Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

This book takes its readers to the beginnings of the Great War, reimagined in a world where the Central powers (here, Clankers) use mechanical technologies and the Allies (Darwinists) use genetically engineered animals. The perspective is centered around two youthful protagonists who have to learn the politics of the war very quickly if they want to survive in its changing landscapes. This book is no place to learn WWI history, but its engaging perspectives on genetic modification, industrialization, gender, and politics make it a thought-provoking and enjoyable read. I can't wait till the sequel comes out in October!

Traitor by Matthew Stover

This book focuses entirely on Jacen Solo, who, contrary to his twin sister Jaina's intuitions, has not yet been killed by the Yuuzhan Vong. Instead he's a captive of the Vong and Vergere--and they seem to be working at cross purposes. In this book Jacen spends a lot of time thinking about the nature of the Force and the nature of the threat the Yuuzhan Vong pose to the galaxy. I really enjoyed these parts. During the last third, Ganner Rhysode appears in an amusing but ultimately somewhat out-of-place manner. Despite the lack of all movie characters, I thought this entry was a refreshing relief to space battle after space battle.

Shakespeare's Champion by Charlaine Harris

This mystery starts with Lily Bard discovering a body at the local gym, but quickly becomes more complicated and nefarious. Racial tensions have been spiraling through the small, Southern town where Lily lives, and she finds herself drawn into an activist role. While this book is not the most probing assessment of race in the modern US that I've seen, I appreciated Ms. Harris's willingness to delve into complicated problems. The murder mystery ticked right along as well.

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

In this book John Irving explores coincidence and events that can motivate religious faith. I found the story really beautiful and moving. I think the narrator's responses to Vietnam and especially to the Iran-Contra crisis fell a little bit flat. I really loved the character of Owen Meany, who kept surprising me, even at the very end.

Proceed with Caution, When Engaged by Minority Writing in the Americas by Doris Sommer

This book explores gaps and lacunae in various American texts. Sommer makes a case for reading difficulties in the text as signs of particularity that should be respected instead of as something to be deconstructed and then pushed right over. Rather than the modernist difficulties that showed the reader that his or her work was valuable, these difficulties mark moments when readers ought to realize their status as outsiders. Sommer gives a number of different types of gaps and not telling. I thought her most effective chapters were on Beloved and translation and court cases. I would have liked a conclusion that tied things together more effectively in the end, but in some senses, that might be a lacuna of its own necessary to this text.

The Moon and Sixpence by W. Somerset Maugham

In this book Maugham presents a fictionalized account of painter Paul Gauguin's life. I was intrigued by the narrator, who hovers just alongside the edge of the story. He's definitely a character, but I was never quite able to bring him fully into focus. I think this book came out on the misogynistic side (although not as bad as D.H. Lawrence)--the women, and most especially Mrs. Strickland, are seen as only capable of loving and not of having lives and interests outside of their husbands (Mrs. Strickland does start a business to support herself, but she doesn't seem to take any pride or interest in it). I was also interested in the book's view of art. It wasn't really interested in ekphrasis or trying to recreate paintings but it was interested in reproducing critical evaluations (who was a good painter) and a little about why those painters might be good. All the artists (and even the critics) in the book are men. For all these complaints, it was an enjoyable and quick read.

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

I received this book from the Barnes and Noble First Look program. Discussion hasn't finished yet, so I'll post my review behind a cut.