. Kingston is no Steinem and doesn't suggest that a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle (though she is unmarried). She acknowledges that women want to be wives and mothers. The problem is that they don't have role models. They have seen their mothers struggle to get out of the kitchen and are in no great rush to get back into it. Their icons growing up on TV were single women, Superwomen who could do it all by themselves. Popular culture, in the form of advertising, movies, books, news media, and television, is the most common source of clues to how women seek to describe themselves. Their icons now are very different. They see the brides, the yearning for marriage and a fairy tale wedding. Kingston excels and describing the marketing behind this notion (and I love that this industry now has an insidious name: the wedding industrial complex). But once the marriage happens, there are a few very different ideas of what a married woman is. They see the happy homemaker. Though most have absolutely no desire to be homemakers, they still feel the pressure to have a well-kept home. A certain amount of bliss is marketed along with cleaning products. Or they are seen as the victim of love-the battered wife (an excellent chapter on the presentation of domestic abuse is given, including how it both infantilizes women and takes them back to Victorian times when women were seen to only follow their wombs, rather than brains, in decision making). The main theme of this book is that there is not and cannot be one script for how to be a wife, just as there is no one role for husband. This is a well-written, researched, and balanced look at what marriage means now, not just wife. It isn't a reactionary or staunchly second-wave feminist look at marriage; Kingston respects marriage and the desire to be married. Excellent to read alongside A History of the Wife, The Mommy Myth: The Idealization of Motherhood and How It Has Undermined All Womenand Selling Anxiety: How the News Media Scare Women	Kingston examines that many facets of wifeliness that seem to prevail: helpmeet, virgin, Cinderella (equally entranced by the wedding dress as she is of scented toilet bowl cleaner), victim of abuse, shrew, spinster (or unwife), or supporting actress	Kingston	neutral	0
I was curious to see whether "Mister Monday" (first novel in a fantasy series that has since worked its way up to Thursday) was published before or after James Stoddard's "High House" as the two books have similar settings. Stoddard came first, but Garth Nix has put his unique stamp on the 'Universe manifested as a queer old House' theme. That said, this "Keys to the Kingdom" series is more disjointed and less appealing than Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy. "Mister Monday" reminds me more of "The Ragwitch" in that a young boy with absolutely no training learns that he is the Rightful Heir to some improbable kingdom (the Universe) and is also the only person on Earth who can stop/cure the newest, deadliest plague. Naturally Arthur wants to concentrate on curing the plague, since his own family is involved. Then he is saved from a lethal asthma attack by a man in a bath chair wielding the minute hand off of a gigantic clock. The man in the bath chair is Mr. Monday and he is being pushed about by his butler, Sneezer. These two men spend the rest of the book chasing Arthur through a sort of Victorian workers' hell, trying to get him to return the Key (the minute hand) to Mr. Monday. The book has lots of interesting magic, blue-and-yellow-striped dinosaurs, an angry old man who is chained to a gigantic clock, and a pair of truly macabre creatures who gouge out the old man's eyes every day at 12 o'clock. (His eyes grow back. Does this man remind you of Prometheus, kiddies?). Arthur must get through some horrifying trials to save his Earth from the plague, and to prove that he is the Rightful Heir. He shows that he has the Right Stuff--after all, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday have already been written--but this first book suffers from a multiplicity of themes. The author seems to have tried out several different settings (Victorian policemen and a sort of Bob Cratchit universe, along with dinosaurs, good and bad angels, and a really stinky and terrifying Roman bathhouse), then didn't want to discard anything. So, here it all is in "Mister Monday. ". I'm still debating as to whether I want to advance on to "Grim Tuesday. " Arthur has already saved my world from the Sleepy Plague and I'm not particularly taken with the rest of Nix's mixed-up Universe	The author seems to have tried out several different settings (Victorian policemen and a sort of Bob Cratchit universe, along with dinosaurs, good and bad angels, and a really stinky and terrifying Roman bathhouse), then didn't want to discard anything	Victorian policemen	neutral	0
Angela and Diabola is not only a good book for girls, but also for boys with a good sense of imagination. The book ranges between nine-year-olds through eleven-year-olds. The main characters are two twin girls, Angela and Diabola. Though they are twins, they are nothing alike. Angela is described as a wonderful child spreading joy and happiness wherever she goes. While Diabola, well, let's just say that she is the exact opposite of her sister in every way possible. Their parents had always been able to handle the girls, both the good and the bad, until one day when Diabola does something that neither her parents nor her sister would ever imagine. Angela and Diabola is a great fiction book with wonderful dialogue and text. One thing that I really like about it is that the beginning jumps right into the story. The book really held my interest throughout the whole story. Anyone who has a good imagination and likes a great fiction book will enjoy this book	The main characters are two twin girls, Angela and Diabola	Angela	neutral	0
With apologies to anyone who is reading this as a duplicative review, I am going to review all four of Val McDermid's Dr. Tony Hill/Carol Jordan novels in one place and copy the reviews individually. I've now read seven of McDermid's books. She's not a great writer but she's a fabulous storyteller and her Tony Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries are the best of the bunch. The first two books aren't written terribly well, but the writing gets better as the series goes on. You may know these characters from the BBC series "Wire in the Blood" starring Robson Green. As an aside, while I generally find film and television adaptations to be far less satisfying than the source material on which they are based, the BBC series is really an exception. While the books have some detail that doesn't make it to the t. v. series, the television program really brings the characters to life and improves on the writing while staying true to the novels, although only the fourth book's plot actually made it to the screen. As noted by some other reviewers, these books are not for the squeamish. McDermid doesn't pull any punches in writing about vicious psychopaths who commit sex crimes and the books may well be disturbing to many. The second book in particular (more below) actually gave me nightmares. McDermid, however, really gets into the heads of her twisted antagonists and she seems to have done a tremendous amount of research. Most importantly, both Dr. Hill, a clinical psychologist who consults with the police as a profiler, and Carol Jordan, the police officer with whom he works most closely, always feel like real people with investigative abilities and compassion that are easy to admire and foibles that are easy to relate to. They have serious difficulties in forging personal relationships which makes their relationship all the more poignant. Each book focuses on two stories -- a main investigation involving a psychopath and a secondary case that is generally no less compelling, while also following the relationship that develops between the two protagonists. If you've never read any of the books in this series, I would recommend taking them in order. The fourth book is the best, the third the worst, but it's worth reading them in order for the character development (although you could easily skip the third). If you really think you only want to read one, or aren't sure and don't care about spolers, just go straight to the last one. Some people who have read the entire series have found the fourth book repetitive, but it's the one that really works on all levels. Overall, the series gets 4 stars, but here are my individual assessments:. SPOILER FREE REVIEWS. 1. The Mermaids Singing - 4 stars. The first of the series is really the only one that delves in any great detail into the personal lives of Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, who come together to investigate the brutal torture and slayings of four men in northern England. McDermid's Tony Hill/Carol Jordan books all deal with issues of sexual identity, but this one does is particularly focused on that as the police suspect a gay man of killing heterosexual men. McDermid shares the thoughts of the killer as well as those of Dr. Hill, who relates all too well to the motivations of the subjects he is asked to profile. The writing in this book is kind of clunky, but the insights of the author into how and why someone sets out to cause maximum pain and humiliation still make it a riveting, if disturbing, read. 2. The Wire in the Blood -- 4 stars. In this second book in the series, teenaged girls are being abducted and brutally raped and tortured to death. We are introduced to an extremely smooth and charismatic character, Jacko Vance, a television celebrity and former star athlete, that Dr. Hill and Carol Jordan called upon to investigate. This is the hardest of the series to read, probably because the killer's victims are all extremely young, naive and female, with no chance whatsoever of fighting back. This book deals with charisma and celebrity as well as sexual deviance and although the writing is still somewhat awkward, it's generally a more compelling novel than the Mermaids Singing. 3. The Last Temptation -- 3 stars. This is the weakest book in the series. On the plus side, McDermid decides to branch out from northern England and take the reader into continental Europe, particularly Germany, where Carol Jordan has gone as an undercover operative to investigate a drug dealer/slave trader. Tony Hill is also in Europe, helping the police solve a series of murders in which psychologists are the victims. McDermid brings to light some of the darker deeds of the Nazis that are generally not known and discussed and for this she should be commended. The writing also starts to improve with this book and the secondary protagonists, two female, European police officers who develop a long-term relationship with each other, are the best of any of the books. There are some serious problems with the novel, however, that make it the weakest of the bunch. First of all, in the other books McDermid is writing about the North of England, which she clearly knows like the back of her hand. The locale in the other books is really the third character after Tony Hill and Carol Jordan. The European locations never quite come to life in the same way. But the biggest problem with The Last Temptation is that McDermid tries too hard to force a particular ending. In order to get where she wants to go, she has to have Carol Jordan do something completely out of character and, frankly, she doesn't do a good job of convincing us of the reason. The whole book feels a bit contrived. Kudos to McDermid for trying something different instead of just writing variations on a theme, but the theme is one she does really well and this effort is a bit disappointing. 4. The Torment of Others -- 5 stars. There's a reason this is the only story that got used in the BBC series. By this point, McDermid had started to write really well, and she'd really gotten the hang of tying the two story lines together. In the main story, someone is killing prostitutes with the m. o. used by a man currently in an insane asylum. How does the killer know exactly what the prior murderer did? The mystery is more satisfying than that of the prior novels and the sub-plot, involving kidnapped boys, also intrigues. There's not much to learn at this point about Dr. Hill, but while the third book didn't entirely work, the aftereffects of that novel's events on Carol Jordan are all too real and bring the characters' relationship to a new level. If books on criminal profiling and psychological forensics are your thing, you'll probably really enjoy McDermid's work. If someone has recommended her writing to you and the Dr. Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries sound like they are too gruesome, check out the Grave Tattoo, which is a neat, little literary mystery	Tony Hill is also in Europe, helping the police solve a series of murders in which psychologists are the victims	murders	neutral	0
Garth Nix is usually the first author that I recommend when kids and teens ask me what to read once they've finished all the available Harry Potter books. Nix's prose is by no means a thing of wonder on its own, but his characters, his humor and his whimscal worldbuilding make up for this fact. Highly recommended, especially for the younger set, and any adults who enjoy a little Through The Looking Glass style whimsey	Garth Nix is usually the first author that I recommend when kids and teens ask me what to read once they've finished all the available Harry Potter books	Garth Nix	positive	0
I don't think I understood the whole thing, but it's not all my fault. Deliberately author Michael Marshall splits up his story between the first person narration of ex-cop/coffee table book captionist Jack Whelan, with a variety of third person accounts that are purposely confusing and disparate, so that you need a second reading to be able to piece it all together properly. I kept skimming and skimming, thinking with my fingers crossed that "this will all make sense later, I'm sure," but eventually I got at least a glimmer of a storyline involving a young nine year old girl who at first seems like she's been kidnapped by an evil, foul smelling man, but within a few pages we find out that this "abduction" is not really what it seems and the the 9 year old, cute little Madison, exhibits the cold, maniacal soullessness of an adult, and an especially demented one at that. But why? Why? Why? She's like Patty McCormack in THE BAD SEED, but why? Author Marshall has a new theory about why some kids hit the ground running, while others just go to the devil. He grabs your lapels and shakes this theory into you until you reach a point where you just want to slap his hands away, he's so insistent. On the home front, Jack is married to a woman who, just like in all the best postwar noir stories, isn't what she seems. This part of the story would seem more original if it hadn't been done just last month in the techno thriller HOOKED. Searching for the truth about his wife, Jack turns more and more to an old high school friend, Gary Fisher, once an idolized athletic hero in school, later a top lawyer, but obviously a man with a burning mission. As Jack grows suspicious of Amy, he grows closer and closer to Gary (who in the conventional thriller would have been a woman I think), and their eventual friendship and bonding has a distinct homoerotic charge to it as they both learn that women (and little girls) can't be trusted. Marshall makes you read through to the end but you'll be scratching your head over many of his plot choices, and I can't make up my mind whether the story is actually crazy stupid, or maybe too smart for a moron like myself	I kept skimming and skimming, thinking with my fingers crossed that "this will all make sense later, I'm sure," but eventually I got at least a glimmer of a storyline involving a young nine year old girl who at first seems like she's been kidnapped by an evil, foul smelling man, but within a few pages we find out that this "abduction" is not really what it seems and the the 9 year old, cute little Madison, exhibits the cold, maniacal soullessness of an adult, and an especially demented one at that	young nine year old girl	neutral	0
We purchased the audiobook version of this book. It was an interesting story that my 8 yo loved, but my 6 yo was somewhat frightened by it(and he's not frightened by much lately). The characters are very interesting, deeply drawn and the relationship between the "good" twin (Angela) & "bad" twin (Diabola) is complex & rich. The reader did an excellent job (very important in an audio book). In addition, the layers of the story were sufficient for my husband & I to enjoy the book as well (we listened on a long car trip). The only reason I gave this 4 stars was the fact that my 6 yo was too young for some of the content, making this book not appropriate for all ages	The characters are very interesting, deeply drawn and the relationship between the "good" twin (Angela) & "bad" twin (Diabola) is complex & rich	Diabola	negative	0
The children's novel "keys of the Kingdom Mister Monday" is a hardcore mix beetween mystery and science fiction. This is a 361 page book about a boy named Arthur Penhaligon who is destined to die an early death, but is saved by a key given to him by a mysterious man named Mister Monday. After being given the key he notices many strange things happening around his neighborhood. Including a strange house a few blocks away from his house. he journeys up the house into Mister Monday's room on the top floor of the house. After Arthur defeats Mister Monday he surrenders his strange powers to "The Will". I liked the way the author described all imnportant and non-important characters in such detail, but I didn't like the way he kept coming back to the question "why did Arthur get the key, why is he still alive, who are Mister Monday and Sneezer". My favorite character in this book was Noon the first big Villain or henchman of Mister Monday. He is my favorite character because he has and awesome outfit, I mean there aren't many guys waliking around with wings and a flaming sword. My favorite secton or scene was when mister monday & Sneezer first appeared. I liked the way the author made it so i could picture it in my head. What i would say to someone about this book is about a nobody kid who ends up saving the world. One question I have is what happens after you fall asleep during the process of the "Sleepy Plague". I would strongely recommend this book for someone who likes a book in which they can picture all of the important moments	This is a 361 page book about a boy named Arthur Penhaligon who is destined to die an early death, but is saved by a key given to him by a mysterious man named Mister Monday	key	neutral	0
This book is based mainly for teens having troubles. It shows friendship, love, and dealing with your problems	It shows friendship, love, and dealing with your problems	friendship	neutral	0
As a fan of Nix's previous series, the Abhorsen Triology, and The Seventh Tower, as a teen I looked towards his new budding series, shortly after its publication. There were few reviews for the book, but it seemed promising. It was indeed, promising, as described before by others. The book starts out with an inspector of a document thousands of years old. Sealed within a small fragment, the Will of the Architect, she who had created this realm and all that inhabit it, her Will had been sealed away, over time the ecurity had become lax, for Sloth has taken over the Lower Atrium of the House. Unfortunently, the Will has unknowingly enlisted help. A higher power sneaks through the inspector a small line of text, later proving to be more then enough help to free the first several paragraphs of the Will. Here the story begins. Arthur Penhaligon is an average adolescent, provided he is asthmatic. It turns out his new gym teacher is ignorant, horrid, and seemingly loves to flaunt his superiority over kids. Arthur seems to grimace quite a bit over how he was forced to run the cross-country course, even though he had just recovered from a near death situation, due to his choosing of disregarding the use of his inhaler. Fatal, later this choice nearly kills him, until he is saved by a fine-dressed man in a. what seems to be a bath tub-wheeled chair, and a sickly looking butler from the old movies, his uniform long overdue for patchwork and replacement of gloves, and such things, he inherits a blade-like key, and the Compleat Atlas of the House. Unknowingly to Arthur, the key is what saves him from death, and regretably, seals his fate to embarking on a quest to save another dimension from the ruins of the "Days", although this is what saves his life, he soon begins to regret ever becoming the heir to first key, and so begins the start of the series of The Keys to the Kingdom. I do reccomend this book to those who:. a. ) Like to read. -enjoy the genre of fantasies, of a unknown world, as Nix weaves a wonderful tale of the things that will open your eyes to a different world. b. ) Those who would like something different, yet similar to all the books that speak of magic, sorcery, and untold secrets of world that we behold only the back of our minds, somethign we wonder could ever exist. After reading the first three books, I found that the author's note at the end about the different days of the week seems to pertain to the trecherous days. Mondays were a bit too early in the week as work days (which explains the Sloth condition of Mister Monday). Tuesdays were lucky days, so it seems to be in the book also (look on to reviews on Grim Tuesday in the series). Wenedsday was a good day (look into other reviews on Drowned Wenedsday). I re-read this book recently, and decided that I should try reccomending this book to others. Although I am young,currently at age of 15, I hope that my review will help those of my age who are looking for a good read, in addition to whatever books they may be reading now. :)	The book starts out with an inspector of a document thousands of years old	document thousands of years old	neutral	0
I have always had a particular interest in children/teen fantasy. I normally am an adult fantasy reader, but sometimes it is nice to read a book that isn't trying to play off like the real world. This book is such a clever, compelling read that I was sorely disappointed to have to wait for more. I have never (so far) read a Garth Nix book that doesn't re-inspire me to read more books. Anyway, onto the actually book itself. We are introduced to the typical male-boy protagonist, the awkward in school, unsure of himself protagonist with an incredible future. Arthur soon learns that his immediate problems are not the first day of school, but instead are the fact that he has to become the heir to the center of the universe. The entire idea of the House with different levels of work (mostly paperwork) is extremely creative. Everything about the environment and, we could say, culture of the House is a parody and play on real life. It is ironic that the nether-world still has to deal with paperwork and useless workers and bosses that could care less if what they are doing is right or not. The House also offers a sense of the extreme. Anything described inside usually is accompanied by ridiculous dimensions. For example any major room is about 40-50 football fields length or the job of filling a few hundred thousand ink bottles. It also offers a different version of the afterlife, as in it doesn't exist. The main reoccurring theme is "from nothing we came, and to nothing we return" a bit unsettling for the typical child. And that brings me to my next point. These books are labeled, "Children Fantasy", but contains many references to myths and ideas that I believe are beyond a normal 9 year's old pool of knowledge. There are also a few really violent scenes that make me want to classify this more for Teens. Not that I am saying don't read this for the violence, just be warned if your a parent I recommend reading this ahead of time to make sure it'd be ok for your child (and really it only takes about a day or two to do). In conclusion, this is a highly originally tale and I for one can't wait to read the other books of this series. My only complaint is that Garth Nix takes about a year for every book he writes and that's a long time to wait. But I guess if it makes the books a masterpiece, it's a small sacrifice	Arthur soon learns that his immediate problems are not the first day of school, but instead are the fact that he has to become the heir to the center of the universe	heir	neutral	0
I've borrowed this book from the school library. Well, what I can say about this book is,it's very interesting. It is about a pair of twins. One is good(called Jill),another is bad(called Jane). But later their parents made them to be christian and the good one called Angela while the bad one called Diabola. Everyone loves Angela much and hate Diabola. When the twins grow up, they have power to do good things and bad things. Of course, the good one do good and the bad one do bad. Their power were so strong that the bad one can make people sick by using her eyes and the good one can cure them if she want. I think this book is really interesting because no book I've read have got such extreme case	But later their parents made them to be christian and the good one called Angela while the bad one called Diabola	Angela	positive	0
I'm inclined to agree with Ramseelbird's review, and unlike indiegirl29, I don't recall Liz going out with another guy who nearly rapes her. What I do remember is teens in the 70s claiming to love this book, while I (maybe I wasn't savvy enough) just didn't get it. I sort of maybe guessed that her "friends" were accompanying Liz to have an abortion (didn't occur to me whether it was legal or not; I may not have even been aware of the issue of legality). What struck me more was the unlikelihood of a pretty, cool girl being best friends with an uncool, homely girl. Never saw this in real life. Actually the most vivid memory I have of the story is when Liz calls home to say she'll be late, her stepfather calls her a tramp, and that's when she succumbs to Sean's pressure to have sex. This scenario is what is actually timeless in the story, as opposed to the rest of it. The plot and atmosphere are indeed grim, which is indeed what bothered me. It's darker than any other teen / Young Adult novel I can think of. I certainly couldn't relate to any of the characters. I wasn't cool, didn't have a best friend who was cool, didn't have a boyfriend (pressuring or otherwise), and didn't have a stepparent. I suppose that's not Zindel's fault, but I do expect a fiction author to be able to cause the reader to feel what the characters are feeling, or sympathize with their situations. I suppose that's why I wouldn't recommend this book	It's darker than any other teen / Young Adult novel I can think of	novel	neutral	0
I think this is a very good book that answers the many questions of young adults as they are faced with them. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It's just plain good!	I think this is a very good book that answers the many questions of young adults as they are faced with them	young adults	neutral	0
Despite its cover 'Turbulent Priests' has little to do with bedraggled young women who smoke. It's actually a very cleverly plotted story about a young girl on a island off Ireland who is claimed to be the messiah. A reporter is sent out to chronicle events and, to no surprise, all is not what they appear to be. 'Turbulent Priests' is fresh and funny. It lamblasts both the (Catholic) church and Irish society in equal measure without taking it all too seriously. Only the most sensitive will be offended (. although much of the language is crude). I should also add that the book is rather Irish-centric. Folks from outside Ireland/Britain might not understand much of the verbage or the sarcastic humour. Bottom line: perhaps Colin Bateman's best book. No small praise	It lamblasts both the (Catholic) church and Irish society in equal measure without taking it all too seriously	Irish society	negative	0
Garth Nix's "Mister Monday" begins a brand new fantasy series in the "Keys to the Kingdom" series. This Australian author is fast-becoming one of the biggest names in fantasy with his reinvention of the genre and his intricate, fascinating plots. Unlike other such authors, who place their heroes in a medieval realm of magical swords, horse-back riding and dragons, Nix follows the example of writers such as Philip Pullman, Susanna Clarke and (to a lesser degree) J. K. Rowling by creating a more contemporary fantasy-world with the flavours and style of the 18th and 19th centuries. Where his "Seventh Tower" book was written for younger readers, and "Abhorsen" trilogy for teenagers (though many adults got in on the act), "The Keys to the Kingdom" are situated smack dab in the centre of these two age groups - though again, I hope this doesn't prevent people of any age group from reading them. The Epicentre of the Universe is a realm known as "The House" - a labyrinth of rooms and halls and fantastical landscapes, that are ruled over by the treacherous Trustees, or as they are more commonly known, the Morrow Days. Their task was to take over the supervision of our world (or `The Secondary Realms') from the creator - the Architect, who left Her instructions written in a Will, to be carried out accordingly. But the Days tore the Will into seven pieces and scattered the scraps across the known worlds to be guarded forever more, and only now - thousands of years later - has one fragment of the Will managed to escape. Meanwhile, in the ordinary world, Arthur Penhaligon is coping with the pressures of the first day at a new school. Forced to go on a cross-country run - even though he has severe asthma - Arthur soon finds himself lagging behind, and eventually collapses on the lawn. Whilst his classmates run for help, the strangest thing happens: a young man and his butler appear from nowhere, and bequeath to Arthur something that they call a "Key" (though to Arthur it looks more like a large minute hand from a clock), and a strange book called `The Compleat Atlas of the House and Immediate Environs'. But when a fight emerges between the two figures - Mister Monday and Sneezer - they both disappear without any further regard to Arthur. And from there, things just get stranger. A giant House has appeared on the block that only Arthur can see, and ugly dog-faced men in bowler hats are coming after him. Worse of all is the outbreak of a mysterious illness that puts the whole community into quarantine and Arthur's own family in danger. Seeing no other way of helping, Arthur travels to the House, uses his key, and enters its domain. Arthur has been chosen by the Will to become Heir to the Kingdom and set right the corruption that is destroying management of the realm. What follows is an amazing adventure throughout a world chock-full of danger, intrigue, invention and surprises. The House is one of the most colourful places you could ever wish to visit, complete with everything from elevators to dinosaurs to coal cellars. Nix delights in playing with words and concepts, and the phases "got a frog in your throat" and "having a silver tongue" take on whole new meaning here, and things such as books, paper, the written word and language are given a solid, tangible quality here that is thought-provoking and completely original. Old legends are given new life (such as the tale of the Pied Piper and the Greek myth of Prometheus) and concepts and symbols given real form: such as the days of the week in human form, and their angelic-looking (but quite devilish) Dawn, Noon and Dusks. Throughout, Arthur is a sympathetic, understandable protagonist, who reacts to his adventures in a way that you'd expect a young boy to do, but with extraordinary resilience and courage, as does his young sidekick Suzy Turquoise Blue. All other characters are vivid and interesting, both good and bad, and immensely memorable. Also, Nix sprinkles little hints and clues to the next books throughout the text, so read carefully!. The book suffers little from the amount of ideas and concepts that Nix crams between its covers, which can seem either random or confusing to a first-time reader. By the time they get on to the next books, the general formula of where Nix is going is straightened out and most of the things Arthur sees and hears of in this first book are understandable (which should justify a second reading!) Make sure "Grim Tuesday" is on hand to continue Arthur's story	Where his "Seventh Tower" book was written for younger readers, and "Abhorsen" trilogy for teenagers (though many adults got in on the act), "The Keys to the Kingdom" are situated smack dab in the centre of these two age groups - though again, I hope this doesn't prevent people of any age group from reading them	The Keys to the Kingdom	neutral	0
This book was pretty good. I would suggest that you be under the age of 1726. Being the old hag of an elf that I am, 14 is pretty old you know,I wanted the pleasure of reading youngster material. So I did	This book was pretty good	book	positive	0
Rating System:. 1 star = abysmal; some books deserve to be forgotten. 2 star = poor; a total waste of time. 3 star = good; worth the effort. 4 star = very good; what writing should be. 5 star = fantastic; must own it and share it with others. THE STORY:. Arthur Penhaligon is a boy weakened by asthma and in having to live in the shadow of a very successful family. His normal life of interrupting his family's lives because they have to rush him to the hospital due to asthma attacks changes when he finds himself the chosen heir to the House. Arthur with the lesser key to the lower kingdom of the House in hand, must travel into the House to find a cure for the mysterious plague that is striking the people of his town and his loved ones and find out why there are beings intent on getting the key from him, even if it means killing him. THE GOOD:. Garth Nix is becoming one of my favorite authors of all time. His fantasy works are not cliché or based on traditional fantasy but they are full of fresh, imagination and worlds and characters we can learn to love. I got hooked on this author after reading Sabriel, which is a fantasy about necromancer magic. Very cool! So when I saw he had a new series out I had to check it out and was not disappointed. 1) Great world creation in the House and the denizens of the House, their purpose, their origins, etc. Made for an interesting and unique setting. 2) Likeable characters that are led by the plot of the story, where options are reduced forcing the protagonists down certain routes but without the reader knowing what those results those routes will produce, per se. Kept the plot and characters engaging and fun to read. 3) Magic. Unique and fun and innovative. Loved everything about it!. 4) 98% of all storylines and subplots resolved in this single volume. Chapters had great cliff hangers and transition points to keep the reader turning and the end of the book has its own cliff hanger that makes us want to read the next book in the series though it isn't necessary. 5) As much as the storylines are resolved, the resolution was also satisfactory and didn't make me feel cheated or the author tried too hard or too little to provide a satisfying ending. THE BAD:. I don't have anything that comes to mind other than this wasn't a hugely character driven story but more plot driven and setting driven in my mind. To get more in the characters and their motivations would have been a plus but because the story focus is on the discovery of the House and things related to the House, I didn't expect to get into the characters more than we did and thus I really wasn't too disappointed. OVERALL:. I left with the feeling of having been in a fairy tale. This would make a GREAT movie in my opinion. Read Garth Nix for unique and engaging fantasy. Either read the Abhorsen Trilogy for more of an adult fantasy, where the main protagonist is 17-18 yrs of age. Read this series for a protagonist that is around 12 yrs of age and the scenes are less "dark" than the Abhorsen trilogy. Either way, both stories are a big win	Kept the plot and characters engaging and fun to read	plot	positive	0
I first stumbled across Michael Marshall in one of those gift shops you find in bigger hotels. I wandered over to the paperback "section" --- it was a wall mounting, containing slots for nine titles --- and I noticed the name "Michael Marshall" on a copy of THE STRAW MEN. I went to grade school with a Michael Marshall, so I picked up the book to see if perhaps it was the same gentleman. They turned out to be different people altogether. But I was so intrigued by the premise of the novel that I bought it, read it and quickly sought out the remainder of the author's bibliography. THE INTRUDERS is Marshall's latest work, combining his trademark elements of unpredictability, craftsmanship and sterling characterization to provide an addicting, thrilling read that never disappoints. If you're paranoid at all, you're going to get your instincts jumpstarted within a few pages of reading THE INTRUDERS. The story deals primarily with Jack Whalen, a man who is unsettled by the feeling that his world is slowly, almost imperceptibly, changing. Whalen is an ex-LAPD patrolman who retired from the force, wrote a book of some nominal success and now lives with his wife Amy --- a successful marketing executive --- in a small rural community a few hours removed from Seattle. Their world seems to be financially and emotionally secure. But, as Marshall slowly reveals, there are tiny cracks around the foundation of the Whalen family --- not necessarily fissures or yawning chasms, but cracks nonetheless. When Amy turns up missing during what would otherwise be a routine business trip to Seattle, Jack immediately begins to investigate, only to discover that her disappearance is more a misunderstanding than anything else. That's not the end of it, however. Jack notices that his wife is doing little things --- acquiring new habits, listening to different music --- that she has never done before. Taken together, they portend the arrival of something far beyond anything that Jack can imagine. In the meantime, events occurring that appear far removed from Jack's world will jeopardize his very existence. A mysterious stranger breaks into a house, brutally murders a woman and her son, and sets the house on fire. A young girl, walking alone on a beach, is approached by a polite man and shortly thereafter leaves without explanation, even as her demeanor begins to change. And Amy? She just gets more and more bizarre. As you're reading, you will probably find yourself wondering just how Marshall is going to tie up such apparently disparate elements into a cohesive story, and to what ultimate end. What Marshall does, however, is not only create a chilling tale that will keep you awake at night, but he also provides a possible answer to a question that has puzzled individuals for hundreds of years: What, precisely, makes us what, and who, we are?. Those familiar with Marshall's body of work wish that he would write more frequently. But when he publishes a novel of such quality as THE INTRUDERS, one remembers that any book of his is worth the wait, no matter how long it may be. --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub	THE INTRUDERS is Marshall's latest work, combining his trademark elements of unpredictability, craftsmanship and sterling characterization to provide an addicting, thrilling read that never disappoints	Marshall	neutral	0
I liked this book because it had a lot of action and although the hero had asthma he kept on going. I also liked the strange, deformed "people" and the wooden robot-creatures that wielded axes and drills. This book was really, really good and I would recommend that alot of people buy it	I liked this book because it had a lot of action and although the hero had asthma he kept on going	asthma	negative	0
I must admit, I was a little weary of The Intruders when I first saw it: a cheesy front cover, with an inside flap that promised only what any other mystery novel could offer. However, when I started reading the first chapter, I didn't want to stop until I'd finished it. Marshall (who writes under several pen names, though is mostly known for the Straw Men trilogy) alternates between the stories a violent murder mystery, the ramblings of an over rational paranoid ex-cop whose wife may be missing, and the disappearance of a haunted little girl who acts nothing like a girl. What starts out as a series of random occurrences slowly forms into a solid mystery, and by mystery, I really mean mystery. The novel creeps along at a good pace, and the whole time there lingers the mixing tastes of a crime novel, a psychological thriller, and speculative fiction. I think for a novel to be a true "mystery" requires more than just a who-dunnit crime, or a highly intelligent detective; for a story to be a mystery, a writer must challenge his readers to uncover the state of reality, how horrific of a world the characters involved must live in. The world Marshall commits his novel to keeps the reader's attention by slowly unveiling possibilities that seem extra planar, or supernatural. Then, by diminishing his audience's reason, Marshall allows for a wide open thriller that presses on in relentless horror. At times violent, touching, and just plain creepy, The Intruders is the kind of novel that causes your brain to twitch in confusing glee. A must read for fans of subtlety in general, though anyone who enjoys a good dark mystery will find what he or she is looking for here	Then, by diminishing his audience's reason, Marshall allows for a wide open thriller that presses on in relentless horror	thriller	positive	0
Mister Monday is the first in a seven book series. Written for young adults this is a book that can be enjoyed by anyone who loves a good fantasy story. Arthur Penhaligon is about to die - only to be saved by the unlikely duo of Mr Monday and his butler Sneezer. An action they both will soon regret as Arthur finds the key they have given him leads to an otherworldly house that is both the source of a plague in his town and the only place he can find a cure. This is an original book, well written with interesting characters. Recommended for all ages. I'm already looking forward to GRIM TUESDAY and I'm happy the good news I heard on the grapevine turned out to be true about MISTER MONDAY	Arthur Penhaligon is about to die - only to be saved by the unlikely duo of Mr Monday and his butler Sneezer	Sneezer	neutral	0
If you have any affection for Tony Hill and Carol Jordan as created by Val McDermid, don't read this book. I read "The Mermaids Singing" and was enthralled, but this one was a big disappointment. The plot involving the serial killer is shallow and seems tacked on. The real plot involves Carol, her relationship with Tony, and a sting operation that is completely unbelievable. The ending is a depressing let-down. Overall, the book is a big mess. Avoid it	The real plot involves Carol, her relationship with Tony, and a sting operation that is completely unbelievable	plot	positive	1
From a bestselling novelist with an unrivalled insight into the workings of power comes a compelling new novel exploring Winston Churchill's remarkable journey from the wilderness to No 10 Downing Street at the beginning of World War II. Saturday 1 October 1938. Two men meet. One is elderly, the other in his twenties. One will become the most revered man of his time, and the other known as the greatest of traitors. Winston Churchill met Guy Burgess at a moment when the world was about to explode. Now in is astonishing new novel, Michael Dobbs throws brilliant fresh light upon Churchill's relationship with the Soviet spy and the twenty months of conspiracy, chance and outright treachery that were to propel Churchill from outcast to messiah and change the course of history	From a bestselling novelist with an unrivalled insight into the workings of power comes a compelling new novel exploring Winston Churchill's remarkable journey from the wilderness to No 10 Downing Street at the beginning of World War II	World War II	neutral	0
I received this book as a trade from bookcrossing. com. I had once read the Pigman in high school, unfortunately, this book doesn't measure up. Maggie and Liz are friends. Liz is a little more outgoing and popular, who sets Maggie up on a double date with her and Sean. Maggie goes out with Dennis who looks like an "undernourished zucchini. and always wearing the same baggy sweater. ". Liz and Sean are very into each other, but Sean keeps pushing the issue with whether or not they are going to "do it. " When they get into a fight once again, Liz goes out with an older guy who practically rapes her. When Sean and Liz meet up again, she gives him what he wants, but. with a price. Even though the book was written in the late 60's, some underlying themes stay the same: pregnancy, abortion, not getting along or being able to communicate with parents, suicide, and premarital sex. It seems as though the author had covered everything. but. for a long while, the book just wasn't very interesting. It's a very quick read, but I didn't get into it until it was almost over. Also, I didn't get the closure I needed at the end between Liz and Maggie. It's a nice cautionary tale for students that are of high school age, but maybe I've read too much good Young Adult literature in the past to be impressed by this one	" When they get into a fight once again, Liz goes out with an older guy who practically rapes her	Liz	neutral	3
I've had this book in my library since it was first published. Carolyn herself autographed it for me in '82. In all the moves and changes over the years, I could never justify getting rid of it. It's the best, most usable book on desert edibles I've ever read or owned. Here's a breakdown:. 1. Cactus and cactuslike plants - agave, barrel, cholla, etc. 2. Nuts and seeds - acorn, grass seed, jojoba, etc. 3. Grapes, berries and cherries - chokecherry, wild currant, etc. 4. Foods of the marsh and mesa - buffalo gourd, cattail, cota, etc. 5. greens - Rocky Mountain Beeweed, Canaigre, Curly dock, etc. 6. Agriculture - beans, chili, corn, etc. Let's take a look at page 10, Cholla. Wonderful, detailed illustration - if you can't find the plant by these pictures, you're not trying. Common name, scientific names, habitat and description. First Para. :. "Indians sometimes called early spring - March - 'the cactus moon' because food was scarce, and this plant was often the only available vegetable food. " Etc. Next page, she spells out how to harvest and clean the buds for food. Cholla buds - basic preparation. Next recipe: cholla buds and squash. One of my favorite recipe in the book is Prickly Pear jelly - oh, yum!!!. This is the book for anyone who doesn't know a wild grape from a hackberry. It even has a recipe for Dandelion Wine. It's a wonderful blend of desert culture and how-tos. How can you go wrong with that?. My old, tattered book is filled with specimens from my own desert excursions. It's been dog-eared, noted, dirtied and loved. It will be one book I'll never give up	greens - Rocky Mountain Beeweed, Canaigre, Curly dock, etc	greens	neutral	0
Garth Nix really glued my eyes to this book for hours! I couldn't stop reading all day! His book Mister Monday tells the story of young Arthur Penhaligon's adventure into the House. While at school Arthur obtains a "Key" shaped like a minute hand on a clock. In the never-ending height of the House, he is the rightful heir to the lower part. The only problem is that the other hand of the clock is owned by the old ruler, who doesn't want to give it away. Meanwhile the first section of the "Will" the creator of everything left behind, has escaped from it's highly secured prison on a dead star. Although The only reason Arthur is in this adventure is so he can save the world from the plague the "Key" brought with it. Garth Nix can build one idea off of the other, which would help him explain his thoughts. For example, when Arthur is in an elevator with the "Will" and Suzy Turquoise Blue, (They are going to the 379th floor, so they have the time) Garth Nix explained everything about the plague Arthur wants to cure. So basically the author took the opportunity to explain all the confusing parts in the book up to that point. I personally love fantasy books, and Garth nix can draw people like me into his writing. He has things relating to time, space, extremely tall houses that can slow time the moment you touch it. Stuff like that!. I loved this book, so I probably am going to read the next books in this series:. #2 - Grim Tuesday. #3 - Drowned Wednesday. #4 - Sir Thursday. Coming Soon. #5 - Lady Friday. #6 - Superior Saturday. #7 - Lord Sunday. Will Arthur save the world from the plague? How did the "Will" escape? Read Mister Monday and all those questions will be answered!	For example, when Arthur is in an elevator with the "Will" and Suzy Turquoise Blue, (They are going to the 379th floor, so they have the time) Garth Nix explained everything about the plague Arthur wants to cure	Suzy Turquoise Blue	neutral	0
I have read all of the Poirot stories, and this is by far my favorite. Not only is it the perfect second bookend to the Poirot series (since the first Poirot story also took place at Styles), it is also the most intricate and brilliant of the Poirot stories. I have read Agatha Christie all of my life. I am usually able to pick up on some of her clues and figure out who the murderer might be. I confess, with this one, I could not. I loved re-reading it to discover the clues I had missed. The concept of the murderer who is brilliant enough to manipulate others into doing the job for him is extremely interesting. I wonder if Agatha Christie decided to kill off Poirot because she knew she could never write anything better than this. I believe this is the best of the best. I'm off to read it yet again	Not only is it the perfect second bookend to the Poirot series (since the first Poirot story also took place at Styles), it is also the most intricate and brilliant of the Poirot stories	Poirot series	positive	0
Book: My Darling My HamburgerAuthor: Paul ZindelNumber of Pages: 122Publisher and Publication Date: 1969 Harper and Row publishersISBN: 0-553-27324-8Price (if available) and whether it is paperback or hardback: Hardback Imagine if you had parents that never trusted, or that never would believe you. Or even worse what if you had a stepparent that would call u some pretty bad names and your mom would take his side. Well that is kind of what this book is about. The main characters in My Darling My Hamburger are two girls named Liz and Maggie. They are of course best friends. They are also both seniors in high school. It is about time for prom and they both have dates. But you'll never guess what happens next!!! I think that this book is a really good book. Personal I loved My Darling My Hamburger. It has a really good moral. It was just like a real story. Everything in this book is based on what is happening in real life. That is just my opinion. When I read this book it reminded me of one of my friends sister. She has just graduated and basically the same thing that has happened to one of the girls in this story. I am not going to tell you the rest but I guess that you will just have to read and find out for your self. I would definitely recommend this book to People in 6th-9th grade. The main gender that would want to read this book would be girls because of what the story is based on and because they can relate to it the best. The people that wouldn't like this would be boys. Why? Because of what it is about. If you really want to know what happens then I guess that you will just have to read and find out what happen next	Book: My Darling My HamburgerAuthor: Paul ZindelNumber of Pages: 122Publisher and Publication Date: 1969 Harper and Row publishersISBN: 0-553-27324-8Price (if available) and whether it is paperback or hardback: Hardback Imagine if you had parents that never trusted, or that never would believe you	My Darling My Hamburger	neutral	0
I guess one could say there must be a sort of balance between good and evil. It is often said that one CANNOT exist without the other. At first I was amused an entertained by Angela and Diabola the novel by Lynne Reid Banks, but as it progressed and became exceedingly darker, I read the jacket to find that this book was recommended for ages 9-12. I don't think so. Especially in this day and age. Doing bad thing (especially super bad things) is never a good idea. However, there were a couple of things that bothered me about the story. I expected there to be some explanation as to the WHY the twins existed, something a little more magical or ethereal. The clever ruse of incorporating the two entities into one was interesting and the only way the author could justify Diabola's so called death, but I felt there should have been a little more explanation as where they came from. Also I felt there was a hint at Mrs. Cuthburtson-Joneses (the mother) having some sort of unrealized power that never was explored or expanded. I enjoyed the story, but I still don't think its right for pre-teens	At first I was amused an entertained by Angela and Diabola the novel by Lynne Reid Banks, but as it progressed and became exceedingly darker, I read the jacket to find that this book was recommended for ages 9-12	ages 9-12	positive	0
Some early young adult novels (it's a fairly new form of literature, you know) age gracefully and seamlessly. I'm thinking of course of Robert Cormier's "The Chocolate War" and (to a lesser extent), S. E. Hinton?s, "The Outsiders". Unfortunately, I have a nasty suspicion that these books are the exception rather than the rule. For every "Forever" there's a "My Darling, My Hamburger" that contains a great story bogged down by changes in the world. While Paul Zindel's classic tale of four teenagers and their relationship problems is at times both moving and perfectly toned, mostly the problems presented in it are as dated as they come. Even a plot synopsis makes this apparent. Friends Maggie and Liz aren't exactly close, but they hang out frequently together. Liz is the more beautiful and popular of the two with Maggie often following behind. When Liz and her boyfriend Sean decide to hook up Maggie with his friend Dennis, the blind date is as incredibly awkward as they come. Throughout the book the narrative switches between Maggie and her tentative relationship with Dennis and Liz's problems with Sean. Sean, like any normal teenager, is as horny as they come and is continually pressuring Liz to have sex. She'd like to, but she worries that it might end up in pregnancy. Unsurprisingly, that is exactly what happens and soon the big question in the book is whether or not Sean will do the honorable thing and marry Liz (!!) or if Liz will seek out an illegal abortion on her own. It's this last plotline that struck me as dated. The book was originally written in 1969, a full three years before Roe V. Wade and in many ways this abortion issue (while it still looms large) isn't the same. Sure, many girls will sweat over what to do with an unplanned pregnancy, but crossing the border to a state where abortion is legal is probably a more up-to-date literary solution than getting a back alley job. Then there's the debate about whether a girl should marry the guy who gets her pregnant, regardless of how old they are or what their future plans are. Maybe there are pockets of the country where this really is the only honorable solution to such a problem, but it's really not how the majority of teens would handle it today. The book is additionally riddled with small cultural time capsules as well. Talk about how Orientals kill themselves for honor, going to the movie theater to watch a documentary on pygmies, and the complete and total lack of any mention of STDs all combine to make this book an interesting window into the past. To some degree it does still speak to teens today. I was especially amused by the Sex Ed. teacher's advice on how to stop a guy from going all the way, (suggest going out for a hamburger). The characters were interesting as well. Liz, unfortunately, isn't a character you're going to identify with intrinsically. Yes, it's sad that she doesn't get along with her parents. But she's such a self-absorbed person, constantly ridiculing her best friend and at the same time dragging Maggie into horrid and dangerous situations, that by the end you feel zippo pity for her. In fact, you're supposed to end this story hating and pitying Sean who got her pregnant in the first place. Curse those lustful young men that refuse to marry their knocked up girlfriends! Curse them! This book probably read very well in the 1970s and I could even see it having some interesting points in the 1980s. But by the 1990s with the advent of AIDS better known and the options available to teens widening, books like this one began to read more as cautionary tales than as contemporary novels. I've no doubt that "My Darling, My Hamburger" was riveting and shocking when it first came out. Unfortunately, that's certainly no longer the case. I recommend it as a glimpse into the America that once was. If you'd like to know more about the history of the Young Adult novel, this is a good book to pick up. Just don't expect it to have too many insights to offer today. I'm afraid it's no longer that meaningful	Sean, like any normal teenager, is as horny as they come and is continually pressuring Liz to have sex	Liz	neutral	4
Ahh. I wish I had never gotten this stupid key, it is the kiss of death, and has ruined my life. This thought races through Arthur's mind as he saves the world in Mister Monday. Arthur is put through a rigorous test of bravery and compassion to face the evil Mister Monday. In the story, Arthur receives a key that gives him the power he needs to defeat Mister Monday, the only problem is, he doesn't know whom Monday is, or anything about the strange world that Monday lives in. Arthur has to go to a foreign realm and defeat an enemy that has so much more power than he does, if Monday was a T-Rex then Arthur would be a blade of grass compared to him. Arthur's battle to save earth requires a level of bravery that he only imagines in his dreams. That is why the theme is bravery, Arthur has to summon a level of bravery that he can't, and through the story, he struggles to get this unknown bravery. Arthur ventures through the story finding the bravery he needs. Mister Monday is a phenomenal book that gets an excellent 10/10. This book wraps you up in the story; it sucks you into the pages like a black hole. You are transported through a mystical land that gets better as you proceed. That's why Mister Monday is so irresistible, and it's a great book not only for fantasy readers, but also for anyone looking for a great story	That is why the theme is bravery, Arthur has to summon a level of bravery that he can't, and through the story, he struggles to get this unknown bravery	bravery	neutral	0
David Guterson's first novel, Snow Falling on Cedars, was a true ensemble piece, in which even a high-stakes murder trial seemed like a judgment passed on the community at large. In his eloquent second novel, however, the author swings dramatically in the opposite direction. East of the Mountains is the tale of a solitary, 73-year-old Seattle widower. A retired heart surgeon, Ben Givens is an old hand at turning isolation to his advantage, both professionally and personally: "When everything human was erased from existence except that narrow antiseptic window through which another's heart could be manipulated--few were as adroit as Dr. Givens. " Now, however, Ben has been dealt a problem entirely beyond his powers of manipulation: a diagnosis of terminal cancer. With just a few months to live, he sets out across the Cascades for a hunting trip, planning to take his own life once he reaches the high desert. A car crash en route puts an initial crimp in this suicide mission. But the ailing surgeon presses onward--and begins a simultaneous journey into the past. Between present-tense episodes, which demonstrate Ben's cranky commitment to his own extinction, we learn about his boyhood in Washington's apple country, his traumatic war experience in the Italian Alps, and the beginning of his vocation. Guterson narrates the apple-scented idyll of Ben's childhood in a typically low-key manner--and orchards, of course, are seldom the stuff of melodrama. Still, many of his ambling sentences offer miniature lessons in patience and perception: "They rode back all day to the Columbia, traversed it on the Colockum Ferry, and at dusk came into their orchard tired, on empty stomachs, their hats tipped back, to walk the horses between the rows of trees in a silent kind of processional, and Aidan ran his hands over limbs as he passed them with his horse behind him, the limbs trembling in the wake of his passing, and on, then, to the barn. " The wartime episodes, however, are less satisfactory. Clearly Guterson has done his research down to the last stray bullet, but there's a second-hand feeling to the material, which seems less a token of Ben's detachment than the author's. There is, alas, an additional problem. Begin a story with a planned suicide, and there are exactly two possible outcomes. It would be unfair to reveal Ben's fate. But as the forces of life and death yank him one way, then another, Guterson tends to stack the deck--particularly during a bus ride toward the end of the novel, when Ben's fellow passengers appear to have wandered in from a Frank Capra film. Yet East of the Mountains remains a beautifully imagined work, in which the landscape reflects both Ben's desperation and his intermittent delight. And Guterson knows from the start what his protagonist learns in painful increments: that "a neat, uncomplicated end" doesn't exist on either side of the mountains. --James Marcus	" Now, however, Ben has been dealt a problem entirely beyond his powers of manipulation: a diagnosis of terminal cancer	Ben	neutral	0
Garth Nix's "Mister Monday" begins a brand new fantasy series in the "Keys to the Kingdom" series. This Australian author is fast-becoming one of the biggest names in fantasy with his reinvention of the genre and his intricate, fascinating plots. Unlike other such authors, who place their heroes in a medieval realm of magical swords, horse-back riding and dragons, Nix follows the example of writers such as Philip Pullman, Susanna Clarke and (to a lesser degree) J. K. Rowling by creating a more contemporary fantasy-world with the flavours and style of the 18th and 19th centuries. Where his "Seventh Tower" book was written for younger readers, and "Abhorsen" trilogy for teenagers (though many adults got in on the act), "The Keys to the Kingdom" are situated smack dab in the centre of these two age groups - though again, I hope this doesn't prevent people of any age group from reading them. The Epicentre of the Universe is a realm known as "The House" - a labyrinth of rooms and halls and fantastical landscapes, that are ruled over by the treacherous Trustees, or as they are more commonly known, the Morrow Days. Their task was to take over the supervision of our world (or `The Secondary Realms') from the creator - the Architect, who left Her instructions written in a Will, to be carried out accordingly. But the Days tore the Will into seven pieces and scattered the scraps across the known worlds to be guarded forever more, and only now - thousands of years later - has one fragment of the Will managed to escape. Meanwhile, in the ordinary world, Arthur Penhaligon is coping with the pressures of the first day at a new school. Forced to go on a cross-country run - even though he has severe asthma - Arthur soon finds himself lagging behind, and eventually collapses on the lawn. Whilst his classmates run for help, the strangest thing happens: a young man and his butler appear from nowhere, and bequeath to Arthur something that they call a "Key" (though to Arthur it looks more like a large minute hand from a clock), and a strange book called `The Compleat Atlas of the House and Immediate Environs'. But when a fight emerges between the two figures - Mister Monday and Sneezer - they both disappear without any further regard to Arthur. And from there, things just get stranger. A giant House has appeared on the block that only Arthur can see, and ugly dog-faced men in bowler hats are coming after him. Worse of all is the outbreak of a mysterious illness that puts the whole community into quarantine and Arthur's own family in danger. Seeing no other way of helping, Arthur travels to the House, uses his key, and enters its domain. Arthur has been chosen by the Will to become Heir to the Kingdom and set right the corruption that is destroying management of the realm. What follows is an amazing adventure throughout a world chock-full of danger, intrigue, invention and surprises. The House is one of the most colourful places you could ever wish to visit, complete with everything from elevators to dinosaurs to coal cellars. Nix delights in playing with words and concepts, and the phases "got a frog in your throat" and "having a silver tongue" take on whole new meaning here, and things such as books, paper, the written word and language are given a solid, tangible quality here that is thought-provoking and completely original. Old legends are given new life (such as the tale of the Pied Piper and the Greek myth of Prometheus) and concepts and symbols given real form: such as the days of the week in human form, and their angelic-looking (but quite devilish) Dawn, Noon and Dusks. Throughout, Arthur is a sympathetic, understandable protagonist, who reacts to his adventures in a way that you'd expect a young boy to do, but with extraordinary resilience and courage, as does his young sidekick Suzy Turquoise Blue. All other characters are vivid and interesting, both good and bad, and immensely memorable. Also, Nix sprinkles little hints and clues to the next books throughout the text, so read carefully!. The book suffers little from the amount of ideas and concepts that Nix crams between its covers, which can seem either random or confusing to a first-time reader. By the time they get on to the next books, the general formula of where Nix is going is straightened out and most of the things Arthur sees and hears of in this first book are understandable (which should justify a second reading!) Make sure "Grim Tuesday" is on hand to continue Arthur's story	All other characters are vivid and interesting, both good and bad, and immensely memorable	characters	positive	0
In this last look at Hercule Poirot we see him and his friend Hastings at Styles where we were first introduced to this incredible Belgian. Only Agatha Christie would think to bring an end to her hero in this way. This is the ultimate crime and the ultimate murderer. Talk about going out with a bang! The whole book is one big deceit, and Poirot is the biggest deceiver of all. It's certainly a shocker. I have read all of the Poirot books, and this book happens to be the last one of these stories that I've read. I think that's fitting. I never could bring myself to read it before because I couldn't bear that it was the last of the little Belgian detective. But one thing about Poirot books, and this one is no exception, it can certatinly be read and enjoyed again. They are all complex enough that certain things are missed in the first reading. Ms. Christie was an absolute marvel!	Only Agatha Christie would think to bring an end to her hero in this way	hero	neutral	0
Val McDermid continues her 'Hill and Jordan' series with an entertaining story that combines a dangerous undercover assignment with an investigation of a serial killer, each of which leaves Tony and Carol on the verge of death!. McDermid does a pretty good job of integrating the two subplots, and her use of German and Dutch settings makes for a change from her usual 'real English locations with fictional names' approach. The two policewomen, Petra and Marijke, are among the most interesting characters, and their personal and professional relationship adds some color to the story. As for the 'bad guys', the smuggler Tadeusz and his crony Krazic, are suitably creepy, although the scenes featuring just the two of them are a bit slow. 'Tadzio' has more chemistry with Carol. The 'serial killer' subplot is not quite as riveting as it might have been, relying on the coincidence of Tony knowing one of the victims. McDermid relies a bit too much on coincidental/convenient plot developments late in the book; as other reviewers have mentioned, the bad guys find out what Tony and Carol are really up to purely by chance, due to a careless mistake that neither Tony or Carol would otherwise make. Likewise, when both Tony and Carol are captured separately, both are left tied up, but only one is gagged, and that omision serves purely to advance the plot from a seemingly impossible situation). The ending is satisfying for the most part, although it would have been nice to have a final scene with Petra and Marijke, since it's not likely McDermid will use them again. Despite the amount of 'suspension of disbelief' required in the final chapters, this is still a worthwhile entry in the series	McDermid relies a bit too much on coincidental/convenient plot developments late in the book; as other reviewers have mentioned, the bad guys find out what Tony and Carol are really up to purely by chance, due to a careless mistake that neither Tony or Carol would otherwise make	Carol	neutral	2
Best of the Best. From the award-winning author of "Snow Falling on Cedars" comes the bold and beautiful story of a retired heart surgeon with cancer who heads toward the wooded territory of eastern Washington intending to commit suicide. Along the way, he is sidetracked by a succession of fortuitous events that draws him into an altogether unanticipated journey--and rekindles his appetite for life	From the award-winning author of "Snow Falling on Cedars" comes the bold and beautiful story of a retired heart surgeon with cancer who heads toward the wooded territory of eastern Washington intending to commit suicide	suicide	neutral	0
Garth Nix has done it again, he has again come up with a new and creative plot in a magical world even more real than that of his Old Kingdom. The book follows the adventures of a young, asthmatic boy, who inherits a strange clockhand. It is not long after before things start going amuk, and strange forces threaten his world. The boy, Arthur Penhaligon, drawn into complete despair, ventures into a house only he can see, and into a world he where he should not be. This book is sort of a cross between Harry Potter and the Matrix, but with clear invention and an all together fun story. Hold on tight, and don't be left behind!	The book follows the adventures of a young, asthmatic boy, who inherits a strange clockhand	clockhand	neutral	0