The Glass Castle - Jeannette Walls

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

So I had been told going into this that it is either a book you love or you hate. I come down pretty soundly on the "not the book for me" side of things. I almost gave it up several times. But as it was for a book club (and at the prodding of a friend), I pushed through.
The life and environment that Jeannette Walls describes growing up in is so clearly abhorrent. That any of the siblings are functioning adults is nothing short of a miracle. However, Walls writing doesn't do justice to the horror and conflict and neglect of her childhood. The writing style itself just seemed flat and unemotional. I wanted to feel what she felt, but her feelings were so often left out of the equation. I just couldn't connect, and that affected my overall reading and response to the book.

View all my reviews

A Gentleman in Moscot - Amor Towles

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this book. I didn't expect to when I was just a few chapters in, despite the fact everyone I knew who read it absolutely raved about it. For me, it got off to a slow start. But then I was hooked. I didn't want to put it down.
This is definitely a characters driven story. And what a character we get in the Count and his "comrades." To see each of the characters grow and develop over the course of the book, in addition to learning snippets of the back story of each. It was just beautifully done.
I learned some Russian history as well, so that's always a nice bonus.
Also liked the alliteration in all the chapter titles.

View all my reviews