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Friday

Nope. Not a new feature. Just me, rambling on about random things. You guys are like, “So? What’s new?”

I’ve been busy at work and it’s the kind of work that drains my brain. Normally, I have a little bit of time between things to recharge, but that hasn’t been the case this week, which has resulted in me looking rather confused and lost. I mean, I have to add lipstick just to look alive. Yep, one of those weeks.

It’s Friday though and I am so darn happy to finally see it! In an attempt to clear the air, I am going to share what’s been on my mind lately. Ready?

The Teen is looking at colleges. They are looking at him.
Peter Pan auditions/rehearsals start next week.
Reviews. I just gotta write them. So behind.
This heat and this crazy weather. Think End of Days.
Healthy eating is not hard. Healthy thinking? Hard.
My house needs some attention.
Finished Villa America. That ending. Hmmm.
Why did L ‘Oréal discontinue Smooth & Shine Creme? My hair is a disaster without it.
I feel like reading a classic, but which one?

Okay. I feel a little better now. What about you? How are you doing? What plans do you have for the weekend? I have a Back to School kick-off to attend for the middle schoolers at church. It’s an 80s party! I am so there.

The Captive Condition
By Kevin. P. Keating
Pantheon Books, Hardcover, 9780804169288, July 2015, 288pp.

The Short of It:

Dark and sinister, yet funny and smart.

The Rest of It:

Edmund Campion’s thesis is rejected by Dr. Kingsley so Edmund takes a job as a groundskeeper, working for a guy called The Gonk. Unfortunately, The Gonk is not a good guy and has some secrets of his own.

Dr. Kingsley has secrets too. The woman he’s been having an affair with, Emily Ryan, is found by her two daughters, face down in her own swimming pool. Charlie, unable to raise his daughters on his own, literally abandons them by leaving them with Kingsley and his wife. The girls, however, are more “in the know” than the adults think and they do things to their adult counterparts to keep them on their toes. Oh, these girls are beyond creepy and do their best to make Kingsley afraid of his own shadow. Twins, no less. Reminded me of The Shining a little bit.

This story has a great setting. There’s the highbrow academic side, set against the backdrop of a small Midwestern town. But there’s the other side, the darker side complete with a graveyard and cottage. The promise of something sinister lurks on every page. I enjoyed this part very much.

Kingsley, is an interesting character but the story, I think, is meant to be Edmund’s and he didn’t hold my interest as much as some of the other characters did. The first half was fairly strong, but in the second half, things became a little disjointed. I admit to skimming through a few parts just to get back to Kingsley.

This is a black comedy. Have you read one lately? I think I expected more of a ghost story. There are ghostly elements and graveyards and murders to keep you turning the pages, but it’s peppered with humor which gives it a different feel.

Although the ending did not hold my interest as much as the first half did, I’d absolutely read another novel by this author.