Sunday, January 9, 2011

Gothic Reading Challenge - Take One

The ambulatory built by Abbot Suger remains un...Image via Wikipedia As I am a very eclectic reader, I don't plan in advance what I am going to read...I go according to moods, in general. This year I've joined the Gothic Reading Challenge and this is my first post about it. By chance, I've already read two books that could be cataloged "gothic", or at least, have gothic elements. The first one is "Wuthering Bites" by Sarah Gray , and as you can see from the name, the book is a "remake" of the classical "Wuthering Heighs". I have to say it is the first book of this kind that I actually finish and enjoy. I tried "Jane Slayer" and "Little Women and Werewolves" but...yuck, no thank you. Maybe the theme in Wuthering fits the vampire literature genre or maybe the author knew how to spin the tale...the result was not spectacular, but OK, I guess. I also liked the cover.
Secondly, I've just finished "The Passage" by Justin Cronin. Again, my reaction was...lukewarm. I liked the idea and the first part of the book, but then the book became too much for my taste. A bit boring at certain moments...Seven hundred and something pages...come on...and, of course, it left me with the felling that the book is kind of...unfinished...are we talking about a sequel?"
(Well, I am an idiot...of course it is all over the internet that "The Passage" is the first book in a trilogy). Everybody is very hyped about the book, I think a shorter version would've do the trick. well, I found some people on good reads that thought like myself, that it is too much going on in the middle of the book, so I am not the only one...But I would highly recommend "The Passage", it is a very good read and Cronin is a very good atmosphere builder...
I don't know which book will be the next, for now I am reading "The Wizard Heir" by Cinda Williams Cima. A nice read...a bit Percy Jackson, but OK. Although I need to let the reading aside to do some writing of my own...




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3 comments:

Simcha said...

I also recently read The Passage and while there were parts that I enjoyed I also felt that it was a little too long. I don't think I'll be reading the sequel.As for gothic books, have you read The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber? If not, you should. I think you would really enjoy it. There is also The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon which has a Gothic feel to it and The Magicians and Mrs. Quent in which the second section gets Gothic.
Good luck with your challenge. I've decided not to sign up for any of them this year because I'm so awful about finishing them.
Have a great week!

Simcha

Susan said...

I was looking forward to The Passage until I heard a few people saying that it seemed to drag in the middle. I'll probably still read it though - the synopsis makes it sound fantastic and there have been many positive reviews. Thanks for the reviews and recommendations!

Alone in Holy Land said...

Hi Simcha, I am so glad you visited! Long time, no seen, huh? Thank you for all your recomandations, I will for sure give them a try. The Strangely Beautiful...is on my TBR pile for some time now.
Susan, welcome to my blog. You should read The Passage, it is a great book. It doesn't have to be perfect to enchant you...