Book Chatter

Lately, I’ve been in a reading mood, more than a writing mood so although I have finished several books from my staggering TBR pile, I don’t feel like writing about them right now. That’s a problem when you have a book blog. Then again, maybe not. I never seem to have a hard time finding something to talk about in person, so why should that be any different here? Afterall, my blog is called Book CHATTER, right?

Ahem… (head cold in full swing, Sudafed cloud to follow)

Have you ever disliked a book and then changed your mind after hearing that one of your friends, or in my case, a respected book blogger, liked it better? Without any research at all, I can tell you that this year, I was swayed by other readers at least three times. At first, this confused me. It confused me because when I finished these books, there was no doubt in my mind what I was going to say about them. However, when I sat down to write those reviews, I suddenly had a change of heart.

At first this bothered me, because it made me feel as if I didn’t really know what the heck I was saying. Then it made me think that I was being wishy-washy or sugar-coating how I really felt about the book. After pondering this for months, I’ve decided that neither is correct. It’s no different than going to a book club meeting, prepared to discuss what was in your opinion, a real stinker, only to realize that you totally missed one aspect of the story, or you neglected to consider A and B. Suddenly, clouds part and with a furrowed brow, you sit down to write about said book but from an entirely different angle.

Does this mean that the review you read is not my true reaction to the book? Not at all. I have never given a book a glowing review if I didn’t feel it deserved one, but because of some very influential readers and bloggers, I’ve opened my mind to other viewpoints which in turn, makes the review more well-rounded, as opposed to my “gut reaction” which is often how my first drafts are.

I’m not even going to ask if this has happened to you, because I know that it has, but do you find that it happens often? Just for fun, I am going to share with you the bloggers that influence me the most. When they talk, I sit-up and take notice.

Sandy from You’ve Gotta Read This! (she doesn’t always sway me, like with Ready Player One, but she sure makes me question if I’ve completely lost my marbles)

Arti from Ripple Effects (we have similar reading tastes, but she nearly always brings up something I didn’t initially consider)

Zibilee from Raging Bibliomania (I hesitate to use her real name as she goes by Zibilee, but if this woman shrunk herself down and crawled into my brain, I suspect that my book reviews would be much, much longer than they are and no doubt, better. She includes the most interesting perspectives. If she’s read a book after me, I nearly always go, “Hmmm…how could I have missed that?”)

These happen to be book bloggers, but there are also readers who influence me just as much. But these three are the ones that are constantly shaping me whether I realize it or not.

Just for fun, who influences you the most when it comes to reading or writing up your reviews? It doesn’t even have to be a blogger. Maybe it’s your husband or wife or a sister from afar. Maybe even a bookseller you deal with regularly. I’m curious.

Sunset Park
By Paul Auster
(Picador, Paperback, 9780312610678, 320pp.)

The Short of It:

Mesmerizing prose with angst at its core. Auster’s skill as a writer somehow conveys all of the insecurities we feel as adults and reminds us that we are vulnerable, fragile individuals.

The Rest of It:

Miles Heller is twenty-eight-years-old and educated, but can’t seem to find the motivation to do anything. Just a few credits shy of getting his degree, he’d rather take odd jobs and ponder life and love than become a productive member of society.

After floundering around for what seems like quite a long time, Miles falls in love with Pilar. Pilar is not yet eighteen which makes her a dangerous obsession. Especially in the eyes of her family, who see the relationship as doomed from day one. After a run-in with Pilar’s sister, Miles escapes to Brooklyn, thinking it would be good to wait until Pilar hits legal age. Then, and only then, will he ask her to marry him.

In Brooklyn, he joins a group of young squatters who are holed up in an abandoned building in an area known as Sunset Park. Living rent-free, they go about their lives, knowing that at any moment, they could be forcibly removed. The precarious nature of their living arrangement is a constant reminder that the future is always moving forward and change is just around the corner.

Set during the 2008 economic collapse, this is a story of love, loss and regret and what it means to be a part of something; be it big or small. The story is mainly character-driven, no huge plot points to speak of, but after just a few pages, I found that I liked Miles quite a bit. He is technically, a good guy. A bit confused and struggling to find himself, but essentially good. Although my life experiences differ from his, I found that I could easily relate to what he was feeling at any given point. I attribute that to Auster’s writing style.

That said, I was completely taken aback by the ending. The ending was appropriate, but it was sudden. There I was, hanging on Auster’s every word, and then poof, the novel ended. What occurred to me later is that although the novel ended, the story continued. Those characters are left to continue on with their lives and as a reader, all I could do was wish them well.

I’ve read one other Auster book, Invisible and I recall a similar feeling with that one, but I liked it very much and I can say the same for this one. Sunset Park wasn’t at all what I expected it to be, but it was well worth the read and to be honest, it’s nice to be surprised once in a while.

Source: Sent to me by the publisher
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

Chatting with friends about books and life…