Schmetterling made me do it.
Okay, so strictly speaking, that statement may not be entirely true. (And though I've not yet posted the rest of my year's resolutions, one of them certainly is not going to be in any way related to embellishing for dramatic effect. Unless, that is, I decide to resolve to embellish for dramatic effect as often as humanly possible.)
But I had never heard of Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians before Schmet wrote that blog review (and I still take a marginal amount of credit, by the way, for him reading something fictional . . . even if he purposefully chose to read something fictional I hadn't recommended). And once I'd heard of the novel, I had a burning desire to read it.
Burning desires, unless they are desires to write epic papers and research my guts out, are very rarely fulfilled while I'm in the midst of the most harrowing semester of my young life. You think I'm exaggerating about how my semester was. News flash: I'm not.
Anyhow, one Christmas tradition has held true for many years now: my well-off aunts send gift cards (generous gift cards) for each of their nieces and nephews to the type of store they know we love most. My little sister's was for Kohl's. Mine, of course, was for a bookstore.
Don't act surprised. It's not like you didn't see that coming.
And so, the day after Christmas, I suffered a particularly hard-to-swallow Scrabble defeat at the merciless hands of my mother. As seemed only natural, I relieved my wounded soul by spending the entirety of the gift card online . . . and the first book I bought was Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians.
It came yesterday. I started reading it this morning. I finished it this afternoon. And I laughed. Quite a lot. Look to Schmet's review for some choice excerpts (although there are choicer still, and I'm tickled pink that I'm pretty sure I caught more references than he did . . . but that is neither here nor there).
As much as it pains me to say it, I agree with his assessment of the voice wholeheartedly. I don't know that I found all of the characters unbelievable or unlovable. And I quite like the idea of having a Talent for klutziness. (Which, of course, has no direct correlation with my propensity for running into walls, chairs, the edges of doors, and the like.)
But seriously: it's a quick read. And most importantly, it's funny. Chortle-and-have-people-on-the-bus-with-you-looking-at-you-like-you're-strange funny. Not that I have any experience or anything . . .
Most importantly, I (more or less) agree with Schmetterling about it. If that sort of consensus doesn't convince you, I don't know what will.
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6 comments:
I can tell you all are English types just by reading your blogs--it takes me twenty minutes to get through a post, it takes you 19.5 minutes to make your point, and I laugh for half an hour. See, big difference between journalism types and English types.
I'll have to read this book. I'm not sure I really trust Schmetterling's opinion, but I do trust you.
[I really have nothing to say to gag01001, so I'm disregarding that comment....]
This is an historic occasion! Wow. We actually agree about something--and not just anything--a book, of all things--a fictional book. Wow. We need, like, the happy equivalent of a moment of silence here.
And--of course you caught more allusions that I did: you're better read than I am; you are a literature person. I just like words. But that makes me happy to know that there were more than I caught.
We have a sort of free-lunch paradox here, though, because you take credit for me reading the book, and I'm taking credit for you reading the book, so who's really responsible here?
Kathryn, Kathryn--if it took you twenty minutes to get through that post, we need to work on your reading speed.
Schmet--I'm perfectly content to let it remain a chicken-and-egg sort of question myself. (Mostly because I'm grinning widely at you not arguing about me catching more references . . .)
I love the Alcatraz books. Seriously. It makes me so happy you found them!
Two positive reviews? O.O *Stagers back in shock* Wow... I must see this wonderful book...
Clever snappy dialoge? A lot of laughs? Even more literary allusions caught by the very intelligent Katie? Somehow I find it not surprising at all that you loved this book. After the excerpts you read me the other day, I'm quite interested to read it myself. I'm sure I'll like it too! (Even if I don't catch as many references as you do.) :)
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