Book 10: Final score
There are only six days remaining to complete this month's book selection in a timely manner. If you've already finished, share your final rating. If you're like me, find some time and get crackin'. If you've read it long ago, you'll need to search in those dusty boxes in the back of your mind to recall your thoughts on the book. Whatever your situation - let's wrap it up. Give us the score:
***** = This was one of the best books I've ever read.
**** = It was a great book, I'd definitely recommend it.
*** = It was pretty good.
** = There were some parts that were OK, but overall not great.
* = Not great. At all.
0 = Didn't quite get around to this one.
Last thing - did anyone find a good Gewurztraminer for this month's pairing? It may be too late to go with this month's book, but it's never too late to have the name of a good wine.
***** = This was one of the best books I've ever read.
**** = It was a great book, I'd definitely recommend it.
*** = It was pretty good.
** = There were some parts that were OK, but overall not great.
* = Not great. At all.
0 = Didn't quite get around to this one.
Last thing - did anyone find a good Gewurztraminer for this month's pairing? It may be too late to go with this month's book, but it's never too late to have the name of a good wine.
****
I really liked this book. It was so well-written and I found the story really engaging.
Most poignant moment for me? The scene where Ashoke and Gogol are walking to the edge of the rocks along the sea. I sobbed.
My only complaint -- and it isn't really a complaint about the book per se -- but Max and her waspy Manhattan family really worked my last nerve after a while. I found their oh-so-perfect gourmet life really annoying. That being said, I know those people exist, so I guess it's a testament to the writing that she was able to paint such a vividly irritating portrait of them.
Anyway, I was fully drawn into the world that Jhumpa Lahiri created and polished off the book pretty quickly because I didn't want to put it down.
Oh, and I saw the movie on Saturday night. It was pretty good -- the house in the movie was just about how I pictured it in my head while I was reading the book. But, I wasn't sure how the movie hangs together for someone who hasn't read the book...it seemed to me that (as usual when a book becomes a movie) they tried to cram a lot of story into a little time. And the guy who played Gogol (the same actor from Harold and Kumar, btw) was okay, but not great.
Sorry, this isn't Box of Wine Movie Club...
I liked this book! What's next? Reading is fun!
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****
I thought this was a great book. Very well written and easy to read, provided that you can read through the tears. I am quite certain that my husband, Monte, was going to make me stop reading at one point because I was literally sobbing. Since I finished the book a few weeks ago (mostly because I didn't even get out to buy the February selection and didn't want to be a book club flunky again), I cannot remember precisely what made me so sad. It definitely had to do with the death of Gogol's father.
I haven't had a chance to taste a Gewurztraminer this month (and now know that I should go immediately from the book store to the wine store), but thought I would suggest a Pinot Noir since that was the February pairing. Pinot Noir is actually my favorite "flavor" of red wine but until recently haven't had much luck finding a good bottle at a weekday price. Parker Station Pinot Noir it is. It is a really nice wine, and tastes much more expensive than the $13 or so price. If any of you have other suggestions, I'd love to hear about them!
Looking forward to the April book and wine selections!!
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Also 4 stars. I plowed right through this one it was so good. Like Meghan, I also liked the scene at the seashore, as well as the scene where little Gogol wanted to keep his name in kindergarten. And like Meghan, I could have done without all the beautiful people at the end of the book.
I thought Ashoke and Ashima were better developed characters than even Gogol himself. I could have read a book about them, with Gogol being more peripheral.
I found this book so absorbing that I found myself saying stupid things to my husband like: "If we were both second generation immigrants, and our parents wanted us to marry, would you be the kind of person who would want to marry me or would you be more interested in shaking off your culture and marrying some American girl?" I believe he just rolled his eyes.
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****
I liked the pace of this book and the soft voice in which it was written. The writing created strong visuals of the characters, their homes and the places they visited. I thought the author did a terrific job returning to the naming theme and it's impact on characters. I'd recommend it to friends (if y'all hadn't read it already).
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