Company by Max Barry

rating: 2 stars
mp3 10 hrs 17min

from Kobo:

Stephen Jones is a shiny new hire at Zephyr Holdings. From the outside, Zephyr is just another bland corporate monolith, but behind its glass doors business is far from usual: the beautiful receptionist is paid twice as much as anybody else to do nothing, the sales reps use self help books as manuals, no one has seen the CEO, no one knows exactly what they are selling, and missing donuts are the cause of office intrigue. While Jones originally wanted to climb the corporate ladder, he now finds himself descending deeper into the irrational rationality of company policy. What he finds is hilarious, shocking, and utterly telling.

My Review:

I am torn. I really liked Jennifer Government. Many people did not and I could see why they didn't. Many people like this book and I can see why they did. However, for me this book was lacking. So let's break it down like this. 

What did I like?

I like that the company turn out to be an experiment. Even though it's to the extreme I have worked places where people are too afraid to speak. Managers who don't do anything. Managers who don't even know how to do the job of the people they are managing.

What didn't I like?

I didn't like the main character. I found him to idealistic and naive. I cannot tell you how much he annoyed me. The ending also didn't impress me. The type of people in the Alpha program didn't strike me as the type of people who would just give up and go on to other things. The experiment was done in secret so to me they seem like the types that would've tried to set up shop in another city. 

Company was an interesting look at corporate American in what I would probably say as the 80s. Good for a fast read. Don't take it too seriously but don't be surprise if you see a little of your workplace environment depicted in the story. TBR 3

Challenges:

2013 Audio Book Challenge

Let Me Count The Way

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
3stars (2.6)

From Kobo:

Every so often a love story so captures our hearts that it becomes more than a story-it becomes an experience to remember forever. The Notebook is such a book. It is a celebration of how passion can be ageless and timeless, a tale that moves us to laughter and tears and makes us believe in true love all over again... At thirty-one, Noah Calhoun, back in coastal North Carolina after World War II, is haunted by images of the girl he lost more than a decade earlier. At twenty-nine, socialite Allie Nelson is about to marry a wealthy lawyer, but she cannot stop thinking about the boy who long ago stole her heart. Thus begins the story of a love so enduring and deep it can turn tragedy into triumph, and may even have the power to create a miracle...

My Review:
This is the story of Noah and Allie Calhoun. They spent a summer together as teenagers and fell in love. Both did not forget each other nor did they ever find that type of love they share over that brief time with anyone else. Fourteen years later, Allie is engaged and seeks out Noah for what seems to be closure but ends up being a rekindling. Later in life the couple discovers Allie has Alzheimer's. They move into a nursing home where Noah reads from a Notebook (containing stories of their life) to her every day.

There I go again reading another sappy story. This is a touching love story. Allie disease is a hard disease to deal with for the person affected and his/her family and friends. I used to work for Lifeline (you've heard of it "I've fallen and I can't get up" commercials) and it was hard to deal with as a stranger on the other end of the line. I think what makes this story so popular is that this disease is scary for nearly anyone who has heard of it (especially the older one gets) and to have someone would have the love, dedication, and patience to confront such heartbreak and frustration everyday is enviable.

The characters lacked any depth. The book focused on the love the two shared but you didn't really get to know them as outside of that love.Who were they before that met, who were they during the relationship, who would they have been had they not gotten back together? These questions were never explored (there were brief glimpses). I would have love to have known how they continued to deepen their bond. All in all it was a good love story that makes you long for their kind of love.

2013 Reading Challenges:

Standalone Reading Challenge 2013

50 States Reading Challenge

2013 Where Are You Reading Challenge

Fun and Games 2013/2012:

PBT's 5th Anniversary Relay (Play Book Tag)
The Challenged Reader's Read with Friends

Standalone Reading Challenge 2013

1Jan13-31Dec13

The Challenge
Read 15 Young Adult or Middle Grade standalone novels in 2013 that are released in the United States between January 1s - December 31, 2013.


Eligible Books

YA & Middle Grade standalone novels. This means that the book can not have an announced (sometimes sequels happen unexpectedly) sequel, prequel, follow up, etc. Adult novels and picture books do not count.
This year companion novels count towards the challenge. Companion novels take place in the same world and time as a novel but usually follow a different character. It can be read independently from the book that came before it.
Released between January 1 - Decemeber 31, 2013 in the United States. If a book was previously released in another country but is being releasing in the US for the first time, it is eligible. At the same time, if you live in a country where it was previously released, but it is being released in the states for the first time - lucky you- it counts.
Must be read in 2013 (If you have an ARC and read it in 2012, it does not count)
Can be read in any (legally) readable format: ARC, Paperback, Hardcover or e-book
Audio books do not count towards the challenge.

Hafsah and I will be creating a list of eligible challenge titles to get you started towards your goal. It will be available soon.

Participation Perks
There will be a prize pack given away each month to a random participant. You gain entries into that month's prize pack by linking up to your challenge eligible reviews (Unfortunately, prize packs are US only). There will also be giveaways on the hosts' blogs to go along with special posts with authors. That's not even mentioning the random giveaways that we may throw in here and there! People who complete the challenge and fill out an easy form will be entered into another prize pack drawing.

How to Sign Up
Just link to the place where you will be posting your english reviews.

This can be a blog, Goodreads profile (a SARC 2013 list would be better), Shelfari profile, Librarything profile, or Youtube channel.

My books:
Company by Max Barry