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Angela and Diabola is about two sisters, one very angelic, and one very, very diabolic. The book starts out with Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones, their mother, giving birth to the twins. Angela comes out very peacefully and doesn't cry afterwards, but Diabola comes out kicking and screaming and almost bites the nurse's finger off. The girls grow up into toddlers and Diabola becomes even worse while Angela became sweeter. When the twins are six they begin school. Angela is very excited, but Diabola is bored and gloomy. Then Diabola draws a horrid picture, and the principal thinks Diabola is a genius. Diabola then starts to love school, and especially drawing. The principal only starts to doubt that Diabola is a genius when she burns down the school building. After that Diabola starts acting even more diabolic. She acts so badly that Mr. Cuthbertson-Jones leaves and abandons his family. Diabola also discovers that she has powers where she can set things on fire, which is how she burned the school down. With these new powers, she burns her house down too. The Cuthbertson-Joneses have to move into a run down apartment. Diabola does many mean but funny things. Read the book and find out what she does! I think this book is hilarious. It is also rather emotional at times, though, for instance when Angela encounters these weird feelings where she feels she must be near Diabola. My favorite part is when Diabola and Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones are in the kitchen in their apartment and men come in and try to steal all their food. Diabola becomes mad and uses her powers to make their eyes sting. Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones thinks Diabola hurt the men for her, but really Diabola didn't like the men and had done it for herself. My least favorite part is when Mr. Cuthbertson-Jones leaves his wife to handle the twins. A ngela becomes really emotional when her dad sends her letters. I really liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes books about the good and the dark side of life. Anyone who likes Harry Potter would like this book because it is about fighting and neutralizing evil people. Angela and Diabola is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a funny novel	It is also rather emotional at times, though, for instance when Angela encounters these weird feelings where she feels she must be near Diabola	Angela	neutral	3
Angela and Diabola is a silly, funny and a great book. I loved the chapter: Diabola develops new skills. I loved it when Diabola went asking for money and said, " Give me some money and I won't hurt you!" to the man and sending away those 2 people with the invisibe gun that shot 1 of them away. I also loved the chapter: Gym and other lessons. I liked it when Dybo pushed miss Mursles off the climbing frame without any clothes on! Angela and Diabola is a great book for all ages because it is not violent but it is extra funny. I think that Angela and Diabola is the best book I read this year!!!!!!!!!!	I liked it when Dybo pushed miss Mursles off the climbing frame without any clothes on! Angela and Diabola is a great book for all ages because it is not violent but it is extra funny	Dybo	neutral	0
For this new series of book, Garth Nix obviously had a younger public in mind than for his best selling Abhorsen trilogy. The plot is simpler, the protagonist is younger and the language is easier. Difficult words are being explained. Having said that, this must be an absolute thrill to read when you're nine or ten. It puts an ordinary boy in charge of the Center of the Universe, if just for the Monday, and which ordinary boy wouldn't think that a very attractive idea?. It's a story about adventure, but also about responsibility, and courage, and overall I could recommend it to any boy or girl, and their parents, to read it!	For this new series of book, Garth Nix obviously had a younger public in mind than for his best selling Abhorsen trilogy	younger public	positive	0
Some early young adult novels (it's a fairly new form of literature, you know) age gracefully and seamlessly. I'm thinking of course of Robert Cormier's "The Chocolate War" and (to a lesser extent), S. E. Hinton?s, "The Outsiders". Unfortunately, I have a nasty suspicion that these books are the exception rather than the rule. For every "Forever" there's a "My Darling, My Hamburger" that contains a great story bogged down by changes in the world. While Paul Zindel's classic tale of four teenagers and their relationship problems is at times both moving and perfectly toned, mostly the problems presented in it are as dated as they come. Even a plot synopsis makes this apparent. Friends Maggie and Liz aren't exactly close, but they hang out frequently together. Liz is the more beautiful and popular of the two with Maggie often following behind. When Liz and her boyfriend Sean decide to hook up Maggie with his friend Dennis, the blind date is as incredibly awkward as they come. Throughout the book the narrative switches between Maggie and her tentative relationship with Dennis and Liz's problems with Sean. Sean, like any normal teenager, is as horny as they come and is continually pressuring Liz to have sex. She'd like to, but she worries that it might end up in pregnancy. Unsurprisingly, that is exactly what happens and soon the big question in the book is whether or not Sean will do the honorable thing and marry Liz (!!) or if Liz will seek out an illegal abortion on her own. It's this last plotline that struck me as dated. The book was originally written in 1969, a full three years before Roe V. Wade and in many ways this abortion issue (while it still looms large) isn't the same. Sure, many girls will sweat over what to do with an unplanned pregnancy, but crossing the border to a state where abortion is legal is probably a more up-to-date literary solution than getting a back alley job. Then there's the debate about whether a girl should marry the guy who gets her pregnant, regardless of how old they are or what their future plans are. Maybe there are pockets of the country where this really is the only honorable solution to such a problem, but it's really not how the majority of teens would handle it today. The book is additionally riddled with small cultural time capsules as well. Talk about how Orientals kill themselves for honor, going to the movie theater to watch a documentary on pygmies, and the complete and total lack of any mention of STDs all combine to make this book an interesting window into the past. To some degree it does still speak to teens today. I was especially amused by the Sex Ed. teacher's advice on how to stop a guy from going all the way, (suggest going out for a hamburger). The characters were interesting as well. Liz, unfortunately, isn't a character you're going to identify with intrinsically. Yes, it's sad that she doesn't get along with her parents. But she's such a self-absorbed person, constantly ridiculing her best friend and at the same time dragging Maggie into horrid and dangerous situations, that by the end you feel zippo pity for her. In fact, you're supposed to end this story hating and pitying Sean who got her pregnant in the first place. Curse those lustful young men that refuse to marry their knocked up girlfriends! Curse them! This book probably read very well in the 1970s and I could even see it having some interesting points in the 1980s. But by the 1990s with the advent of AIDS better known and the options available to teens widening, books like this one began to read more as cautionary tales than as contemporary novels. I've no doubt that "My Darling, My Hamburger" was riveting and shocking when it first came out. Unfortunately, that's certainly no longer the case. I recommend it as a glimpse into the America that once was. If you'd like to know more about the history of the Young Adult novel, this is a good book to pick up. Just don't expect it to have too many insights to offer today. I'm afraid it's no longer that meaningful	Friends Maggie and Liz aren't exactly close, but they hang out frequently together	Maggie	neutral	0
Can Arthur save the world with the key as a young boy with asthma problems? Arthur just moved to his new house. He now has to go school in the middle of the year. So he does not know anybody. When he has to run he has an asthma attack, and is out cold. He meets new friends. But when they leave someone name mister Monday comes, and gives Arthur the key. And then they leave, when Arthur touches the key he feels better. The key has tons of powers. When everyone starts getting sick from a plague, Arthur has to go in a special house and save everyone. He fights many battles, and also meets a friend on the way, in the end he stops Monday and saves everyone. This was a good book. It had a good story plot. There was good action. However, Arthur's behavior didn't match his age. This book had a good story plot. The whole key thing was a good idea. Also I thought it was really cool with the house, the way it was described I like it a lot. The characters were also cool and well thought out. I really liked all the action in this book. The first action seen was when Arthur was attacked by the pig men, and Afternoon. There was tons of fire, and it kept me on my feet, I didn't know what was going to happen and how he was going to get out of that situation. Also when Arthur was in the house he had many battles and such, and also the last fight. The thing I didn't like about this book is that Arthur didn't not seem like his age. He was in 7th grade but he didn't act like it. Him and his friends were very immature. He didn't know how to handle situations very well, but it always worked out for him. Suck as when there is a fire in the library, he goes to a locked door, but the key gets it open for him. This was a good book. Arthur, and young boy that was not athletic and had asthma problems, saved the whole world with his key. I recommend it to any other readers. You should pick it up. -J. Hamilton	When everyone starts getting sick from a plague, Arthur has to go in a special house and save everyone	special house	neutral	0
Angela and Diabola is a silly, funny and a great book. I loved the chapter: Diabola develops new skills. I loved it when Diabola went asking for money and said, " Give me some money and I won't hurt you!" to the man and sending away those 2 people with the invisibe gun that shot 1 of them away. I also loved the chapter: Gym and other lessons. I liked it when Dybo pushed miss Mursles off the climbing frame without any clothes on! Angela and Diabola is a great book for all ages because it is not violent but it is extra funny. I think that Angela and Diabola is the best book I read this year!!!!!!!!!!	I liked it when Dybo pushed miss Mursles off the climbing frame without any clothes on! Angela and Diabola is a great book for all ages because it is not violent but it is extra funny	book	positive	1
Its Arthur Penhaglion's first day at school and things aren't going so well. Arthur has really bad asthma, but since the new gym teacher doesn't know it, Arthur is forced to run. He doesn't want to appear stupid on the first day of school, so he decides to run even though he knows it could be really devasting to his health. And lone behold, Arthur has a severe asthma attack. However, just as he is about to die, he is handed a key shaped like a minute hand from a mysterious person called Mr. Monday who definitely doesn't belong in our world. Arthur survives, but soon his whole world is turned upside down. Mysterious dog faced animals are chasing after Arthur trying to get back the key, and they've brought a mysterious Sleeping Plague with them that could kill thousands, if not millions, since the doctors seem to have no cure at all. Soon Arthur realizes, that he, himself will have to venture into "The House", a house that only he can see, to save his world from utter destruction. It is in "The House" that Arthur makes friends with Suzy Turquoise Blue, and learns from "The Will" of his true destiny and has his final showdown with Mr. Monday. I had high expectations for Garth Nix's new series since I was an absolute fanatic over his Sabriel Trilogy and The Seventh Towers Series. After reading the first chapter of this book, I knew that I wouldn't be disappointed as it just sucks you in. I found this book to be more darker than Garth Nix's past stories, but you can definitely tell his unique writing style. His story structure carries over and you can pinpoint many similarties with this book and his other works. Arthur is a great protagonist, though he lacks the charm of Sabriel and Tal from Garth Nix's previous books. I definitely recommend reading this book, though I feel it is a touch lower than Garth Nix's Sabriel and Seventh Tower	Arthur has really bad asthma, but since the new gym teacher doesn't know it, Arthur is forced to run	asthma	negative	0
I guess one could say there must be a sort of balance between good and evil. It is often said that one CANNOT exist without the other. At first I was amused an entertained by Angela and Diabola the novel by Lynne Reid Banks, but as it progressed and became exceedingly darker, I read the jacket to find that this book was recommended for ages 9-12. I don't think so. Especially in this day and age. Doing bad thing (especially super bad things) is never a good idea. However, there were a couple of things that bothered me about the story. I expected there to be some explanation as to the WHY the twins existed, something a little more magical or ethereal. The clever ruse of incorporating the two entities into one was interesting and the only way the author could justify Diabola's so called death, but I felt there should have been a little more explanation as where they came from. Also I felt there was a hint at Mrs. Cuthburtson-Joneses (the mother) having some sort of unrealized power that never was explored or expanded. I enjoyed the story, but I still don't think its right for pre-teens	However, there were a couple of things that bothered me about the story	story	negative	0
Mister Monday is the first in a seven book series. Written for young adults this is a book that can be enjoyed by anyone who loves a good fantasy story. Arthur Penhaligon is about to die - only to be saved by the unlikely duo of Mr Monday and his butler Sneezer. An action they both will soon regret as Arthur finds the key they have given him leads to an otherworldly house that is both the source of a plague in his town and the only place he can find a cure. This is an original book, well written with interesting characters. Recommended for all ages. I'm already looking forward to GRIM TUESDAY and I'm happy the good news I heard on the grapevine turned out to be true about MISTER MONDAY	An action they both will soon regret as Arthur finds the key they have given him leads to an otherworldly house that is both the source of a plague in his town and the only place he can find a cure	plague	neutral	0
Book: My Darling My HamburgerAuthor: Paul ZindelNumber of Pages: 122Publisher and Publication Date: 1969 Harper and Row publishersISBN: 0-553-27324-8Price (if available) and whether it is paperback or hardback: Hardback Imagine if you had parents that never trusted, or that never would believe you. Or even worse what if you had a stepparent that would call u some pretty bad names and your mom would take his side. Well that is kind of what this book is about. The main characters in My Darling My Hamburger are two girls named Liz and Maggie. They are of course best friends. They are also both seniors in high school. It is about time for prom and they both have dates. But you'll never guess what happens next!!! I think that this book is a really good book. Personal I loved My Darling My Hamburger. It has a really good moral. It was just like a real story. Everything in this book is based on what is happening in real life. That is just my opinion. When I read this book it reminded me of one of my friends sister. She has just graduated and basically the same thing that has happened to one of the girls in this story. I am not going to tell you the rest but I guess that you will just have to read and find out for your self. I would definitely recommend this book to People in 6th-9th grade. The main gender that would want to read this book would be girls because of what the story is based on and because they can relate to it the best. The people that wouldn't like this would be boys. Why? Because of what it is about. If you really want to know what happens then I guess that you will just have to read and find out what happen next	They are also both seniors in high school	high school	neutral	0
Arthur a new student at school, has to run a mile in the first day there. Arthur an asthmatic that ment he can't breathe well. He has to do his mile run but at the very end he fell to the ground because of his asthma. Then these two kids Leaf and Ed helps Arthur by running to the office and running to the P. E. teacher. Then when Arthur was about to die Mister Monday and Sneezer ame out of nowhere and gave Arthur a key that looks like the hand of a clock and an atlas. Then they disappeared and Ed and Leaf came running back. Arthur got taken to the hospital and in a few days he got back up and went to school. He went into the library and tuoched the key with the atlas and the atlas turned huge and had a picture of a house. Then that day he started seeing things a whole army of dog-faced Fetchers were standing outside the library window. then there was a guy named Noon came in the library and looked for Arthur then Arthur ran for it and started throwing salt, but some of the dogs got him on his chest,leg, and arm. Then he looked at his watch and saw it was one minute to 1 o' clock. Noon was about to fight Arthur with his Flame Sword. Arthur faked the give and threw the key and when the minute hand struk one o' clock all of the dogs and Noon disappeared. Then they appeared outside laughing, they holded the Atlas up in the air. Then Arthur got a backpack full of salt and melted all the dogs, but no atlas was to be found. Then there was a big fire that Noon started trying to get the key. After Arthur had to go on a bus but made him self have an asthma attack and then was taken to the bus to be taken to the hospital. Arthur then got better and ran out of the hospital heading for the House. Once he went in the house he went to Mondays portal and ended up in this weird land. Arthur had to go threw this big adventure but to get to the point he went to fight Monday with his minute and hour hand key that became a GIGANTIC sword that distroyed Monday and helped Will the protector or lord of the keys that guided Arthur all the way. Then after he went back to his word the illness stoped and everything went back to normal except it was on a TUESDAY. My favorite part was when Arthur and NOon both had swords. Noon with his big flame sword and Arthur with his clock sword. Also it's cool that a tiny key can turn a yiny atlas into a gigantic one. THIS BOOK WAS THE BEST NUMBER ONE 1. THIS A BOOK THAT YOU DONT NEED TO THINK AS MUCH TO KNOW WHATS GOING ON AND IT MAKES A VERY CLEAR PICTURE WITH ALL THE DETAILS THAT WAS GIVEN	Arthur a new student at school, has to run a mile in the first day there	Arthur	neutral	0
How did the language of psychoanalysis become the dominant idiom in which the middle classes of the industrialized West speak about their emotions? Ernest Gellner offers a forceful and complex answer to this intriguing question in The Psychoanalytic Movement. This landmark study argues that although psychoanalysis offers an incisive picture of human nature, it provides untestable operational definitions and makes unsubstantiated claims concerning its therapeutic efficacy. In a new foreword Jose Brunner expands on the central argument of The Psychoanalytic Movement. Placing Gellner's work in the context of contemporary hostile critiques of Freud, Brunner argues that these two blatantly different thinkers might also be seen as kindred spirits	How did the language of psychoanalysis become the dominant idiom in which the middle classes of the industrialized West speak about their emotions? Ernest Gellner offers a forceful and complex answer to this intriguing question in The Psychoanalytic Movement	Ernest Gellner	neutral	0
McDermid is the author of several series including one with serial killer profiler, Tony Hill and DCI Carol Jordan first introduced in the superb THE MERMAIDS SINGING. This current book is the third one in the series. Two storyline threads interweave themselves into this compelling plot. Carol is offered the bone of a possible promotion if she would agree to an undercover assignment. The assignment concerns getting to know and possibly date a criminal in Germany who imports illegal immigrants from Asia, as well as, drugs. She is to gain his confidence and set him up for arrest. Of course, if her cover is blown, her life will be in imminent danger. At the same time, a serial killer is murdering psychology professors in Germany. The killings are done in a particularly gruesome manner. Tony Hill is on the trail. Val McDermid is a superb storyteller. She succeeds in creating full rich characters that illicit a great deal of empathy with the reader. The parallel plots work quite well together and greatly heighten suspense to the degree that the book simply cannot be put down. This is another strong recommendation for one of our best writers working today	The parallel plots work quite well together and greatly heighten suspense to the degree that the book simply cannot be put down	plots	positive	0
In this book, Ernest Gellner uses the psychoanalytic movement as a "case study" to explore the general human tendency to create delusional ideological systems which serve various political, social, and psychological needs. He also focuses in on the specific structural features of modern life that made psychoanalysis an especially successful ideology. As Gellner sums up in his final chapter, "In a sense, the present book is more interested in our Zeitgeist than in psychoanalysis. The crucial strategic position occupied by Freudianism in the social and intellectual history of mankind, makes it possible for us to learn a vast amount from it about, on the one hand, the general anatomy of belief systems and, on the other, the special conditions prevalent in our age. ". In his first two chapters, Gellner focuses in on what might be called the modern predicament. Before the rise of natural science and philosophical empiricism, it was easy to explain the mixture of good and evil, the sheer perversity, embodied in human beings. Humans were, quite literally, halfway between beasts and angels. The rise of science and modern philosophy invalidated that belief. Taking David Hume as a prime example, Gellner shows that the scientific, empiricist thought of the Enlightenment abandoned the angel/beast dichotomy. The Enlightenment theorists naturalized man: the model of man they ended up with, which Gellner dubs the "Bundleman," was a random mixture of self-interested desires and needs which were easily satisfied by a conservatively cautious policy of maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain. Real human beings, of course, act much more like a mixture of angel and beast than the cautiously and rationally selfish "Bundleman" of the Enlightenment. Nietzsche was, Gellner claims, the first serious post-Enlightenment thinker to fully realize this fact, and the realization finally drove poor Nietzsche insane. Freud's genius was to take the Nietzschean insight and domesticate it, thereby turning it into the basis of a very successful, very lucrative pseudo-scientific cult - psychoanalysis. Freud's task was made easier by certain features of the modern world. The modern world exhibits deep reverence for applied science, especially medicine. In modern industrial societies, technology has eradicated most traditional physical threats (starvation, plague, wild animals, etc. ). In our society, the pressing threats perceived by most people lie rather in the increasing complexity of, and importance placed upon, human relationships. It is just in this area of interpersonal relationships where psychoanalysis offered help. Most of the book explores the tricks and turns by which psychoanalysis maintained its authority. Nowadays, now that there is hardly an intelligent person left who is a hard-core believer in the Freudian faith, is this of any more than historical interest?. Yes. While Freud may finally be buried, his residue endures -- as "therapy," "couselling," "adjustment," etc. -- and continues to muddle our thinking process and our ability to make moral evaluations. As Gellner rhetorically asks, concerning the Holy Grail of "adjustment," "[I]s adaptation, adjustment to any regime, including a tyrannical one, a sign of mental health?" The Soviets, hardly orthodox Freudians, famously answered "Yes!". But even more important, as Gellner emphasizes, the fraud of Freudianism is a typical example of the functioning of human society in general:. "Societies possess techniques for rendering ideas socially constitutive, and these techniques tend to share certain formal features. It is important to remember that this is the normal condition of mankind: most ideas of most men at most times are beyond the reach of questioning. An idea does not have simply a cognitive role. it is at the same time linked to a set of personal relations, to loyalties, hierarchies, sentiments, hopes and fears. To shake the idea would be to disturb all that. Most men are neither willing nor able to do that. ". To put it more bluntly, the structure of all hitherto existing human societies is grounded in socially-imposed, emotionally-compelling lies. Did Freud and his colleagues engage in bizarre intellectual contortions to prevent their ideas from being questioned or subjected to criticism?. Yes. but have you ever asked a liberal why we must slavishly accede to the results of a democratic election? The answer is that if you choose to vote, you are obliged to accept the results, and, if you don't vote, you have no right to complain. Is Freudian reasoning any more circular than that?. Did Freud and his colleagues frantically avoid confronting their theories with empirical reality? (Freud once declared that "I cannot advise too strongly against" seeking out empirical evidence to check the conclusions of a psychoanalytic diagnosis because the result would be that "confidence in the analysis is shattered and a court of appeal is set up over it. "). Yes. but have you ever talked with a conservative about the actual historical process by which the US Constitution was "ratified"?. Do Freudians apply different standards to themselves than to all other human beings, accusing critics and skeptics of being mentally and morally deranged?. Yes. but have you ever tried asking a Christian why, since they preach that Jesus taught the pacifist doctrines of "Resist not evil!" and "Turn the other cheek!", many Christians are among the most violent and militaristic people on the planet?. What then would happen if everyone learned the central lesson of Gellner's book -- that deception, dishonesty, and manipulation are at the heart not only of the psychoanalytic movement but of nearly all forms of social authority?. If people simply cease believing in authority, them, like Tinkerbell, authority simply dies. If the world were free of lies, deception, and manipulation, then the authority of clergymen and governments, of judges, schoolteachers, psychotherapists, professors, and policemen, would all simply disappear. Garbagemen can still collect garbage, farmers can still farm, and deliverymen can still deliver even if no one "believes' in them. But if no one believes in clergymen, or psychoanalysts, or Presidents, then there would no longer be clergymen, psychoanalysts, or Presidents. Like Tinkerbell, they would simply fade away. And, perhaps, that would be a very good thing indeed	As Gellner sums up in his final chapter, "In a sense, the present book is more interested in our Zeitgeist than in psychoanalysis	psychoanalysis	neutral	1
Val McDermid continues her 'Hill and Jordan' series with an entertaining story that combines a dangerous undercover assignment with an investigation of a serial killer, each of which leaves Tony and Carol on the verge of death!. McDermid does a pretty good job of integrating the two subplots, and her use of German and Dutch settings makes for a change from her usual 'real English locations with fictional names' approach. The two policewomen, Petra and Marijke, are among the most interesting characters, and their personal and professional relationship adds some color to the story. As for the 'bad guys', the smuggler Tadeusz and his crony Krazic, are suitably creepy, although the scenes featuring just the two of them are a bit slow. 'Tadzio' has more chemistry with Carol. The 'serial killer' subplot is not quite as riveting as it might have been, relying on the coincidence of Tony knowing one of the victims. McDermid relies a bit too much on coincidental/convenient plot developments late in the book; as other reviewers have mentioned, the bad guys find out what Tony and Carol are really up to purely by chance, due to a careless mistake that neither Tony or Carol would otherwise make. Likewise, when both Tony and Carol are captured separately, both are left tied up, but only one is gagged, and that omision serves purely to advance the plot from a seemingly impossible situation). The ending is satisfying for the most part, although it would have been nice to have a final scene with Petra and Marijke, since it's not likely McDermid will use them again. Despite the amount of 'suspension of disbelief' required in the final chapters, this is still a worthwhile entry in the series	McDermid relies a bit too much on coincidental/convenient plot developments late in the book; as other reviewers have mentioned, the bad guys find out what Tony and Carol are really up to purely by chance, due to a careless mistake that neither Tony or Carol would otherwise make	Tony	neutral	3
In her book A History of the Wife, Marilyn Yalom traces the history and changing roles women have had in marriage from early history through the women's liberation movement. The Meaning of Wife picks up where that excellent book ends. It is clear from the cover of this book (a woman's left hand, flipping off the reader-with a perfectly manicured and wedding band-clad ring finger) that this is a book for a generation of women who are both used to confrontation and longing for tradition. It is this dichotomy in their lives that fuels the book. As women are working outside the home more, demanding more equitable treatment, and becoming market forces, they are also struggling to define what being a wife actually means to them. Kingston examines that many facets of wifeliness that seem to prevail: helpmeet, virgin, Cinderella (equally entranced by the wedding dress as she is of scented toilet bowl cleaner), victim of abuse, shrew, spinster (or unwife), or supporting actress. The main struggle for women now isn't whether or not to get married. Kingston is no Steinem and doesn't suggest that a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle (though she is unmarried). She acknowledges that women want to be wives and mothers. The problem is that they don't have role models. They have seen their mothers struggle to get out of the kitchen and are in no great rush to get back into it. Their icons growing up on TV were single women, Superwomen who could do it all by themselves. Popular culture, in the form of advertising, movies, books, news media, and television, is the most common source of clues to how women seek to describe themselves. Their icons now are very different. They see the brides, the yearning for marriage and a fairy tale wedding. Kingston excels and describing the marketing behind this notion (and I love that this industry now has an insidious name: the wedding industrial complex). But once the marriage happens, there are a few very different ideas of what a married woman is. They see the happy homemaker. Though most have absolutely no desire to be homemakers, they still feel the pressure to have a well-kept home. A certain amount of bliss is marketed along with cleaning products. Or they are seen as the victim of love-the battered wife (an excellent chapter on the presentation of domestic abuse is given, including how it both infantilizes women and takes them back to Victorian times when women were seen to only follow their wombs, rather than brains, in decision making). The main theme of this book is that there is not and cannot be one script for how to be a wife, just as there is no one role for husband. This is a well-written, researched, and balanced look at what marriage means now, not just wife. It isn't a reactionary or staunchly second-wave feminist look at marriage; Kingston respects marriage and the desire to be married. Excellent to read alongside A History of the Wife, The Mommy Myth: The Idealization of Motherhood and How It Has Undermined All Womenand Selling Anxiety: How the News Media Scare Women	Kingston examines that many facets of wifeliness that seem to prevail: helpmeet, virgin, Cinderella (equally entranced by the wedding dress as she is of scented toilet bowl cleaner), victim of abuse, shrew, spinster (or unwife), or supporting actress	facets of wifeliness	neutral	0
Mister Monday is the first book of The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix. Mister Monday is from the genre fantasy. Book 1 is about a twelve year old boy named Arthur Penhaligon who has asthma. He comes to own a small key that’s shaped like the minute hand of a clock. Strange things start to happen after he gets the key. Weird dog faced creatures from the Secondary Realms called Fetchers who were sent to retrieve the key by Mister Monday. When an unusual plague starts in his world, Arthur knows he’s the only one that can get the cure from the house that he can only see. This story is a very fascinating and you never want to put the book down. Garth Nix makes every chapter eventful and ends the chapter so that you want to keep reading what happens next. I really enjoyed this book because I it was adventurous and everything could turn out either way so you didn’t know how the book ends. Mister Monday is a great book and I would highly recommend it	Book 1 is about a twelve year old boy named Arthur Penhaligon who has asthma	asthma	neutral	0
MISTER MONDAY is the first in a new series by Garth Nix, author of THE SEVENTH TOWER. Well paces and written for it's intended audience, younger readers, it weaves a spell binding story of reluctant heroes and less than evil villains. The young protagonist; Arthur Penhaligon, is chosen by the Will (the last instructions from the Great Architect, read God, before she takes off to places unknown,) to be the heir of the Keys to the Kingdom, to be the master of the House and the known universe. Problem is he's in the seventh grade and doesn't want to rule the world, all he wants to do is save his family and friends from a plague let lose by the same forces who don't want him to succeed, principally Mr. Monday, one of the seven trusties entrusted with the Will while GA is off gallivanting about. Although a lot of the characters, ok most of the characters, are rather bizarre the one that stands out in this sea of strangeness is Arthur. Throughout the story Arthur, even though given one of the keys to the universe, remains little more than a boy, a seventh grade boy. No superhero, no genius, just a boy who's forced to do something he really doesn't want to do. Written slightly below the level of the Harry Potter books this series should still capture the attention and imagination of young readers attracted to these types of stories. I found it to be a fun and enchanting read, maybe a little tame, but then I'm somewhat older than the target audience. I would certainly RECOMMEND this book to all the young readers out there, and even a few of the older ones	MISTER MONDAY is the first in a new series by Garth Nix, author of THE SEVENTH TOWER	MISTER MONDAY	neutral	0
I read this book because it was on my reading list and because my mom had read it when she was in school. I really liked this book and I read it all in one night. This book had some mature subject matter that young kids should not read. For the most part, I thought this book was good and I especially enjoyed Maggie and Dennis	For the most part, I thought this book was good and I especially enjoyed Maggie and Dennis	Dennis	positive	0
Angela and Diabola is about two sisters, one very angelic, and one very, very diabolic. The book starts out with Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones, their mother, giving birth to the twins. Angela comes out very peacefully and doesn't cry afterwards, but Diabola comes out kicking and screaming and almost bites the nurse's finger off. The girls grow up into toddlers and Diabola becomes even worse while Angela became sweeter. When the twins are six they begin school. Angela is very excited, but Diabola is bored and gloomy. Then Diabola draws a horrid picture, and the principal thinks Diabola is a genius. Diabola then starts to love school, and especially drawing. The principal only starts to doubt that Diabola is a genius when she burns down the school building. After that Diabola starts acting even more diabolic. She acts so badly that Mr. Cuthbertson-Jones leaves and abandons his family. Diabola also discovers that she has powers where she can set things on fire, which is how she burned the school down. With these new powers, she burns her house down too. The Cuthbertson-Joneses have to move into a run down apartment. Diabola does many mean but funny things. Read the book and find out what she does! I think this book is hilarious. It is also rather emotional at times, though, for instance when Angela encounters these weird feelings where she feels she must be near Diabola. My favorite part is when Diabola and Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones are in the kitchen in their apartment and men come in and try to steal all their food. Diabola becomes mad and uses her powers to make their eyes sting. Mrs. Cuthbertson-Jones thinks Diabola hurt the men for her, but really Diabola didn't like the men and had done it for herself. My least favorite part is when Mr. Cuthbertson-Jones leaves his wife to handle the twins. A ngela becomes really emotional when her dad sends her letters. I really liked this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes books about the good and the dark side of life. Anyone who likes Harry Potter would like this book because it is about fighting and neutralizing evil people. Angela and Diabola is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a funny novel	Cuthbertson-Jones leaves and abandons his family	Cuthbertson-Jones	neutral	1
In the beginning there was The Architect who created everything from nothing. Eons passed, and then there was The Will. The Architect's Will was broken into seven pieces by the treacherous Trustees to prevent it from ever being executed. The first fragment was fused inside a solid crystal and then placed inside an unbreakable glass box which was locked inside an indestructible cage. The cage was anchored on the surface of a dead sun at the end of time, and was guarded by twelve sentinels, who were supervised by inspectors. These security measures may have been nothing to sneeze at, but sneeze the inspector did, and somehow the fragment escaped. Arthur Penhaligon was an asthmatic child who wasn't enjoying his first Monday at his new school. This was due to a sadistic teacher who forced him to run a cross-country course, resulting in a near death experience, during which he encountered the unlikely duo of Sneezer and Mister Monday. Suddenly he was the holder of a strange key, shaped like the minute hand of a clock, and Mister Monday was impatiently waiting for Arthur's expiry date to come up. After these exciting and intriguing introductions, Garth Nix launches into the meaty part of the first book of The Keys to the Kingdom series, where one of the most unlikely of heroes struggles reluctantly to fulfill his destiny, while trying to save his own world from a deadly plague. This story contains a great deal of violence, but fortunately while it is perfectly clear that pain is being inflicted with gleeful enjoyment and wanton abandon by Monday's associates, the descriptions are not graphic enough to be overly upsetting to the faint of heart. Young adult readers may be slightly confused by all the twists and machinations, but will still be thrilled by the adventures of Arthur and his friend Suzy Turquoise Blue as they negotiate the secrets of the House, guided by the Will, and armed with nothing but the Key, a great deal of common sense, and a very strong will to survive. Amanda Richards, June 23, 2006	This was due to a sadistic teacher who forced him to run a cross-country course, resulting in a near death experience, during which he encountered the unlikely duo of Sneezer and Mister Monday	Sneezer	neutral	0
This is probably the grittiest of the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan stories and one of the best. Carol goes undercover in Europe to catch an international criminal and both she and Tony nearly lose their lives as a result. They both begin to acknowledge their feelings for each other but before it can go very far, events take over and in some ways, they end up even farther apart than they were before. This is not a story for the squeamish. There is quite a bit of brutal reality and a rape too terrible to even think about, but Val McDermid has created characters and a story that I just couldn't put down. It left me anxious to read the next book in the series	This is not a story for the squeamish	squeamish	negative	0
Garth Nix built a story like no other. Using the old theme of parallel universes and kingdoms he transformed a normal 13 year old boy into a hero that holds the primary key to the universe. Using the seven deadly sins, the seven days of the week and seven different values, we are taken into a House where everything came from. Arthur Penhaligon and Suzy Blue are two amazing characters, Arthur: a normal boy, asthmatic, not too confident about himself, intelligent and thoughtful. Suzy: a young girl, sensitive, impulsive, strong and brave. Both make the story seem real and really adventurous. There are other great secondary characters as well, Monday's Noon: the bad guy, loyal servant, strong and fierce. Monday's Dusk: A dark character, a rebel, helps Arthur through some complicated stuff. And finally, Mister Monday and The Will. Overall the story is amazing, Garth Nix is really an incredibly imaginative author and everything he writes is always a great story. I'd recommend this book to any fantasy fan or any fan of a really good story. Also read: Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday, Sir Thursday and Lady Friday	Garth Nix built a story like no other	story	positive	0
Though not a fan of fantasy, I do read it occasionally to keep up on what my students are reading. The richly imagined descriptions in this series made it one that I enjoyed reading. An asthmatic seventh grade boy, Arthur Penhaligan, is the hero for this seven book fantasy. Handicapped and with the odds always against him, he does not give up trying to do what's right. A rich stew of surreal Alice in Wonderland-type imagery and characters, elements reminiscent of myths, an alternate universe, endless hair's breadth escapes, grisly horror, and mystery, Keys to the Kingdom never lags. However, this series is not just a vividly imagined movie in print for a happy reader to follow. Keys to the Kingdom is a thinking kid's fantasy. If one pays close enough attention, answers to the great questions of the origins of our world and our human natures might come close to being answered. Well-liked by both boys and girls in my middle school classes, this series is favored by boys; and though written at a seventh grade reading level, is also well-liked by high school boys into about tenth grade. The interest level is rated at grade five through eight. Both the complexity of the plot and the at times nightmare-like imagery may keep this from being a book for fifth grade and under, unless a child in these years is looking to be challenged and a little frightened. The series starts with Mister Monday and moves through each day of the week: Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday, Sir Thursday, Lady Friday, Superior Saturday, and the eagerly awaited and yet un-named Sunday episode. Gaby Chapman	The interest level is rated at grade five through eight	grade five through eight	positive	0
I really enjoy Michael Marshall Smith's writing style, and heartily recommend one of his earlier novels, THE STRAW MEN. But THE INTRUDERS is pretty much a middling effort, at least when it comes to the plot. The first half of this novel is certainly well written, but the plotline is disjointed and makes little sense. Smith keeps on shifting perspectives and deliberately keeps the reader off-balance. While some readers may enjoy this type of storytelling, I prefer novels with straightforward narratives. Smith tries to tie everything together toward the end, but his "explanation" is so silly and contrived that I felt cheated. In the end, I felt the whole story was pointless. THE INTRUDERS is further weakened by the lack of a truly likable character. While all the characters are intelligent, most of them are dour and anti-social. There are also too many characters to keep track of, and some of them are just stereotypical (the world-weary hit man for example). Still, Smith is a terrific writer of prose, one of the best out there in genre fiction. There are many passages in thsi novel that I re-read because I was struck by their cleverness and insight. I recommend THE INTRUDERS if you enjoy good writing, but if you want a great story, you should try THE STRAW MEN instead	THE INTRUDERS is further weakened by the lack of a truly likable character	character	negative	0
Class Trip was an alright book; the author is pretty talented, except it wasn't too hard or complex to follow, which usually forms the best kind of mystery. The killer was only mildly surprising, and so was how the killer would get caught. But it's still a fine read, so go ahead and check it out. :)	The killer was only mildly surprising, and so was how the killer would get caught	killer	neutral	0
In this first book in the series, Keys to the Kingdom, we find Aurther Penhaligon, a seventh grader who recently moved to a new and strange home. Of, course, it doesn't seem strange to him- at first. Aurther has heavy asthma, which places him in the hospital quite often. One Monday morining, Aurther is in Gym in his new shcool, and has an asthma attck on the run they were on. During this attack, A strange man named Mister Monday comes, and is tricked into giving Aurther a minute hand shaped "key"- which is what they called it. As soon as Aurther holds this key, he finds that he can breathe, and he doesn't die the death that he was meant to die. But with this key comes strange creatures from another dimension who pursue the key, and though he doesn't know why, Aurther knows that he shouldn't give it to them{they work for Mister Monday- who wants the key back}. These creatures, called Fetchers bring a terrible disease called the "Sleepy Pluage", which after afew symtoms like having a cold, puts the infected people to sleep- literally- they fall asleep, and can't be woken up! Aurther is particually sensitive to this outbreak beacuse he is adopted{his birth parents died in a flu outbreak when he was a baby}. He couldn't bear to have more loved ones lost to a disease outbreak. Then, Aurther notices a strange house that only he can see. He has a feeling that the answer to curing the sick people is to go in there. But what he finds when he does is a another world, calle the House, which was created by the Great Architect- the creator of all things. This aerchitect left long ago, but left a will to be followed through- BUT IT WAS NOT!!! The will was broken in seven fragments, and scattered through time and space. Now the first and least fragment of the Will has escaped, and it is helping Aurther. It says that he is the rightfull heir to the kingdom{the House} but all Aurther wants is a cure to the Sleepy Plauge. The Will tells Aurther that to find this cure, he has to defeat Mister Monday, using the Minute Hand key, and claim Mondays half of the key {the Hour Hand}which will then bind with the Minute Hand to become the first and least Key to the Kingdom. Aurther, Suzy Blue{a friend he makes on the way} and the Will now will go through many treacherous tasks to defeat Monday- the Will so that Aurther can claim the key, therefore the first part of the Will is done, Aurther to find a cure to thing strange plauge, and Suzy to help them all. I thought that this book was amazing, had great detail, and was imaginative in every way. Garth Nix did a great job, and I can't wait to read Grim Tuesday, the next book in the Keys to the Kingdom series!	One Monday morining, Aurther is in Gym in his new shcool, and has an asthma attck on the run they were on	asthma attck	neutral	0
The story of Angela and Diabola all begins when Mrs. Cuthertston-Jones gives birth to twins with completly different personalities, one of the twins was born an angel and was named Angela where as her twin sister was born a devil and was named Diabola. Their parents knew they had to find a way to make Angela and Diabola be part good and part bad. After a while Mr. and Mrs. Cuthertson-Jones figured out that Angela and Diabola can only balance by being around each other. As the twins get older they start to balance. Just when things are getting way out of control Angela and Diabola start to balance themselves. I really liked this book because it was interesting and always kept me entertained. I also liked this book because it is funny and it's not too long	The story of Angela and Diabola all begins when Mrs	Angela and Diabola	neutral	0
Val McDermid continues her 'Hill and Jordan' series with an entertaining story that combines a dangerous undercover assignment with an investigation of a serial killer, each of which leaves Tony and Carol on the verge of death!. McDermid does a pretty good job of integrating the two subplots, and her use of German and Dutch settings makes for a change from her usual 'real English locations with fictional names' approach. The two policewomen, Petra and Marijke, are among the most interesting characters, and their personal and professional relationship adds some color to the story. As for the 'bad guys', the smuggler Tadeusz and his crony Krazic, are suitably creepy, although the scenes featuring just the two of them are a bit slow. 'Tadzio' has more chemistry with Carol. The 'serial killer' subplot is not quite as riveting as it might have been, relying on the coincidence of Tony knowing one of the victims. McDermid relies a bit too much on coincidental/convenient plot developments late in the book; as other reviewers have mentioned, the bad guys find out what Tony and Carol are really up to purely by chance, due to a careless mistake that neither Tony or Carol would otherwise make. Likewise, when both Tony and Carol are captured separately, both are left tied up, but only one is gagged, and that omision serves purely to advance the plot from a seemingly impossible situation). The ending is satisfying for the most part, although it would have been nice to have a final scene with Petra and Marijke, since it's not likely McDermid will use them again. Despite the amount of 'suspension of disbelief' required in the final chapters, this is still a worthwhile entry in the series	McDermid does a pretty good job of integrating the two subplots, and her use of German and Dutch settings makes for a change from her usual 'real English locations with fictional names' approach	McDermid	positive	0
Like many career-minded young women my age, I have no immediate plans to marry, and I would certainly read thuis book a second time if I were ever going to. We can yap all we want about the importance of committment and love in modern day marriage, but the fact remains that Marriage, as an institution, can be a degrading, wasteful, and downright evil thing. I think a lot of women get married nowadays because it is quite simply the thing to do. A book like this would enable them to make a rational decision in that regard!!	Like many career-minded young women my age, I have no immediate plans to marry, and I would certainly read thuis book a second time if I were ever going to	young women	negative	0
When Guzzler Gummidge wishes on an old lamp, he becomes invisible. At first he is very excited, but he's less pleased when he discovers that he might have to stay invisible forever. The story is read by Harry Enfield	When Guzzler Gummidge wishes on an old lamp, he becomes invisible	Guzzler Gummidge	neutral	0
Mr. Monday is interesting enough but to really enjoy you have to continue the series. I love Garth Nix's books but I did find Mr. Monday a little less interesting than the rest of his books. I finished the book and didn't really feel inclined to start the next one but when I did I couldn't stop reading. I went from book to book until I finished Lady Friday which had just been released that week. I spent the full $17 at Borders because I couldn't wait for the paper back or for the cheaper version to ship from amazon. The reason Mr. Monday is kinda of slow compared to the others in the series is because it is setting up the series and characters. It's a lot of information that informs and confuses at the same time. Like most of Nix's book series if you don't read the entire series you don't get all the questions answered. My advice to those interested in this series is A) read further after finishing this book and B) For those of you who prefer to ready fantasy that is based in this reality but has a twist to it (like Vampires, Werewolves, Harry Potter, etc. ) then stay away from this series because it beyond your imagination	I love Garth Nix's books but I did find Mr	Garth Nix	positive	0
Mister Monday by Garth Nix is one of the best books I have ever read. It's a story of a middle school aged kid named Arthur. He's pretty normal except for his dad use to be in a rock band and his mom is one of the most famous doctors in the world. One day while in gym class he has an asthma attack and passes out while people are running to get help a man in a wheel chair and another odd looking man appear. The man in the wheel chair gives Arthur a key, and they disappear again, while holding the key Arthur can breathe perfectly fine. After spending a couple days in the hospital he finds a notebook in his jacket pocket when he held the key and opened the book he sees a drawing of a house that nobody else can see. When he goes the house and touches the key to the wall a black door appears he walks in it and goes to another world. The whole book is about him saving this world because an evil man named mister Monday has unleashed pieces of a will this should be trapped up forever. In the end Arthur defeats Mister Monday and saves the lower house, but there are more days of the week to be stopped. I thought this was a great book it had non-stop action. On of the greatest scenes of action is when Arthur and Mister Monday are fighting, the descriptiveness was so vivid I thought I was watching them the whole time. Another scene is when Arthur is being chased by creatures called Nithlings, he is saved by a friend and it explains really well how Arthur quickly climbed a rope and threw tiles at the creatures. Another cool part of the story is how he described the landscapes that were in the book. He would quickly and efficiently describe every place they went, not like some stories where the spend pages describing one little thing. Like when Arthur first got to the House, as everyone called the world he went to, the author quickly described where he appeared but I could vividly see it in my head. Or when Arthur first went in to Mister Monday's dayroom to fight him, thought there wasn't much to it, I knew exactly what it looked like so as the said where they were I understood it like it was my own home. Finally how everyone changed over the story, the characters in this story changed a lot in through the story. First of all Arthur who changed from assort of goofy asthmatic kid who couldn't run or fight in to a great hero. Suzy, one of Arthur's allies through out the story, changed from working at a crappy job to helping save the world. Mister Monday changed from a ruler of many to be a pathetic man grobbling for his life in front of Arthur. So all in all this was a great book I would recommend it to anyone. Even though it's a little long it can be read quickly because of how interesting it is. So my recommendation is to anyone who likes to amazed. S. Bricker	On of the greatest scenes of action is when Arthur and Mister Monday are fighting, the descriptiveness was so vivid I thought I was watching them the whole time	Arthur	neutral	3
With apologies to anyone who is reading this as a duplicative review, I am going to review all four of Val McDermid's Dr. Tony Hill/Carol Jordan novels in one place and copy the reviews individually. I've now read seven of McDermid's books. She's not a great writer but she's a fabulous storyteller and her Tony Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries are the best of the bunch. The first two books aren't written terribly well, but the writing gets better as the series goes on. You may know these characters from the BBC series "Wire in the Blood" starring Robson Green. As an aside, while I generally find film and television adaptations to be far less satisfying than the source material on which they are based, the BBC series is really an exception. While the books have some detail that doesn't make it to the t. v. series, the television program really brings the characters to life and improves on the writing while staying true to the novels, although only the fourth book's plot actually made it to the screen. As noted by some other reviewers, these books are not for the squeamish. McDermid doesn't pull any punches in writing about vicious psychopaths who commit sex crimes and the books may well be disturbing to many. The second book in particular (more below) actually gave me nightmares. McDermid, however, really gets into the heads of her twisted antagonists and she seems to have done a tremendous amount of research. Most importantly, both Dr. Hill, a clinical psychologist who consults with the police as a profiler, and Carol Jordan, the police officer with whom he works most closely, always feel like real people with investigative abilities and compassion that are easy to admire and foibles that are easy to relate to. They have serious difficulties in forging personal relationships which makes their relationship all the more poignant. Each book focuses on two stories -- a main investigation involving a psychopath and a secondary case that is generally no less compelling, while also following the relationship that develops between the two protagonists. If you've never read any of the books in this series, I would recommend taking them in order. The fourth book is the best, the third the worst, but it's worth reading them in order for the character development (although you could easily skip the third). If you really think you only want to read one, or aren't sure and don't care about spolers, just go straight to the last one. Some people who have read the entire series have found the fourth book repetitive, but it's the one that really works on all levels. Overall, the series gets 4 stars, but here are my individual assessments:. SPOILER FREE REVIEWS. 1. The Mermaids Singing - 4 stars. The first of the series is really the only one that delves in any great detail into the personal lives of Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, who come together to investigate the brutal torture and slayings of four men in northern England. McDermid's Tony Hill/Carol Jordan books all deal with issues of sexual identity, but this one does is particularly focused on that as the police suspect a gay man of killing heterosexual men. McDermid shares the thoughts of the killer as well as those of Dr. Hill, who relates all too well to the motivations of the subjects he is asked to profile. The writing in this book is kind of clunky, but the insights of the author into how and why someone sets out to cause maximum pain and humiliation still make it a riveting, if disturbing, read. 2. The Wire in the Blood -- 4 stars. In this second book in the series, teenaged girls are being abducted and brutally raped and tortured to death. We are introduced to an extremely smooth and charismatic character, Jacko Vance, a television celebrity and former star athlete, that Dr. Hill and Carol Jordan called upon to investigate. This is the hardest of the series to read, probably because the killer's victims are all extremely young, naive and female, with no chance whatsoever of fighting back. This book deals with charisma and celebrity as well as sexual deviance and although the writing is still somewhat awkward, it's generally a more compelling novel than the Mermaids Singing. 3. The Last Temptation -- 3 stars. This is the weakest book in the series. On the plus side, McDermid decides to branch out from northern England and take the reader into continental Europe, particularly Germany, where Carol Jordan has gone as an undercover operative to investigate a drug dealer/slave trader. Tony Hill is also in Europe, helping the police solve a series of murders in which psychologists are the victims. McDermid brings to light some of the darker deeds of the Nazis that are generally not known and discussed and for this she should be commended. The writing also starts to improve with this book and the secondary protagonists, two female, European police officers who develop a long-term relationship with each other, are the best of any of the books. There are some serious problems with the novel, however, that make it the weakest of the bunch. First of all, in the other books McDermid is writing about the North of England, which she clearly knows like the back of her hand. The locale in the other books is really the third character after Tony Hill and Carol Jordan. The European locations never quite come to life in the same way. But the biggest problem with The Last Temptation is that McDermid tries too hard to force a particular ending. In order to get where she wants to go, she has to have Carol Jordan do something completely out of character and, frankly, she doesn't do a good job of convincing us of the reason. The whole book feels a bit contrived. Kudos to McDermid for trying something different instead of just writing variations on a theme, but the theme is one she does really well and this effort is a bit disappointing. 4. The Torment of Others -- 5 stars. There's a reason this is the only story that got used in the BBC series. By this point, McDermid had started to write really well, and she'd really gotten the hang of tying the two story lines together. In the main story, someone is killing prostitutes with the m. o. used by a man currently in an insane asylum. How does the killer know exactly what the prior murderer did? The mystery is more satisfying than that of the prior novels and the sub-plot, involving kidnapped boys, also intrigues. There's not much to learn at this point about Dr. Hill, but while the third book didn't entirely work, the aftereffects of that novel's events on Carol Jordan are all too real and bring the characters' relationship to a new level. If books on criminal profiling and psychological forensics are your thing, you'll probably really enjoy McDermid's work. If someone has recommended her writing to you and the Dr. Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries sound like they are too gruesome, check out the Grave Tattoo, which is a neat, little literary mystery	She's not a great writer but she's a fabulous storyteller and her Tony Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries are the best of the bunch	writer	negative	0
I read this book because it was on my reading list and because my mom had read it when she was in school. I really liked this book and I read it all in one night. This book had some mature subject matter that young kids should not read. For the most part, I thought this book was good and I especially enjoyed Maggie and Dennis	I really liked this book and I read it all in one night	book	positive	0
Though not a fan of fantasy, I do read it occasionally to keep up on what my students are reading. The richly imagined descriptions in this series made it one that I enjoyed reading. An asthmatic seventh grade boy, Arthur Penhaligan, is the hero for this seven book fantasy. Handicapped and with the odds always against him, he does not give up trying to do what's right. A rich stew of surreal Alice in Wonderland-type imagery and characters, elements reminiscent of myths, an alternate universe, endless hair's breadth escapes, grisly horror, and mystery, Keys to the Kingdom never lags. However, this series is not just a vividly imagined movie in print for a happy reader to follow. Keys to the Kingdom is a thinking kid's fantasy. If one pays close enough attention, answers to the great questions of the origins of our world and our human natures might come close to being answered. Well-liked by both boys and girls in my middle school classes, this series is favored by boys; and though written at a seventh grade reading level, is also well-liked by high school boys into about tenth grade. The interest level is rated at grade five through eight. Both the complexity of the plot and the at times nightmare-like imagery may keep this from being a book for fifth grade and under, unless a child in these years is looking to be challenged and a little frightened. The series starts with Mister Monday and moves through each day of the week: Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday, Sir Thursday, Lady Friday, Superior Saturday, and the eagerly awaited and yet un-named Sunday episode. Gaby Chapman	An asthmatic seventh grade boy, Arthur Penhaligan, is the hero for this seven book fantasy	Arthur Penhaligan	neutral	0
Based on historical fact, WINSTON'S WAR is a solid and absorbing fictional rendition of the leadership struggle between Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill between October 1, 1938 and May 10, 1940. As the book opens, Chamberlain has returned to 10 Downing Street a public hero after the signing of the Munich Agreement between himself and Adolf Hitler which gave the latter the Sudetenland in return for "peace in our time". Meanwhile, relegated to the periphery of British politics and virtually an outcast, Churchill obstinately lashes out against appeasement and loudly proclaims the necessity for total war to save democracy from the depredations of the Nazis. What subsequently follows is history: the German subjugation of the rest of Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland, the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, the Phony War, the Soviet invasion of Finland, the British military's Norwegian fiasco, and the crisis in His Majasty's government in May 1940 that ultimately elevated Winston to the premiership. The cast of characters in this sweeping story by Michael Dobbs of political maneuvering, skullduggery, and backstabbing is an historical Who's Who of the times: the ailing, haughty, and pacifist Chamberlain, who personifies England's bitter memories of the Great War and the popular concept of "never again"; the ambitious and self-absorbed Churchill, whose pugnacity sometimes clouds prudence; the defeatist, philandering, and anti-Semitic U. S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James, Joseph P. Kennedy; the alcoholic, disillusioned and psychologically tortured idealist, Guy Burgess (of Burgess, Philby, and Maclean of Cold War infamy); the stuttering King George VI, who whines that the German invasion of Poland interrupted his grouse hunting; and the Machiavellian newspaper mogul, William "Max" Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook. It's in the minor details with which Dobbs fleshes out the story of Chamberlain's fall and the rise of his nemesis, Churchill, to an epic 685 paper-backed pages (UK HarperCollins edition). And it's the length of WINSTON'S WAR that is, perhaps, a minor flaw. Some of the subplots seemed unnecessary, and should have been severely cropped by a ruthless editor: the love affair between the crippled WWI survivor "Mac" McFadden, barber to the politically great and one of Guy's information sources, and Carol, a housemaid and part-time prostitute; and between Bournemouth postmistress Sue Graham and Army Sergeant Jerry White - though the experiences of the latter did usefully tie the Norway debacle into the storyline on a personal level. Slightly more relevant, but still mildly tedious, was the dysfunctional relationship between Brendan Bracken, Churchill's closest confidant, and Kennedy's niece, Anna Fitzgerald. Perhaps Dobbs perceived a need to include Carol, Sue and Anna to make it less of a Guy Read. Chamberlain was toppled not because he sought to appease Hitler and avert a cataclysm, but because he didn't have the mettle to wage all-out war when the necessity for it was thrust upon him. That was to prove to be Winston's genius. The author's genius is in portraying the labyrinthine venality of Whitehall and Fleet Street powerbroking at a time when solidarity against a rapacious common enemy was desperately necessary. WINSTON'S WAR is the first in a series of novels about Churchill's wartime leadership. According to the back cover, the next book is apparently NEVER SURRENDER. I shall seek out and buy it immediately	And it's the length of WINSTON'S WAR that is, perhaps, a minor flaw	length	negative	0
Thi book is great. It is about twins. Angela is sweet and caring and kind. Diabola is the devil. Lynne Reid Banks did a great job on it. It is a great idea and the details are really funny. It is a little violent though. I suggest this book should be read by 7 years olds and up. It really isn't confusing though. This book shows the struggle of a family that has been blessed and been punished. Angela is mature and comforts her parents. Diabola hates everyone and is mean. But no matter what Angela loves Diabola, even when Diabola trys to kill her. When Angela is near Diabola, she can't do anything wrong. Angela got all the goodness and Diabola got all the badness. Each person is good and bad. But these girls aren't. Diabola is a terror and the only person that can stop her is Angela. The story is sad. but it is also impossible to put down. Itis one ofmy favorite books. For some reason I think Angela needed badness more then Diabola needed goodness. Diabola hates her sister and is getting to be very powerful. But so is Angela. I hate not being able to say all the details but I don't want to ruin the book for you. so whats stoping you. get the book today. if you don't read this book then you will never read a book that has sadness, badness, goodnes, and lotsof other things, all mixed together	Diabola is a terror and the only person that can stop her is Angela	Diabola	negative	6
In her book A History of the Wife, Marilyn Yalom traces the history and changing roles women have had in marriage from early history through the women's liberation movement. The Meaning of Wife picks up where that excellent book ends. It is clear from the cover of this book (a woman's left hand, flipping off the reader-with a perfectly manicured and wedding band-clad ring finger) that this is a book for a generation of women who are both used to confrontation and longing for tradition. It is this dichotomy in their lives that fuels the book. As women are working outside the home more, demanding more equitable treatment, and becoming market forces, they are also struggling to define what being a wife actually means to them. Kingston examines that many facets of wifeliness that seem to prevail: helpmeet, virgin, Cinderella (equally entranced by the wedding dress as she is of scented toilet bowl cleaner), victim of abuse, shrew, spinster (or unwife), or supporting actress. The main struggle for women now isn't whether or not to get married. Kingston is no Steinem and doesn't suggest that a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle (though she is unmarried). She acknowledges that women want to be wives and mothers. The problem is that they don't have role models. They have seen their mothers struggle to get out of the kitchen and are in no great rush to get back into it. Their icons growing up on TV were single women, Superwomen who could do it all by themselves. Popular culture, in the form of advertising, movies, books, news media, and television, is the most common source of clues to how women seek to describe themselves. Their icons now are very different. They see the brides, the yearning for marriage and a fairy tale wedding. Kingston excels and describing the marketing behind this notion (and I love that this industry now has an insidious name: the wedding industrial complex). But once the marriage happens, there are a few very different ideas of what a married woman is. They see the happy homemaker. Though most have absolutely no desire to be homemakers, they still feel the pressure to have a well-kept home. A certain amount of bliss is marketed along with cleaning products. Or they are seen as the victim of love-the battered wife (an excellent chapter on the presentation of domestic abuse is given, including how it both infantilizes women and takes them back to Victorian times when women were seen to only follow their wombs, rather than brains, in decision making). The main theme of this book is that there is not and cannot be one script for how to be a wife, just as there is no one role for husband. This is a well-written, researched, and balanced look at what marriage means now, not just wife. It isn't a reactionary or staunchly second-wave feminist look at marriage; Kingston respects marriage and the desire to be married. Excellent to read alongside A History of the Wife, The Mommy Myth: The Idealization of Motherhood and How It Has Undermined All Womenand Selling Anxiety: How the News Media Scare Women	The main theme of this book is that there is not and cannot be one script for how to be a wife, just as there is no one role for husband	husband	negative	0
MISTER MONDAY is the first in a new series by Garth Nix, author of THE SEVENTH TOWER. Well paces and written for it's intended audience, younger readers, it weaves a spell binding story of reluctant heroes and less than evil villains. The young protagonist; Arthur Penhaligon, is chosen by the Will (the last instructions from the Great Architect, read God, before she takes off to places unknown,) to be the heir of the Keys to the Kingdom, to be the master of the House and the known universe. Problem is he's in the seventh grade and doesn't want to rule the world, all he wants to do is save his family and friends from a plague let lose by the same forces who don't want him to succeed, principally Mr. Monday, one of the seven trusties entrusted with the Will while GA is off gallivanting about. Although a lot of the characters, ok most of the characters, are rather bizarre the one that stands out in this sea of strangeness is Arthur. Throughout the story Arthur, even though given one of the keys to the universe, remains little more than a boy, a seventh grade boy. No superhero, no genius, just a boy who's forced to do something he really doesn't want to do. Written slightly below the level of the Harry Potter books this series should still capture the attention and imagination of young readers attracted to these types of stories. I found it to be a fun and enchanting read, maybe a little tame, but then I'm somewhat older than the target audience. I would certainly RECOMMEND this book to all the young readers out there, and even a few of the older ones	I would certainly RECOMMEND this book to all the young readers out there, and even a few of the older ones	young readers	positive	1