If you're looking for my reviews of a certain author or genre you can check my tags list. You can also see my list of book reads in 2007 & 2008 and 2009.

January:
( 1 - 7 )
February:
( 8 - 12 )
March:
( 13 - 19 )
April:
( 20 - 23 )
May:
( 24 - 27 )
June:
( 28 - 35 )
July:
( 36 - 40 )
August:
( 41 - 45 )
September:
( 46 - 51 )
October:
52. O Império dos Pardais by João Paulo Oliveira e Costa - 4/5 [516 pages] review at Goodreads, in portuguese
53. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell - 5/5 [528 pages] review

November:
54. The Poyson Garden (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 1) by Karen Harper - 2/5 [320 pages] review
55. (*)Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, Book 7) by J.K. Rowling, read by Stephen Fry - 5/5 [audiobook]
56. (*)The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis, read by Maurice Denham & Cast (BBC Radio Collection: Chronicles of Narnia) - 4/5 [audiobook]
57. The Tidal Poole (Elizabeth I Mysteries, Book 2) by Karen Harper - 2/5 [336 pages]
58. (*)Prince Caspian (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis, read by Maurice Denham & Cast (BBC Radio Collection: Chronicles of Narnia) - 4/5 [audiobook]
59. (*)The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis, read by Maurice Denham & Cast (BBC Radio Collection: Chronicles of Narnia) - 5/5 [audiobook]

59 / 50 books. 118% done!

20071 / 15000 pages. 134% done!

Rating:
1- hate it (did not finish) / 2- don't like it / 3- it's ok / 4- like it / 5- love it

PS: Titles in english, except the ones I can't find an english edition of.

(*) - marks a re-read.

Book Title: The Poyson Garden
Author: Karen Harper
Genre: mystery
Rating: 2/5

Summary (from book cover): The letter came in secret, with a pearl eardrop from an aunt long thought dead, resurrecting the forbidden past. Banished by her spiteful half sister, Queen Mary, to Hatfield House in the English countryside, twenty-five-year-old Princess Elizabeth cannot refuse the summons. The Boleyns are in grave danger. And Elizabeth, daughter of Anne Boleyn, is marked for death by a master poisoner whose reign of terror may have royal sanction.

With her few loyal retainers, Elizabeth escapes to Kent. Here, in her ancestral Hever Castle, now held by the Queen's loyalists, Elizabeth seeks to unravel the plot against her. And here, in the embrace of intrigue and betrayal, the princess must find a brilliant, powerfully connected killer – before the killer finds her...

My thoughts: I decided to pick up this book because I thought it would be a lightweight reading. And it was light... too light and in a very bad way. I love mysteries, at least I love the mysteries by Agatha Christie, with interesting characters and even peculiar ones, as Poirot, with storylines that tie us from the first page to last due to all the suspense created around a particular event or character or because the twists are ingeniously introduced here and there. None of this happens in this book.

To begin with, I was unable to feel that I was in the sixteenth century. Second, the characters are one-dimensional, including the protagonist, the (still) Princess Elizabeth who, exiled in Hatfield at the command of her half-sister Queen Mary (Bloody Mary), receives a letter from a next of kin she thought to be long-lost finding in this way that she and her family, those of the Boleyn's branch, are in the sights of a killer who uses powerful poisons as a weapon. Fortunately, Elizabeth has the help of her faithful servants and two other characters who she comes to know: Ned Topside, an actor who saves one of Elizabeth's cousins, and Meg, a young woman with a blurry past and the knowledge of master herbalists. These two characters, along with the killer, were the most interesting ones but still poorly developed. There is no depth, not even motivations to these characters but the main character is even worse. Honestly, I just didn't care about her and I have to say that, even knowing little of English history, it was a turn-off to start following this princess who supposedly has a killer after her and know that somehow she would survive because, after all, she became queen... :/

Several times I felt like quitting the book but decided to continue the series (I have 5 more books at home) because it pains me to "get rid" of books, especially books I won on a lucky giveaway, without having read them. I also hope that the following are better, that they can make me feel right in the Renaissance period and in the middle of the court games and intrigues.

Book Title: North and South
Author: Elizabeth Gaskell
Genre: romance
Rating: 5/5

Summary (from book cover): Mrs Gaskell's finest social novel is also the powerfully moving story of the developing relationship between southern-born Margaret Hale and John Thornton, the young northern mill-owner.

Margaret is compelled to move from Helstone, her beloved childhood home in the New Forest, to Darkshire in the industrial north when her father resigns is parsonage owing to religious doubts.

When she first encounters John Thornton, her father's pupil and a man in favour of the power of master over worker, she finds their views in conflict. But industrial rebellion and family tragedy cause Margaret to learn the realities of urban life and Thornton to learn humanity. Only then can a mutual understanding lead to the possibility of enduring love.

My thoughts: I learned of this book through the BBC series, which I saw some time ago, re-watched now as I read the book (and I'm planning see it again this week :D) and loved it. Along with Persuasion, it is one of those DVD's that I like to watch whenever I'm feeling down. But to pick up the book was a bit more complicated. I've tried it for two or three times but postponed itas I thought those weren't the best occasions to read it, but due to the "18th and 19th Century Women Writers' Reading Challenge", in which I'm much behind if I want to accomplish it, and my commitment to read the piles of TBR books I have on my nightstand, I decided that this was it. Apparently I wasn't wrong and, fortunately, Canochinha entered this adventure with me and we did a mini book club together (link to discussion in Portuguese), which proved to be a spectacular experience. By the way, you can read her opinion about this book, in Portuguese, here.

The book tells us the story of Margaret Hale who, due to her father's, a minister of the Church of England, crisis of conscience, was forced to move from beautiful, sunny Helstone in the New Forest, to Milton in the suggestive county of Darkshire. Milton is a very industrialized city, with cotton mills that work all day and whose smoke hides the sun. There she meets John Thornton, one of the city's industrial masters, who becomes one of her father's students and with whom she discusses various issues, including trade and social issues that threaten to paralyze the city with a strike. So we have a clash of ideals and two different life styles in this book, the serene life in the south's countryside contrasting to the urbanized North, more frenetic and industrialized, represented by both protagonists.

What impressed me the most in this book was the writing style of the author. I confess I'm not usually aware of writing styles but Elizabeth Gaskell's was just delightful. How she uses the words to describe characters, places, thoughts, actions. How all this affects our perception of the characters, we see them reflected in the space they occupy, in the actions they take, in the way they speak. In this away they come to life and become a part of ours, it is impossible not to feel that we know those people as if they have been our friends for years. It is impossible not to be moved by Mrs. Thornton, the cold and harsh mother of John, who, however, demonstrates an unusually large heart when it comes to her child. For me she was the most spectacular character of the book. But the others are also touching and there's a perceptible growth in all of them: in Thornton and Higgins it is gradually, while it takes Margaret a little longer, but it is notable her growth at the end of the book when we find ourselves in a situation somewhat similar to the beginning.

It seems that some people thought the end to be a little rushed, but in my opinion it was perfect. But speaking of it was perhaps to go into spoilers, so I'll just say that from a certain part on, the reader seems to feel just like Margaret and can only look forward and hope that the story will turn out well. The only fault I can point to this book was the fact of it had to have an end, because I feel as I've lost friends because I would like to continue following the stories of these characters.

A book more than recommended, a true classic. It is one of those books whose last page leaves a huge hole and it seems that no other book will fill it. Very few books made me feel just like this. Les Miserables, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Lions of Al-Rassan (it's true!) were the last ones. It's one of those books that stay with us. It's one of those books to read again and again.

Information at IMDb.

Director: Bernard Rose
Writers: Bernard Rose (screenplay) and Leo Tolstoy (novel)
Cast: Sophie Marceau, Sean Bean, Alfred Molina
Rating: 4/5

Finally I got to see this movie! I say finally because I have long wished to see it and unfortunately or there wasn't a copy available in the library or by while zapping through channels I would always caught it in the middle, which is never pleasant. After 10 years of catching the movie in the middle, it seemed I wasn't destined to see it. But now it's seen and I can't wait to read the book, which I imagine is even better.

The story, which begins in 1880, is told by Konstantin "Kostya" Levin, who dwells on his existential problems and his attempt to find love, search shared by Anna Karenina, married to a wealthy aristocrat older than her, and whose life is dedicated to her son. Arriving in Moscow, she gets to knows the Count Vronsky, who until then had his attention turned to the princess "Kitty" Shcherbatsky also the target of Levin's heart and who had been rejected because of Vronsky, and both of their lives change radically.

The film then shows the courage of a woman who, for love, is despised by society and who comes to leave her family. However, her idyllic life with the man she loves doesn't last forever, and remorse for having left her son as well as jealousy over Vronsky, lead Anna to opiate addiction and a tragic ending. On the other hand, Levin finds answers to his questions and happiness with his lover.

I really liked the movie, mostly the interpretation of Alfred Molina. However, I can't say the same of Sophie Marceau, who seemed to be lack something, in particular there seemed to be a lack of chemistry in her relationship with Sean Bean, who also goes well (but then, my opinion is biased :D ) on this movie. The soundtrack is beautiful, after all it has music by Tchaikovsky, as well as the clothes and above all the palaces. They are really gorgeous.

A good movie and a nice preview to what the book can offer. I really need to pick it up and read it!

Book Title: Extras
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Genre: science-fiction
Rating: 4/5

Summary (from book cover): These days, it's all about fame...

'Tech-heads' flaunt their latest gadgets, 'kickers' spread gossip and trends - and it's all monitored by millions of cameras. The world is like a giant reality TV show, where popularity rules and everyone else is just an extra.

As if it isn't hard enough being fifteen, with a face rank of 451,369, Aya Fuse is a total nobody. But when she meets a clique of girls who pull crazy, dangerous tricks in secret, Aya knows that if she can just kick their story, her popularity rating will soar...

Aya is sure she's destined for a life in the spotlight, but is she really prepared for everything that comes with it - instant fame, celebrity... extreme danger?

My thoughts: After reading the third volume which disappointed me a bit, I wasn't expecting much of this one, but I confess myself surrendered and curious to read more science fiction.

In this volume the action takes place about 3 years after the "Prettytime". Teenagers can still continue to do operations, to join or establish new "cliques", but they don't end empty headed. In Japan, this new era brought a new economy based on fame, or how many times a person's name is mentioned, either because they are extremely beautiful even without surgery, by founding new cliques and trends, by kicking the best and more interesting story, or because they simply changed the world – just like Tally, the famous #1 in the world. However, we don't follow her in this book but Aya Fuse, a "kicker" (a kind of journalist), who feels destined to be famous as soon as she kicks the story of a group of girls that are something elusive. But Aya does not expect to see herself in a bigger story...

The characters in this volume are much more enjoyable to follow than in the previous volume, including the main character. If Tally had many brain operations changing her dramatically, especially from book to book, this doesn't happen to Aya, who never experienced no surge and is willing to give news first hand thus winning fame, which seems just like any blogger. :P

The story is interesting enough to keep one reading page after page without wanting to put it down, and I liked how the title of the book related to the story. ;) Seems a much more satisfying end to this series that the third volume, which was supposed to have been the end. I was afraid of another "Meyer" *whistles innocently* but this book has enough action to keep one entertained.

Overall, it is a nice series and a good first step for those who have some reservations regarding science fiction, just like me. The society is interesting and the author manages to make us think about some issues, although not very detailed, but you have to consider the age group that this book is intended for.

Book Title: Specials
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Genre: science-fiction
Rating: 3/5

Summary (from Goodreads): "Special Circumstances":

The words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly. Back then Specials were a sinister rumor – frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a Special. But Tally's never been ordinary.

And now she's been turned into one of them: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.

The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more.

Still, it's easy to tune that out – until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same.

My thoughts: I can't say I was pleased with this book. After the previous volume, in which varied themes and Tally's world are given more depth, I expected that to continue in this one, which unfortunately didn't happen. This book is all action with Tally becoming one of the "baddies", which could be interesting but it ends up being pretty boring. I didn't identify myself so much with the character and her inner struggle wasn't that interest to me as well, since it doesn't seem to lead anywhere. While we see her growing in the first and second books, in this she doesn't, remaining the same throughout the book, considering herself better than everyone else. Moreover, it seems that the environment becomes the major issue, when it seemed that the great aim of these books was to show how a person is supposed to be valued by theirs inside and not the outside. At the end of the book I was left thinking that, if the big problem was that cities were at the point of widen and attack nature, perhaps it was better to everything to remain the same, to have them all subjected to brainwashing...

I was expecting a bit more of this book. I'm off to read the last volume, to see what kind of world was then created, after Tally's actions.

Book Title: Pretties
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Genre: science-fiction
Rating: 4/5

Summary (from book cover): Gorgeous. Popular. Perfect. Perfectly wrong.

Tally has finally become pretty. Now her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are awesome, her boyfriend is totally hot, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted.

But beneath all the fun – the nonstop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom – is a nagging sense that something's wrong. Something important. Then a message from Tally's ugly past arrives. Reading it, Tally remembers what's wrong with pretty life, and the fun stops cold.

Now she has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life – because the authorities don't intend to let anyone with this information survive.

My thoughts: In this second volume, we continue to follow Tally, who's finally subjected to the surgical operation and becomes "pretty". However, despite being in the group she desired so badly to belong, she realizes that something is wrong, her past isn't very clear until she receives a letter from herself, reminding her of her mission.

The themes and society are given a little more depth in this volume, and we learn as well why are the operations performed. I liked what led to the disappearance of our (current) civilization, we are the "Rusties" of these books; the part of the anthropological study also seemed a point very well done; however I wasn't that thrilled with the way chosen, by the author, for some "pretties" to remain "bubbly" (something like lucid, able to think and see the world as it really is, capable of making decisions), but I can see why he made such a decision.

A good sequel to this series.

Book Title: Uglies
Author: Scott Westerfeld
Genre: science-fiction
Rating: 4/5

Summary (from book cover): Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that?

Tally can't wait to turn sixteen and become Pretty. Sixteen is the magic number that brings a transformation from a repellant Ugly into a stunningly attractive Pretty, and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be Pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the Pretty world – and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn Pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

My thoughts: I was told of this book by slayra, who had an extra copy. As a rule I never say no to a given book, even if the subject doesn't appeal me, so I kept it. I must confess that I picked it up with some apprehension, not that I doubt her reviews (after all she was right when she couldn't finish reading Twilight *whistles innocently*) but the theme didn't seemed quite my thing. Yet, it surprised me positively.

In the future, maybe not so far away, all teenagers, as they reach the age of 16, undergo a surgical operation in order to be "pretty", enjoying from that moment on all the luxuries that their society has to offer and worrying with nothing. Tally counts the days left until her operation, the thing she wants the most, until she meets Shay who turns, literally, her life upside down. Deciding not to undergo the operation, Shay tries to convince Tally to run away with her to a place where they can grow old, following the natural order. Tally can't help being a bit reticent, but eventually follows Shay and discovers that the "pretty" world she longed for so much is not that pretty at all.

With a very fluid writing, the author tells us of a world where normal, healthy people are led to think that only by undergoing a surgical operation, that leaves them "pretty" for life, one can live fully and enjoy themselves. That is the idea of the main character, Tally Youngblood, who we see growing while she discovers what's behind such idealized world. The topics introduced are not extensively debated on but they make us think in what is really pretty and ugly, and if a carefree life is worth if you have to stop being yourself.

Book Title: The Rose Labyrinth
Author: Titania Hardie
Genre: thriller
Rating: 3/5

Summary (from Goodreads): From bestselling British author Titania Hardie comes a mystical fiction debut that takes readers on a romantic journey from Elizabethan England to modern-day London where a centuries-old secret awaits.

Before his death in 1609, Queen Elizabeth's spiritual consultant, astrologer, and scientific advisor John Dee hid many of his most astonishing written works, believing that the world was not yet prepared to face the shocking truths that they revealed. For seventeen generations, his female descendants have carefully guarded the secret of his hiding place, waiting for the right moment to bring Dee's ideas to light. That time is now.

In The Rose Labyrinth, Titania Hardie masterfully blends historical fact and fiction as she introduces readers to Lucy King, a beautiful, young documentary producer based in London. With the help of a brilliant group of friends, Lucy races through London, France, and New York to decipher the clues that will eventually lead her to the hidden treasure of the Rose Labyrinth. Along the way she finds true love with Alex Stafford, the doctor who saw her through a life-threatening heart condition and transplant.

A sweeping adventure for readers who loved The Da Vinci Code and The Expected One, The Rose Labyrinth is a decadent, romantic novel with a historical twist. It features a wonderful mix of literary references, from Shakespeare, to the Romantic poets, to Gabriel Garcia Marquez; the folklore and history of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Paganism; and of course, astrology and numerology, of which Hardie is an expert. As the Rose Labyrinth tells us, the world we think we know is not all that it appears to be.

My thoughts: The Portuguese edition of this book came to my hands by chance, since I won it in a giveaway. I was interested in it from the moment I heard it was going to be published in Portuguese, reminding me a little of when I anxiously expected, some years ago, for The Da Vinci Code. Unfortunately, the memories didn't stop there as, just like what happened with Dan Brown's book, this one has a very disappointing ending despite the pretty good start, and one of the best twists I have read so far.

The story starts by following Will, heir to a secret kept from the 17th century to the present day by the women of his family. However, a group wants to recover this secret in order to achieve a prophecy related to the end of time, not looking at means to acquire it.

The beginning, actually almost the whole book, managed to keep me interesting. The writing, although confusing at some parts, was very nice to follow and able to tell a large amount of historical information without, however, tiring a person (as happened, for example, with the Codex 632, by a Portuguese author). The characters were also quite interesting, with stories that we wanted to follow and by whom we could only hope for the best. The medical notes were also a nice touch, in my opinion, especially the discussion about "cellular memory", which I never heard of before but seems to be an interesting theme. I liked that the book brought a pack with puzzles, but it was with some disappointment that I noticed it wasn't that much necessary to the story. You can do the puzzle, of course and, according to the website The Rose Labyrinth, these riddles might have more secrets, but I still think they could have been included otherwise in history and not just mentioned here and there.

But the worst is really the end. It wasn't anti-climatic, as some other books I've read this year *cough*BreakingDawn*cough*, but leaves a feeling of "Is that all? So much for nothing?", exactly the same reaction I had when reading The Da Vinci Code. It seemed somewhat rushed and wasn't able to explain some loose ends, such as what happened to Dee's heart?

A nice reading but with an end that, unfortunately, disappoints.

Book Title: Der Duft der Kaffeeblüte
Author: Ana Veloso
Genre: historical romance
Rating: 2/5

Summary (from Amazon.com): With this novel, author Ana Veloso takes us to Brazil at the end of the 1800's. The story tells of the forbidden love affair between a beautiful, intelligent and independent woman – born to rich feudal coffee growers, and a journalist whose ideals make him an advocate for the abolition of slavery. Their passionate story will carry us through the golden age of coffee plantations leading us to their collapse after the end of slavery. This is a love that is as sensual and strong, as exiting and bittersweet as coffee itself.

My thoughts: This book was a gift from someone special, so it was a pity I did not liked the book as much as I wanted. The Portuguese summary seemed quite interesting, promising to tell of "the golden age of coffee plantations and their ruin after the abolition of slavery" and "the story of a great love." While the first part was done with some success, the second not so.

Maybe I should start by saying I read it in Portuguese and despite the author's name sounding Portuguese, the book was originally published in German but the Portuguese translation is made from a Spanish edition. I don't know if it was because all this, which makes the text come to us by a third hand, but there was something in the writing that I did not enjoyed. Sometimes the language seemed a bit childish, there were times when the language seemed somewhat forced, and I never could quite understand if they tried to "sweeten" the Portuguese to sound a bit more like Brazilian. As I said, there was something in writing which I didn't enjoyed, which meant that reading was not as smooth as I expected.

The story itself also wasn't that appealing, as though it is a book of considerable size (though I've read bigger volumes, like those be Diana Gabaldon), the relationships between the characters are not exploited, being the most notable case, that of the protagonists. The relationship seems to be born from nothing: at one time they don't know each other and then they love each other madly. One never gets to see what seduced them, if the intelligence, the spirit or the sensuality of both. I lean more towards the latter because there doesn't seem to be so many disagreements, as it was said in the summary of the edition I read, but a misunderstanding and a tremendous bipolarity of the two characters who can't seem to decide if they like each other or not, unless when they go to bed... The romance is boring and the least interesting part of the book, while the historical context is more appealing, even if addressed superficially. Even so I enjoyed reading about the large plantations, about the abolition of slavery, what came of that and may have persisted in time, since it seems to come from this time the problem of the "favelas".

It had a good premise that unfortunately is not fully realized. Yet it might be interesting to know more about this time in the history of Brazil which, again, I didn't knew very well because it wasn't much explored in history lessons.

Book Title: Pompeii
Author: Robert Harris
Genre: thriller
Rating: 5/5

Summary (from book cover): A sweltering week in late August. Where better to enjoy the last days of summer than on the beautiful Bay of Naples?

But even as Rome's richest citizens relax in their villas around Pompeii and Herculaneum, there are ominous warnings that something is going wrong. Wells and springs are failing, a man has disappeared, and now the greatest aqueduct in the world – the mighty Aqua Augusta – has suddenly ceased to flow...

Through the eyes of four characters – a young engineer, an adolescent girl, a corrupt millionaire and an elderly scientist – Robert Harris brilliantly recreates a luxurious world on the brink of destruction.

My thoughts: I probably should start this review by saying that I have always been fascinated by the city of Pompeii. I have never visited it but I believe it is the only city where you can actually travel through time, and it fueled my passion for Archaeology (which, after all, now I do not practice). Also, I always liked Geology, with its volcanoes, tectonic plates and several types of rocks. So, this book combines the two, and I couldn't be indifferent to it.

The author guides us through 4 days (two prior to the disaster, the day of the eruption and the next day), letting us know the Roman's way of life at that time, while presenting also excerpts of books that examine the volcanic phenomenon in general and this episode in particular. I found it to be a book rich in details, mentioning how small things could have helped to predict the disaster, if the knowledge at that time had been other and more widespread and it should be noted the reference to the Etna, which erupted nearly two centuries before Vesuvius and have been documented.

Adding to this, we have a very rich cast of characters and interesting to follow. They are the ones who let us know the day-to-day life of a Roman city, the citizens' concerns, the political games behind the scenes, the corruption of public officials. It makes us also know the importance of the aqueducts, one of the greatest inventions of the Romans, in roman's life and in maintaining peace in the cities.

This review doesn't do justice to the book but I liked it and recommend it, especially to those who enjoy historical fiction with a bit of thriller and natural disasters in the mix.

Book Title: Aristotle and Poetic Justice
Author: Margaret Doody
Genre: mystery
Rating: 4/5

Summary (from Goodreads): 330BC: it is the year that Alexander the Great sacked Persepolis and won the greatest fortune the world had ever known. The night of the Silent Dinner when Athens placates the spirits of the dead passes with a creeping mist accompanied by eerie portents and a strange disappearance. Stephanos, son of Nikiarkhos and his teacher, the philosopher Aristotle, are drawn into solving the perplexing abduction case of Anthia, the heiress of a prominent silver merchant. Someone has snatched her from her home, but what is the motive: rape, a forced marriage or murder? All that is known is that the abductor and the heiress are on the road to Delphi and its ancient oracle.

Stephanos and Aristotle pursue them but along the way there are plenty of distractions: it's spring time and the country is full of reborn life, the thought of romance and marriage is never far from young Stephanos' mind, and rumours of mysterious strangers passing in the night abound, of disguises and swapping of identity. Then the actuality of murder shatters the idyll. It seems that there is a psychopath on the road pursuing abductor and heiress. But who the abductor is and who the murderer is are mysteries that only Aristotle with the aid of the Delphian oracle will be able to solve.

My thoughts: After having read and enjoyed the previous book, it was with some expectation that I picked up this book and while I liked it, it wasn't as good as the previous one. It loses some points as the narrator, once again Stephanos, isn't so involved in the case. He appears more like a sidekick, like a true captain Hastings, telling the story that he gets to live due to his friendship with Aristotle, who is approached by a man of silver, a merchant of that metal, whose niece disappears. However, once again, the plot thickens when, on the road to Delphi where they think she and the alleged kidnapper are, bodies begin to appear and doubts arise about what is really behind the disappearance.

The story seems a little more complex, at least I didn't find it so predictable, quite the contrary, but I wasn't so captivated by the story. However, I liked how the society was portrayed, especially the relationship between citizens and slaves, most notably in the behaviour of the narrator. Another positive aspect was the entire description of Delphi and of the religious rituals, namely how one would contact with the Pythia.

Still it was a good read, the story is quite interesting for those who like mysteries set in Classical Antiquity, but I think a map would help to better understand the journey from Athens to Delphi. The previous book, which I read in English, had one and it was with some surprise that I noticed that this book hadn't one as, in general, they are always present in this kind of books. Also there was another problem with the Portuguese edition, there was a hole in the middle of some pages, but nothing that would disrupt the reading.

Book Title: Aristotle Detective
Author: Margaret Doody
Genre: mystery
Rating: 4/5

Summary (from book cover): Athens 332 BC – a city uneasy under the sway of the Macedonian Alexander the Great, now fighting the King of Persia for control of the East. In this time of fresh ambition and furtive discontent, an eminent citizen is brutally murdered.

Young Philemon, as exile formerly guilty of manslaughter, is accused of the bizarre homicide. In his absence his cousin and nearest male relative, 23-year-old Stephanos, must conduct Philemon's defence and attempt to clear his family's name of this bloody murder.

Stephanos seeks the help from Aristotle, his former teacher... and Aristotle turns Detective.

My thoughts: I've stumbled upon this book by chance, as when making an online purchase I was offered the second volume of this series. As I do not like to read series starting by the middle, namely in this genre as, though not always the older cases are needed to understand the background of characters, there are some mentions from time to time that help to understand more of the stories. It happened to me once, while reading Steven Saylor's A Murder on the Apian Way, and since then I always try to read a series in its straight order. However, although I quite liked the said book I feared this historical mystery wouldn't match my expectations, as another previous book, Nick Drake's Nefertiti was a disappointment.

In this book we follow Stephanos who tries to defend his cousin, Philemon, from the murder of an important figure in the city of Athens. Their defence is focused around the fact that Philemon wasn't in town because he had been voted into exile for manslaughter, incurring in the death penalty if he ever came back. But Stephanos finds a very thick plot thus requiring the help of his former master, Aristotle.

I liked the main characters, Stephanos and Aristotle, and found their dialogues very entertaining and philosophical. It reminded me some of the interaction between Poirot and Captain Hastings, or even Sherlock and Watson. I could not stop laughing at some lines like:

"If Philemon did not do it, someone of the class non-Philemon did it."

"Goodbye, Stephanos - and, by the way, say nothing of that last purchase of mine, or I'll do you a mischief. Think of the lewd jokes it would cause! But if ever I seem overbearing and foolishly proud of my intellect, you may always murmur to me, 'That leather bag contained stones.'"

I also thought it curious the interest of Aristotle in pottery and some of his conversations around that topic seemed too similar to others I had while attending classes. He seemed just like one of my teachers, but when Aristotle discoursed on Greek pottery, my teacher would have talked about Roman terra sigillata. :D

The story despite having a somewhat predictable end, the killer seemed obvious to me, had sufficient twists to make one stuck to the book. The only drawback I can point out is the lack of notes to clarify some of the terms used, as the months or prodikasia. However, the context makes it easy to understand what they mean, so it isn't such a fault as that.

Certainly a book I advise one to read, especially those who like mysteries set in Classical Antiquity.

Book Title: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Author: Seth Grahame-Smith e Jane Austen
Genre: romance
Rating: 3/5

Summary (from book cover):

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains."

So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, an expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield. Can Elizabeth vanquish the spawn of Satan? And overcome the social prejudices of the class-conscious landed gentry? Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies transforms a masterpiece of world literature into something you'd actually want to read.

My thoughts: Since I heard that this book was to be released, I waited anxiously to get my hands on it. What to say? As the title suggests it is Pride and Prejudice... with zombies! I have complained about how lately I've been reading books without that much action, without guts being thrown through the air. Well, this book had lots and I'm only sorry it hadn't more of that. :P

The entire book is almost, word for word, the Austen's work we all know and love, only with a couple of zombies and some fights happening here and there. If at first this seems somewhat forced, with the development of the story the scenes changed by Seth Grahame-Smith began to flow and merge better with the original story, but it is almost impossible to fail noticing the two different styles of writing. Come on, not everyone can write dialogues as interesting and witty as Austen, she simply has a way with words. But as I said, the two styles are able to merge and it ends up being a fun reading.

I liked the characters, especially Elizabeth every time she wanted to stick a dagger and decapitate Mr. Darcy. It became a character whom I could identify with in many situations. I also loved the changes made to Charlotte, it explained in a much more interesting way her reasons to attach herself to Mr. Collins, and Lady Catherine, who becomes a legendary icon for all of those young girls who want to spend the rest of their lives destroying zombies. :D I also liked how the pride and prejudice spread to the different schooling of martial arts, as the Bennet sisters were trained in China and therefore poorly seen by Lady Catherine, who valued more the Japanese schooling of the deathly arts. I'm only sorry for not learning more about the zombies and why did the plague reached England, some 55 years before the period in which this story takes place.

I am not saying that is a classic of world literature, although about 80% correspond in fact to a classic of world literature, but it's an excellent book for those who like romance with a little bit of gore, and for those who want a literature that doesn't take itself seriously. By the way, the illustrations are fantastic. :D

Information at IMDb.

Director: Robin Swicord
Writers: Robin Swicord (screenplay) and Karen Joy Fowler (novel)
Cast: Maria Bello, Emily Blunt, Hugh Dancy
Rating: 3/5

Another adaptation watched. I didn't like the book and was a little sceptic about the movie so it was with some surprise that it turned out to be far more interesting and more in line with what I expected when I picked up the book. Actually I liked it more than the literary work in which is inspired.

There are of course some changes, but I think they were for the better. There aren't flashbacks, the whole story unfolds in the present, over the 6 months in which the club meets. The characters seem more real and less up-tight as they were in the book. Some changed, particularly Grigg and Prudie's husband, but I think this only improved the dynamic of history. The meetings to discuss the books are interesting and seem to me better explored than in the book, and we actually see the books of Jane changing people's lives. I must say that I was rather excited about the fact that Persuasion was the source for some of these changes, because that is my favourite book by the author. :P The entire cast seems well, special note for Emily Blunt, as I liked her character a lot more than in the book.

No doubt I recommend the movie to the book. It is one of those rare cases where the adaptation is better than the original novel.

Book Title: Drums of Autumn
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Genre: historical fiction
Rating: 3/5

Summary (from book cover): The magnificent saga continues...

It began in Scotland, at an ancient stone circle. There, a doorway, open to a select few, leads into the past – or the grave. Claire Randall survived the extraordinary passage, not once but twice. Her first trip swept her into the arms of Jamie Fraser, an eighteenth-century Scot whose love for her became legend – a tale of tragic passion that ended with her return to the present to bear his child. Her second journey, two decades later, brought them together again in the frontier America. But Claire had left someone behind in the twentieth century. Their daughter, Brianna...

Now, Brianna has made a disturbing discovery that sends her to the stone circle and a terrifying leap into the unknown. In search of her mother and the father she has never met, she is risking her own future to try to change history... and to save their lives. But as Brianna plunges into an uncharted wilderness, a heartbreaking encounter may strand her forever in the past... or root her in the place she should be, where her heart and soul belong...

My thoughts: Again, just like the two previous volumes, the story is told from different points of view, being only the part of Claire Randall told in first person.

In this book we follow the journey of Claire and Jamie Fraser, as they set in America. However, Brianna, their daughter and whom Claire had left in the 20th century, discovers an important fact about their parents and decides to travel back in time as a mean to save them. But she doesn't travel alone as Roger, a historian also linked to time travelers, decides to follow her in order to build a common future.

I didn't enjoy it as much as I was hoping since the story seems to drag in some points. The main characters, Claire and Jamie, suffer little or no change at all, since they have already a very strong relationship; Brianna and Roger are given greater prominence and if the second delivers, one sees him grow as a result of everything he goes through, Brianna wasn't but an annoying character. She seemed spoiled and was ready to stomp her feet anytime anyone would say no to her. The many secondary characters were much more interesting and pleasant to follow, namely Lord John (who has a parallel series to this one) and Ian whose end, though somewhat predictable, can not fail to surprise. The story itself, as I said, seems to drag at some parts, and sometimes it was needed to read about 100 pages to know what happened to some characters. This annoyed me a bit, especially when the point of view would change and had to follow the characters whose story line I least appreciated.

Again, this is a book with too many pages for its own good. It wouldn't hurt if it was reduced to half or 2/3. The end seems to be left open, which is not surprising since there are 2 more books (which I already have at home), and a new volume that will come out on September 22, An Echo in the Bone. I just don't pick up the next books because this series is a bit demanding and I need to recover my breath after reading 1000 and something pages.

This challenge is hosted by the ladies at Lights, Camera... History! It has several levels of difficulty and themes to choose from. I chose the level 3 (Faithful Viewer), in which I have to see 6 movies/(mini) series, from the following themes:
- Victorian Mist (set during the Victorian era)
- Maids & Knights (set during the Middle Ages)

I probably should have chosen "All Over the World" instead of "Victorian Mist", as I'm planning on watching some movies set on different countries but all taking place between the years 1837 and 1901.

Victorian Mist
Anna Karenina (1997) - IMDb - review
Moulin Rouge! (2001) - IMDb
North and South (2004) - IMDb

Maids & Knights
King Arthur (2004) - IMDb
Tristan + Isolde (2006) - IMDb
Robin Hood (2006-2009) - IMDb

Information at IMDb.

Director: David Yates
Writers: Steve Kloves (adaptation), J.K. Rowling (novel)
Cast: Daniel Radcliff, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman
Rating: 3/5

Or I've been feeling very sadistic lately or, since the books aren't childish, they want the Harry Potter films to be so. That wasn't the end I was hoping for as it isn't quite what comes in the book, and it was rather anti-climatic. But let's start by the beginning...

This is one of my favourite books, precisely because of its beginning. The first chapter is entitled "The Other Minister", which in itself is quite appealing due to various interpretations that can be made of such words, and becomes even more interesting when we know that the Minister the chapter focuses is the Prime Minister of the Muggles. Well, this chapter grabbed me from the start because it is the first time were shown how the magical world merges with the Muggle, which until then had been very superfluous. In the movie this also happens, though it isn't entirely satisfactory, or better as I was waiting. Apart from that I was outraged by the fact that various Death Eaters were flying, something that should only be the privilege of a few, including the Snape and Voldemort, and even this should only happen in the last book. Anyway...

Then we are introduced to Slughorn (fantastic if I may say), Narcissa (a little different from waht I expected), and Draco who has a mission. We also visit the Weasleys twins' shop (sadly there was no U-No-Poo joke :( ) and we have several previews of the various love relationships that will take place during this school year... and it seems that this movie basically revolves around that last issue. There's so much hormones as there was in the fifth book (which I have to say is my least favourite the whole series, exactly because of the hormones!), but luckily in here we get to laugh, although I would have preferred that the film focused on things a little more serious, like the "journeys" in the Pensieve, of which we only look into two. There's nothing on learning more about Voldemort, unless that even as a child he was psychotic, or why he chose certain objects to make horcruxes . slayra and I at the end were wondering how will Harry know what he has to go after in the last movies: did Dumbledore left a letter?

But the end is really disappointing and deviates completely from the book, as do other details (in my opinion, without excuse), that a fan can not miss. Through the whole movie we're trying to figure out what the hell is Draco doing only for 4 Death Eaters to appear, including a werewolf that according to the book is sadistic and likes little children, and to have only one of them wrecking the whole house – pardon me, wrecking only the Great Hall and Hagrid's house. :/ Where is the fight between Dumbledore's Army and the Death Eaters? Where is Fenrir biting Bill? This is the book that brings the war between the two sides into Hogwarts, which makes this reality closer to the characters and the reader, the book that shows that there will be casualties, whether death or injury that will last forever. Almost nothing of this was portrayed in the film. Bah!

The adult casting continues to be excellent; the youngsters are growing from film to film. Dan Radcliffe is still not that good, but he should be given congratulations following the "Felix Felicis" sequence, in which he was very good indeed. Unfortunately is not that confident in other parts. Rupert Grint is likely to have success as a comedian, from them all he's the one I enjoy the most, the girls go well also, each in their role.

A good movie? Yes, it's not that bad, you laugh a lot and spend a nice afternoon, but being an adaptation of one of my favourite books, of one of my favourite series, I was expecting something more. I know that the book has a slower rhythm, but they succeeded in making the film something even more slower and which, if not for the continual gags, had little to offer.