Review: The Dark Tower

The Dark Tower by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Re-read 10/17:

Well folks, I now mourn the loss of Roland's journey to The Dark Tower for the third time.

This series in no way diminishes over time or with multiple reads. Everything is so real and vibrant, and there's so much detail that you're bound to remember different things through each read. I'd forgotten so much of this one that there was still a lot of anticipation for things to come. Almost the entire first half of the book had been relegated, in my mind, to the previous book. (view spoiler)[(Thus, I thought my bereavement was drawn out across two books - I can't decide if I'm glad or not that it was only one). (hide spoiler)]

We begin immediately where Song of Susannah left off, and jump straight into action. There is so much diversity in storytelling throughout this mammoth book that it's almost a whole series on its own. We jump around all over the place and, knowing this is the final chapter, suddenly all bets are off. It adds a whole new thrill.

Okay. Here we go. (view spoiler)[ Losing Callahan was sad but I was okay with it - he hadn't been around all that long anyway and he wasn't getting any younger! But damn, losing Eddie that way ... you know how sometimes books make you feel strong emotions where you get all choked up in the throat, your face goes warm, your lip quivers a little as you press them together in a tight line and your eyes start to sting? NOT EVEN CLOSE. I generally do not cry but even knowing what was coming, I once again BAWLED LIKE A BABY for Eddie. Gushing torrents of tears. And Jake, my fave, so soon after! My heart was ripped out and shredded and tossed onto a garbage heap, and then Garbage Man comes along and the scraps of heart get squeezed until there's nothing left. And then of course Oy goes and sits by his grave all devastated and I'M DONE. I had to give myself time to recover. AGAIN.

I knew Susannah was the next to go, but I'd forgotten how. Now I can see why - her departure was such an anti-climax in comparison! But hey, Sai King would hate to let you think a piece of your heart escaped intact so let's just SKEWER OY LIKE A SHISH-KA-BOB.

I felt so much pain reading the deaths of these characters. You really come to love them after 6 books (or 7, in Jake's case) so the loss is quite physical. I don't even cry in movies but this series works its way into my cold heart every damn time. I love and hate it at the same time for that. (hide spoiler)]

That being said, the period of travel towards the end, (view spoiler)[after Roland and Susannah are reunited (hide spoiler)] does get a little dull at times. I mean, some seriously freaky sh*t goes down thanks to Mordred (view spoiler)[the Evil Spider-Child of All Nightmares (hide spoiler)]but then it's back to more trekking and details about snow and stuff. Ehhhhhh just get to the damn tower already please!

Honestly this is just such a complex story and woven with so many different threads - to me it is easily King's best work. This is quite simply a tour de force and easily one of the best series I've ever read in my life.

Now about that ending.

(view spoiler)[It's another love/hate thing for me. Because I hate the idea that Roland is doomed to repeat his whole sordid adventure over and over for all eternity (not to mention re-live the loss of his friends) but I also found it to just be ... fitting. I remember being angry the first time I read it - the whole, 'WTF?!' rage breaking out, but it's just because I really felt for the guy. But I also like the idea of redemption, and that maybe this time around things will be different. If King wrote this entire series again with a just few variations I would probably still read it. The journey to the Dark Tower is ongoing. (hide spoiler)]

Such an incredible highlight of my lifetime of reading, and King at his most impressive. A worthy conclusion to one of the most epic series ever written.

***
Original (delayed) review:

This was an epic conclusion to possibly the best series I've ever read. I loved every second. King so cleverly weaves everything together, and it certainly makes me want to read his entire collection of work before re-reading, so that I can pick up every single reference. The characters and their adventures had me on the edge of my seat, and this final chapter is a worthy conclusion. Even at its mammoth size I was hooked the entire time. Brilliant. And that ending! (view spoiler)[God I felt so much for Roland! It was such a fitting ending but god it broke my heart!! (hide spoiler)]

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Review: The Hunger Type Diet: Discover what drives your hunger, rebalance your hormones - and lose weight for good

The Hunger Type Diet: Discover what drives your hunger, rebalance your hormones - and lose weight for good by Lowri Turner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I appreciate that this book goes beyond telling you how to lose weight and examines the psychology of hunger a little bit more. It explains different types of hunger and allows you to stop and think about what it is that's driving your eating habits. It gives you the science of what foods are best to combat what feelings, and the why of this.

There's some great, simple recipes in the back (okay, confession - I can't cook to save my life but I think if I could cook, some of these meals would be delicious) and a meal plan to go with each 'type of hunger' result. It explains why you should eat the way it's telling you to eat.

For people that want to lose weight, one of the most damaging notions is the one that says people are overweight due to lack of willpower. This breaks it down and explains that hunger/bingeing is a physical response to a chemical imbalance which manifests in a variety of ways. If I had to side with a dieting book, it would be this one.

That being said, I'm fortunate enough to have broken the cycle of chronic dieting, so this has become almost redundant to me. The science is solid but I know more about the science of deprivation and psychological starvation to know that dieting is not the answer to losing weight.

I think (and this is me on my soap box, as opposed to contributing to my review of this book) the problem with our society is that we feel we need books like this. We need to appreciate that we are of no less value if our bodies to not conform to the ideals of others.

I'd recommend people use this to understand the science of hunger a little better, and as inspiration for meals and meal planning, but don't live your life bouncing from diet to diet. Find your own normal by listening to what your body wants.

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Review: The Haunted Hotel

The Haunted Hotel by Wilkie Collins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ehhhhhhhhh not sure about this one!

Very slow on the suspense and intrigue and creepiness, but I was definitely suckered in by the foreshadowing. Absolutely fascinating characters, and I quite enjoyed the way the Countess was introduced, as it garnered instant sympathy for her and her troubled spirit.

Agnes was pretty bland, considering how much hinged on her, but it was balanced by the enigmatic Henry through his devotion to her.

The characters were all introduced in different contexts which really enhanced that idea that nothing was as it seemed. I liked that I questioned everyone's motives, and each different tale. It was cleverly written, that's for sure.

I guess what I didn't like was that it all felt like a bit of an anti-climax to me. It's called 'The Haunted Hotel' but the hotel doesn't even exist until well over halfway through the story. The opening chapter was superb, but the rest was really dragged out. There just wasn't any horror, and aside from (view spoiler)[the missing courier (hide spoiler)] there wasn't a great deal of mystery, either.

That ending though, wow! that really hooked me. (view spoiler)[I feel like maybe that terrible, decaying head might haunt my dreams a little tonight (hide spoiler)]

Overall, a decent expression of atmosphere and an okay tale of intrigue. If you're looking for horror or major chills, though, I'd probably look elsewhere.

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Review: Remind Me How This Ends

Remind Me How This Ends by Gabrielle Tozer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Man this was just such an adorable piece of fluff! It also got a surprisingly enormous amount of bonus points for being set in Australia because it was just so damn relatable without overdoing it on the Aussie stereotypes.

I loved how honest it was, and how it made a point of everything being pretty bland, with just the two lights of Milo and Layla in all the murkiness. How many 18-year-olds have been in Milo's position? That feeling of pressure to make something of yourself but not even knowing what you want or who you're supposed to be? That resonated with me so much, because I was exactly the same. It took an interstate move for me to finally start finding out who I was, and even then it's still a work in progress. I love that this novel explores that without drilling it home, and I love that the relationship between Milo and Layla really draws you in so you stop thinking about all those outside issues for a bit. It was very real to me, but it also created this fantastic, fun relationship that was just enjoyable to experience. Layla was so kooky and unique and I really liked that they seemed like opposites that fit together perfectly, with their own similarities providing the glue. The side characters of Sal and Kurt were easily forfeited for the (re-?)blossoming friendship between our two protagonists.

(view spoiler)[Even the watered down ending felt right to me, though it wasn't what I was hoping for. It was nice that they at least got a taste for each other (ha ha) but it felt right that they went separate ways to focus on their own needs. I really, really appreciated that. To me, it felt that much more real. Tell you what, though: if there were to be a sequel where the two were reunited, I'd be all over it. (hide spoiler)]

Really enjoyed how uncomplicated this one was, and just the simplicity of a friendship in a tiny Australian town. I loved the effortless Aussie slang, and how at times I could forget the setting as I got swept away by the story, which is a real highlight for me when I read Aussie fiction because it's so rare.

Highly recommend this one for lovers of fluff and easy YA reads, especially if you are Australian, or grew up in Australia. I wonder how this'll fly with a non-Aussie audience, though?

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Review: To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I completely understand the hype, even if this wasn't a 5-star for me.

The racial issue is powerful, particularly in such a time setting, when the N-word is thrown around haphazardly and it's totally acceptable to denigrate people simply because of the colour of their skin. Discrimination repulses me, and I feel physically ill reading accounts - even fictional ones - of despicable conduct towards those who are different. There are some pretty familiar characters here, but how many of these characters are familiar because they themselves influenced more modern work? It's no secret that this is a classic which has inspired millions of people around the world, so I can't complain about stereotypes as I'm sure this book was quite unique when released back in the 60s.

I was a bit confused about the unrelated stories of Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. The latter is clearly the Big Issue of this novel, but the first part of the novel barely touches on it, making for a rather confusing start to the book. I enjoyed the childhood exploits, and it was quite well-written, but at the same time it felt a little pointless. I can appreciate that there was a beautiful story told in Boo's regard, but it got a little tedious towards the end of Part One. (view spoiler)[ I also felt that his part at the end of the novel was a bit too easy. I get it, I understand that the author wanted to present ideas about the grey area of right and wrong, I can see how it evokes mixed feelings, but it just felt a little too convenient to me, and more of literary device than actual realistic plot development. (hide spoiler)]

The Robinson case broke my heart. (view spoiler)[Particularly knowing the outcome was inevitable, because what sort of powerful statement would this novel make if it had ended happily? (hide spoiler)] Just reading about the small-mindedness of others and knowing that, though the story is fictional, this is a real glimpse of human history - and that this kind of behaviour still exists today - truly saddens me. At the same time, it makes the character of Atticus that much more powerful, because he is a symbol of hope, and he is unrelenting.

There's not really much that I can say that's not already been said by appreciative readers all around the world. I enjoyed reading this novel, and it was an easier read than I anticipated, but there are some dark moments that will boil the blood of any decent human being. I'm glad I read it, but I doubt I'd want to read it again. Humankind really depresses me, sometimes.

It has got me pretty curious about the sequel, though.

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