Grumble ... Grumble ... Grump ...

There are some days on which I am happy to be a woman. I revel in the fact that I was able to bring life into this world, and I'm thrilled to be exactly who and what I am. Woman. Hear me roar.

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Yesterday was not one of those days.

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Neither is today.

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Stoopid hormones. (grawr >.O)

(but, in happier news, bladedfan made this wonderful "facepalm" icon for me. isn't it the greatest?? *tacklegloms bladedfan*)

Throne of Jade ...

Just finished reading Throne of Jade, the second book in the Temeraire series, by Naomi Novik.

All right ... I have to be honest and up front here. I was wrong about Laurence. I suppose it just took two books, but the guy really grew on my by the end of this second novel. Once you get past his rather stuffy exterior, he seems to be quite good-hearted. And, he is heroic to a fault ... although, that might be one reason to dislike him. *nervous laugh*

In this book, he and Temeraire journey to China and become embroiled in a plot to overthrow the Emperor. "Embroiled" as in they stumble around in true Western fashion and succeed in exposing the whole thing, not to mention saving the day. The only thing that keeps them from being incredibly irritating is that they seem to perform all of these heroics by accident, which I found quite charming. Plus, it's so true to life in many ways. I mean, how many times do we hear about how it's better to be lucky than good? Being in the right place at the right time, often, can make the difference between success and failure. And, Laurence and Temeraire are both -- lucky and good.

Needless to say, I adored this book, too. I think I liked it better than the first novel, just because I finally felt more comfortable with Laurence's personality and character, which was a huge relief.

Anyhoo, in case anyone's interested, this one is most definitely worth a read!!

Book Thoughts: Diary

I finished reading Diary, by Chuck Palahniuk, a couple of weeks ago, but I rather neglected putting any of my thoughts in here. Mainly because I could not figure out exactly what I thought about this book. I figured I would give myself some time to figure things out. Which I did.

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So, now, two weeks later, I can say, with a straight face, that I have no idea what I think about this book. Don't get me wrong. It's not a bad book. It's well-written and, well, a rather fascinating look at the "descent into madness" that comes with being creative or seriously pursuing any creative endeavor. The obsession ... the pain ... the torture of the creative mindset. Of course, in Diary these things mainfest themselves very literally, in the physical world and body of the main character, Misty Marie Wilmot. The thing that makes this story so fascinating (in that "can't-look-away-from-the-train-wreck" sort of way) is that Misty has a generous helping hand along her pathway toward creative obsession, from her in-laws and the rest of the people on the tiny island where she lives. An island she is supposed to, somehow, "save" with her art. The book ends in a hugely surprising, grand fashion that was ... well, shocking. I kind of hate to admit it managed to shock me. I mean, considering everything else that happened during this story, I should not have been surprised at anything. And yet, I was. Very surprised.

All in all, this one is a worthy read, although I hesitate to recommend it. I mean, it's a book you will either love or hate, I suspect. And, if you like to look for meaning in the fiction you read, you won't find it in here. In true nihilistic fashion, this book points out the oddity of life and the way in which most of our actions, in the end, have no meaning -- no matter how much we like to believe otherwise.

I will say, though, that I, literally, could not put this book down. I felt a bit awkward and ashamed at the very intimate portrait of the twisted lives and desires contained within its covers, but, even so, I could not look away. The story and writing style captivated me and kept me turning the pages, even when I wasn't sure I wanted to.