The Actor and the Housewife

Have any of you read this book?  Below is my goodreads review.  But I'm curious, what did you guys think?

The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really have had a hard time knowing what to rate this book.

For the pros:  The dialogue really was very witty and at times I laughed out loud, and it was good enough that I actually finished it in not too long a time, which at this stage in my life is saying something.

However, I think I'll agree with some of the previously written reviews of the book that it was a little bit too much of the authors personal fantasy fleshed out in a book and it got a little ridiculous at points.

I love Shannon Hale and I salute her for doing something different, but it really didn't work completely although I enjoyed the ride for the most part.


View all my reviews

Catch 22

The following questions are from the Random House website

STARTING POINTS FOR YOUR DISCUSSION

1. Throughout the novel, scenes of unalleviated horror are interwoven with farcically comic scenes. How effective is this juxtaposition?
   
2. In what ways is Yossarian a typical literary hero? Would you class him as the novel's hero or its anti-hero?
   
3. Although Catch-22 is set in the Second World War, it was published at a time when America was going through great changes. To what extent do you think the novel provides a social commentary of the time in which it was written as well as of the era in which it was set? Are its issues still pertinent in today's society?
   
4. How do notions of power and bureaucracy function in Catch-22?
   
5. How do you react to the female characters? What role do they play in the narrative?
   
6. Catch-22 has a vast roll-call of hilarious characters. In what ways does Heller use them to develop his themes?