“I feel that we are inundated with violence and it becomes something that drives our aesthetics. There is a banality and a predictability to it all: the disappearance, the search, and the inevitable discovery of a dead woman or girl, who has nearly without exception been sexually assaulted. When I was a young reporter I was shocked by this, and as a novelist I wanted to explore it.” ~ Cara HoffmanI recently read Cara Hoffman's first novel, So Much Pretty. I really, really liked it. Due to fortuitous timing, while I had just started reading it, I happened upon a live chat with the author on Twitter. I learned two exciting things that day: 1. this book is being made into a film and 2. Hoffman is working on another book that sounds like it will be just as good as her first.
So Much Pretty is compared a lot with the Stieg Larsson trilogy and The Lovely Bones, probably because these books are so popular and more people will be able to relate. I think So Much Pretty is actually more comparable to Winter's Bone, American Rust and Songs for the Missing. To say Hoffman's writing reminds me of Stuart O'Nan is high praise from me.
I enjoyed this book because of its many themes (rural culture, violence against women, leftist idealism, ecological issues, adolescence, poverty, healthcare). Interesting issues aren't enough though -- there are plenty of writers who utilize news headlines and topical controversial issues for their stories. Hoffman's book is so enjoyable because she writes with intense authenticity and a journalist's ability to keep the story moving along at an engaging pace. I didn't detect a single false note.
•A hardcover copy of So Much Pretty has been kindly provided by Simon & Schuster.
•To enter to win, leave a comment on this post that includes your email address.
•For another entry follow this blog via Google Friend Connect in the side bar or subscribe via email -- current followers/subscribers are eligible too. Leave a separate comment for this.
•And, for yet another entry, Blog/Tweet/Post on Facebook about this giveaway. Leave a separate comment with your twitter user name and/or link to blog post (side bar is cool).
NOTE: Giveaway reserved for residents within the U.S. and Canada.
The winners will be selected from the comments using random.org.
Deadline: midnight, April 28. Winner announced April 29.
Good luck!
18 comments:
"So Much Pretty is harder to pin down, trickier in its aims and delivers a skillful, psychologically acute tale of how violence affects a small town, its tentacles enmeshed so deeply into the collective fabric that it takes the thoughts and actions of one intelligent adolescent to shake things up and force everyone to examine their duplicitous complacency. To say more about Hoffman's constantly surprising story is to reveal too much, but the payoff is more than worth the slow-building suspense."
—The Los Angeles Times
This is perfect timing - I was trying to decide between this and The Weird Sisters yesterday on my Kindle, and went with the Sisters and put this next on my list, so winning this would be lovely!
Tweeted! ID is Sidewalkshoes!
This sounds like an intriguing book. Thanks for the giveaway.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
new follower via GFC
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
Cara is a new author for me but that's cool as I'm always looking for new authors to try.
frellathon(at)gmail(dot)com
Tweeted
http://twitter.com/frellathon/status/58791682522611712
frellathon(at)gmail(dot)com
Looks interesting! Although I really am a bit mind-boggled by any attempt to compare Winter's Bone and Steig Larsson's books.
westwood_13[at]hotmail[dot]com
I already follow you. would love to win this book.
Forgot my email address...
wtenaw at yahoo dot com
I follow you, on GFC. What a nice giveaway, thanks.
The book sounds like a great read. And as a side note, I just got a glimpse of Riley. He would look great in a red bandanna!
Sounds like a great book. I've recently become a huge Stewart O'Nan fan and I really liked Winter's Bone (the book). Please sign me up for the giveaway and I'm a new follower!
This sounds like a great book!! Thanks for the chance to win!
areallibrarian[at]gmail[dot]com
This sounds like a book I would really enjoy! Thank you for the giveaway!
mittens0831 at aol dot com
I follow on GFC
mittens0831 at aol dot com
tweet
http://twitter.com/CarolAnnM/status/63364154874007552
mittens0831 at aol dot com
i'm a happy follower, lee! thank you. -k.
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