A Book A Week

Dr. Kate Philo is on an arctic expedition to discover frozen lifeforms. She works for a team of scientists who study cell reanimation. Basically, they have the technology to bring small frozen lifeforms, mostly krill, back to life. As with all science, the process is not full proof. In fact, the creatures come to life for only a short period of time before dying again for good. But the young doctor is optimistic at the promises of the project. So much so that she gave up her university position, which she really loved, to take on the expedition full time. One day the team, sailing under the banner of the Carthage Institute, comes across an unusual find. They come upon a giant "candidate berg" that has the largest carbon signature ever recorded. As they begin digging into the berg, they expect to find some sort of sea creature like a seal. But as the divers dig deeper into the ice, they see something poking out that they never expected to find . . . a human hand.

To say journalist Daniel Dixon is ambitious would be an understatement. He has spent his career searching for that one high-profile story to propel him to the top of his field. It is no wonder then that he agreed to be the sole journalist to cover the Carthage Institute. He has seen the reanimation of krill with his own eyes, and was aboard the ship when the team, led by the beautiful Dr. Kate Philo, discovered the frozen remains of a human man. Now the leader of the institute, Dr. Erastus Carthage, has called upon Dixon to be the sole reporter, as the institute, recently renamed the Lazarus Project, attempts to reanimate their largest subject to date. But Daniel Dixon has an ulterior motive. Yes, being the sole reporter for the historic attempt to bring a man back to life will bring his writing international exposure, but Daniel believes there is more to the story than meets the eye. In fact, he is certain that the Lazarus Project is nothing more that an elaborate hoax, meant to bring fortune and political power to its founder.

Dr. Erastus Carthage is not a nice man. As the head of his privately funded institute and as the leading scientist on cell reanimation, he has become accustom to getting his way, no matter what. With the discovery of a frozen human, he prepares himself for the windfall that is sure to come when he brings the man back to life. But he knows this will not be easy. The project has it's fair share of detractors. Many protest the project, claiming that God and only God has the power to revive human life. Carthage is certain of his science and the powerful possibilities that reanimation of human life could present. He is aware of the various thoughts for and against his work and will stop at nothing to see his work through.

In The Curiosity, author Stephen P. Kiernan masterfully blends science, morality, and romance into a stunning novel. Each chapter is told from the perspective of either Dr. Kate Philo, Daniel Dixon, or Dr. Erastus Carthage, allowing the reader to delve deeper into the motivations of each character and their reactions to the actions of the others. Kiernan explores the issue of morality in science and the lengths that people are willing to go to fulfill their ambitions. Despite the exploration of some potentially controversial themes, Kiernan never pushes an agenda upon the reader, opting instead to let the characters and events speak for themselves.

The novel is hard to place within one genre, reading as a kind of cross between At The Mountains Of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft, Dan Brown's Deception Point, and Eowyn Ivey's Snow Child.  The novel presents a strong romantic thread to it's plot, about halfway through. Fortunately, Kiernan devotes as much effort to building a believable romance as he does in convincing us that reanimation could actually occur. In the end, The Curiosity is a masterful novel, equally entertaining and heartbreaking. It will force you to reevaluate some of your own beliefs while never leading you to a definitive answer. In the end, readers are sure to devour this thought provoking novel and still be thinking about it for weeks to come.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and GoodReads.

(2013: week 28, book 28)

Well, today marks the end of 2012. What a year it has been! When I started this blog as a way to hold myself accountable for reading one book each week, I never could imagine how much it would grow. A Book A Week has evolved from a simple review site to a community of readers. Thanks to everyone who has supported me, offered comments, criticisms, and recommendations. Without your help, this blog would fail to exist.

I'm sure that faithful followers of this site have noticed that I did not complete my goal of reading 52 books this year. Despite maintaining a strict reading schedule and managing my time, I was simply unable to fit 52 books into my year. A part of me is a bit disappointed by this, but I also am extremely proud of what I was able to accomplish this year. As some followers may know, I recently completed my final semester of school and now carry a music degree! As I'm sure you can imagine, the push towards graduation took a toll on my reading time. (Actually, I read a lot of textbooks, but I'm sure you wouldn't want to read my reviews of those!) Although I failed to reach my goal, I was able to read a staggering 47 books this year. For more details on how I achieved this feat, check out this article written in the Hartford Examiner where I describe my process.

Out of those 47 books, here are 5 of my favorite books of 2012 listed alphabetically:
Note: The selected books were not all published in 2012, rather, they are my favorite books that I read this year. 

Banned for Life by D.R. Haney

A kind of Outsiders for adults, Banned For Life is the coming of age story of an outcast punk rocker struggling to find his way in life. Haney writes with a real grit and clarity that is truly refreshing. With all the sex, drugs and rock and roll that a novel like this requires, Banned for Life perfectly captures all of the triumph and heartache of being an artist and growing up.

Read the full review
The Help by Kathryn Stockett


What more can be said about this novel. The commercial and critical hype surrounding this novel over the years was well deserved. The story of of maids and their bosses during civil rights era America captured the hearts of audiences with its witty prose and meaningful message. If you, like me, waited to read this novel, wait no more! You certainly won't be disappointed.

Read the full review

Facing the unimaginable grief that comes with the loss of a newborn child, married couple Jack and Mabel have moved to the rugged wilderness of 1920's Alaska. Upon their arrival, they realize that despite their best efforts to escape, grief has followed them to their new home, bringing even more troubles bare. Not the strong young man he once was, Jack struggles to keep up with the heavy labor of maintaining a farm. Left to the solitude of the cabin and a husband who can barely look her in the eye, Mabel has nothing to do but wallow in her loneliness.

But there is hope. Jack, who has to take several trips into town, befriends a local man who invites him and Mabel to have dinner with his wife and sons. Although Mabel would rather stay in the quiet of their cabin, she agrees to go to the dinner. After that evening, the couple leaves the neighbors place with their spirits slightly lifted. Upon their arrival home, a frivolous snowball fight ensues, culminating with the construction of a small snow child.

In the night, Jack awakes, startled to see that the snow child is gone. He sees small footprints leaving the site where the child stood, and as he looks out into the woods, he glimpses a young, fair-haired girl running through the trees. The next day, Jack attempts to keep what he saw to himself, but soon, Mabel notices the tracks as well. When she too sees the girl running amongst the trees, the couple is truly puzzled. Is this child the answer to their prayers, or simply the "cabin fever" effect of their grief?

This debut novel by author Eowyn Ivey is a modern day fairy tale filled with a powerful emotional presence. Ivey's simple portrayal of this grief stricken couple leaps off of the pages and stays with you for a long time. I really enjoyed the way that the setting/tone seemed to reflect the main character's emotions. The opening, when the couple is overcome with the grief of their lost child, is written in a way that I could almost feel the coolness of the landscape. This tale of love, loss, and moving forward combines the fantastic with the harsh realities of the world, providing an extremely satisfying read.

For more information, visit the authors website,
http://www.eowynivey.com/,  the book's preview,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSS0lK6Fy24&feature=player_embedded  http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11250053-the-snow-child and
http://www.amazon.com/review/RQL4M6NPE2Z7W/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=0316175676&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=