Book challenge 2006

One of the babes at bookish mentioned in passing that she kept a running tally of all the books she read one year. That year (2004) she passed the 100 mark.

I thought that was a great idea, since I read tons of books and am really curious as to how many I read each year.

Heere we go...

1. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson
I read this because it was billed as a 'different' type of detective story. And it was, but not different enough, I'm afraid. Well-written, good characters, great story, it gives a window into the lives of people who have been derailed by unexplained loss. For me, the book's main/only weakness is that it stuck to the genre and I'm not really a fan of mysteries.

2. Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis
I've never read any of his earlier works but I really like this book. It's view of a father/son (really parent/child) relationship and the power it has on all involved is haunting. I find myself still thinking about it (but that could be because I finished it yesterday) and reviewing my unexamined relationship with my dad. And it's pretty scary, too.

In another homage to bookish, I'd like to take this time to mention the best book I read last year. It's kind of a cheat, since I didn't actually read it but listened to it (as a true purist, I don't consider audiobooks 'reading'). To show how good it was, though, I'm actually planning to buy the book so I can actually read it.

The best book I read in 2005 is...
(Drumroll)

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell: A Novel by Susanna Clarke
Though the ending is just slightly unsatisfying, this book is just excellent. It's like reading a 19th-century novel with magic. I can't praise this book highly enough, though I imagine people who don't like 19th-century novels might think it's slow. It's not. It's perfect.

As an acknowledgement of the inferiority of the audiobook versus the 3D kind, I'll say the best book that I actually read last year is probably "Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell. It's weird and ambitious and, even though I'm not quite sure I understand it, I recognize that the writer accomplished something very impressive. Excellent.

I usually don't bother recalling the worst books I read, but this is a special case. Another audiobook, which is probably why it affected me so deeply. Usually if I don't like a book I'll just put it down (or hurl it with great force, depending), but the DH and I were listening to this during rush hours and he liked it better than I did. I was trapped.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
I hated, hated, hate this book. The characters are unappealing and barely tolerable the plotline is just too implausible and though it tried to be a literary sci fi, it was deep down, really just that most deplorable of genres, a romance. Oh, and it sucked. The end.