Teaser Tuesday: Dracula

Teaser Tuesday is a wonderful meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.  All you have to do is provide two teaser sentences from your current read, avoid spoilers and include the title and author.  I am currently reading Dracula by Bram Stoker.  I am loving this book!  Can't wait to get to the end and post review.  For now:

"Ah, well, poor girl, there is peace for her at last. It is the end!"
He turned to me and said with grave solemnity:-
"Not so! alas! not so.  It is only the beginning!"        p156

Mini Review "Siren" by Tara Moss

Okay Tara Moss is a Canadian-Australian author and former model.  She writes thrillers featuring the very beautiful Makkede Vanderwall who is a Canadian-Australian former model, psychologist and private investigator.  I have read one other of this series "Split" several years ago.

The writing itself is good.  I mean this is not fancy literary fare by any means but Moss's style is clear, smooth and enjoyable to read.  The plot however is ridiculously over the top.  I know I know, what did I expect?  Well I guess I expected something a bit less far fetched.   But hey these Tara Moss books are big sellers and they are fun.

If you like your thrillers with a seriously kick-ass and gorgeous heroine, who can escape from all sorts of improbable scenarios; dark and dramatic settings such as the redlight district of  Paris; odd characters such as an incestuous cabaret troupe and a giant, disfigured,  tortured-soul  assassin who trails around after Mak for most of the book, then this one might be for you.

As a last word I couldn't help but compare Mak to one of my all time favourite literary characters, Sue Grafton's female PI Kinsey Millhone.  If you like the private investigator crime genre, you really must check out the Alphabet Series by Sue Grafton.

Book Blogger Hop

It is Friday again!  And time for the Book Blogger Hop which is hosted by Jennifer over at Crazy For Books.    Her question this week to help with the get to know you stuff is:

What is your favourite beverage while reading or blogging?

For me being Friday and all, I have to say I am sitting here with a glass of red wine, and enjoying it thoroughly :)

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and Happy Reading!  I want to make a bigger dent in Dracula this weekend, and it is pouring with rain here so I am hopeful I will :)

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a fun meme hosted by MizB over at Should be Reading.  All you have to do is choose two random teaser sentences from your current read.  Be sure to include the name of the book and author so others know what you are reading.

This week mine comes from Siren by Tara Moss.  Sure Tara Moss is a bit of a departure for me.  What can I say, it is a bit of a guilty pleasure :)

His eyes seemed to burn intensely as he spoke.  They were bloodshot, vulnerable, huge.  Her eyes passed over his lips as they trembled slightly.  At this display of vulnerability she felt some part of her let go.    p. 100

The Death of Bunny Munro by Nick Cave

The Death of Bunny Munro by Australian musician, songwriter, screenwriter and novelist Nick Cave is not for the faint hearted or the easily offended.  I have not included a picture of the unusual book cover because it is somewhat risque.  Have I piqued your interest yet?

The story is about Bunny Munro, a door to door salesman in Brighton England and an absolute womanising bastard.  I have to tell you Bunny is a very well drawn and memorable character.  Off the top of my head the only character I have read this year which was more memorable was Colm Toibin's portrayal of Henry James in "The Master".

Bunny's life is unravelling fast.  He is becoming unhinged.  His usual coping mechanisms aren't working anymore and after his wife commits suicide, largely caused by his own appalling behaviour, he is left to care for his young son, Bunny Junior.  The story is like watching a train wreck in slow motion, and is just about as exhausting.  Everything is catching up with him and he has no where to run.  The narrative is very well written.  The pace does not let up and only increases as Bunny's efforts to hold on become more and more frenzied.  There is a real masculine energy to the flow of the story that strikes me as unusual in literary fiction.  I think the tone of Patrick Suskind's Perfume comes close.  The story is visceral and tragic.  There is a scene towards the end of the book between the three generations of Munro males: Bunny, Bunny Junior and Bunny's decrepit and spiteful father.  It is about as tragic and poignant a scene as I can imagine and will stay with me for some time.

Another theme that is given full rein is guilt.  Earlier this year I read Bliss by  Australian author Peter Carey.  Bliss also focuses on the theme of male guilt but while Bliss starts with the train wreck and moves to some sort of redemption, the tale of Bunny spins from denial to ruin.  The story, which again will not be to everyone's taste, is masterfully put together.  There is not a wasted word.  It is darkly funny at times, and very human at others.  Ultimately for me The Death of Bunny Munro is a modern tragedy, and a very convincing one.  I found it fascinating.