Fiction Literature Books

This a great book to read because I remember reading it as a kid. I liked the book so much that I read it twice. There was also a dog that I used to have that kind of looked like the main character, but he was a huskey. Also, I would recommend this book to anyone.

I picked up this book in the 6th grade for an English class assignment. I didn't even finish it the first time I tried to go through it. I was bored with it as I usually am with books I am made to read. However, a year or two later I was back at the challenge. I feel guilty about leaving books unfinished, and since wolves are by far my favorite animal I needed to give this book another shot. Since then I've read this book about 6 times and can tell you all about the events and characters, the struggles, and the ending. It's become my favorite book with no close rivals, as Jack London has become my favorite author. It's excellently written, descriptive, with a wonderful story of the hardships and trials of one wolf-dog's life in the far North.

White Fang is a pup born a hybrid, part wolf and part dog. The other dogs, therefore, are not big fans of his. He ends up a tough super-dog as a result, and as such, attracts the attention of dog fighters, and keeps winning until he is rescused from a fight.

He ends up helping out his new owners, and getting to relax and enjoy his golden years.

I read about half this book put it down and didn't want to finish it so I didn't. It is the most boring book in the world.

what a great story..............it has held up for 100 years.............it is as fresh as today!

Sherlock Holmes is my favorite fictional detective, and certainly one of my favorite fictional characters. The distant, cocaine-addicted, but brilliant genius of a man is one character who stands out among many others in literature.

Prolific author Arthur Conan Doyle created numerous tales of suspense and excitement starring his best-known characters, Sherlock Holmes and his faithful companion, Dr. Watson, names known by every true reader of fiction. However, out of all the Holmes tales, I would have to say that the story which kept my interest the best is Holmes' most famous tale, "The Hound of the Baskervilles."

With this story, Holmes tackles a villain nearly as cunning as himself. The case is one of his most difficult, and one of the strangest and most original in the Doyles' oeuvre.

A curse haunts the Baskerville family. It is told in a family legend that a savage, demonic dog haunts the Baskerville family, a curse brought upon the family by a foul-mouthed, drunken ancestor. Although many disregard the story, the Baskerville family has reason to believe that the story may not be entirely fiction. As Holmes investigates, guarding the latest heir to the Baskerville estate, he becomes involved in a case perhaps more fascinating than any other.

If you're looking for a great read and a solid mystery yarn, look no further than from fiction's greatest detective. My favorite Holmes tale, and without a doubt, one of his best. "The Hound" is mystery-writing at its best, a necessity for any library.

I was expecting this book to be a bit boring - it's for a literature class. But it turned out to be easy to read and exciting!

"Hound of the Baskervilles" is a unique story in the Sherlock Holmes canon -- author Arthur Conan Doyle wrote it in the years between Holmes' death and his resurrection several years later.

But due to public pressure, Doyle brought Holmes and Watson back temporarily for a sort of "memoir" tale, a tale of supernatural curses, escaped convicts and ghastly glowing hounds. It suffers a little from a lack of Holmes, but is otherwise a tightly-written, solid little mystery.

Sir Charles Baskerville was found dead of a heart attack -- apparently killed by a family curse in the shape of a giant dog. So his pal Dr. Mortimer asks Sherlock Holmes to protect Charles' heir, Henry Baskerville, who has just arrived in England to claim his estate and inheritance.

But even without Holmes, Watson can tell that something is up -- secretive servants, peculiar neighbors, an escaped criminal, a giant quicksand marsh, and the sounds of a dog howling in the night. But Holmes knows that the curse is no supernatural hound -- and that Sir Henry is in danger from a more real kind of ancient enemy.

"Hound of the Baskervilles" stumbles in one area -- the relative lack of Holmes. He's out of the picture for most of the book, and Watson does plenty of solid detecting on his own. Everybody loves the faithful narrator, but Watson isn't the Great Detective, and the book feels vaguely incomplete without Holmes inspecting clues and giving little hints to Watson.

The mystery unfolds at a languid pace, dropping a few red herrings along the way. Doyle pays loving attention to the dangerous, almost surreal Grimpen Mire and the surrounding countryside. But when Holmes comes back onto the scene, the book tightens itself up. All the plot threads rapidly slip into place as the real "hound" is uncovered.

Holmes' steel-trap mind is untarnished here, especially when he reveals what he figured out at the end. He's especially likable in an endearing scene at the beginning, where he educates Watson on deduction. But this is Watson's turn to shine, since he spends a long time gathering clues and even solving a sub-mystery without any assistance.

"Hound of the Baskervilles" is a short, satisfying Holmesian mystery, which is only hampered by Holmes' absence for about half the book. Solid work, and a good introduction to the Holmes series.

I expected to find it a little dry, but overall likeable. Instead, I found the story a little too far to the supernatural, and Sherlock Holmes turned out to be one of the most unlikable characters I've read in a long time! I really felt for Watson, who did not come across as the dumb, stumbling sidekick. I had a hard time slogging through the book, and it didn't make me want to pick up any more Holmes anytime soon. I guess I expected a little more "Basil of Baker Street" from The Great Mouse Detective.

I had never read a Sherlock Holmes mystery before, nor had I seen a Sherlock Holmes movie. I picked up this book because I like to inject classic pieces into my reading and this had been recommended to me.

This did not disappoint! Although very short - just over 200 pages - this novel has a huge impact. I would say this novel is closer to a thriller/mystery, and it includes a cast of potential villains or heroes, a creepy moor, a spooky house, a mysterious curse, and an overall gothic feel. Even though the language is formal, it is easy to feel engaged and the action sweeps the reader into it.

There is an absence of Holmes, which I was not expecting, but it makes his appearances in the book all the more intriguing. I had always thought the character of Dr. Watson was more of a foil or a prop, but he plays a very central figure here and that was interesting.

What I truly appreciated in this work is that it is a thinking person's mystery. I usually avoid mysteries, especially modern mysteries, because they aren't challenging and I usually solve them partway through the book. This novel allowed for clues to be given, almost like a puzzle, to be thought over and contemplated. I very much enjoyed that.

I can now say that I look forward to enjoying more Sherlock Holmes mysteries! I'm eager to find out how the short stories compare to the novel.

Although written in the 1860's, this timely novel will keep you captivated. The narrative format is most interesting as the story is told from the viewpoint of different characters. It is easy to read, moves right along and the language does not appear dated at all. The characters are colorful but not unrealistic.

This book satisfies the mystery lover, the romantic, the reader who loves period novels, everything you could want. It was hard to put down, and recommened to me by more than just one avid reader as one of their favorites.

Wilkie Collins' writing is amazing. The story is so engaging, spoken from such different points of view with unique voices. To think it was written in the late 1800's and so enjoyable today. He is a master story teller. A classic read that HS English classes should embrace.

This book is fantastic if you want your child to learn both English and Spanish at an early age.

We didn't realize that "big book" really means BIG BOOK, this thing is poster sized, not a book to cuddle up in a bed with. However we read it to our granddaughter in her room at bedtime and she loves it. She is only 2 years old but is already learning many words in both languages. The book is fun to read and the child's interaction is priceless.

This book is perfect for children who are ages 2-3 years old. My granddaughter loves to talk and has no difficulty saying anything. I have noticed that she finds speaking Spanish much more fun when we read. At home her parents speak English to her; they use only certain catch-phrases in Spanish. Obviously she is more comfortable with English, but is learning and participating. I am training her to automatically switch languages when she is with me. The books in the Mendoza series put her at ease and she loves the illustrations and short sentences. The books are appropriate for small children; they are well written. The simple subject matter, such as learning how to identify 'parts of the body' in Spanish, or learning everyday 'phrases' that describe an action that a child repeats on a daily basis, keeps my granddaughter interested in the book; this is great because at the age of 2 or 3 years old the attention span is generally very short. The colorful pictures are a huge plus; they are 'eye-candy' for children.

This is great for teaching or at home. My students learn best when they are MOTIVATED and they have REPETITION. This book provides both. Great sturdy, colorful book, that I use from ages 2 up to 9 or 10 year olds. It also goes well with Flip Flop Spanish Level 1 or level 2, to help re-inforce the nouns and phrases they learn and hear in lesson 12 of workbook 1, and Lesson 10 of workbook 2.

I have seen that more advanced story-telling books, in the beginning, sometimes frustrates the younger crowd, but this one is a good choice. It's a nice addition to add to any curriculum you're using, even DVD's and CD's.

Sra. Gose
Author of Spanish Fun Activity Calendar
Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 1 (Book + CD)
Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 2 (Book + CD)

My two year old enjoys this book and it is teaching him locations in English and Spanish. Illustrations are cute, and it is more engaging than some of the books in this series which are a little boring.

I live in Mexico and have all the bilingual books I buy my daughter reviewed by our Spanish teacher. It is amazing how many don't make sense when translated from Spanish to English. This series of book actually used the Spanish language properly and makes sense. Very happy with Gladys Rosa Mendoza books and plan to buy every title.

Joseph Mitchell, a fine writer for The New Yorker magazine, put together a wonderful grouping of short stories during his many years of searching out the people and interesting places in New York City which was his beat for many years. I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy a good story about ordinary people, or one of an interesting landmark s such as McSorley's Bar and the people who frquented it during the 1920's and 1930's. It has been at the same location since 1854 and is still there today. My favorites are the first story, The Old House At Home (about Mcsorley's) and Mr. Hunter's Grave, towards the end of the book. Many others are excellent and bring out the heart of the city and its people. To me it brought back New York as it was then with kids "roasting mickies" as I did as a child in New York. G. H. Owens

A book that covers the nooks and crannies of lower Manhattan. Oddball characters are brought to full
bloom under the author's pen. He knew how to listen! Towards the back some great essays on
growing up along the Carolina coast.

Up in the Old Hotel is a masterpiece. I've read it so many times (it is my ultimate desert island book) and have yet to tire of it. The essays (and the few short stories that are included) are timeless, generous works of genius. Joseph Mitchell captures his odd and wonderful subjects as richly realized individuals, and appreciates the smallest of beautiful, dark and humorous nuances. His vision is presented so humbly and offhandedly, yet with absolute precision and so much respect. You truly feel a part of the experience. I'm not sure there is anyone who could write better. All of the essays are amazing, but my favorites are Mr. Hunter's Grave, The Old House at Home, Mazie, and Up in the Old Hotel. The short stories in Section II of the first book are heart wrenching. This book also makes a really great gift.

Are you going to visit "the City"? Have you been to NYC (and loved it)? Up in the Old Hotel was written before most of us were born but still delivers the savory secrets of this great metropolis. Characters abound who could only exist in NY. Meet them before you go. And be sure to eat a slice of Ray's pizza on Sixth Ave. and 11th Street!

This writing puts you right into a time and a place and makes it real.. This is one of the most charming collection of writings I have read so far.. Joseph mitchell's characters of New york are so endearing.. From irish saloon keepers to gypsys to stubborn old men who swear by their diet.. this is great story-telling.. this is the legend of new york..the legends of the real people and eccentrics who inhabit its streets..

A Place to Rest is the story of two women and their contrasting experiences with family. One has a family she rebels against and the other has no family and feels the loss keenly.

Sawyer Drake is like a rudderless ship. She drifts from job to job, woman to woman, never satisfied with what she has, but unable to determine what it is she wants. She knows that she doesn't want to work in the family restaurant, but she doesn't have much choice for a while. Her sister Erica is having a difficult pregnancy, so Sawyer puts a halt to her rambling and helps her brother Brady run the business. There she meets pastry chef Jori Diamantina, a woman who has a long history in foster homes and of being on her own. Sawyer is used to making conquests, but Jori isn't interested. She's been hurt too much in her life to take a chance on Sawyer, plus she doesn't want to lose a job she really likes when the relationship falls apart, which she's sure it will do. Each woman represents what the other fears the most. For Sawyer, Jori represents permanence, settling down, accepting responsibility, things she has always tried to avoid. For Jori, Sawyer offers the possibility of permanence and a family that can be yanked away in a moment when Sawyer's restlessness pushes her to move on. The question is if the women can find a relationship that provides what each of them needs.

Erin Dutton has written a novel that is about family dynamics as much as anything. Sawyer represents the child who has never lived up to the family's expectations. The battle that goes on between Erica and Sawyer will feel familiar to many. Sawyer has failed so many times that no one expects her to succeed, least of all Erica. Erica's attitude towards her sister is almost painful to read, yet also understandable. How do you rely on someone who has never been reliable? Jori's story is as difficult, coming from a shattered family and abusive foster homes. The reader wants to say to her that it is OK to trust other people, that not everyone will fail her. Dutton captures the emotions of all three of these women very well and engages the reader in the process of hoping that each one is able to overcome her attitudes. Then she surrounds them with secondary characters that fill out the story. The reader gets a chance to think about both what family members can do to each other and what the lack of family means to a person who hasn't had one. The book is listed as a romance, but it goes beyond that and should provide a satisfactory reading experience.

Set in lovely Nashville Tennessee, A Place to Rest is about family, with a wonderfully sexy romance for Sawyer and Jori a big plus!

Sawyer is thirty-two years old and has comfortably bounced from one job to another (none of them amounting to a career). Younger sister Erica is pregnant and deeply resentful of her older sister's freedom and ability to always land on her feet. Erica and twin brother Brady run their parent's restaurant. Through circumstance set in motion by their mother Sawyer finds herself stepping to help at the restaurant, setting off a delicious series of events.

Twenty-something Jori is happily finding a place for herself in her personal and professional life and fighting any attempt to rock her finally steady boat.

This was a very sweet romance but for me the highlights were the interplay among the siblings and how their relationship extended to everyone around them.

One of the other highlights for me was any and all aspects of the day to day running of restaurant.

If you love this book you might want to try the author's other books -
Sequestered Hearts
Fully Involved

Sorry to disagree with the other reviewers, but I didn't like this book at all. It just went on and on with no apparent reason and then stopped. Don't waste your time.

Hey Erin - I wanted to thank you for a wonderfully well written,
novel. It flows so smoothly.

Yes, I loved the setting.
Who wouldn't? Inside a fab restaurant where the food is one of the
characters, especially the chocolate! But, it's the entire cast that
make this story a heartfelt romance. The family closeness with
sibling issues was constructed perfectly. The feeling that I got from
each reading left me content yet wanting more. I looked forward to
getting home every night and continuing with the novel.

I highly recommend A PLACE TO REST. The protagonists aren't perfect
but rich with everyday concerns that touched me deeply. I enjoyed
this book tremendously. I felt like I entered a very special world as
a visitor not just a reader.

Erin seems to have the knack for being able to get inside her
characters and bring them out in a natural, yet unique way. What you
see is what you get. And you get A LOT!

I really love the way you write romance, Erin. Looking forward to
many more.

This book was decent. The author is still often imprecise with her language, and shows a somewhat bothersome tendency to tell us things versus showing us things. By that I mean that we will often get a paragraph of exposition that tells us something about a characters, versus putting said character in a situation in which those personality traits are revealed through action and reaction. This was more of an issue in the beginning of the book, and definitely got better as the story moved along, but it's something for this author to watch.

Still, one of this author's strengths is her flair for characterization. You could tell that she really put a lot of thought into the details of background and motivation, yet she didn't hit the reader over the head with it all, but rather doled out the details as the story progressed. Her characters are flawed, but their motivations have enough detail and consistency to allow the reader to forgive them, and therefore make them sympathetic.

I also enjoy the importance she gives to family dynamics. They're pretty much a central theme in this book as Sawyer is unwillingly drawn into working at the family restaurant in order to help her very pregnant younger sister, who manages the business with her twin brother. Sawyer is drawn to Jori, the new pastry chef, and vice versa, but the potential complications of a relationship between them ending badly, as Sawyer's family is convinced it will, as well as some bad history Jori has with workplace relationships, hinders the development of their romance.

I think I was looking for a bit of a stronger emotional resonance in the resolution of the family dynamics, or perhaps a bit more vindication on the part of Sawyer. Still, I enjoyed the way that important issues were addressed, and I was also satisfied with the progression of Jori's and Sawyer's relationship. The setting was well-wrought, with some detail of food preparation and restaurant management lending a realistic flair.

This book didn't blow my mind, but it was definitely a pleasant diversion. This author is able to construct a good story around ordinary events and lives; her scene transitions and character action/reactions flow smoothly. Her strengths outweigh her weaknesses, and I look forward to her future efforts.

I bought this and the other Everything Kids' Science Experiments book and they are both great, this one the best. It has really neat experiments that my daughter (age 10) is excited about doing for her project and to wow her classmates and teacher, and the best part of all is they are SIMPLE and use EASY TO FIND items and things probably already on hand. I will be getting more books from the series.

We have both books from this author and both are outstanding. The activities in this book are entertaining for both our kids. Almost every activity involves a creative experiment with materials found around the house. There are follow up questions for many of the experiments that make them science fair appropriate.

In general, though, the experiments in this book are good fun. It interesting to see what can be done with science!

This author has hit another home run!

Many consider _Snow Country_ to be Yasunari Kawabata's masterpiece, and while I am inclined to agree with this judgment, it would be a mistake to overlook _Thousand Cranes_, an amazing study of relationships by the modern Japanese novelist.

Kawabata's writing is often compared to the haiku form of poetry due to its concise effectiveness. Each word in _Thousand Cranes_ seems to have been chosen with extreme care, and the result is an engaging tale about the consequences of a love affair.

In a sense, _Thousand Cranes_ is about the presence of the dead among the living. One must keep in mind that Kawabata was a master observer when it came to relationships between men and women, and to the relationship that men and women have with death, that ultimate certainty in the life of every living being. _Thousand Cranes_ is a subtle, detailed, and profound exploration of these relationships.

The writing style in this novel is the style that made Kawabata famous, and for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968. The characters are believable in their flaws and obsessions. Some of the images, such as that of Chikako's birthmark, will stay with you for a long time. The use of the Japanese tea ceremony as the background for the plot represents an interesting literary device and adds depth to the action, which takes on the character of an ancient ritual.

_Thousand Cranes_ is a highly recommendable novel. If you have read Kawabata before, you won't be disappointed. If you have not, perhaps _Snow Country_ would be the ideal place to start (after all, _Thousand Cranes_ is considered to be the second part of the thematic trilogy that began with _Snow Country_, although the characters are not the same), but in any case, _Thousand Cranes_ is a fine example of the genius, subtlety and depth that established Kawabata as one of the most significant authors of world literature.
This review was written by my brother.

This is the second book I've read by Kawabata and it was awesome. I first read Snow Country which is excellent as well. I find it better when reading this syle of prose to read slowly and little bits then let it sink in before moving on. I plan on reading all of Kawabata's works.

Thousand Cranes is a beautifully and simply written tale of human tragedy. Kawabata takes us, with subtle nuance and few words, into the strongly passionate and complex world of human relations.

With the world of Cha dou (the way of tea) as the back drop, what follows is an intricate web of deceit and revival of old repressed emotions, which are intricately woven with a Zen like quality between the characters as the story progresses.

A young man, Kikuji, gets an invitation to a tea ceremony by Chikako, the long ago spurned mistress of his dead father. He doesn't know that it is a manipulation on her part to set him up for an arranged marriage meeting with a student of hers. Also showing up at this ceremony is the woman, Mrs.Ota, who took Chikako's place as Kikuji's father's long time mistress. Chikako has been jealous of Mrs. Ota and conspires against her and her daughter while she insinuates herself into Kikuji's life.

Mrs. Ota, still in deep grief over the loss of Kikuji's father, connects with Kikuji at the ceremony. The fine line of reality gets blurred when both of them start feeling a deep nostalgia about the father, and they sleep together, filling Kikuji with an awe of the sublimeness of woman that he has never felt before and offering Mrs. Ota a temporary reprieve from her pain.

Ota's daughter, Fumiko, takes on the guilt of her mother's past with Kikuji's father and the new development of what has happened between her mother and Kikuji, and begs Kikuji to stay away from her mother and to forgiver her.

Chikako is a bitter woman who stayed in Kikuji's household even after the affair with the father was over, and is: conniving, cruel, and cares not about who she hurts. She has become a Tea Ceremony master and it is in this context that she does her manipulating and ruining of lives.

Centered in all of this is Kikuji, as was his father before him. While he doesn't really want to deal with the recriminations of his father's past, he is forced to do so. He feels loathe to marry even though he finds the girl introduced to him very fine. With Mrs. Ota he feels both something warm and freeing, and yet, he also feels the need to hurt her at the same time, wondering if she is seeing his father in him. Chikako keeps forcing herself into his space and he doesn't do much to deter her from doing so even though he despises her. And she takes advantage of that by trying to manipulate his life against him.

Outside of that, he develops a very sweet relationship with Fumiko, who is really suffering about her mother's past and recent actions, and he tries in some way to ease her pain. The line gets blurred here as well as he has a hard time distinguishing between her and her mother, seeing her mother in her until the end when he sees her as separate.

All of this culminates in a final tragedy that seems a waste.

Although an actual traditional Tea Ceremony is not ever explicitly done in this book, the tradition and refinement of it is passed on through the accoutrements, which are hundreds of years old, and which have passed from Mrs. Ota to Kikuji's father and from Kikuji's father to him. The use of these tea bowls and utensils through out the story keeps a thread of connectivity and deep emotion going between the characters and suggests a continuum of tradition, and, breakage from it as some of the bowls get destroyed.

Kawabata's writing is a pure expression of the Japanese mind and culture, which I feel westerners will not understand immediately unless they have had some exposure to the eastern way of thinking. I myself spent years living in Japan, studying the language, trying to grasp the Japanese mind, which is illusive at best, even now. However, if you are willing to read this book outside the confines of the western mind, with another part of you, then this book is an exquisite work of poetry and art that is well worth the experience.

Kawabata, in this book, produces a characteristic sense that, yes, indeed, this is true: that the author not so much invents or writes as records facts.
Repressed passions and pain, conflicted desires, apathy, pessimism and hopelessness are all part of Kawabata's landscape, as well, and here, he has found a setting for these emotions in tea. Know nothing about tea? It's allright, you know something about life, and that's what we're talking about.

The crane is a symbol of long life in Japan, ironically enough for this story. The title of the book comes from the cranes decorating a kimono worn by a significant guest at the tea party about which this story revolves. My favorite of Kawabata's novels, there is in Thousand Cranes a deep primordial eroticism. That is normal in Kawabata's work, but this story evokes perhaps the best example, even better than Snow Country. One of the satisfying pleasures of reading Kawabata is that he puts you in touch with Japan's sexual tension in the way a good Bordeaux might have connected you with enjoying red wines. You realize immediately you're onto something complex, and it is going to take a while to understand its depth.

If you can imagine love and desire in the quality of an intense dream, that is how this story begins to unfold. But like a cherry blossom, that kind of love is fleeting. Reality barges in to destroy its budding beauty. Withering jealous resentment worms its way into love it cannot abide, insinuating itself to take its revenge for perceived offenses, perhaps inherited. Alexander Pope wrote a poem about love between Peter Abelard and his student Eloisa that on one level reminds me of the depth and quality of feeling Kawabata manages to craft in Thousand Cranes. It is the kind of love some cannot live with. Here is an excerpt from one stanza in Eloisa's voice that I think captures that understated texture of desperation in Kikuji's and Fumiko's relationship in this novel:

Far other dreams my erring soul employ,
Far other raptures, of unholy joy:
When at the close of each sad, sorrowing day,
Fancy restores what vengeance snatch'd away,
Then conscience sleeps, and leaving nature free,
All my loose soul unbounded springs to thee.
Oh curs'd, dear horrors of all-conscious night!
How glowing guilt exalts the keen delight!
Provoking Daemons all restraint remove,
And stir within me every source of love.
I hear thee, view thee, gaze o'er all thy charms,
And round thy phantom glue my clasping arms.
I wake--no more I hear, no more I view,
The phantom flies me, as unkind as you.
I call aloud; it hears not what I say;
I stretch my empty arms; it glides away.
To dream once more I close my willing eyes;
Ye soft illusions, dear deceits, arise!

The end of Thousand Cranes is haunting. I don't believe there is anything in Japanese culture more profoundly different from the Western view of things than how one lives with love or fails to do so, or for that matter how a good author writes about it. Restraint is the word that comes to mind. That, it seems, is what this story is about.

I live in So California where we have a sizable Armenian community. I have come to hear tales of the Armenian genocide and the evil Turks from people I've met in the community and from people I work with. That entire part of history has been interesting to me. So, when I found this book, I picked it up and began reading.

The novel revolves around the lives of 4 sisters living in Istantul: one is very religiously observant, one is a Turkish history teacher, one is developmentally delayed, and one is a rebel, who has given birth to a child out of wedlock. This child, Asya, has grown up a bit of a rebel herself, in Istanbul. There is also a brother who has immigrated to America and married a woman who has a daughter (Arnoush) whose father is Armenian. As Arnoush grows she desires to learn more of her Armenian roots and plots to travel to Turkey to meet her stepfather's family.

What I found most interesting about this novel was discovering the Turkish point of view surrounding the Armenian genocide. I had been told the Turkish government denied it ever happened, but this novel goes into detail on the viewpoint of ordinary Turkish citizens.

In general, the novel is well written and very easy to read. The author stayed on track and kept me engaged. The ending was a little.....odd, but I was okay with it. I liked the author's style, and would look forward to reading other works she has written.

I loved this book. I could not put it down. I loved the layering and the unfolding of the stories contained within. The characters were endearing and the story magnificent. You will not forget this book nor its characters. I thought the author very brave in confronting the subject of the Armenian slaughter and diaspora and that her handling of the Turkish point of view as well as the Armenian point of view, quite fair and most excellent. I am going to read all of her books. She is a major writer.

I was really excited to start reading this book, and the beginning was very well written, with wonderful descriptions of the people and environments. I felt I was seeing and hearing what the characters were experiencing. But as the book went on, the descriptions and storylines were loosening and just not as tight as the beginning of the book; and there was that whole incorporating the 'magical' aspect that was a bit much (not saying it wasn't creative, but a bit much) and the ending just didn't seem like the same time and effort was applied as it was in the beginning.

This book is a pleasant surprise. The characters are endearing and engaging. Revolving in the background is the question of the Armenian genocide; the novel touches directly and indirectly on the subject of truth versus denial. The reader experiences how the passing of time eases, alters, and erases factual events - not that far removed from the actual interpretation of the Turkish Ottoman state surrounding the Armenian genocide of 1915. Of course, the political intonations are unobtrusively woven so that one can choose to be carried away by the distinctive characters and storyline.

In the end, I really enjoyed this book. Though my interest wavered in the first half, I had a hard time putting it down towards the end. I am a big fan of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. And while I wouldn't go so far as to put Elif Shafak in the same league as Mr. Marquez, there are elements of the mystical in this book that will interest those who appreciate classics such as 100 Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera. Ms. Shafak does a commendable job of weaving the details of the Armenian genocide into the story line of the book, without making the book a tragedy. Though her writing can be a bit elementary at times, the story itself shines through. I read this book while traveling in Turkey and would recommend it to those who are planning a trip to that wonderful country, or anyone else who enjoys a good story regarding complex characters, family relationships, historical perspectives and distant lands.

I love spooky stuff, and I love fairy tales. This book is great and a favorite of mine for a lot of reasons, but more than anything, I like the frankness of the original stories, and the effect it has on my psyche while reading it. What better way to keep kids in line than to expose them to a little bit of the ugly side of the real world? This book does that, but without being overbearing, or preachy. Some of the stories are short, some are long. Some have a moral or a positive ending, some serve no clear purpose and end horribly. ("Then she and her accomplice were put aboard a ship peppered with holes and sent out to sea, where they soon sank beneath the waves." The end.) There are not a lot of illustrations in this book, which is neither here nor there. This is just a fun, interesting little book that can be enjoyed by both adults and children. If you are looking for a companion volume to learn even more about the Grimms and their stories, check out The Annotated Brothers Grimm.

design of book is very poor--pictures totally unclear and print is crowded making it impossible to focus on the story. The translations are not bad but there is no effort to organize the material and put it in context

I like this newer edition, which includes stories I've never read before. I read a much older edition every time I visited my grandparents and knew I must get this for my children. There's something less mystical about holding a softcover book, but the stories are still as amazing.

Disney and children publishers usually censor the tales so they have weak and happy endings. The real tales have Cinderella's step sister's eyes pecked out or the evil Queen from Snow White dance in red-hot shoes. The time when the Grimm Brothers wrote down these German tales, was a violent time and the stories properly reflect that.

The only downside, is I'm not fond of the overly religious tales. I know these stories also go with the times, but they're not my favorite. Also, there are a few tales that are a little odd and don't seem to make sense to our modern mindset, but are still interesting.

This is a fantastic collection - a must have for any home library. I just wish it was hardbound! I really think that's all that needs to be said.

Growing up, the only fairy tales that I have ever known were those that have been sanitized -- no wonder I have always thought fairy tales are boring. My reading of this book has completely changed my views! What color, what spice!