Books - Loving Frank, Mary, and Ahab's Wife

I read the book "Loving Frank" by Nancy Horan a couple of weeks ago. It tells the tale of Mamah Cheney, a real-life woman who had a long-term affair with the world's most famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. The book was fine, however, it reminded me of two other novels written in a similar style that I enjoyed much more than this particular piece. So read on for summaries and a brief review of not just this book, but also "Mary" by Janis Cook Newman and "Ahab's Wife" by Sena Jeter Naslund.



"Loving Frank": Little is known about the true nature of Mamah Cheney and Frank Lloyd Wright's romance. What Horan has mainly to rely on are newspaper articles written in the melodramatic stylings of yellow journalism, which was at its peak during their affair. Horan takes what was described as a salacious scandal and fleshes out these two characters' courtship into an elaborate tale of love overcoming obstacles. The tale has a lot of interesting elements, including Cheney's mission to advance the Women's Movement, which was in full-swing during the 1910s when the book takes place. The down-side to the novel is that Cheney and Wright are fairly unsympathetic characters, and you have to spend a lot of time with them. Wright is pompous and careless with his finances, to the detriment of many. Cheney sacrifices being a mother to her children (let alone a wife to her husband - both Cheney and Wright are married) in order to pursue her relationship with Wright. Horan tries to relay the overwhelming angst Cheney feels leaving her kids, but it wasn't enough for me to excuse her actions.

"Mary" by Janis Cook Newman is similar to Horan's piece, but infinitely more interesting. This is also a novel based on a historical figure whose life was steeped in scandal. This is the story of Mary Todd Lincoln and Newman weaves a captivating yarn relaying Mary and Abe's romance, and how Mary eventually came to find herself institutionalized in a mental hospital. In Newman's book, the story is written from the first-person perspective of the protagonist. Mary frankly describes herself as an incredibly passionate woman whose sexual longings get her in trouble with a relatively prudish (but not gay) Abraham and eventually lead her to a life of careless shopping sprees. That sounds dumb, but it's not. Here is an example of a character who does many unlikable things, but can still keep the reader on her side due to Newman's writing skill.

"Ahab's Wife" takes place roughly during the same time as "Mary": mid-19th century. Now Una is not a historical figure. She is the wife of Captain Ahab alluded to only once in Melville's classic "Moby Dick." However, Naslund, like Newman and Horan, saw an interesting character and ran with her story. This book is long and sometimes overly descriptive, but also excellent. Una is smart as a whip, and Naslund has a good time having her heroine encounter many prominent historical figures throughout the 1800s.

All three of these books showcase intelligent women looking for their place in world during the Suffrage Movement in America. None of them jive-well with the cultural norms of their times and fight being outcast from society at every turn. All three were books I'm glad to have read, but I'd read "Mary" or "Ahab's Wife" again before re-reading "Loving Frank," myself.
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Books - Twilght Series Part Two

We've already discussed the issues in this series regarding abusive boyfriends and lousy writing. Putting both of those aside, it's time to discuss the weirdness that is the fourth book, "Breaking Dawn." Read on for a spoiler-heavy discussion.




The first three books fit together in a nice little trio. In the first book, Bella falls in love with Edward. In the second, she falls for Jacob. In the third, she makes her choice. And even though there are plenty of adventures and mythological backstories that are shared in these books, this love-triangle is pretty much what they are about.

So with the love-triangle seemingly resolved at the end of "Eclipse," what were we to expect for the fourth book? If you guessed "something bizarre," then you win! In this book not only does Meyer dedicate a whole third of the book to a change-up in narrator, she also takes on a much darker tone. Now there are blood-thirsty vampire babies! Delicious sippy-cups of O-negative! And a birth story that just might encourage the most eager of tween readers to keep their thighs together, even if Edward creeps along.

This book would make a lot more sense if it came along some 5 years after "Eclipse" was released and was the first in a new "So Bella's a Vampire" series.

However, I've got to admit: I liked it the best out of the series. I know Metta's going to slug me in the arm for saying that, but although I realize it is very different from the first three, I like it... maybe even because of the differences. It was so bizarre I was smiling way more than I did while reading any of the previous books, and I liked those, too.

Now don't get me wrong here: this book is still laughably offensive in its treatment towards Bella, and the writing stylings haven't improved in the slightest. There's also the fact that everything gets wrapped up in the prettiest of pretty packages, saving perhaps for the fact that poor Jacob will never be able to "get with" the love of his life (as she will never develop past a 7 year old's physique). But as I had already embraced most of these issues throughout my journey reading the first three books, I was along for the ride by the time I cracked "Breaking Dawn."

The real question is: how the heck are they going to make this into a movie? The first two books should adapt easily enough, but once you throw in telepathic wolves and boys who grow larger every time you see them you're getting tricky. Then with "Breaking Dawn" you have not just the wolves, but also the unsightly birthing scene, the incredible transformation in Bella's appearance, and the fact that the newborn baby will develop to look like a 5 year old by the time the books ends.

So that should be interesting! Anyway, I'm anxiously awaiting Metta's comments because I know she was not a fan of this fourth book in a major way. Perhaps my experience was enhanced by the fact I was spoiled to the fact that Bella would end up with Edward, and that she would have her baby delivered traumatically by edward biting through her uterus. Also - maybe there is something to be said that I read all four books in the course of 20 days? We shall see.

Of course - I think blog readers are used to the fact that Metta and I sometimes come down on different sides. She is a Jacob, I am an Edward. She is a Jack, I am a Sawyer. But I love her a lot anyways because that's just how awesome she is.

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Book - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

I'm re-reading "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" in preparation for the movie. I'm back in the same mind-set I always get into when I watch the movies and read the HP books: it really sucks being a Muggle. Frown. That is all.

BTW: If you want to critique me for re-reading and re-watching so many different things, save yourself the time. Time spent gladly is never time wasted. Read more!