Books: A Visit from the Goon Squad, Just Kids, Remains of the Day, State of Wonder

Having won the Pulitzer Prize earlier this year, I'd been curious about this book for a while. Then, just as I was about to pick it up, I had several friends tell me how disappointed they'd been with it. I think, as a result, I lowered my expectations quite a bit, and ended up enjoying it much more than I expected to.

While I didn't love any of the characters--most of them are deeply flawed--Egan's writing style was impeccable. I was truly impressed with the intricate way she wove the stories together and jumped around in time and locales. Her sentences are often poetic, and her observations astute.

The book is more interwoven short stories than novel, and the characters are hard to relate to. However, it's a quick read, and one I think that's worth picking up.

I have to admit that when I picked this up, I didn't know much about Patti Smith. My dad had given me a copy of her album "Land" a few years ago, and she just sounded so angry and harsh, that I don't think I ever listened to the album the entire way through.

Reading this made me want to revisit the album. I never realized quite how much an emphasis Smith put on words; the lyrics always came first.

While at times her lifestyle is a bit too out there for me, I found her story compelling and ultimately a really satisfying read. I'd recommend this if you're interested in reading more about the Chelsea Hotel and beat generation poets of New York in the 1960s and 70s.

Just Kids won the Pulitzer in 2010.

I loved Never Let Me Go. So, when my book club suggested reading The Remains of the Day, I thought the writing style might be similarly enjoyable. While The Remains of the Day is also incredibly well-written, the story and the writing style could not me more different. Kazuo Ishiguro's pacing in this novel is quite slow, but it's done in a very smart way.

The narrator, a British butler who worked in a grand house during WWII, is not necessarily likable, but he is interesting. And, as the story progresses, the reader discovers he's not necessarily reliable either. But this is the genius of the book.

I loved Bel Canto, so when a friend told me that State of Wonder was the best book she'd read all summer, I immediately went out and bought a copy. I wasn't disappointed. Ann Patchett's writing is lyrical, and the story is complex and interesting. While I didn't walk away feeling happy at the end, I felt that reading this novel was time really well spent. I'd highly recommend it.