Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Shopgirl

Steve Martin is known as a top-notch comedic actor. He worked on Saturday Night Live, starred in Father of the Bride, and penned the novella Shopgirl. Martin can act. He can also write -- expertly.

Shopgirl centers on the romantic relationships of one Mirabelle Buttersfield. Mirabelle is reserved and refined. She spends her hours standing behind the glove counter at Neiman's in Los Angeles, creating works of art, and parading about with a Mr. Ray Porter, a wealthy older gentleman who romances her on accident. But Shopgirl is far from a romance. It's a fictional (possibly autobiographical) story about people and their maturation.

Martin's characters are likeable, lovable in fact. Mirabelle is alluring and sexy, even though the reader never sees her. Ray Porter is seductive and exciting. And then there's Jeremy, Mirabelle's first tryst of the novella. He's naive and charming, albeit idiotic at times. But they all have their flaws. Mirabelle is unambitious and stiff. Ray is heartless. But these flaws make Martin's characters more human and extremely relatable. They are not flat or perfect (as a majority of characters from recent decades are).

But it's not just the cast that draws the reader in. It's also the writing. Martin is witty, creating clever turns of phrase and machinations. His descriptions are works of art, painting beautiful scenes in the mind. It's a delightful romp that lasts only 130 pages. Perfect for a couple-hour-long flight, train ride or car ride.

And during those 130 pages, Martin's characters develop better than in much longer, more verbose novels. The growths are not forced or contrived. They feel real and right. They make sense. Readers can easily infer the characters' developing because it is so natural.

Comical yet touching, joyous yet heartbreaking, Martin's Shopgirl is a wonderful, quick read.

This book goes on the shelf.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Stieg Larsson's crime thriller, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, has received what seems to be nothing but praise. It reached the "acclaimed" number one spot on the New York Times Bestsellers List. I'm so tired of that marketing gimmick.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is not a life-changing novel. It's not the greatest crime thriller. It's nothing more than an enjoyable read and a commentary about violent crimes against women in Sweden.

There isn't much thrill in Dragon Tattoo until about halfway through. Much of the first half is buildup, back story. Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist convicted of libel, is hired by Swedish economic powerhouse Henrik Vanger to investigate the 40-year-old case involving the disappearance of Henrik's then-16-year-old niece Harriet. He spends the first half of the book working on the other part of his contract: a chronicle of the expansive Vanger family.

On the sidelines, we meet Lisbeth Salander, a social outcast decked in tattoos and piercings. She's a hacking prodigy, putting her natural talents to use at Milton Security. Hired to perform a background check on Blomkvist, Salander eventually becomes involved in the Harriet investigation.

It's at this point that the book takes a decidedly dark turn. The duo uncovers decades-old grisly murders of women throughout Sweden that seem to be connected to the final diary entry of Harriet Vanger. After that, it's connection after connection, a confrontation, confusion, and then finally clarification and comprehension. The mystery seems to be solved and ended so quickly, that it ends up being rather unsatisfying in a way.

While there are some foibles in Larsson's characters, he is a master at making the reader fall for them. I found Mikael Blomkvist inspiring and Lisbeth Salander enticing. When sparks started flying between the two, I was rightly pleased.

In the end, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is slow then fast then slow, hard to get into at first then hard to put down, boring then thrilling then interest-fading. It's unfortunately inconsistent at holding my attention. It might have better luck with you, but for me, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was a solid but unsatisfying thriller. I still plan on reading the next one as I've become quite invested in the life of Lisbeth Salander.

This book goes back to the library.