So I haven't written about a book I read for a while, but since I haven't written about much for a while this seemed like a good opportunity to break out ye olde typing skills.
Last night I finished a very intriguing book called
Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman. The novel follows the story of a super villain, Dr. Impossible, as he attempts to implement his Doomsday plan. The chapters alternate from his point of view and that of Fatale, a cyborg woman who is the latest recruit to Earth's elite team of superheroes, The (New) Champions.
The thing about the book that is interesting to me is that Grossman attempts - to some degree - to play it straight. He's telling the story of these super enhanced people and while they are odd in their tights and helmets, he seems more interested in their humanity. He attempts to get inside their heads to reveal their foibles and insecurities while neatly dealing with problems like why a villain keeps up his villainy in the face of overwhelming failure.
I thought the book was very enjoyable - it's funny and thoughtful while becoming a brisk page turner near the end. I did have a few quibbles about plot getting a little repetitive - we're given the same piece of information, from the same character a couple of times.
My other issue was with Fatale; of all the characters in the book she is the least developed. I would argue many of the heroes are underdeveloped and there is an attempt near the end to lend a bit of pathos and gravitas to their stories. I didn't think it worked, but Dr. Impossible is such a richly conceived character that I'm willing to overlook the book's other shortcomings. And frankly, for all his failed plans, Dr. Impossible is clearly the most fascinating character in the book.
I would recommend the book - it is out in paperback and features a g
orgeous cover by Chip Kidd. I think you can say something about how distinctly American this story is - it is about overcoming adversity, failure, and never giving up. It's just that, you know, the bad guy is doing it.
Labels: 2008, books
By: Alyssa | Thursday, July 31, 2008 at Thursday, July 31, 2008 | | 
A lot of people on the T were reading the latest Harry Potter book. In fact, I didn't really hear any discussion of the book in public yesterday. Instead, you'd hear these hushed tones and see conspiratorial looks.
Random Person: Did you read it yet?Me: Yes.
Random Person: Do you want to talk about it?Me: Sure! But why are you acting so weird?
Random Person: I don't know who has read it yet!Me: Right. That's very thoughtful of you.
I could make a joke about how I've never seen such sensitivity and care displayed to fellow Bostonians in years. But that seems cheap.
Random Person: So, what did you think about .....?
And it would continue from there. You'd think we were plotting to overthrow something or - better yet - throw a surprise party or something.
As it is now, I'm trying to recruit some people for a special Harry Potter podcast,
per Jacki's suggestion. That way we can make a podcast that covers more and is easy to skip if you haven't read the books yet.
Labels: 2007, books, Boston, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, July 24, 2007 at Tuesday, July 24, 2007 | |
It's been tough to hang on the Internets the past couple of days. I have narrowly averted disaster a few times - Harry Potter spoilers are everywhere!
Sure, if you go to some HP specific sites you'd find stuff. No problem, but there I am casually browsing someone's blog about personal finance and suddenly... AVERT YOUR EYES! And the New York Times isn't safe. You can't read comments on blogs. It's going to be tough today.
For now, I've been able to avoid the spoilers. Usually I don't care, but since I only have to wait about 24 more hours, I thought I'd try to go spoiler free. Instead of avoiding HP spoilers, I'm catching up on TV for the podcast.
Did I mention this week's podcast? Everyone is talking about it - mostly because we crammed a lot of stuff in it and near the end I turned into a speedtalker.
Listen to this week's episode.Subscribe to the podcast with
iTunes or your favorite
podcatcher. Don't forget to leave us some iTunes feedback.
Labels: 2007, books, podcast
By: Alyssa | Friday, July 20, 2007 at Friday, July 20, 2007 | |
I went in for my bi-monthly (that’s every two months, right?) visit to the salon for the Big Red Spruce Up. I get a cut, I get a color, I get to read for freaking ever because I have so much hair and it takes so long.
I finished the last third of
“The Case of the Missing Books” and got about half-way through
"The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove. Both were/are quite enjoyable.
Anyway, I’m usually in a low-level coma by the time I arrive at the salon after work. I need to eat, but I don’t have time and then I sit around for a couple hours with a bunch of foil on my head while a teenage girl with some new hair experiment shampoos me with the same method I’ve used to bathe unruly dogs.
My hair designer usually asks me if I’m comfortable enough or if I need anything or if anything is burning (we are using chemicals here). This week she warned me about half-way through the process that I might not like the initial highlights because she essentially creates these white blonde streaks that she later tints a soft shade of copper.
I decide this is a great opportunity to mess with her.
She pulls the towel off my head, I keep my head in my book as she gives a quick blow-dry before the next round of coloring. When she’s nearly done I look up and gasp in horror.
Then I loudly cry, “Oh my god – what have you done to my hair?”
The salon goes totally silent.
My hair designer isn’t really sure what to do. I wait a moment, letting the delicious tension build. And then I start to laugh. Really, really hard. It was great. The salon erupts in laughter.
My stylist is greatly relieved and I tell her it is hard to freak me out unless, of course, my hair starts falling out in clumps or something.
I guess I know what awaits me on my next visit.
Labels: 2007, books, filler
By: Alyssa | Friday, January 12, 2007 at Friday, January 12, 2007 | |
Yesterday I outlined how I offended the fine people of
Watertown, Massachusetts.
And today I shall share with you my latest offenses. Bear with me; I don't want to ruin the punchline....
I was headed home from work - a little frustrated by our buggy new subway passes - when I ran down the stairs to the red line platform just in time to see the doors close and the train pull away.
It is entirely possible I muttered some very naughty words to myself.
I walked down the platform in a huff. I had an
eye doctor appointment (my last!) and didn't want to be late. I grumbled a bit to myself and pulled out the novel I'm reading,
Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore.
A few moments later another train pulled up and I hopped aboard. I moved towards the center of the car and positioned myself near a pole. My bright pink book was propped open and I did a quick survey of the car. I looked to my right and noticed three little women - nuns.
I looked at the nuns. The nuns looked at me. Then they looked at my book. Then they looked at me. I smiled. They didn't.
I put the book away - a little spooked and very thankful that I wasn't reading one of
Moore's other books like
Practical Demonkeeping.
Can I conjure up things from novels? I realize nuns aren't fictional creatures like unicorns. It is just that I very rarely, if ever, encounter nuns out in the world.
Thank God I wasn't reading
Frankenstein or something.
Labels: 2007, books, Boston, the T, weird stuff
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, January 02, 2007 at Tuesday, January 02, 2007 | |
I don’t really play Scrabble. I’m not a huge fan. But sometimes events conspire against me.
My college roommate and friend of more than a decade,
Kristen, was (and I believe still is) a huge Scrabble fan. We were excellent roommates. Or rather, she was an excellent roommate. I’m not really sure what I brought to the table.
I thought of K when I came across Stefan Fatsis’ funny book
Word Freak which covers his efforts to become a world-class Scrabble player.
Scrabble was the source of one of very few fights*. We were playing Scrabble at her house one day and I wasn’t really into it. But Kristen was very competitive and sensed that I wasn’t especially interested. This … I might say infuriated her. Since she's coming to my house soon, I'll leave out any foggy recollections I may have had. Let's just say tempers flared and words were exchanged.
And that was the last time we played Scrabble.
* For those who care - our other fight was the awful incident involving Christmas. She’d decorated our apartment with all kinds of festive lights for the holidays. I came home from working (possibly all night) at the newspaper and sat down on the couch, exhausted. I chatted with her for a few minutes, but didn’t comment on the decorations. I don’t think I’d really noticed.
She was unhappy.
Then we bickered like an old married couple and stopped in the middle of our fight when we realized K had become like my wife and I had become like her loutish husband. So we decided that we should go find some boys to hang around with or something.
Labels: 2006, books, college, marriage
By: Alyssa | Saturday, November 04, 2006 at Saturday, November 04, 2006 | |
