Review of The Noon God.

As you may know, I read a lot. I've been trying to do reviews on Amazon of some of the stuff I read, but every once in a while I might feel I'm better served bringing the review here. I'll try not to do this too often, unless people just really like to read book reviews. 

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I recently read The Noon God, a short book by Donna Carrick, on MDRK. (In case you were wondering, MDRK has been very good to me, and is as much my constant companion as his predecessor was. *swoons*)

Here's the book description given on the Amazon page:

Living in the shadow of greatness can be a difficult thing. Just ask Desdemona. When her father, the magnificent J. Caesar Fortune, is found murdered inside the offices of the Faculty of Art, there is no shortage of people who carried a grudge against him.

I absolutely loved The Noon God. It's a mystery, of course, but the mystery almost takes a back seat to the Fortune family saga. Mona is coping with the significant loss of her father by focusing not only on what must be done but also on how things got to that point. This story subtly "explains" the characters and their actions by delving into their dysfunctional past. A lot of story seeds are planted in the beginning, and they slowly and gently begin to grow throughout the book. Some books are more explicit and "in your face" with the information being revealed, but this is more like a glimpse into this time in Mona's life. There is no painstakingly-detailed backtracking to cover details that aren't relevant in Mona's mind at that moment. If she is already aware of something, she doesn't necessarily feel the need to take the extra steps to point it out to you if it doesn't serve a purpose.** (See ** for **Spoiler Alert**)

We do get glimpses into her past and the kind of environment she was raised in, but only in parts where Mona would naturally be considering it herself. Am I making sense with this? I really liked this aspect of the book--it trusts the ability of the reader to make the connections themselves. Some reviewers (well, the one negative reviewer...) felt like the characters weren't developed enough, but I heartily disagree. Everything you need to know is revealed bit by bit, and it builds to an awesome conclusion. There are still questions, of course; primarily, What's next for Mona?       

I will gladly read more by this author, and have added one of her stories (free!) to MDRK. I hope it is as interestingly written as The Noon God.








**The main example of this would be Mona's pregnancy. Now, I don't consider this a spoiler--even though she doesn't explicitly mention the baby until the end--because the "clues" are there the whole way through, but some might. At first Carrick lets you believe it's a reaction to the trauma Mona's experienced, but you should quickly see that it's more than that. There was actually a point where I wondered if she was going to approach the subject explicitly at all, because it was finally made clear that she knew about it but it still hadn't been explicitly stated or even alluded to in conversations. But if anyone who reads this story hasn't figured that out way before the last couple of chapters, and gripes about a lack of character development, then I don't know what to tell you. Maybe stick to "Everyone Poops." It's got that "spell-it-out-for-you" clarity you are looking for.

A letter.

To My Dearest Replacement Kindle,

I know you're there in the Post Office, waiting patiently for me--I got your note. I'm so sorry I was at work when you arrived, and was unable to pick you up today. I want you to know that although I haven't met you yet, I love you and have anxiously awaited your arrival. I know how difficult it must be for you to have to try and fill the shoes of your friend, My Original Kindle, but as he suffered through the terminal illness we only know as "hardware issues" he promised that you would be able to take care of me as he no longer can. I know you are two totally different Kindles, and I would never expect you to be exactly the same. I'll even buy you new clothing, rather than placing the library scene on you as I did on My Original Kindle. You are a unique Kindle and you deserve better than second-hand skins. Er, "clothing." 

I can't wait to hold you and stare adoringly at your face for hours and hours as you tell me wonderful stories. Maybe some of the stories won't be as good as we hoped, MDRK, but we both know that will be my fault and not yours.

I will see you very soon, MDRK, but in the meantime stay snug and comfortable in your cubbyhole. I know that Mr. Postmaster will take good care of you until we can be together. I can't wait to start our long and happy life together...

At least as long as the call of the newer Kindles continues to leave me unconvinced.

Hugs,
Beth

First world problems.

*This is probably going to sound like an advertisement, but I promise it's not... Nobody's paying me for this, nobody's asked me to do this, etc. This is all me, as always.*

I'm so sad. Late last week my Kindle died, and I'm anxiously awaiting the replacement. (Amazon rocks, but I've been without since Thursday and it's now Monday night.) What's that? "Pshaw!" you say? Perhaps you're a lover of a Nook, or of a Sony or some other brand of e-reader, in which case I will not argue pros and cons of different systems, because your ass would be just as devastated if it happened to you. But perhaps you pshaw at the idea of not holding the lovingly crafted binding and paper in your hands when you're reading...

I was once like you. I scoffed at the idea of not holding an actual book in my hands, of not having and adding to the bookshelves filled with books stacked on top of books and on top of books that are in front of other books, of not having various other stacks of books scattered throughout my house because of (obviously) inadequate shelf space. (Actually, that book-hoarding was quite a problem.) I took books on trips, agonizing about how I was going to fit enough books into my bags and still have room for clothes. One of my favorite books when I was in high school is missing the cover due to an unfortunate unpacking incident in Mobile. It was already in bad shape, and alas, it couldn't make it through being accidentally stepped on by my giant foot. Yes, I was a little rough on my books, but only because whatever book I was reading became an extension of me. And me is clumsy and accident-prone; a frequent flailer of limbs regardless of what those limbs may be carrying. On that note, don't give me babies and expect me to do anything but sit still.

I couldn't imagine not holding an actual book in my hands, smelling that amazing book smell, turning the pages, and getting frustrated because in the process of a page-turn something further on caught my eye and now I've spoiled it for myself. I couldn't imagine not scrambling to find a bookmark, because usually my bookmark was some random piece of paper that I was constantly misplacing. I couldn't imagine finishing a book and not getting to stand in front of my bookshelves for an eternity, poring over the covers of books I've read time and again, trying to find one that it's been a while since I read so I can enjoy it again without wanting to skip through parts. And would that mean I'd stop buying books? If so, would any visitors think I was some dense uneducated lady-brute who doesn't enjoy reading? Would I gush about my love for books only for them to look suspiciously around only to find no books to prove my sincerity? And I had just gotten a library card. Granted, my tiny local library was only open for four hours two days a week, meaning I could hardly ever check anything out for fear of my work schedule not allowing me to return things on time, but still. I had plans.

At some point, though, I caved. Happily. I wanted a Kindle so badly it was ridiculous. I had tested them out at Target, I had searched message boards and tech articles online constantly comparing and trying to find something consistently saying "Don't do it! You'll regret this decision for the rest of your life!" But I didn't, and I don't. I'm an Amazon freak like some people are Apple freaks. My Kindle goes with me everywhere, and it's much easier to carry one small Kindle than actual books. It's super-easy to use, my library's at my fingertips, and it only needs to charge for about four hours every month or so, and trust me, I use it constantly. And it's much easier to eat while reading a Kindle than an actual book, which I frequently do. I've been so happy with my Kindle, and had even bought an awesome "skin" that looks like a library to cover the graphite-colored body and lovingly tucked it in a wonderful sturdy cover to protect it from the walking accident that is me. Unfortunately, my love and affection couldn't help the apparent hardware issue that has popped up about 10 months after I received it. (My mom and I both got one for Christmas, and hers is still going strong!) You see, boys and girls, sometimes these things just happen, and we just aren't meant to understand why.

The Hubby thinks my beloved Kindle's demise is a little too coincidentally timed with the release of the newest line of Kindles, but I explained that I was getting a replacement, not an upgrade. I mean, unless he wants to get me an upgrade. Christmas is coming after all...

Maybe should've thought that through a little better.

I've been sick since Monday (the sniffling, coughing, can't-sleep-because-I-can't-breathe kind; not the puking your guts out kind, luckily(?)), have been off work without pay for now *two* weeks, and am anxiously waiting to see if that two will stretch to *three* weeks or if I can keep crossing my fingers and hoping that next week I will be back bringing in some money.

Yet I still have a smile on my face, because two things I had ordered came in today. It's hard NOT to be happy when you're reading a book called "You Might Be A Zombie and Other Bad News", from the editors of Cracked.com, and knowing that when you finish that one you will be reading a book called "5 Very Good Reasons To Punch A Dolphin In The Mouth" by Matthew Inman, creater of the oh-so-hilarious theoatmeal.com.

Yes, I am that person. The one who spends a ridiculous amount of her free time--and time best spent in more useful pursuits--on websites with absolutely no purpose other than pointing out the obvious, making you feel like an uneducated idiot, and making you laugh hysterically. And to make it even better, now they put it in book form. To put on the coffee table that I no longer have. So I can have the opportunity to pay for content I could get for free on the internet. So I don't have to go through all the effort of *turning on my computer* anymore. Which I still will, anyway.

So they win... But now if I'm talking to a friend about a hilarious website I can give them a book they won't read instead of a link they won't click. Awesome.