Thursday, September 2, 2010

106)

the photographer and i are settling into life in lake county, version 2.0. it's lovely, and we're happy--and grateful--to be where we are. we're closer to the interstate, closer to the city, closer to everything. i'm starting to get into the swing of things with my new job, and i'm like the company that i work for. everything's falling into place, just as it always does. a few days ago i went to the local library and signed myself up for a library card, then proceeded to "dork out" for a little bit. i foresee myself spending quite a lot of time there in the coming months.

which reminds me. as a girl with a BA in english, i make no secret of the fact that i love all things literature and language. i've been learning to read for pleasure all over again since finishing undergrad and thoroughly enjoying it. about a month ago, i was out and about and i found a copy of audrey niffenegger's her fearful symmetry. i'd known about this book for a little while and decided it was finally time to check it out. after all, i loved the time traveler's wife, and i expected similar greatness from this book. well... to put it simply, i was disappointed. seriously disappointed.

niffenegger is a master of imagery, of setting the scene and creating characters that are believable (even if they are living under supernatural conditions). she really is a beautiful writer, and the details are remarkable. TTTW is set in chicagoland; i could really visualize the story, and i loved it even more for that factor. even someone who had never been to chicago would be able to picture it clearly. in HFS, the reader is transported from lake forest, illinois to a flat next to a historic cemetery in london, england. throughout the earlier parts of HFS, i really thought that i had stumbled upon another transcendental romance, like clare and henry in TTTW. it didn't take long for me to realize that this was very much not the case.

as i got further into the novel, the characters became progressively more and more erratic and unbelievable. the storyline started on a high note, but by the time i got to the last 1/3rd of the book, i couldn't help but wonder what exactly i was supposed to be reading. it was theatrically bleak and depressing; in some cases this can help the story, but i felt HFS was overdone. the ending was completely unsatisfying; in my opinion, it (and the last 1/3rd as a whole) felt rushed and contrived. in general, i wouldn't recommend this book. however, i am all about second chances, and if and when niffenegger releases her next novel, i will pick it up and give her another shot.

in other news, i'm glad it's almost the weekend. i also can't believe it's already september. really time, where are you running off to? looking forward to work, to reading and writing, to getting lunch with my parents & fiance & future mother-in-law on monday.

(life is good.)

No comments:

Post a Comment