Browse Recent Fiction Reviews

If On a Winter's Night a Traveler - Hardcover -
A strange, meta-narrative that delves deeply into the experience of reading. - Dec. 8, 2013
The Book Thief - Digital -
An amazing story and a must read. - Aug. 23, 2013
Emma - Paperback -
An enjoyable Austen classic - Aug. 13, 2013
1Q84 - Hardcover -
Read this if you love Norwegian Wood and Windup Bird Chronicle, otherwise pass. - April 26, 2013
Moby-Dick - Digital -
I can't emphasize enough how good this book is. - Dec. 4, 2012
Thousand Cranes - Paperback -
Thousand Cranes is a beautiful and evocative book. - Nov. 10, 2012
A Study in Scarlet - Digital -
- Aug. 20, 2012
Treasure Island - Digital -
Despite the sense of familiarity throughout the book, it was still immensely entertaining. - May 10, 2012
Sanshirō - Paperback -
While this is not the best Sōseki I have read (that would be I Am A Cat), it is a novel worth reading, especially if you are a fan of Sōseki, or if you want to see one of the influences of Murakami. - Feb. 8, 2012
Catch-22 - Paperback -

Utterly amazing book. I don't know where to start when it comes to Catch-22. My paltry synopsis above does nothing to capture what makes this book so great, and …

- Jan. 15, 2012
A Christmas Carol - Digital -
While not as good as other books by Dickens, it's prevalence in modern culture makes this required reading. - Jan. 6, 2012
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Digital -

The most unfortunate thing about The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is that it's so popular, and such a feature of our modern culture, that it now seems cliché and overwrought. …

- Jan. 5, 2012
The Decapitated Chicken and Other Stories - Paperback -

There were a lot of highs and lows to this collection of short stories which, on the whole, left me feeling like they were simply good, but not great short …

- Dec. 12, 2011
Kafka on the Shore - Paperback -

I really enjoyed this book. Kafka is a fascinating character, and the struggles he goes through are very well realized. I was enamored by both the Kafka and Nakata story …

- Nov. 19, 2011
The Metamorphosis - Paperback -

I love that Kafka jumps right into Gregor being transformed into the vermin. There's no exposition into who Gregor was before the metamorphosis or any tension building up to the …

- Oct. 16, 2011
Plugged - Hardcover -

Plugged is basically a beach book that you shouldn't take too seriously, or read if you and expecting anything more than some crude humor and decent action. There's no deep …

- Oct. 8, 2011
Labyrinths: Selected Stories and Other Writings - Paperback -

There is so much to talk about with Labyrinths that I don't even know where to start. First of all, after reading this collection, I think Borges is phenomenal and …

- Oct. 5, 2011
The Housekeeper and the Professor - Paperback -

11, a prime number, is quite prominent throughout the book. Root turns 11 on the eleventh. The Professor dies 11 years after the Housekeeper worked for him. She is the …

- Aug. 26, 2011
Oliver Twist - Paperback -

Oliver Twist is a funny entertaining book that reminded me a lot of Don Quixote, especially in terms of the subtle irony and humorous chapter titles. It also had …

- July 15, 2011
Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold - Paperback -

I unfortunately realized on 09-01-2011 that I never wrote a critique for Till We Have Faces so my recollection here will be somewhat less precise than it would have been …

- Jan. 15, 2011
Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness - Paperback -

My biggest problem with this book was the self-referential way that it talked about itself. I don't mind self-reference, in fact I love it, but this reminded me of an …

- Dec. 7, 2010
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - Paperback -

I don't have much to say that isn't covered in the first, except that it's still hard to tell some of the characters apart, but it's fun and entertaining so …

- Nov. 12, 2010
Mockingjay - Hardcover -

Just as I did with the first 2 books in the series, I enjoyed Mockingjay and finished it in just a few days. It was a fast, easy read that …

- Sept. 30, 2010
Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life - Paperback -

There's not a lot of depth to Scott Pilgrim, but it is a fun little graphic novel that I enjoyed reading. There were definitely some funny moments, and the …

- Aug. 28, 2010
Across the Nightingale Floor - Paperback -

It's great to have read this book just after finishing Of Other Worlds, and in particular the essay "On Stories", by C.S. Lewis. In that, he discusses the worth …

- Aug. 21, 2010