Category Archives: 2010

Flush, by Virginia Woolf

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Thistle

Flush is a biography of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s dog, whose name was, of course, Flush. Flush was a golden Cocker Spaniel who was apparently very finely bred, though I personally know nothing whatsoever about dogs or dog breeding. The book … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Adult, Prose | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Bleak House, by Charles Dickens

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Thistle

Bleak House would be impossible to describe in terms of plot. There are lots of plots, many of which eventually become connected, but not until the second half of the book. The plot elements vary from bad law cases to … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Adult, Prose | Tagged | 2 Comments

The Imposter’s Daughter, by Laurie Sandell

Posted on September 11, 2010 by Thistle

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a review of this book that wasn’t mixed. People seem to like it, but with reservations, not fully connecting with it. I, on the other hand, really, really enjoyed it. I kept waiting for … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Adult, Visual | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Curse of the Blue Figurine, by John Bellairs

Posted on September 10, 2010 by Thistle

My first experience with John Bellairs, The House With a Clock in its Walls, was mixed – I liked it, but had trouble really connecting with it. The Blue Figurine was happily much better, a creepy little children’s book perfect … Continue reading →

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Juliet, Naked, by Nick Hornby (audio)

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Thistle

Tucker Crowe, a middling rock star from the late 70s and early 80s, disappeared from public life in the mid-80s. Since then, he hasn’t made any music or given any interviews. It’s rumored that he lives on a farm in … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Adult, Prose | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Callback: Crossed Wires

Posted on September 5, 2010 by Thistle

I first read/reviewed Crossed Wires last fall, and it ended up being one of my favorite books of 2009. I remember debating at the time whether or not I should do a giveaway – I wanted more people to have … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Return of the Native, by Thomas Hardy (audio)

Posted on August 29, 2010 by Thistle

Oh Thomas Hardy! I offer you my sincere apologies for not having read this book sooner. It’s just, after reading Tess of the D’Urbervilles, I was a little scared to read another of your books. I loved Tess, don’t get me … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradley

Posted on August 28, 2010 by Thistle

Flavia de Luce, an eleven-year-old chemistry prodigy in 1950 England, is taken by surprise early one morning by the discovery of a body in the garden of her house. The police are called in, but Flavia, not wanting to be … Continue reading →

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Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins

Posted on August 24, 2010 by Thistle

No Spoilers Section Excited anticipation, with a little hesitance as well – that’s how I met with Mockingjay the morning I got up early and went to Walmart, forcing the lady stocking the books to open up a box so … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Kindred, by Octavia Butler

Posted on August 22, 2010 by Thistle

The year is 1976. Dana, as a black woman married to a white man, has a myriad of race-related issues in her life. It’s not a good time period for interracial marriages, and both family and friends (on both sides) … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Adult, Prose | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments