Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
2009
B+

I have a deeply disturbing literary confession to make: I've never read Jane Austen's adored "Pride and Prejudice" but I have now read Mr. Grahame-Smith's treatment and feel wholly fulfilled from it.  I've skimmed through the copy I bought my wife last year for Christmas and much of the story remains in tact, even down to exact phrases and paragraphs, hence the co-author byline.  What Grahame-Smith has done is subtlely inserted the zombie element into a otherwise remarkable tale of the 5 Bennet sisters, Elizabeth being our central character, full of sass and dignity, here she is the most deadly warrior in all of Britain, having learned the deadly arts in China under her dear Master Liu.  I liked the book for taking the love stories in the original novel, full of angst and patience and invigorating them with brutal beheadings and blood soaked descriptions.  I have a feeling Grahame-Smith left alone all the vices which we know our main characters for, Elizabeth as being the most prideful of all her siblings, a little egotistical and cold, but with a warm interior now along with her new added bloodlust and penchant for killing anyone who dishonors the Bennet clan and ripping out their still beating heart and sinking her teeth in it.  Mr. Darcy is still the aloof millionaire, haughty, solemn and curiously devoted to Elizabeth despite their common arguments, except this time when she refuses his marriage proposal she does so by kicking him across the room, breaking a mantle piece.  I'm quite sure Jane is still a sweetheart, girl next door and Lydia a pompous cow you wouldn't mind beheading yourself and Wickham a liar and thief and so on. I won't ruin all the infusions the story provides but if you're a fan of the original and are completely open minded about your favorite novel married off to a horror book, by all means try this.  If you've never read the original masterpiece (as I haven't) this is a wonderful introduction to the sometimes "chick-esque" plot lines with grotesque zombies and senseless killing along with your long descriptions and outpouring heart inquiries.  You will come away with a great respect of Mrs. Austen's writing, her skill in dialogue is nearly unmatched in all I've read, but you'll also come away admiring Grahame-Smith's clever mind for creating and executing such a strange pairing of stories and pulling it off.

The Ice Storm
by Ricky Moody
1994
Grade: A-

This novel centers on the Hood family, Father Benjamin (mired in a deep pool of self pity and loathing, from being pushed out of his office job to his extra marital affair) to mother Elena (destined to repeat the uncomfortable and scarring childhood she had onto her own children) to son Paul (a horny college student who obsesses over the wrong girl too much, as well as smokes too much pot, jerks off to much and is comparing his life to the Fantastic Four) to daughter Wendy (defiant and sexually expressive even at 14, already knows she doesn't want to be like her mother.)

It's 1973 and the news and current events of the time are always in the background of the novel, a character is watching the news, hears the radio and provides an interesting timeline for the book as they are all trudging through their own strange and mostly lonely existence; all 4 search for some kind of companionship, whether in an affiar, a fling with a fellow student or the neighborhood boys, each feeling more desperate until connection is made, when fulfillment is more than they can handle.  Breaking down sexual barriers plays a heavy role in this book, as the 70's ushered in the era of free sex and it has even made it's way to New Caanan, hence the key party scene as well as Wendy and Paul's different encounters.  Family is more or less looked down on from all 4 of the central characters but used more as a landing cushion than a group of support.

The writing is extraordinarily intuitive, all 4 characters narrate their own bits and run the gammet of the human psyche, playing out fantasy events, remembering crucial disappointments and imagning different lives for themselves.  The book is funny in an awkward way as well because clearly you have 4 people who don't know how to put themselves out there in a normal every day way because of their upbringing, which makes some of the family settings and conversations strangely witty.

There is also a film version, which contains the same family dynamic that doesn't work and sadness but has omitted some of the more depraved scenes from the novel.  Moody actually comments on it in the footnotes, and seemed generally pleased with the film even though he tends to distrust Hollywood and preferred the written word better.
 

It's Superman!
Tom DeHaven
2005
Chronicle Books/ DC Comics
Grade: A-

  Hitler is just an asshole; not quite a dictator.  Saturday nights consist of staying home and listening to Don Ameche on the radio.  Scientification books are a big hit with the kids, and if you want to make time with a girl, you have to "pick her up at 8 and don't be late!"  If you're looking for epic battles with crazed super villains through epic Metropolis, this isn't your kind of yarn.  It ranges from the early 30's to the late 30's and leads you through multiple characters lives, namely that of our dull witted, shy and courteous farm boy reporter Clark Kent, the ambitious, ruthless alderman Lex Luthor, self absorbed photog wrongly accused Willi Berg and the take no guff, drinking, smoking, have a good time Lois Lane.  The characterization in this novel is superb and gets deep into the guts of some of comicdom's eldest and most revered personalities.  It's a unique retelling of the beginnings of who we know as Superman and his arch-rival and favorite gal pal.  But there's a lot more novel here than just that triumvirate of well established characters.  We get to see into the inner workings of early commerce, and blue collar crime, the ritualistic dating scene of young kids in that time, an "On the Road" type segment where instead of a bum holding you up for your blanket and money, the bum gets tossed out of the train after a bullet bounces off his supposed victim's teeth.  And there's a plethora of references to politics, government, literature, radio, Hollywood pictures, singers and recording artists and places all throughout the book for you history nuts.  This is a novel more for the avid reader, not so much the comic fan.  The written word is used eloquently here and elusively, with an almost real time feel, same scene played out from several different characters points of view at a single time.  There's a lot of really excellent prose and technique used here, and the humble beginnings of Clark's discovering of his powers is not so cinematic as you might get from a graphic novel or film, but it's still powerful.  And you will feel some nostalgia when you get to know Clark and Lois and feel much more akin to the original Richard Donner films than the stalwart acting from the new Bryan Singer picture.  This is one Superman tale I am really hoping sees a sequel.

- Jessie