Erin Jones Jones itibaren Lavalette, Fransa itibaren Lavalette, Fransa

An account of the most difficult time period in this woman's life, her description of what death is like for the living was utterly painful and hopeless. But there is a little inspiration to be found. Definitely a must-read.

I absolutely loved this book. Christopher Boone is such a unique, wonderful character and he felt very real. The challenges he faces as a part of daily life are a reminder of many things I cherish and yet take for granted each day. Yet amazingly, I did not feel sorry for Christopher. Instead, his perseverance and bravery were inspiring and very moving. I would give it 6 stars if I could. Beautiful.

I loved the characters and her meditations on art. Oracle Night by her husband Paul Auster makes a great companion read.

I entered to win this on good reads because the cultural upheaval in China caused by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam is an interesting subject.I have found non fiction sources that better cover the flooding of historic sites and treasures due to the rising waters behind the dam. But this novel, told from the point of view of three or four main characters, addresses the more personal issue of relocation of large numbers of peasants from fertile riverside land to poor, rocky higher ground. Most villagers are forced into abandoning their subsistance farms to find another kind of livelihood. Li Miao Lovett has a descriptive and lyrical writing style that carries the reader along through a story of the change from rural village life with simple peasant virtues to nascent capitalism. Included is some interesting history of the Communist revolution and its decline from idealism through the "re-education" era to the current bureaucracy run by prosperous and corrrupt middle managers. There is a sub text through-out the narrative delineating the Chinese attitutes that affect the peoples' actions and reactions differently than a European mind set would. The plot is sad, with the characters floundering through this period of China's march into modernism. If there is a happy ending, it has yet to come.

A fun young-adult adventure story in the style of classics like The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland. Mieville has done an excellent job inventing a wholly unique world of clever wordplay for our plucky heroine(s) to explore. If you're a fan of Neil Gaiman, especially Neverwhere, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book, this is most definitely for you.