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I enjoyed reading this fast-paced crime novel set in Hilo. Some of the plot points were a little outlandish (stalkers!), and Officer Lei Teixeira takes some risks unbefitting a law enforcement officer. As for pluses: She's got a very compelling backstory, and a terrific relationship...with her dog. (There's also a human romantic relationship that slowly develops, but I was more interested in the dog.)

It was fun to have some of the characters talk pidgin sometimes, and to have events take place in real-life locations around the island.

I very much enjoyed this book, which was a combination of a coming-of-age story, a crime drama, and a depiction of Native American tribal culture in the late 1980's.

The novel is narrated by Joe, who looks back on the summer he was 13. There are echoes of "Stand By Me" as Joe and his buddies ride their bikes, scrounge meals from various relatives, get interested in girls.

Joe also takes it upon himself to investigate a crime. Initially, his family tries to shelter him from the acts of wrongdoing committed, but as an acknowledgement of his growing maturity, they come to accept and even somewhat encourage his actions to bring about justice.

Louise Erdrich beautifully weaves together funny scenes and heartbreaking scenes, emphasizing the bonds of family and honor and tradition.

What a world Orwell imagined!

Got bogged down in the pedantic philosophy of Goldstein's book, and therefore -1 star.

I let this book sneak up on me! At first it appeared to be just a comic novel about Bernadette, a woman who passive-aggressively stands up to a conformist group of gnat-mothers. Bernadette has got some curious habits (letting roof leaks go unfixed; hiring a "virtual assistant" to handle her online shopping), and her husband, Elgie, is so caught up in his high-profile project at work that he barely notices his wife or his teenage daughter.

The leader of the gnat-mothers is Bernadette's neighbor, Audrey. There's a slapstick episode in which Audrey hosts a school function, and ... I don't want to give it away. It's funny.

We also learn more about the work atmosphere at Microsoft, where Elgie works; there's enough familiar corporatespeak to sound plausible yet utterly ridiculous.

And then the sneakiness happened.

Characters end up on an Antarctic cruise. (Who exactly? I'm not telling.) The grandeur of nature and isolation of place enable characters to strip away the unessential parts of themselves, leading to a lovely conclusion to the novel.

Just re-read this book after many years; it turns out that the story line does make sense (in its convoluted way), more so than the Bogart film version, which I also really enjoy. But don't make me explain how Marlowe makes the connections between the Sternwoods, Eddie Mars, Joe Brody, Geiger, Canino, et al.

It's so much fun to read about 1930's-era Los Angeles, where buildings were known by their names ("Hobart Arms") and prohibition has recently ended.

Just re-read this book after many years; it turns out that the story line does make sense (in its convoluted way), more so than the Bogart film version, which I also really enjoy. But don't make me explain how Marlowe makes the connections between the Sternwoods, Eddie Mars, Joe Brody, Geiger, Canino, et al.

It's so much fun to read about 1930's-era Los Angeles, where buildings were known by their names ("Hobart Arms") and prohibition has recently ended.