Do the A-Z author challenge

Julie Otsuka -When the Emperor Was Divine
This was a VERY quick read. I finished it in one night, which is nice since I haven’t actually finished a book in ages. I liked the matter of fact tone. It made the last chapter stand out since you could really feel the father’s anger.

Antonio Munoz Molina – In Her Absence
Very interesting…not sure if Blanca is settling or finally appreciating what she has with Mario.

Haim Lapid – The Crime of Writing
Well I kept reading this hoping for an exciting ending. That didn’t happen. The author gives away the secret pretty early on with all his clues.

Elizabeth Kostova – The Historian
It was an ok story but kind of tedious. It took me forever to slog through it and I’m not sure it was worth it once I finally got to the end.

Ruth Prawer Jhabvala – Travelers
I’m not sure what to say about this book. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t enjoy it either. I didn’t like any of the characters and felt the urge to just smack them and move on.

Frances Itani – Deafening
This, like Cold Mountain, tells the story of a gal’s life at home while her man is at war; but I enjoyed this book SO much more. It was a quick read.

Herman Hesse – Siddhartha
So this is about a young man’s search for truth and self-understanding. He tries extreme asceticism and extreme hedonism, but in the end finds happiness living a humble life as a ferryman.

This book is very well written, but I didn’t find it particularly deep or inspiring. Maybe it would have had more of an impact if I had read it in high school.

Gunter Grass – The Tin Drum
I really enjoyed this. There are some dark kind of repulsive moments, but Oskar never gives up and always manages to find a way to survive. I would recommend this. Beware though, it’s almost 600 pages long and not a quick read.

Charles Frazier – Cold Mountain
I just could not get into this book. The pace was much too slow and I didn’t really care what happened to any of the characters. And is it just me, or did that epilogue seem out of place and not in keeping with the tone of the book?

Kim Edwards – The Memory Keeper’s Daughter

This book had a few interesting moments, but overall was a bit sappy. It had the feel of an Oprah Book Club selection.