All Consuming : Chuchotement

Characters beat plot for an overall win.

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 03:33:32 GMT

by Stephenie Meyer

I had to retrain my reading, and remind myself that this is a Teen Lit/Young Adult book. The plot was a bit thin, and a little predictable. Any other author could have fit it into a neat little package of about 50 pages or so…but wait, this isn’t a negative review. What makes this book stand out and apart from the classic vampire mythos are the emotional descriptions of a dangerous, hesitant, and young love. It more than adequately captures the tension inherent in the first stages of any relationship, human or not. (In fact, it had me blushing and remembering more than a few distant and tense crushes.) That said, it is not without its share of action sequences, but they are overshadowed a bit by the interplay between Edward and Bella. It’s easy to sympathize with lesser characters as well, because they are all familiar faces when compared with our own experiences. It was a quick, yet satisfying read. I’m interested in checking out the rest of the series, now.

Consumed "Twilight"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 03:33:32 GMT

Twilight

by Stephenie Meyer

WORTH IT!

Consuming "Art & Fear"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 03:15:45 GMT

Art & Fear

by David Bayles

Why I recommend "Purple Haze Goat Cheese"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:51:59 GMT

Purple Haze Goat Cheese

by with lavender and fennel pollens

Creamy, delicate, I just can’t get enough goat cheese! Still, this one was tops. The lavender and fennel pollen were subtle, but the perfect flavors to add to this melt-in-your-mouth chevre. Pair it with some nice, artisan honey, walnuts and fruit—I’d go with pears and berries—as the package suggests, or go with some sweet or savory crackers, instead. Toss it in a summer salad with some blackberries and arugala, or use it for crostini. Just eat it, already!

Why I recommend "Robusto cheese"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:47:17 GMT

Robusto cheese

This cheese is a bit nutty, a bit sharp. It’s almost like a flavor combination of a really good, sharp provolone or parmesan, and cheddar. It has a firm, smooth texture, and cork holes, so it has a mouth-feel that is a bit like Swiss cheese. Overall, a nice, simple cheese that went really well with dry red wine.

Life and Living

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:40:24 GMT

Sex and Death to the Age 14

by Spalding Gray

This is the first time that I’ve read any of Spalding Gray’s work, though I’ve been meaning to do so for quite some time. (I got lucky and snatched up a few books at a local white elephant sale.) He veers wildly between unbridled optimism and sheer despair, with more of the former than the latter, surprisingly. He tells his stories with a candor that is refreshing today, when everyone seems to have something to hide. (...and yet he kept “personal” diaries/journals, too. One can only wonder about their contents.) I admit that some of these early monologues seem a bit underdeveloped, and even flat in some places. Overall though, I really appreciated the dark humor and a tone that is solely his own. I think that this was a good gateway book to the rest of his performances; it has piqued my interest, rather than dulling it. I look forward to reading and watching more.

Consumed "Sex and Death to the Age 14"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:40:24 GMT

Sex and Death to the Age 14

by Spalding Gray

WORTH IT!

Consumed "El Trigal 12 Month Manchego"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Tue, 20 May 2008 09:44:49 GMT

El Trigal 12 Month Manchego

WORTH IT!

Why I recommend "El Trigal 12 Month Manchego"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Tue, 20 May 2008 09:44:24 GMT

El Trigal 12 Month Manchego

Creamy, nutty, a bit salty, and a bit sharp…this was a very nice cheese! I definitely needed to find a better wine to go with it, though…something dryer.

Consuming "Artist's Way, The PA (Inner Workbook)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Sun, 18 May 2008 23:21:09 GMT

Artist's Way, The PA (Inner Workbook)

by Julia Cameron

A review of "The Virgin Suicides" (rated 5 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Sun, 04 May 2008 21:55:28 GMT

The Virgin Suicides

by Jeffrey Eugenides

This book is disturbingly realistic. Through the screen of teenaged, doe-eyed boys comes a hazy recollection of idyllic suburbia, disrupted by tragedy. The girls are elevated to an almost mythological status. Having nearly lived this story through the suicidal tendencies of my graduating class—thankfully, no one succeeded—I think that Eugenides captures the pointlessness, the rubber-necking, and the onlookers’ attitudes with careful attention to both suspense/drama and truth.

Consuming "Ghosts I - IV"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Sun, 04 May 2008 21:33:05 GMT

Ghosts I - IV

by Nine Inch Nails

Consuming "This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Sun, 04 May 2008 21:22:46 GMT

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession

by Daniel J. Levitin

Unfinished Symphony (rated 3 stars)

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Sun, 04 May 2008 21:03:12 GMT

Snow Falling on Cedars

by David Gutherson

The emotional content of this book was great, but I thought that the plot left something to be desired. Now, I understand that although this was a mystery novel, of sorts, it certainly wasn’t going to run in the usual vein. I really enjoyed reading the characters’ insights into their own personal histories, particularly the contrasts between Hatsue and Ishmael. Still, it didn’t go deep enough, for me. The descriptions of the islands weather, flora, and fauna read more like a list of research topics than an augmentation of setting. Nels, Carl Heine and his mother, even Kabuo…they all felt rather superficial in comparison to the attention given to Hatsue and Ishmael.

I was disappointed by the ending, too; it was a tagline, a cheap summation of the undercurrents that pulled at the characters. All in all, it was too predictable; it’s not a book that I would re-read.

Consumed "Snow Falling on Cedars"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Sun, 04 May 2008 21:03:12 GMT

Snow Falling on Cedars

by David Gutherson

Consumed "Neverwhere"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:05:34 GMT

Neverwhere

by Neil Gaiman

WORTH IT!

A review of "Neverwhere"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Chuchotement) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:05:33 GMT

Neverwhere

by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman has been a favorite author of mine ever since I first read Sandman and Good Omens. I was impressed with the manner in which he handled his characters in Neverwhere, particularly Richard Mayhew. He is a bit like an Everyman, average yet extraordinary. Still, I would have liked more from the other characters, like Door and Hunter.

The world itself is an engrossing one, and Gaiman provides some lovely details to draw the reader into it. My only major beef with the book is that the ending is predictable…but exactly what you want to hear. All in all, a worthy gateway to his other works.