The Weekend by Bernhard Schlink

 The Weekend
Author: Bernhard Schlink
Translator: Shaun Whiteside
Publisher: Pantheon
Published: 2008 (translated version: 2010)
Hardcover: 215 pages


My Rating: 2.5 stars


Synopsis (from borders.com): Old friends and lovers reunite for a weekend in a secluded country home after spending decades apart.
 
They excavate old memories and pass clandestine judgments on the wildly divergent paths they’ve taken since their youth. But this isn’t just any reunion, and their conversations about the old days aren’t your typical reminiscences: After twenty-four years, Jörg, a convicted murderer and terrorist, has been released from prison. The announcement of his pardon will send shock waves through the country, but before the announcement, his friends—some of whom were Baader-Meinhof sympathizers or those who clung to them—gather for his first weekend of freedom. They have been summoned by Jörg’s devoted sister, Christiane, whose concern for her brother’s safety is matched only by the unrelenting zeal of Marko, a young man intent on having Jörg continue to fight for the cause.

My Thoughts: I really didn't know what to expect from this book, so I went in with no expectations. I read the synopsis and thought that it sounded intriguing, and having read Bernhard Schlink's The Reader a few years ago, I thought that I might enjoy this work. Now, the 2.5 stars rating that I gave this book is a bit misleading. It's not that I didn't enjoy the book, but it wasn't something that had me rushing back to it. I felt no pull from the plot or characters, which is why it took me so long to finish. I think the plot for the book was a great one, with old friends reuniting after one of them has been released from a 20 year prison stay. How would they all interact? Would it be like the old times, or would it be awkward now? But there was no pull, nothing that made me want to know what happened.

Schlink's writing style reminds me a bit of Hemmingway, with short, descriptive sentences.  His writing did seem a bit jumpy to me in this one, and it took me abour 40 pages to figure out from whose point of view the story was being told. But he describes the setting so wonderfully, I felt like I was at this old house in the German countryside along with the characters. Schlink is also a master at not having an opinion on his characters. You are unable to tell if you should root for Jorg (the reformed convict and terrorist) or hope he winds up back in jail. It really is up to you to decide if the character is good or bad, and I believe that demonstrates the strength of Schlink's abilities as an author. 

There are a lot of characters in this book, and the German names sometimes had me confused as to who was married to whom and what the relationships were between the characters. I felt that each person contributed something to the story, an opinion that allowed you to constantly question yourself as to whether or not you like Jorg. For being such a short book with a large cast of characters, it's hard to say if there was any growth among them. I felt like there was some development with a few characters at the end of the book, but it felt too rushed.

The plot is great, and I felt like I was reading a movie script the whole time. In fact, if this were made into a movie, this would be one that I would want to see. It has all the makings of a great movie, with the cast of characters, the scenery, and the issues that each characters is battling.

It's Monday! What are you reading? (4-4-11)

Happy Monday everyone! What are you reading is a weekly meme, hosted by Shelia at Journey Through Books. It's really easy to participate and see what other bloggers are reading! Just write down what you read this past week, what you are currently reading, and what you plan to read this upcoming week! It was a slow reading week for me ... not sure why, but I just wasn't feeling it this week. Hopefully, I will be able to get back into the swing of things this week and make a bit more headway on my TBR pile!

What I Read This Past Week:

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain (reviewed)

The Weekend by Bernhard Schlink (review will be up later today, maybe tomorrow)

What I Am Currently Reading

Emma by Jane Austen

What I Plan to Read This Week

All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve

So, what are you reading this week?

Book Blogger Hop: April 1-4

Another week, another hop! This weekly meme is hosted by Jen at Crazy for Books. It's pretty simple and a lot of fun: each Friday, Jen posts a question, you respond and add your link to her blog, and then check out other people's blogs! It's fun and a great way to meet other bloggers. This week's question is:

"Since today is April Fool's Day in the USA, what is the best prank you have ever played on someone OR that someone has played on you?"

Hmm, good question! I'm not much of a prankster, but the one prank I remember happening on April Fool's Day was in college. A professor told us the class before that he had to move the exam up so that we would be able to have time between the last exam and the final. Everyone studied like crazy for those two days, freaking out about the exam being moved up, and when we got to class on April 1st, there was no test. I remember at the time how upset I was because I just spent the past two days cramming! Oh well, at least I was prepared a week later for the actual exam!

Have you ever played a prank on someone, or had one pulled on you? Let me know!

Have a great weekend and happy hopping!

Monthly Wrap-Up: March 2011

My goodness, March is nearly over! I don't remember much of it ... I'm wondering what I did for a whole month! Haha. Well, hopefully, this monthly feature will highlight what I have done in the past month and I can see what all I have read and reviewed here for you guys! So, without further ado:

Number of books read: 11

Reviews done: 11 (all my reviews can be found under my review tab up top. And since this is my first whole month of blogging, there aren't too many entries in there ... yet)

My Favorite Book from this month: Unbearable Lightness (seriously, if you have not read this book, you need to run out and get it. I cannot recommend this book enough!)

Least Favorite Book: The Swan Thieves (not that it was a bad book, just not my cup of tea)

As far as my personal life (you know, things I do when I'm not reading), it hasn't been a very exciting month. I had my surgery at the beginning of the month, so I was out of work for two weeks and got to bum around the house. So that was a nice change. It did limit what I could do exactly, so no working out, no training for the 5K, no going out with friends (we went out a few times, but just to see a movie and catch up at Panera). But I am now back at work, back to working out, and training for my 5Ks again (and my quads are on fire!!!) All in all, it wasn't a bad month, but definitely looking forward to summer!

I hope that everyone had a fabulous month and here's looking to April!

Waiting on Wednesday (3-30-11)

Waiting on Wednesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights upcoming releases and books that you just can't wait to read! This week, I'm indulging in my girly side:

Summer and the City by Candace Bushnell

Expected release date: April 26, 2011

Synopsis (from borders.com): Summer is a magical time in New York City and Carrie is in love with all of it—the crazy characters in her neighborhood, the vintage-clothing boutiques, the wild parties, and the glamorous man who has swept her off her feet. Best of all, she's finally in a real writing class, taking her first steps toward fulfilling her dream.

This sequel to The Carrie Diaries brings surprising revelations as Carrie learns to navigate her way around the Big Apple, going from being a country "sparrow"—as Samantha Jones dubs her— to the person she always wanted to be. But as it becomes increasingly difficult to reconcile her past with her future, Carrie realizes that making it in New York is much more complicated than she ever imagined.

With her signature wit and sparkling humor, Candace Bushnell reveals the irresistible story of how Carrie met Samantha and Miranda, and what turned a small-town girl into one of New York City's most unforgettable icons, Carrie Bradshaw.

I love Sex and the City ... I am pretty sure that I have watched each episode at least ten times, and they never get old. I cannot wait to read this book about Carrie just getting her start in NYC ... and the cover is just too cute! Can't wait!

So, what are you waiting on this Wednesday?

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

The Paris Wife
Author: Paula McLain
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: February 22, 2011
Hardcover: 314 pages


My Rating: 4 stars


Synopsis (from borders.com): A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife captures a remarkable period of time and a love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley.

Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway and her life changes forever. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group—the fabled “Lost Generation”—that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

Though deeply in love, the Hemingways are ill prepared for the hard-drinking and fast-living life of Jazz Age Paris, which hardly values traditional notions of family and monogamy. Surrounded by beautiful women and competing egos, Ernest struggles to find the voice that will earn him a place in history, pouring all the richness and intensity of his life with Hadley and their circle of friends into the novel that will become The Sun Also Rises. Hadley, meanwhile, strives to hold on to her sense of self as the demands of life with Ernest grow costly and her roles as wife, friend, and muse become more challenging. Despite their extraordinary bond, they eventually find themselves facing the ultimate crisis of their marriage—a deception that will lead to the unraveling of everything they’ve fought so hard for.

A heartbreaking portrayal of love and torn loyalty, The Paris Wife is all the more poignant because we know that, in the end, Hemingway wrote that he would rather have died than fallen in love with anyone but Hadley.

My Thoughts:  I was originally interested in this book for one reason: Paris. I love anything related to France, and hearing this title, I was immediately hooked. I didn't know much about Ernest Hemmingway and his many wives, but the title alone intrigued me, and the more reviews I read about this book, the more I wanted to read it. And while this book had little to do with Paris, I still really enjoyed it.

The characters are rich and complex, with Hadley at the center of it all. She vows that she will do whatever it takes to help Ernest accomplish his dream of becoming a published writer. She supports his idea of moving to Paris to meet the right kind of people. She meets with all of his artist friends, many of whom she doesn't understand. She does whatever it takes to help him reach his dreams, helping him to achieve happiness. She believes that once he is truly happy, he will realize that he couldn't have done it without her, and that is what will make her happy. Hadley is a traditionalist who is thrust into a modern world, where people have open relationships and women date one another (in the 1920s, homosexuality wasn't something that was shared openly).

Paula McLain writes beautifully and you can tell that she is a poet. Her language paints a beautiful picture where she sweeps the reader into the settings and places. As she is describing Pamplona, I felt like I was there in the crowded street among the dancers and revelers. It really does make you feel as if you are there with Hadley, experiencing everything as she is. I think it's these beautiful descriptions that create the connection between the reader and the story. If it weren't for the beautful language, I don't think that I would have liked this book as much.

While the book is written from Hadley's point of view, there are a few chapters that are told from the perspective of Ernest. In these chapters, you were able to see Ernest's destructive behavior and how he was handling it. He wants to be a good person and doesn't want to hurt Hadley, but he engages in situations where the outcome can only end badly. But no matter what he did, I never hated Ernest. I never felt like he was a bad person. McLain does not paint him in a negative light and allows you, the reader, to decide whether he is a good or bad person.

I would recommend this book to anyone. If you enjoy contemporary fiction, historical fiction, memoirs ... then this book would appeal to you. I knew very little about Hemmingway before reading this book, and even though it is a work of fiction, I still felt like I learned more about him and the time in which he lived. I will admit, I had to read Hemmingway in high school and did not like him, but this book makes me want to go back and revisit some of his books. Maybe, knowing a little bit more about the man, I will appreciate them in a new way!

It's Monday! What are you reading? (3-28-11)

It's Monday! What are you reading? This is a weekly meme hosted my Shelia at Book Journey where you go over what you read last week, what you are currently reading, and what you plan to read this upcoming week. It's a great meme, and it helps me to see my progress and where I am on the midst of all my TBR books! So, without further ado, here is my weekly progress.

What I Read (links will take you to my reviews):

The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova (if you like art and art history, that you will definitely want to check this book out)

Eighteen Acres by Nicolle Wallace (a debut novel by a promising author)

What I am currently reading:

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

What I place to read:

The Weekend by Bernhard Schlink

Emma by Jane Austen

So, what's on your reading list this upcoming week? Whatever it is, I hope that everyone has a great week!