Review of The Swimming Pool Library by Alan Hollinghurst

The Swimming Pool Library is mostly driven by its characters and their relationships with one another, and the narrator, Will, in particular.  I was immediately charmed by Will, despite the fact that he was selfish, narcissistic, and a deadbeat, and I am a sucker for any character that I find charismatic.  His commentary on his world of hedonism is humorous. I think it takes skill on the writer's part to endear readers to a character with such deplorable traits.  It's fun to explore imperfection in humanity. I can also relate more to flawed characters, so it's easier for me to root for them.  Will's friend James points out some of these unattractive characteristics, and pokes fun at Will for them, which makes him an engaging character as well.  Both Will and James are gay and have an intimate friendship, but neither one is truly romantically or sexually interested in the other, which I found fascinating.  There is sexual tension between them which is made evident by their teasing repertoire with one another, yet there seems to be a divide between them that prevents romantic feelings from blossoming.  Charles Nantwich is another intriguing character.  He remains a mystery throughout the novel, and provides the reader with constant questions about his motives and past.  Thus, he makes the story readable. However, some of these questions are not fully explained, which is frustrating.  The several humorous incidents and conversations that occur in the novel also contribute to The Swimming Pool Library's readability.  Some  involve Will and the guys he picks up, and there is a funny conversation between Will and his very young nephew about homosexuality. 

Despite my enjoyment of the novel, I was bothered by inconsistencies in the treatment of the gay man.  A puzzling, problematic issue in the novel is that though Hollinghurst celebrates homosexuality throughout the book, he also condemns the gay experience as being grimy and superficial. Will chooses his partners based exclusively on their physical appearance, and his copulations with them are usually as devoid of romance as skid marks on the driveway.  He also refuses to commit to a monogamous relationship.  Furthermore, Hollinghurst vindicates Will's practice as being part of the normal gay lifestyle, which suggests that most gay men do not have healthy, romantic monogamous relationships, which I'm sure is false. 

The mystery, humor, and charismatic characters in The Swimming Pool Library make me anxious to read more of Hollinghurst's work. 

Rating: B

Review of Marked by P.C. and Kristin Cast

Marked is a bit different from other vampire books that I've been getting into lately in that it gives a biological explanation for the creation of vampires rather than a supernatural one. Zoey, the teenage protagonist, is naturally selected to become a vampire when another vampire "marks" her as one. Her body must then adapt to the vampire genetics that are somehow instilled in her upon her marking. The teenagers who are not able to adjust to being a vampire die. (Correct me if this is wrong, but this is as much as I understood about it.) Thus, the Casts employ Darwin in this novel, which is intriguing. Even more interesting is the fact that though the book is sort of scientific, there is plenty of the supernatural mixed in with it. The students at the House of Night, the vampire school that Zoey attends after she is instilled with vampire blood, engage in pagan rituals and worship a goddess named Nix.
Marked is mainly a story of survival, and learning to rise to your destiny. Zoey must compete with another vampire girl named Aphrodite for survival and acceptance at the House of Night. Aphrodite, though she is the antagonist of the story, is simply fighting for her own survival against Zoey much in the same way, though she uses cruelty and fear as weapons while Zoey uses her friends which she earns through compassion and kindness. Thus, Zoey represents the noble morals that the story is advocating.
Marked is one of the most moral vampire stories that I have read. Zoey is always in the right, unlike other fictional vampires who struggle with right and wrong. Though, she does struggle with the new blood lust that she develops upon becoming a vampire. Zoey also is forced to deal with discovering her identity, and whether she should side with the wicked Aphrodite and her cronies, the Daughters of the Dark, or to be loyal to her dorky friends who oppose their tyranny.
Because of its morality and theme of discovering identity, Marked is great for middle school and high school readers. The novel also has a correct message about sex and alchohol consumption for teenagers that is touched upon in a way that does not alienate them. Rather than lecturing teenagers on the dangers of sex and booze, the book simply gives reasons why they are not as glamorous or cool as they seem.
Despite the fact that Marked reaches out to teenagers in this way, they may feel distanced from the book because the dialogue condescends to them. The speech of the teenage characters is written in a way that makes them seem intellectually inferior to adults, which is problematic.
The ending of Marked trapped me in the House of Night series' spell, and I will definitely be back for more.
Rating: B