In the Woods by Tana French

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. ***

In the Woods.



I was pleasantly surprised at first at her writing, and then I found it inconsistent and perhaps grasping at something it couldn't deliver. I continued reading it and was completely absorbed into this mystery (which is really 2 mysteries). I finished reading the book at 4am one morning, unable to put it down after convincing myself that the author would give me a payoff at the end, and was really disappointed.

I really enjoyed reading it, but the ending SUUUUCCCKKKKEEDD. I was mad. I know endings are hard and it's easy to criticize, but there is SO much build up during the novel - so many times the protagonist is reflecting back on what we are finding out and giving us teasers as to what's to come - and it falls completely flat. One mystery is never solved at all and the other is not finished, but turns sharply in another direction with little to no explanation/insight as to why it happened.

Having said that, I totally enjoyed being obsessed with this book for a little while. I hope her next one lives up to the potential.

Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse... the series

I am not the most well-read person in the world.

But I DO read.

And I know the signs of being enthralled with a piece of fiction when I see them in myself:

1. Won't listen to others
2. Won't put book down to eat
3. Won't watch tv or movies
4. Won't sleep
5. Will panic when approaching the last third of book unless sequel is on bedside table
6. Find myself thinking about what the characters will do when such-and-such happens as though I should DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT ALREADY!
7. Have a small depression upon finishing those books that are written and curse the author for not being prolific enough.

This is what happened to me (and my niece who is 16 years old - see? cross-generational, folks!) with the Twilight series by, Stephanie Meyer.

Now that is all fine and good. But my niece informs me that the new book, Breaking Dawn, is due out August 2, 2008!

Fine! Except that I am getting married on August 2, 2008 and not in this country! Can I pre-order the book? Will they ship internationally? Will the people at the place we're getting married think I'm a FUCKING MANIAC having a vampire book shipped express to myself overseas?

These are the questions I have to grapple with. And you thought YOUR life was hard.