Tag Archives: book-reviews

A Farewell to Arms

19 Sunday Apr 2026

Posted by in Reading, Realism

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A Farewell to Arms – Ernest Hemingway
1929 355pgs. ( ~ 73,000 words)  Realism

A Farewell to Arms is a classic by Ernest Hemingway, inspired by his experience as an ambulance driver for the Italian Red Cross in World War One and his real-life love affair with Agnes von Kurowsky, a Red Cross nurse.

Frederick Henry, an American serving in the Italian Army as a Lieutenant and director of ambulance drivers, is injured during an attack and taken to a hospital. While recovering, he falls in love with a British nurse. He returns to the front line to continue his duty, and when the Italian army retreats in 1917, he is captured by battle police and escapes. He reunites with Catherine and the two flee to Switzerland to escape the Italian army.

This is considered one of Hemingway’s classics and was his first bestseller — yet I cannot figure out why. The dialogue is sometimes difficult to follow. As Frederick collaborates with his Italian medics and doctors, much of the chatter feels disjointed. Perhaps that’s the appeal — that the confusion mirrors the experience of war itself. I also encountered, for the first time, sentences loaded with far more commas than I thought were allowed, and I often felt that Hemingway was describing things in way too much detail. That said, the overall story is easy to follow.

The way it ends is almost melodramatic. The final section follows Frederick and Catherine — who is pregnant with their child — as they wait in Switzerland for the birth. As the birth unfolds, you can feel what is coming. It’s almost as if Hemingway wrote the ending as a man whose inspiration had died, given that Agnes chose to marry someone else instead of him.

Would I recommend this book? It is not a horrible book, but it never gripped me enough to keep coming back to it. I actually read another book alongside it over two weeks before finally sitting down and finishing it in two hours just to have it done. I would recommend reading it in one or two sittings if you can. I’ve been told that For Whom the Bell Tolls is the best Hemingway — and I have already added that to my reading list.

Enjoy a cup of coffee and a good book!

Lopaka

The Only Woman in the Room

19 Sunday Apr 2026

Posted by in Fiction, History, Reading

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The Only Woman in the Room – Marie Benedict
 2019 / 272 pgs. ( ~ 76,000 words) Historical Fiction

The Only Woman in the Room is a work of historical fiction centered on Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler, better known as Hedy Lamarr — a Jewish actress. It concentrates on her years married at 18 to an Austrian arms dealer and the wealthiest man in Austria at the time, Fritz Mandl. Her husband was abusive and obsessive, using Hedy’s fame and beauty to his advantage when hosting high-ranking officials. Eventually, as the Germans take over Austria, Hitler comes to her home and Hedy overhears details of the Final Solution. The story ends with Hedy escaping her abusive husband and fleeing to America, where she launches her acting career and invents frequency hopping.

I wish I could tell you there is more depth to the book, yet there is not. It reads like a biography, yet it is historical fiction. There is no real complexity to the narration. Even with the story of Hedy’s abusive marriage to Fritz Mandl, there is not enough to make you truly feel for her — you simply cannot form an emotional attachment to the story. It feels like you are reading a broad outline, and the vital, gritty details were never filled in. It is a very easy read and you can get through it in a few hours. After reading the book for three days, I finished it in one sitting of about two hours, mostly just to move on to the next book.

Would I recommend this book? No. I was interested in reading about Hedy Lamarr, but this book feels very empty — like too much is missing to give it a satisfying narrative. The worst part is that the book just ends with no satisfying conclusion. On my coffee scale, this lands at 2 cups — and honestly, I was being generous. It’s a light, easy read with not much to think about along the way.

Enjoy a good cup of coffee and good book!

Lopaka

The Count of Monte Cristo

19 Sunday Apr 2026

Posted by in Adventure, Classic, Reading

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The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
1846 / 1,596 pgs. ( ~ 464,000 words) Adventure/Classic

The Count of Monte Cristo is an epic novel, and I’m not just referring to the vast size of this book. At its core, it is a book about a prison break and vengeance for the wrongdoing done to the main character. That is so simplified — where the story is amazing is the characters themselves that allow the building of the story. The size of the novel does tempt even some seasoned readers, yet I can say that the story is easy to follow. Sometimes the challenge is trying to figure out who is who, as some characters get titles that change their name versus what it was at the start of the novel. However, never in the entire time while reading the book did I ask how much longer I have in the novel. Every chapter felt like a story that leaves you wanting more. In fact, if you understand that this book was serialized, then you can understand why it’s written the way it is.

From start to finish, I was asking just how is this going to end! What amazed me was that the prison break is so early in the book — I was thinking, what are we about to embark on for the next 1,200+ pages that are left? It didn’t disappoint either! It does take a long time for the story to build to the revenge section. Also, after the prison break, there is a large section that takes place from another character’s view where you wonder why are we reading about this, and that’s when you realize that all the other characters are now the main players and the Count is the character that comes into play when needed. That anticipation was gnawing at me the whole time I read it. I was looking forward to each revenge plot and how it was going to play out.

As each plot builds and we see the effects of his revenge, it’s sweeter than the last. Although, for the first time in a long time, I read a scene that stood my hair on end — I was floored and started to cry. The visual was amazing! To date, this was one of the most amazing lines I’ve read that sent chills down my spine:

“‘Héloïse! Héloïse!” he said, “what is the matter? Speak!” The young woman extended her stiff white hand toward him. “It is done, sir!” she said, with a rattling which seemed to tear her throat. “What more do you want?” and she fell full length on the floor.” – The Count of Monte Cristo

The image after this made me cry and even scream something that I don’t want to ruin for the dear reader.

Would I recommend this book? YES! I couldn’t put this book down. It is amazing. I haven’t read a book this gripping since I read Stephen King’s IT.

Enjoy a cup of coffee and a good book!

Lopaka

Note: After I finished this novel, I did a little research — I would recommend not doing that before reading. I’m sure I would have viewed the book differently had I known this information beforehand. Also, some say this is not the best book by Alexandre Dumas, and that The Three Musketeers is better. I’ve already added that to my future reading list!

The Forever War

05 Friday Dec 2025

Posted by in Reading, Sci Fi

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The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
1977 / 285 pgs. (95,716 words) Si-Fi Classic

In Joe Haldeman’s classic science fiction novel, The Forever War, we meet William Mandella, a physics student whose advanced education gets him conscripted into the United Nations Expeditionary Force (UNEF). After grueling basic training on Earth, he is sent to Charon, a desolate planetoid beyond Pluto, where the training proves lethal for several recruits. From there, Mandella is thrown into a brutal, centuries-long war against a mysterious alien race known as the Taurans.

Mandella and his fellow soldiers travel between star systems using “collapsars,” which allow their ships to cross light-years in an instant. However, this instantaneous travel comes with a staggering cost due to time dilation. While Mandella ages only a few months or years on a mission, centuries fly by on Earth. He becomes a stranger to the very world he’s fighting to protect, which changes beyond recognition with each return.

More Than Just a Sci-Fi Story

At its heart, The Forever War is a profound exploration of the psychological horrors of combat. Haldeman unflinchingly portrays the trauma of losing limbs, the pain of losing loved ones, and the deep alienation of a soldier returning home.

The novel is a powerful allegory for the Vietnam War experience, channeling Haldeman’s own experiences as a veteran into a futuristic setting. The feelings of displacement, the struggle to adapt to a society that has moved on without you, and even the paradoxical desire to return to the simplicity of war will resonate deeply with many readers, especially veterans.

Final Thoughts

Would I recommend it? Absolutely.

The Forever War is a book that deeply impacted me. I was completely engrossed in Mandella’s story, eager to see how his seemingly endless journey would conclude. It’s a masterful commentary on the futility of war and the enduring humanity of those forced to fight it.

Grab a cup of coffee and dive into this unforgettable classic. You won’t be disappointed.

Lopaka

Misery

04 Thursday Jul 2024

Posted by in Horror, Psychological, Reading, Thriller

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Misery by Stephen King
1987 / 454 pgs. (110,565 words) Psychological-Horror-Thriller

Misery, a classic by Mr. King. It grips you from the start and does not let go. Paul Sheldon, author of the Misery Chastain novels wakes up from a confused and drugged out haze. As he gathers his wits and surroundings, he feels agonizing pain from his hips and below. He meets his savior, Mrs. Annie Wilkes, not only a former nurse, but also his number-one fan. Also, he realizes that he is not in a hospital being cared for by trained professionals but held against his will at Annie’s house. However, with two shattered legs, he is not going to be leaving anytime soon.

Annie loves the Misery books and really does not care for Pauls other works. As he has heard and read from other fans, please, just write those wonderful Misery books –signed, your number-one fan. His latest manuscript was in the car that Annie pulled him from. She reads it and finds it horrible, his worst writing ever. She did mention that she was waiting for the latest Misery book, Misery’s Child, to be released in paperback. What she does not know yet is Paul killed Misery. He despises Misery Chastain, as he feels he can write a lot more than just romance novels that swoon all of his fans. Once Annie has Misery’s Child in hand and devours it, she is terribly upset, and blames Paul for murdering Misery.

With the help of a BBQ pit, Annie demands Paul to burn his latest manuscript, the horrible book called Fast Cars. Once that is complete, she brings him an old Royal typewriter and has him author a book just for her, the greatest novel he has ever written, Misery’s Return! That, dear readers, is the first fifty pages of this masterpiece, for it only gets worse for Paul, much worse as he drafts the only book that will keep him alive.

Annie Wilkes, I believe is one of Mr. Kings greatest antagonist. She is one of the most polarizing characters because you are not sure what she will do at any given moment. This effectively makes the narrative an on-the-edge of your seat experience. The conclusion is incredibly satisfying with frightening consequences.

This novel, I felt, was a narration of frustration from Mr. King as he feels like Paul in various interactions with fans that have played out over the years. Considering, Mr., King received backlash from fans after the release of Eyes of the Dragon. Many fans just demanded him to continue writing horror books. I would imagine it was the same feeling that Tom Clancy received when Red Storm Rising was published, which was not a Jack Ryan novel, and readers demanded another Ryan book. I could imagine many authors reading this novel and stating, “that is how I feel”. Geroge R. R. Martin faces this all the time with his fans demanding for the author to sit a write Winds of Winter and do nothing else until it is complete.

Would I recommend this book, oh yeah! It is a great read and did not disappoint.

Enjoy a good cup of coffee and a delightful book!
Lopaka