Wigfield: The Can-Do Town That Just May Not

Read November 2009.
Photo courtesy Wikipedia

The Scoop: Written by three of the creators (and stars) behind Strangers With Candy. Published in 2003 by Hyperion Books in the US.

The Ingredients: Russell Hokes, "author", secures a book deal and finds his inspiration in Wigfield, a small town that pretty much lacks any town-like qualities and actually just exists off the side of the highway. Wigfield's existence is being threatened by flooding due to the scheduled destruction of the town dam. This is a narrative of Hokes telling his story of writing the story of this town's potentially doomed future, spliced with interviews with town locals and photographs by designer Todd Oldham.

Serves: Adult.

Introduction: Prior to embarking on the voyage of discovery that is this book, a quick but gripping note about me: My name is Russell Hokes, author. [3.5/5 A good preface for what the book is like - sarcastic, satirical, verbose]

Result: I didn't really know what to expect of the book but had vaguely high expectations due to the comedic prowess of the authors, so that might have let me down a bit. I do hear that the audiobook is the way to go with this though, because the authors' voices lend quite a bit of personality and character to the story. I definitely would want to hear that in action. This is a rather funny read, all in all, but not necessarily a book you won't want to set aside - it took me some time to work my way through it. There are some parts that I thought really funny but occasionally the humor/writing gets a bit old, or maybe I just didn't quite get it. The format and concept is inventive, and along with the very interesting photographs, perhaps perusing it slowly is actually the way to go. If you are a fan of Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, or Paul Dinello (I am not too familiar with Dinello as I've only seen one episode of Strangers with Candy), you will probably enjoy it for the most part. Just take it for what it is. [3/5 Probably won't pick it up again (unless I find the audiobook) and won't highly recommend it to others, but still entertaining while it lasted.]

Uglies

Read via free download offered by author & publisher, August 2009.
Photo courtesy Simon Pulse.


The Scoop: Part one of the New York Times bestselling "Uglies" series (a total of four novels now). Young adult science fiction novel by Scott Westerfeld (US). Published by Simon Pulse in 2005. Film rights bought by 20th Century Fox and Eragon producer John Davis in 2006, movie scheduled for 2011.

The Ingredients: Tally Youngblood is turning 16, which, in this dystopian society, means she must undergo a mandatory comprehensive plastic surgery to make her "Pretty". The "Pretties" seem to have perfect lives, but Tally meets some others her age who show her what exactly it means to be "pretty".

Serves: Young adult, preferably.

[Chapter 1] New Pretty Town: The early summer sky was the color of cat vomit. [2/5 While I appreciate the attempt at being descriptive with the use of 'color of cat vomit', this sentence doesn't draw you into the story much. It sounds like something any middle-schooler could write.]

Result: I saw the free download offer and had nothing else to do so I decided to give this a go. I read it in a few hours, as it's on a 'young adult' level, and it's actually very interesting. The premise is unique; the main characters and (future) technologies are well-described and developed; and there are enough twists and suspense to keep one intrigued. And if you take the time to think about it, the story delves into many modern-day issues that adolescents especially deal with - body image, conformity, emotional and physical change, individuality, peer pressure, authority, surveillance, and environmental issues. The end left me hanging and I was eager to check out the next in the series. [3/5 While I admit I couldn't really draw myself away from it, in the context of all literature, I can't rate it very high. I also don't think I would read it again. However, in the context of YA fiction (and had I read it in middle school or some years ago), it's definitely one of the better choices available with its sci-fi setting and rather adult (mostly positive) messages. So in that narrower scope, it would have a higher rating.]

Revolutionary Road

Read May 2009.
Photo courtesy Wikipedia.


The Scoop: First novel for Richard Yates (US). Published by Greenwood Press in 1961, adapted for film in 2008 (director Sam Mendes). Finalist for 1962 National Book Award, chosen by Time in the top 100 English-language novels from 1923-present.

The Ingredients: April and Frank Wheeler, a young married couple with kids, live a seemingly pleasant 1950s suburban life. Deal with work and the household, loneliness and friendship, disillusionment and pleasure, love/lust and lack thereof. Mistakes and life-changing decisions are made; relationships are forged (forced or otherwise); and minds, hearts, and spirits evolve and/or are broken.

Serves: Adult audience due to mature content including abortion, adultery, some strong language.

Part One, Chapter One: "The final dying sounds of their dress rehearsal left the Laurel Players with nothing to do but stand there, silent and helpless, blinking out over the footlights of an empty auditorium." [4/5 Creates quite a detailed image in one's mind.]

Result: I read this book because the movie (starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet) got such rave reviews. However, as I can see the value in this novel, the pace was a bit too slow for me (I found myself easily distracted from the text, and often had to reread passages to remember what was going on or try to absorb it) and I had trouble relating to the characters and issues at hand, which I feel has much to do with the 1950s setting and my lack of life experiences, one could say (for example, being married, raising children, the struggles both of those involve, etc.) I found the value in Yates' use of language in illustration, his solid character development, and ability to tie everything together in mood. Yates has been noted as saying, "If my work has a theme, I suspect it is a simple one: that most human beings are inescapably alone, and therein lies their tragedy," and this is definitely evident in Revolutionary Road, which can make it quite a depressing read. So clearly, if you want light-hearted reading with an uplifting message, this is not the book for you. After reading, I am still interested in viewing the film, not for the plot, but more in how they managed to portray and capture all the intricacies of the characters, their relationships, and secrets, and in a limited length of time. [3/5 Solid example of good classic writing, but not the easiest/most enjoyable to get through. But I might have to give it another chance later in my life.]