Where to begin

So the main objective of this blog had been to write about and critique novels that I had read. As anyone who's followed it for a while can tell, I've severely digressed. So, I'm going to make an effort to get back to the essence of this blog, to discuss two novels that I recently read. I will simply use my recollection of the novels and their content, instead of actually just stepping over to my book case and flipping to the passage of interest (sorry, I've been cursed with this adamant and zealous lethargy) To start with I'll discuss my thoughts and impressions (i'm very impressionable, mind you) about Richard Yates Revolutionary Road and then proceed to Dick's Ubik, and possibly conclude (if my lethargy permits) with some thoughts on the new film Juno.

Revolutonary RD

The story of the dysfunctional suburban family in an oddly overwhelming normal setting. This novel spoke out to me more than most in a long time. The themes that are brought up, turned over and examined, are full of impact. The love, the true love, between two people, and what that includes. The choices we make in life and how we stagnate in them, afraid to even reach out for something better. The oppressive qualities of a society obsessed with tidiness, mediocrity, and normalcy. It becomes too much for the main characters to take, forcing them into stinking lashes that hurt each other and themselves only to...to what? Scream passionately that we are not like "those next door," we have a life, a passion, an intelligence which they can not possibly possess. oh what a tortuous mentality. oh the pain of reality when we realize that mistakes of our own life are due in most part to our own self deception, our own suffocating need to hope that, if we only wanted to, we could always do better.

There was so much self delusion in this novel, and yet, it was so richly human, it cut deep when the reader realized, how far am I from being like the husband (or the wife)? ....not that far.

I can't really continue to the next novel, let's just leave it at this for now, the lethargy has won yet another bout. Damn you, laziness, damn you.