Nicolas Dickner's Nikolski is my 4th of the Canada Reads Books, and so far, my least favorite. The "About this book" section on the Randomhouse website says: "Intricately plotted and shimmering with originality, Nikolski charts the curious and unexpected courses of personal migration, and shows how they just might eventually lead us to home. "The description that continues there sounds like the makings of a GREAT book, but there was something missing for me. I didn't connect with any of the characters and honestly wasn't all that interested in finding out what would happen.
I did like the idea of Noah's mother traveling cross-country in a station wagon and trailer, well, more like cross-prairie. I was fascinated by the way they tried to keep in touch by "guessing" where to send letters and postcards-although that would NEVER work for me!! Even if I could imagine myself living out of my car with no plans ahead of me, I would still want to arrange a more structured way to keep in touch!!
I think I may have read through this one too fast, because it feels like there was something missing in this story.
It's been 16 days since I said I was going to start the Canada Reads Challenge-I think 4 books in 16 days is a record for me! I'm waiting for #5 (The Jade Peony) to come in at the library (it's been "In Transit" for a few days). In the meantime I have a book club meeting next week so I need to start reading that book!
So my blogger friends, what book(s) are you reading? Any suggestions for me?
I'm impressed with your Canada Reads books and you have inspired me to put some of them on my reading list!!
ReplyDeleteMy list so far:
- Digital Fortress (Dan Brown)
- Good to a Fault (Marina Endicott)
- Generation X (Douglas Coupland)
- Still Alice (Lisa Genova)
- Water for Elephants: A novel (Sara Gruen)
- Short history of tractors in Ukranian (Marina Lewcyka)
- Have a Little Faith: True story (Mitch Albom)
- My stroke of Insight (Jill Taylor)
- Book of Negroes (Lawrence Hill)
:)
I'm still reading Shadow of the Wind. I took it on a 2 week holiday to Puerto Plata but couldn't finish it because I'd fall asleep in the loung chair, which is partly what holidays are about don't you think? I really like the book though and can hardly wait to keep my eyes open until the end.
ReplyDeleteI just finished Century, by Ray Smith, which is part of a parallel Canada Reads thing called Canada Reads: Independently, and it was one of the finest books I've ever read, period. I can't recommend it highly enough.
ReplyDeleteMichael Helm's In the Place of Last Things is also one of the most remarkable Canadian books I've come across, and it may now be my favourite novel of all time.
Alishia- A short history of tractors in Ukranian (Marina Lewcyka) sounds intriguing...I'll definitely be looking into that one!
ReplyDeleteMom-glad you're back!
August- I've been seeing a lot of this Canada reads independently-I'll have to check it out, and thanks for the recommendation!!
I just clicked over from Roughin' it in the Books. I agree that something was missing, I think it was because none of the characters figured out how they were related.
ReplyDeleteMonica-thanks for clicking over! That's a good point-I wonder how it would have been if they had met.
ReplyDelete