Book Twenty-Nine: The Engagements

This written tapestry of stories begins with an introduction to copy writer Mary Francis Gerety.  The hastily scrawled 'A Diamond is Forever' became the slogan of DeBeers, forever altering an industry and creating a timeless legacy.

Author J. Courtney Sullivan has written a fictionalized story of Gerety, but the book's primary focus is the human relationship and how iconic the diamond has become.  Evelyn has been married to her husband for forty years after the death of her first husband.  Kate, while partnered with Dan for nearly a decade refuses to have wedding.  Delphine leaves her husband to follow a one-night stand.  Blue-collar James constantly worries that his wife can do and will do better than him. 

With the diamond securely anchoring each story, it's clear that these relationships are about more than just the carats.  Evelyn is dealing with the crushing blow of her son's impending divorce.  Delphine wonders if desire is enough to build a life upon.  James wonders if he's one step away from losing her.  Kate is disgusted by the institution of marriage but is somehow hoodwinked into being responsible for the symbolic rings of her cousin Jeff's marriage to his partner Toby.  Each story has clearly been affected by the legendary campaign spearheaded by Gerety. 

This reader found herself wanting more about Mary Frances and her fierce independence during a time of little for woman.  Sullivan barely skims the surface of what made Mary Frances tick.  The five narratives are solidly written.  Delphine, a woman scorned, is perhaps the strongest story with the most clearly defined characters.  This reader wonders if Kate's diatribe is truly that of the author's. 

The primary annoyance for this reader is how choppy the book is put together.  The narratives are fleshed out in parts.  Sullivan presents enough information to build to a climax and then the commercial interruption appears--in this case, more about Gerety.  Highly annoying.

As I see it, The Engagements is unsure of itself.  Is it a feminist manifesto?  A stump speech against consumerism?  Or a parlor trick hoping to ride the Mad Men bandwagon?  In the end, dear reader, you have a nicely written--albeit forgettable--collection of stories.

Book Twenty-Eight: Haunting Mr. Darcy

Mr. Darcy has been determined to rid himself of Elizabeth Bennett since meeting her in Hertfordshire.  When an overturned carriage on New Year's Eve results in her spirit being inexplicably tethered to him, Fitzwilliam believes the specter is surely proof of his madness.

This little Kindle gem of fan fiction from author KaraLynne Mackrory brings new meaning to a 'spirited courtship.'  As the two learn of how their pride and prejudice has torn them asunder, Darcy and Elizabeth must work together to master fickle fate.  The author strikes a beautiful chord with characters without feeling contrived.  Despite the cheesy premise--I mean, do we really need Lizzy to be a poltergeist?!--Mackrory manages to weave a story that is Regency romance without modern day smut.

This book bewitched me.  So often, you don't find fan fiction that is worthy of praise.  Mackrory stayed true to her source material and the myriad of characters.  I was pleasantly surprised how she relies on Georgianna and Colonel Fitzwilliam to advance the story.  Her treatment of Mr. Bennett was exceptional.  He's always been a character I wanted more from.  His tender but honest dialogue with Jane is exactly what I'd expect from the patriarch.  Speaking of dialogue, I take umbrage with the author's use of 'Seriously?'  Seriously?!  The megrims fell upon me when Col. Fitzwilliam used this one word reply.  It was just SO out of place in the dialogue, it was disgusting.

As I see it, Haunting Mr. Darcy is a beautiful vagary for fans of Austen.  The author recognizes her readers intelligence and honors it.  Don't let my one grievance prevent you from picking up this delightful read.

Book Twenty-Seven: The Circle

What is The Circle?  A vast Internet company that is built upon idealism and aspires to measure and monitor your life all in the name of empowerment.  Mae Holland is excited at the opportunity to build a career in among the movers and shakers of the social media world by 'Zing-ing' and amassing hundreds of thousands of followers through her 'SeeChange' commitment.  As she skyrockets to the top of the Circle, Mae had to decide if her ever-increasingly public life is worth the cost.

Readers of Dave Eggers' The Circle will fall into two distinct camps.  Fans of the book will enjoy the thought-provoking, soul-searching technological distopia portrayed with unassuming hoodie-wearing deities and workplaces that look more like campuses than professional offices.  Those who dislike the book will cling to the flat satire as the primary reason for their dislike.  This reader is firmly in the latter camp.

The Circle is my first read from Eggers and one that I enjoyed immensely.  It's difficult not to take umbrage with several of the plot lines, lack of fleshed out characters, and the thinly-veiled swings at Silicon Valley.  Eggers is clearly preaching to the masses about the error of their ways.  Eggers manifests his personal concerns about social media and our current societal trends through Mae's unwitting devotion to the key tenants of The Circle's mission.  SECRETS ARE LIES. SHARING IS CARING. PRIVACY IS THEFT.

Whether you want to parallel Google Glass or it's creators, Twitter, Facebook, Siri, Instagram, [insert your favorite shopping/social site here], or Pinterest, any reader can see the cautionary tale because Eggers beats you over the head with it.  What saves this book from being forgettable, is the ending, which I won't spoil here.

As I see it, Eggers professes an almost 'Y2K' sense of hysteria when it comes to invasion of social networking into our lives.  However, you, Dear Reader, will no doubt take away what I did.  Simple but precious reminders...  Facebook posts are no replacement for true social interactions.  No amount of pinning will satisfy that longing for a smaller dress-size, and bitches will always be bitches in real life just as much as SecondLife.  For this reader, The Circle has made be think twice about how I connect and why.

Book Twenty-Six: The Good Girl's Guide to Getting Lost

Ah, yes... the travel memoir.  The couch potato's guide to exploring the world or living vicariously through another.  I love/hate the travel memoir.  Dear Reader, you're enjoying the blog of an individual who experienced the beach for the first time when she was thirty-two--that was two years ago.  I'm a late bloomer. 

I enjoy the idea of vacation and travel.  Trust me.  I have the same pins as you do; but it's the actual doing of it I can't quite deliver on.  A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle started it.  If I couldn't actually go to these other-worldly places, I could at least read about others experiences.

Author Rachel Friedman recounts the yearlong adventure when, as a newly graduated college student, she buys a ticket to Ireland to avoid making 'those' decisions.  What ensues is a new friendship and adventures that span three continents.

While I enjoyed the book, I didn't connect to the author and her tale of woe.  Yes, backpacking across Australia and South America sounds fun; but the eternal theme here is Friedman is avoiding her personal crossroads of 'what to do now that I've graduated college?'  Perhaps a decade ago, I could have joined Friedman in her adventures; but at this stage I'm more 'Eat Pray Love' and Kathleen Flynn's personal gem despite not being a divorcee. 

As I see it, The Good Girls' Guide to Getting Lost is a decent travel memoir.  For this reader, it will be hardly memorable.  Kudos to the author for her 'where are they now' moment which assured me we all get to live happily ever after.

Book Twenty-Five: The Mysterious Benedict Society

I judged this book by it's beautifully illustrated cover and it was awesome!  This little gem was picked up as a result of trip to the bookshop with my Sweet Niece.  She is building her collection of Harry Potter books where the spines of the new paperbacks build a silhouette of Hogwarts.  She makes me so proud to be her Kuhkuh.  I should digress.

The Mysterious Benedict Society is made up of four children, each who have been orphaned or abandoned as some point in their short lives.  Sticky, Constance, Reynie, and Kate all answers an unusual newspaper ad to become members of the society.  The team have been recruited to undertake a dangerous mission that requires an unusual set of skills only they possess.

Author Trenton Lee Stewart writes an adventurous yarn.  I had trepidations about a book that paints parents as bad; however,Stewart modestly plots a reconciliation that is befitting our heroes.  Our protagonists are well developed making them interesting.  Stewart doesn't forget his target audience and throws in hilarity in the form of a narcoleptic genius and a wheelchair crazed twin brother.  As an older reader, er, let's say not the target audience, I enjoyed that Stewart also provided clues, riddles, and other conundrums to ponder.  The use of Morse code creates an opening for further discovery.  Also of note, the book is beautifully illustrated.

As I see it, The Mysterious Benedict Society could be very-well under appreciated in the day of ilk such as Ever After High.  (Yes, I died a little inside when Sweet Niece chose Ever After High over the latest Clarice Bean.  But how can I judge?!  Every reader must find their own way.) With characters that example critical thinking and healthy traits, this is a series I could endorse.  Funny enough, I haven't successfully convinced my niece this is a must-read.