Friday, November 30, 2012

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes






This was the November selection for my book club, and I read it twice in order to fully grasp the intricacies of the story and its interesting ending. In this book, the protagonist Tony recants an experience from his late adolescence which has recently come back to haunt him as he reestablishes a relationship with a former girlfriend. Mysteries surrounding the suicide of an adored peer are eventually cleared up, leaving much of the romanticism of his death unfounded.

 I found this novel's philosophical undertones regarding the permeability and validity of one's memory to be more interesting that the story itself. It was an interesting character study, but somewhat slow and not my preferred reading for the time of year when the nights are longer than the days. However, I recommend it as a short, meditative read for someone who is wishing to slowly digest a very introspective and thought provoking puzzle.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Arcadia by Lauren Groff


Finished in early September. A great fiction about "Bit", a boy who grows up in a hippy commune set outside of Rochester, NY in the 60's. The novel starts during his childhood, and follows him as he progresses into adulthood. Interesting ideas of Utopianism and the time honored tradition of the corruption caused by excessive power.