She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb

She's Come Undone
Author: Wally Lamb
Published: 1992
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Paperback, 465 pages


Summary: Meet Dolores Price. She's 13, wise-mouthed but wounded, having bid her childhood goodbye. Beached like a whale in front of her bedroom TV, she spends the next few years nourishing herself with the Mallmomars, potato chips, and Pepsi her anxious mother supplies. When she finally rolls into young womanhood at 257 pounds, Dolores is no stronger and life is no kinder. But this time she's determined to rise to the occasion and give herself one more chance before really going belly up. (From borders.com)


**SPOILER ALERT**


My Thoughts: This book follows Dolores Price from the ages of 13 to 40, from the inauguration of JFK up to President Reagan’s administration. In this time frame, Wally Lamb takes the reader into Dolores’ world, allowing you to experience Dolores from childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, into middle age. It’s an engrossing read, one that you won’t be able to put down at times, and at other times, making you angry with the characters in the book as if they were your actually family.

Dolores is a great character, and she truly grows and changes throughout the novel. At the beginning of the story, I really didn’t like Dolores. I thought she was rude, spoiled, and over indulged. About halfway through the book, something changed. I don’t know what it was, but suddenly, I was rooting for Dolores, wanting her to work through all of her issues and have the life that she deserved, the one that seemed to slip through the fingers of her mother and grandmother. By the end of the book, you feel as though Dolores is a part of you, because you are sitting there fighting internally with yourself over her decisions. You will be sitting there, weighing both sides of her arguments. She is such an engrossing character that, once I had finished the book, I was sad to part ways with her.
There are a lot if issues happening in the book: repression, obesity, rape, disillusionment, abandonment, what happiness is … sometimes, it can be a lot to handle, and you wonder how Dolores can handle all of it. Lamb does a tremendous job of not giving you, the reader, too much to handle at once. While you realize all of the issues that Dolores is dealing with, it never becomes too much. It is all a part of this character, one who is growing an changing with each turn of the page.
For me, the most important part of the book was when Dolores first gets to see the whale. As she climbs the dune to look out at the beach, I was holding my breath. I knew the reaction that she would have and I was so nervous for her! I didn’t know if she would be able to handle it, and I didn’t want her to crumble from the emotional weight of the experience. It was at that moment that I finally understood Dolores and was on her side, rooting for her. It was at that moment that I was on her side, pulling for her, wanting her to get her life on track. I would smile when she took a step forward and shake my head when she regressed, but forgive her for her mistake and hope that she would get back on the right track. I don’t think I have ever had such a relationship with a character, and it’s a huge testament to Lamb’s writing that he is able to truly make this woman come to life.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

In My Mailbox (3-14-11)

 In my mailbox is a weekly event, hosted by The Story Siren, where bloggers can connect and share what books they received/purchased/borrowed this week.


This past week, I purchased four new books from my Borders. Sadly, they are closing, and everytime I enter the store, I become so sad. I have been going to this bookstore since I was a child, picking out easy chapter books. I went there in high school to get SAT prep books and college guides ... and now, it's closing. All of the people that work in that store are knowledgeable and friendly, and I will truly miss going there to get my books. But, there closing does mean that they have some awesome sales ... currently, everything is at least 40% off, and while most of the books have been picked over, I have still been able to find some good reads.

   

Sense and Sensibility and Emma, both by Jane Austen (I know, yet more classics that I haven't read!)

Barrel Fever by David Sedaris (I just cannot get enough David Sedaris! If you haven't read any of his books, then you need to start! They are hilarious, and I will dare you to try and not laugh outloud while reading his books.)

The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger (another book that people are wondering how I never read it before now. I really don't know ... I love the movie and for some reason, just never got around to picking up the book.)














So, what was in your mailbox this week?

It's Monday! What are you reading? (3-14-11)

It's Monday! What are you reading? This is a great weekly meme hosted by Shelia over at Book Journey where you post what you read this past week, what you are currently reading, and what you plan to read next week. It's a great way to network with other bloggers and add even more books to your TBR pile (which is what we all need, haha).


This week was a pretty good one for me. I was still off of work but feeling much better, so I was able to get quite a bit of reading done. Now, this upcoming week, it's back to work, so I don't know how I will fare when I get back into the swing of things.


What I read this week (click on the link to see my review):
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (one of my new favorite books!)
The Diplomat's Wife by Pam Jenoff
Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran (a great read!)


What I'm currently reading:
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb


What I plan to read this week:
These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf
Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi (I have been looking forward to reading this for a few months now!)


So, what have you read this week? And what's coming up?

Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution
Author: Michelle Moran
Publisher: Crown Royal Publishing
Published: February 2011
Hardcover, 426 pages


Summary: Smart and ambitious, Marie Tussaud has learned the secrets of wax sculpting by working alongside her uncle in their celebrated wax museum, the Salon de Cire. From her popular model of the American ambassador, Thomas Jefferson, to her tableau of the royal family at dinner, Marie’s museum provides Parisians with the very latest news on fashion, gossip, and even politics. Her customers hail from every walk of life, yet her greatest dream is to attract the attention of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI; their stamp of approval on her work could catapult her and her museum to the fame and riches she desires. After months of anticipation, Marie learns that the royal family is willing to come and see their likenesses. When they finally arrive, the king’s sister is so impressed that she requests Marie’s presence at Versailles as a royal tutor in wax sculpting. It is a request Marie knows she cannot refuse—even if it means time away
from her beloved Salon and her increasingly dear friend, Henri Charles.
 
As Marie gets to know her pupil, Princesse Élisabeth, she also becomes acquainted with the king and queen, who introduce her to the glamorous life at court. From lavish parties with more delicacies than she’s ever seen to rooms filled with candles lit only once before being discarded, Marie steps into a world entirely different from her home on the Boulevard du Temple, where people are selling their teeth in order to put food on the table.
 
Meanwhile, many resent the vast separation between rich and poor. In salons and cafés across Paris, people like Camille Desmoulins, Jean-Paul Marat, and Maximilien Robespierre are lashing out against the monarchy. Soon, there’s whispered talk of revolution. . . . Will Marie be able to hold on to both the love of her life and her friendship with the royal family as France approaches civil war? And more important, will she be able to fulfill the demands of powerful revolutionaries who ask that she make the death masks of beheaded aristocrats, some of whom she knows?
 
Spanning five years, from the budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaudbrings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax modeling saved her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom. (From borders.com)

My Thoughts: When I first saw this book, I was a bit leery of it. I typically tend to read American historical fiction, and I hadn't read anything by this author. For a hardcover book (and the price of it), this is was a big commitment for me. I purchased it anyway, hoping for the best, and looking back on it, I am so glad that I got this book.

We are able to follow Marie (Madame Tussaud) throughout the French Revolution, from when the commoners (or Third Estate) are starting to realize that things must change, through the takeover of the monarchy, the beheadings of the king and queen, and through the Reign of Terror. The book spans over five years, with each chapter focusing on a specific time frame, whether it be one day, or a whole year. Michelle Moran does a great job of breaking the French Revolution down into manageable chunks of time, because it is quite easy to get people, places, and events confused during this era in history.

The characters are complex and ever changing, and with Marie as the central character, Moran allows us to see some of the major players of the day (Robespierre, Marat, the king and the queen) change over the course of these terrorizing five years. Marie is a strong and confident woman, focused on her business and creating an authentic salon for her customers to come and visit. We see over time how Marie changes, and realizes that business isn't everything and that somethings are more important than her wax models. The other character whom I really enjoyed seeing in the book was Robespierre. Now, you might be wondering why I would say this, since towards the end of the Revolution, he was truly a tyrant. Well, Moran did a beautiful job in showing the transformation in Robespierre, from that of a simple man who had Rousseau as the center of his world, to a man who will kill anyone for the sake of "public safety." 

There are a lot of characters in this book, so it's sometimes easy to get people confused (Moran has provided a list of characters at the front of the book, so this helps), but being able to see the Revolution from beginning to end is great. Moran provides a timeline at the beginning of the novel, so if you are ever confused about the order of events, you can take a quick peek and figure out where you are in the story. I found all of the characters to be engrossing, the time period to be amazing (and also awful), the setting beautiful ... in short, a great book, one that I think anybody would enjoy (even those of you who don't always like historical fiction). As you are reading it, it's hard to believe that some of these events actually took place and that human beings could do this to one another. Moran does an amazing job of pulling the reader into such an ugly time in history, as evidenced with this quote: "The test of our character comes not in how many tears we shed but in how we act after those tears have dried." (pg. 378)

My Rating: 4 stars

The Diplomat's Wife by Pam Jenoff

The Diplomat's Wife
Author: Pam Jenoff
Published: May 2008
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Limited
Paperback


Summary: After working in the Jewish resistance in Kraków, Poland, Marta Nedermann is rescued from a Nazi prison by American soldiers. A simple gesture of human comfort by a soldier named Paul is etched in her mind, and when she sees him again in a camp for displaced persons in Salzburg, Marta is overjoyed. They meet again in Paris and become engaged, only to have Paul die in a plane crash. Marta is now scared, pregnant, and alone in a strange city. Simon Gold, an English diplomat, needs her language skills, and he wants her as well. They marry, and two years later, the English government taps Marta for help in finding a traitor in the British intelligence corps, sending her on an undercover mission that entails revisiting her past. Jenoff gives readers a thrilling and intense look at the beginning of the cold war as well as a heartrending love story about two very brave people as she continues the story of the heroic resistance members from The Kommandant’s Girl (2007). (From booklist.com)


My Thoughts: I love fictional books that are set in World War II, and I will always search out books that are set during this time period. So, when I read the description for The Diplomat's Wife, it seemed to be just the kind of book that I would enjoy. Let me say, that while it is not the greatest book ever written, it is an enjoyable read. 


The characters are predictable: the American soldier rescuing people, the doting English woman who becomes like a mother to Marta, and the Russian spy hidden within the British government. Marta, the main character, does not grow throughout the story, but she has a strong personality and a sense of what is best for the greater good, so that propels her throughout the story.


The book is a quick read, and Pam Jenoff does provide some plot twists along the way, which really moves the book along. There were times when I couldn't put the book down, and other times where I thought the story was starting to drag and I wanted to skip the rest of a chapter. I really did enjoy it though, and it was a perfect book to read after reading Jane Eyre. It was easy, not to difficult to understand, and a quick read. Definitely a book to read when you are looking for something light and easy.


My Rating: 3.5 stars


*This book is the sequel to The Kommandant's Girl. I did not read this book yet, but it did not affect my reading of The Diplomat's Wife. There are some characters who carry over, but Jenoff does a good job of summarizing what happened in the previous book, so you won't be too confused if you read these books out of order.

Book Blogger Hop: March 11-14

It's that time again ... Book Blogger Hop! This weekly event is hosted at Crazy for Books and it's a great way to meet other book bloggers and learn a little more about your fellow bloggers.

This week's question is:

"If I gave you £50 (or $80) and sent you into a bookshop right now, what would be in your basket when you finally staggered to the till?"

Such a good question! I always walk into a bookstore intending to buy one or two books, and walk out with way more than that! So, with $80, this is what I would purchase:

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton

Paris Times Eight: Finding Myself in the City of Dreams by Deirdre Kelly
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
Of Hockey and Hijab by Sheema Khan

There are a few more that I have on my list, but they haven't been released yet!

So, what would you buy with $80?

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

2010, Penguin Group (USA), Inc. (originally published in 1847)

Summary: Charlotte Brontë’s most beloved novel describes the passionate love between the courageous orphan Jane Eyre and the brilliant, brooding, and domineering Rochester. 

The loneliness and cruelty of Jane’s childhood strengthens her natural independence and spirit, which prove invaluable when she takes a position as a governess at Thornfield Hall. But after she falls in love with her sardonic employer, her discovery of his terrible secret forces her to make a heart-wrenching choice. Ever since its publication in 1847, Jane Eyrehas enthralled every kind of reader, from the most critical and cultivated to the youngest and most unabashedly romantic. It lives as one of the great triumphs of storytelling and as a moving and unforgettable portrayal of a woman's quest for self-respect. (From borders.com)

My Thoughts: Many of you are probably wondering, "Why is she going to review Jane Eyre? She's had to have read a few times, at least once in high school." Well, this is my first time reading this wonderful novel, and I cannot believe that it took me so long to get around to reading such a wonderful book! 

This book follows Jane Eyre from childhood throughout her life. We first meet Jane when she is about eight or nine years old, living with relatives. Her character is already so strong at this point, shining through clearly in the first few pages of the book! Jane continutes to tell her story, from being taken out of her horrible home to a institution for young girls (an orphan boarding school, basically). Jane's personality changes while she is there, and Bronte's writing style is so great because, while you realize that Jane is maturing and growing up, you are still rooting for her, wanting the best for her.

The characters in this story are great, deep, and rich. Watching Jane grow from a young girl into a woman is wonderful. Bronte did not use the female character archetype that was common in this period, with females depending on men; instead, she creates an independent woman in Jane, one who admonishes frequently that she can (and will) do things on her own, and she will find a way to live where others would be pointing out the things that she should not do (because of her gender). Jane is a great character and you are constantly rooting for her throughout the book. In addition to the cast of characters, Bronte's description of the settings is great. She pulls you in such a way that you feel as if you are resting in a moor with Jane. Her use of light and dark is also wonderful, and her descriptions of sunrises made me want to get up early and witness one (but let's not get carried away ... I still want my sleep!).

With suspense, intrigue, and romance, I believe that Bronte has written one of the greatest books of all time. It was a delight to read, and I will be sure to revisit Jane Eyre in the future.

My Rating: 10 stars!!!! (Seriously, this book was AMAZING!!!! If you haven't read it, you need to. And if you have already read it, then you need to revisit it!)

PS - Aren't you in love with that cover?!? It's one of Ruben Toledo's Couture Classics. He has done the cover art for six classic books ... you can check them all out here. Be careful though ... you may end up buying quite a few of them!