Review: Why We Broke Up

First of all, I need to preface this by saying that I really love Daniel Handler's writing style. It's one of the best most fluid things I've ever experienced. He leads you into a character's thoughts and actions with this wonderful almost stream-of-consciousness style of verbs and adjectives and nouns that is absolutely a pleasure. You get glimpses of it in A Series of Unfortunate Events, when the narrator will go on a bit of a tangent, but in Why We Broke Up it is the main method of exposition. And I love it. And if you don't love it and can't get over it, then you should go away because there's nothing I can do for you here.


I wish I had read this book when I was still a teenager. It is really the perfect coming of age story, and more than that, it is a perfect story of a person discovering herself, which is something people can and should be doing at any age. To talk about any specific parts would almost be giving it away; besides, it all flows so beautifully, why would you want to spoil it? I will say this: the way the main character Min handles herself, she is accessible to anyone at any age. Of course, the scenarios and experiences she has are relevant to anyone who ever went to high school or fell in love or was abandoned or abandoned someone else. If you haven't done any of those things ever you should probably reassess your life or get off the internet or something. Anyway, Min is a wonderful mix of insightful and foolish and her diatribes and discussions are really enjoyable. You know how the story ends when it begins, but the way you're drawn through it is an incredible testament to strong characterization, writing style and conceit. 


Each "chapter" starts with an illustration by Maira Kalman of an object in Min's box of things that she kept during her relationship with Ed. And Min chronicles each object and its part in the tale of why they broke up. Instead of being vignette-ish, these objects work chronologically to paint a complete picture of a relationship gone sour in ways that are both predictable and heart-wrenching. We all make mistakes, and often, we make the same mistake: the mistake of not being able to see what's right in front of us and eventually discovering it. Sometimes the thing we missed works to our detriment, and sometimes to our benefit, and that is part of what Why We Broke Up was about. 


I also really would like to leave quotes from this book all over this review because they're so good. But I don't want to spoil anything (like I said) and pulling things out seems wrong. You need the whole flow to get the power of the emotion behind it, so I'll give you this one instead: "Chestnuts in stuffing tastes like someone chewed up a tree branch and then French-kissed it into your mouth." This is true and not a spoiler. Everyone should be warned.


Read Why We Broke Up. Really really do. You should check it out at your local library. Or come to my local library and check it out from me. I'm returning my copy today, so you can have it then. And then we can talk more about it once you've read the end.

XOX

Reading next: This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel (I couldn't help it. I sat at the circ desk at the library for at least 45 minutes reminding myself that I had told my brother I would read World War Z so we could talk about it, but the cover of this book is so appealing, and guys I seriously judge books by their covers... It enticed me, and now I'm here reading a book about teenage Victor Frankenstein instead of one about our apparently inevitable zombie doom. Oh well.)

Today Was Weird

Guys, I just have some stuff to get off my chest. It's all ridiculous. Ready?

• At the gas station, I got to watch an underage girl smoke a cigarette while she was pumping gas. Girl, you are an idiot. Straight up, no lie. There is nothing cool about being stupid enough to get yourself blown up. All your friends at high school aren't gonna be like, "Man, it's such a bummer that Shelby died. At least she died looking cool, smoking by the gas pump." They're going to be like, "Man, what a fucking idiot Shelby was. Bummer about her blowing up the cheapest gas station in the county." There should be a law. Against stupid teenage girls. 
• I cannot CANNOT remember my Apple I.D. password. Ever. I've changed it every time I've logged in in the past 5 months. I don't know why it wont save my password, and maybe this slight inconvenience is the iTunes store's way of getting back at me for using the Amazon mp3 store, but it is slowly driving me crazy. 
• I got off Facebook. I didn't realize how much I used it until I stopped using it and now... I'm just dicking around on the internet wishing I could find out who's going to be bringing their kids to our 5 year high school reunion. Because, as it turns out, that's what Facebook is best for. I reconnected with more people in my leaving Facebook than I really did when I had it. But spying on people I've done much less of. I may have to invest in a telescope and become unduly interested in my neighbors. 
• The Avengers
  Starring: Everyone
  
  Really fantastic. I can't say anything more than that because then I'll end up giving you a play by play of the whole film because I loved every second of it. I went to a prescreening last Wednesday, and at one point during the film I thought to myself, "Wow, I can't wait to see this again." Really, if you liked any of the previous Marvel movies (maybe not Spiderman... did people like Spiderman? He is my least favorite superheroes so my opinion is very biased) you're almost guaranteed to like this one. Acting is on point, the script is good, the action is great, overall, just a really enjoyable movie. When you go, don't forget to stay after the credits... and then after the next set of credits as well. I've seen it twice now, and it only gets better with a second viewing. It has tied for first in my mental list of "Best Action Adventure Film" with Raiders of the Lost Ark. For anyone who has never heard me talk about it: I LOVE Raiders of the Lost Ark. The Avengers, ladies and gentlemen:

From: http://gingerhaze.tumblr.com/
All actual lines from the movie. Also, if you like amusing art, this comic and others like it are all done by a lovely lady named Noelle.  Go to her tumblr. While there, make sure you also look at Broship of the Ring. It is incredibly incredibly good. 

Movie Reviews and Life News As Seen Through A Haze of Cold Medicine

At home, sick with the sniffles. Thus, not too too much to report except all the lunatic ravings that develop in your head as you cocoon yourself in fluffy blankets, tea-drunkeness and tissues. Instead, how about a movie review:

A Dangerous Method

Starring: Michael Fassbender('s moustache), Viggo Mortensen('s cigar) and Kiera Knightley('s jaw)

Interesting but not engaging. The acting was solid and the story was interesting, but I've always had a problem getting behind something where I actually hate every character. Even the characters who are being wronged are sort of generally unlikable due to their inability to see that the are obviously about to be wronged. The movie just ends up being a sort of "who's the most petty psychoanalyst?" contest, which, while perhaps historically accurate, isn't the most engaging topic for a film. In case you're interested, I think Freud wins; he was a huge dick (and I'm sure he's have worlds to say about that phrasing.) If you're interested in psychology, Kiera Knightley getting spanked or horrible people being horrible to each other, this is the movie for you. Otherwise, I don't think I'd recommend it. (Oh, by the way, I watched this at a friend's house, and he was kind enough to note when you first see Kiera Knightley's boobs- 1 hour and 13 minutes in. However, he also said that said boobs were not enough reason to watch the movie. So, there's the masculine opinion.)

Oo! How about another? Just remembered that I also went and saw The Pirates! Band of Misfits this weekend. This one featured the vocal stylings of Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, David Tennant, Salma Hayek and tons of other talented actors. And it was very good. It was done by Aardman animations, and their absurdly lovable humor is potent here. It was a very fun hour and a half and I would highly recommend this to anyone. Particularly though if you have a love of claymation, redemption stories, or have ever thought that Queen Victoria might have been a bit off. Also, a fantastic soundtrack, which I will say no more about here, but you should really go see it. And -another bonus- no obnoxious psychoanalysts!

Also, I said I was going to blog about things, and so here I am blogging along without mentioning something that is pretty important to me: I just got a job as a librarian. This is something that I think I might really want to do, and I am beyond thrilled to get an opportunity to try it. Hopefully I will be admirable at it and will grow up to be a sexy librarian, a sassy librarian and then a sweet old librarian (as this is what I assume the life-cycle of a librarian is.)

There is other stuff that I could say but I'm a bit grumpy due to the whole strange gravelly sound my vocal cords are now appropriating. Guys, I thought we sounded good before. There's a reason I've never taken up smoking, okay? Self prescribed antidote: more tea. Surely this will help.

Other things that I'm doing today: reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett, posting stuff on a friend's Etsy site for her, sleeping. Oh man, I am gonna sleep so good. We'll talk about Good Omens once I've finished it. 

XOX

Quick Hits on Some Absolutely Fabulous Things!

No time for travel lately (and with a jaunt to Venice just around the corner I have no money to travel, even if I did have time); however, I have managed to immerse myself in a few things that I need to recommend to everyone who stumbles across these lonely little posts. Ready? Here we go:

1. "The Art of Video Games" exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (Category: Sort-of travel): This exhibit at the Smithsonian was a lot of fun. It was very interesting to get a glimpse at games that have defined and redefined video gaming and art. The exhibit isn't very big; there are only 3 rooms, one of them is specifically set aside for game play (only 5 games are available to play, in no particular order: PacMan, Super Mario Brothers, The Secret of Monkey Island, Myst and Flower.) There are plenty of interesting videos with interviews from designers and creators, and there are plenty of soundbites about individual games themselves. I'm not sure they form the most cohesive exhibit I've ever seen, but if it's a topic you're interested in there is probably enough information to satiate you. Is it worth a trip all on its own? Maybe not. It just isn't big enough to be its own day trip. If you're game (aha ha!) though, and headed to the city, or looking for an excuse to get out to a museum, it will certainly do. It leaves DC and heads on the road in September. For more info, click here:  http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/games/
   
2. Sherlock (Category: Television Show): Dear Lord in Heaven. There is no end to the good things I could say about this show. If you haven't seen it and enjoy fantastic writing, great acting or a wonderful mystery, then you are missing out. Set in modern times, this Sherlock Holmes retelling is practically perfect in every way. It has just enough inventiveness to stand out and allow its actors and creators plenty of room to play, while still pulling enough material from its source to please even the most voracious Conan Doyle fans. Steven Moffat (of Doctor Who fame) and Mark Gatiss (author of the Lucifer Box series) write and co-create like a dream, somehow managing to make every episode harrowing and heartfelt. I could gush all night about this show, and if it becomes clear to me that no one reads this blog, one day I may do an episode by episode review of it to satiate my own need to watch and rewatch this show. You can watch the first season on Netflix Instant Watch. The second season has already aired in the UK, and begins airing on your local PBS station in May in Masterpiece Mystery.
   
3. Johannes Cabal: The Fear Institute (Category: Novel): This novel is third in what will hopefully be an extensive series by author Jonathan L. Howard. If you haven't read the first two, you should (Johannes Cabal The Necromancer, and Johannes Cabal The Detective, respectively); however, you'll be able to manage this one just fine if you haven't. You do need a sense of humor and an appreciation for the macabre; once you have that, you'll be ready to go. This third foray into fiction with our eponymous antihero is steeped in the lore of H.P. Lovecraft, and it comes out all the more delightful because of it. Having not read much (hardly any, though it is on my list) Lovecraft I still felt perfectly at ease in the world Howard creates/borrows. While the plot twists and turns, it's easily graspable and by far one of the most fun I've had reading in quite awhile. Though surly and sarcastic Herr Cabal is, it doesn't take long to realize that there is no better guide to the Dreamlands, and no one you'd rather have take you. You'll have to order this one from the UK though because (as of this writing) there hasn't been a US publish date set yet. It is entirely worth the extra $3.00 shipping. 

Well, that is it my darling darlings. I have to pop off to bed now, as I will be up late late tomorrow for the midnight showing of The Hunger Games. Expect a review to follow, and then that will most likely be it until I am en route to Venice. So good night all, and enjoy!

With all my love. XOX