Below Hell?

South of Hell by PJ Parrish

PJ Parrish, a sister writing team, has released a new Louis Kincaid novel.  While I am a big fan of authors like Jeffery Deaver and Stephan King, I wa a Louis Kincaid virgin.  The book is about a tortured PI (Kincaid) and his female detective lover (Joe) trying to solve a cold case.  The story starts in Florida and quickly moves to Hell, Michigan where a local detective (Jake Shockey) is trying to get some closure over a 'cold case' by any means necessary.  Wrapped up in the story is a little girl (Amy), her violent father (Owen Brandt), and a possible murder (Jean Brandt). Kincaid and Joe are a good duo with lots of internal tension and I can tell from the story I'll want to go back and read some of the previous books, but the other characters don't show the same 3 dimensionality.  Owen seems a bit overly violent and Amy is a bit too strong-willed to be realistic, but it was fast paced and an easy read (good weekend/beach fiction).  I enjoyed Louis Kincaid, but throughout the story I didn't expect the he was only 29 years old.  The book goes off the beaten track into the land of regressed memories, but doesn't completely venture into the paranormal, keeping us skeptics along for the ride.

Plot: 3 stars; Character development: 2 stars; Overall: 2.5 stars

Ripperologists Rejoice

From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell

From Hell is a mish-mash of fact and fiction graphic novel about Jack the Ripper.  I'm not an Alan Moore virgin and have recently enjoyed The Watchmen and V for Vendetta (graphic novels more than the movies).  The story is very interesting especially if you're a conspiracy theorist and like convoluted plots with a large range of multi-dimensional characters.  This is pretty typical of Alan Moore's writing.  There are often small side plots or twists in the story and learning the identity of Jack the Ripper isn't given up at the start or really the plot of the story.  The characters are never flat and the pace of the story keeps you turning the pages. For all of you avid comic book readers it probably won't take you more than a weekend to finish.  The vast appendices outline in detail the fact and fiction of the story and based mainly on Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution by Stephen Knight and Theo Ackland's biography of Sir William Gull.  In addition, Moore adds a bit about his own becoming as a Ripperologist in a short chapter entitled Chasing the Gulls (Appendix II).

As for Campbell's work; I am less familiar.  The comic is drawn in a dark style that reminds me of Bruce Timm's Batman the Animated Series and Batman Beyond.  The panels are carefully constructed and many of the quotes in the comic are factual conversations. The characters are difficult to differentiate in the first few chapters (especially the vast number of women illustrated), but as you continue to read you start to notice the subtle nuances between people and they become easily identifiable.

Overall, this graphic novel is highly recommended.  The storytelling of Alan Moore has yet to disappoint me and he always chooses the best artists for the story.  The movie was good in it's own right, but it's only reminiscent of this work.

Plot: 3.5 stars; Character development: 3 stars; Artwork: 3 stars; Overall: 3.24 stars

Run, Rabbit, Run

Rabbit, Run by John Updike

Rabbit Run is a novel from 1960 about a 'common man' living in suburban PA.  This is my first Updike book and I have a mixed review.  The author has a poetic style of prose and the story is wonderfully illustrated with words.  The story starts with our main character, Rabbit, a suburban father and husband, on the run from a life of responsibility.  The story follows Rabbit through his feelings of doubt and 'live for the day' divulgences while feeling trapped in the suburbs with his wife and family (including in-laws).  He's almost a guilty Dean Moriarty that can't decide whether to hitch a ride west in a boxcar or settle down with the wife and kids for a mundane life without meaning. I had a hard time sympathizing with Rabbit and it made the book difficult to read, to the point I'm not sure I want to read the sequels (next up - Rabbit Redux).  I would probably sympathize with his wife or mistress, but they have their own smattering of faults.  Rabbits wife, Janice, comes off as a nag and his mistress, Ruth, knows what she is getting into from the start.  Updike develops the characters more than the plot.  The entire cast has me teetering between sympathy and disgust throughout the book while the writing propels me to read the sequel.  As a self-proclaimed (or admitted?) feminist, the context of 1950s small town America through Updike's 1960s eyes is disturbingly chauvinist.  Rabbit is constantly forgiven for even the most reprehensible behavior while his wife is expected to harbor blame (even from her mother) for their failing marriage. 

Plot: 2.5 stars; Character development: 4 stars; Overall: 3 stars

Our Hero - Mr. Decimal

Welcome to my personal card catalog.  I can never seem to get my hands on enough books. I read, I read, and I read some more. Journal articles, graphic novels, fiction, short stories, comic books, poetry, non-fiction, the cereal box...I can't seem to get enough and I can't seem to remember everything I've read. To keep better track of my books (and m opinions) I've decided to start blogging about them.  I promise to write something about all of the books I read - the good, the horrible, and the boring.  I'll write about famous classics, comic books, good beach books, quick mysteries, quirky novels, etc.  Anything I come across I'll talk about (minus the journal articles and cereal boxes - only I find those interesting!).  So welcome to The Avid Reader's Card Catalog and feel free to comment!