Goodreads Challenge 43/85: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
In Cold Blood is every bit as riveting and compelling as they said it would be. Many call it the beginning of literary journalism, the first instance of the nonfiction novel, and just plainly a well-written book (every word is perfect). After you read this book, you'll want more--you'll look for the faces of the victims on the web, you'll watch the movies on Netflix. And you'll wonder--how did he do it? How did Truman Capote write such a detailed story from countless interviews and hours of research? As a former ethnographer, I really appreciate his ability to take a detail and form it into a narrative. It feels like he was there witnessing every moment of the story. Lucky for us he did such a masterful job. The characters jump right off the page, and even the midwestern town of Holcomb, Kansas, becomes a character in its own right. I can now see his influence on later nonfiction novels, like anything by Tom Wolfe, or John Berendt's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Thank you, Mr. Capote.
Goodreads Challenge 42/85: The Odessa File by Frederick Forsyth
It's so easy to hate Nazis. Enjoyable book, lots of suspense, and I loved the details. And now I know how to make a bomb. The Odessa File was such an interesting read that I immediately watched the movie on instant-view on Netflix, and then surfed the web for information on the historical figures. Makes me want to read more WWII (and post-war) fiction.
Goodreads Challenge 41/85: Magic Study by Maria Snyder
Magic Study is a nice follow-up of Poison Study, the first book in the series. I liked the detailed description of magic in the story--from a phenomonological perspective it delves deep into the experience of casting magic. Looking forward to the third book. Would give it 3 1/2 stars if it was available, especially for young adult fiction.
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