Novels Now

Exiles from the War: The War Guests Diary of Charlotte Mary Twiss, Guelph, Ontario, 1940 by Jean Little
Dear Canada series

Pages: 243 pages
Ages: 8+
First Published: Jan. 2010 (Canada only)
Publisher: Scholastic Canada Ltd.
Rating: 5/5

First sentence:

George phoned me long distance at six o’clock this morning to wish me happy birthday.

Reason for Reading: I am in the process of reading the whole series. I am particularly fond of WWII stories and this one takes place near where I grew up, Fergus, ON and we went to Guelph many, many times.

Comments: As per all books in the Dear Canada series, this is written as a series of diary entries that cover the span of one year. Charlotte receives the diary for her twelfth birthday and the book finishes a few days after her thirteenth birthday. The book focuses on a family and their close neighbour who both receive War Guests from England. A brother and sister who have been evacuated from London and sent to live in Canada for the duration of the War. When the family picks them up from Toronto they are sent off by two other children they sailed over with a little 5yo girl and a much older teen boy.

Through Charlotte’s eyes we experience life on the homefront for a family who has a son in the army and a Jewish family who worries about what is happening to their relatives in Europe. Many horrible things are reported in the papers and on the radio that terrify Charlotte but some things she cannot comprehend and her father explains many things to her but when it comes to her questions about the Jews he is unable to give her answer telling she must wait till she is older, his reason being that he himself is unable to explain the inhumanity of the Nazi’s hate.

Through Charlotte’s eyes we see the adjustments the children from England must make in their new homes. The terror and shock they have experience from the bombings and air raid alarms, their worry for their parents and the gradual settling in with a new family who has foreign ways but treats them lovingly and as a member of their own family. We also get to see the flip side of other War Guest children when they meet the little five year old girl in town and see she is being neglected (by her own aunt at that) and how the boy receives regular letters from the older boy he met on ship telling him how much he hates the family he is with, how he wants to runaway, go home and please may he come to visit him.

In this modest appearing book Jean Little manages to capture so many experiences from differing peoples that one gets a very diverse view of life both on the homefront and the life of a War Guest. She even manages to mention recurringly about the treatment of a German shopkeeper in town. I found the book to have covered all the issues I could think of and they came with the naivete of a child’s point of view and the innocence with which a child can blurt out the simple truths. The story is highly entertaining and informative. Things are not all war, war, war either; there are plenty of happy times and a wonderful first-hand glimpse into 1940s wartime life for children and in general is portrayed. Since I’ve lived in the area it was fun to hear mention of places I knew: my own Fergus a couple of times, the quarry and Belwood Lake to name a few dear to my heart.

I really enjoy the Dear Canada series, but of course the quality of each depends on the author and when Jean Little’s name is spied on the title page you just know you’ve got a winner in your hands. As usual the book ends with a chapter telling us what happened to the characters in the future, then an historical note that tells the real history behind the story and is finally followed by a section of related photographs. This book would make a great introduction to reading about the War as many feelings are dealt with but war details are not graphic. Highly recommended.

Swallow Me Whole by Nate Powell

Pages: 216 pgs.
Ages: 16+
First Published: Sept. 2008
Rating: 3.5/5

First sentence:

Mom?

Reason for Reading: Cybils nominee.
Received the book through ILL.

Comments: This book is deep and difficult for me to write about as I’m not sure I “got” the whole thing. I’ll make an attempt at my impressions. Two siblings both have psychological problems. The girl, Ruth, is the main character and suffers from delusions, paranoia, schizophrenia and OCD while her brother seems to suffer on a lesser degree from delusions. They also have their grandmother living at home with them as she is dying and also delusional. The book follows the girl’s descent into madness while those around her stand by and do nothing. She recognizes her mind is different and so does her brother, together they can talk to each other about it. We watch as Ruth starts out trying to make her way through each day until in the end her illnesses smother and bury who she once was.

The book is done is black and white, with a lot of the pages having a black background. Many scenes have word bubbles with writing so tiny or scribbled it is unreadable, these are the background voices that Ruth doesn’t hear in her world. The story is intense and yet, there is no real plot. The book tries to capture a feeling in words and pictures. I sort of enjoyed the book. Probably up to the mid-point I was enjoying it but honestly, I didn’t see the point of the story. I have mental health issues myself (some of which were mirrored in the book) and the book seemed to just be saying to me, “Look, this is what it feels like to go crazy”. Perhaps others will get more out of it. I recommend the book for higher aged teens because of the swearing (which includes the f-word) and a small amount of teenage sex.

The Heretic’s Daughter
By Kathleen Kent
Completed October 16, 2009

There are many dark points in American history, and one of the earliest was the Salem Witch Trials. Kathleen Kent, author of The Heretic’s Daughter, based her debut book on her ancestor, Martha Carrier, who was executed for witchcraft. Kent researched extensively her ancestry and this time period, and the end result was a book that was gripping and heart wrenching.

The story was told from the perspective of Sarah Carrier, Martha’s daughter. Through Sarah’s eyes, we learned about the Puritan lifestyle that formed the backdrop for the witch trials. It’s amazing to look back at the “evidence” now – the obvious shenanigans of young girls who grasped their moment of power, despite the horrid outcomes. Though all of those accused were later cleared of their crimes (often posthumously), Kent’s explanation of how reasonable people were swept up into the hysteria was enlightening.

All of the characters in The Heretic’s Daughter were well developed. Sarah misunderstood the love of her mother, who seemed hard and unaffectionate, until the weeks before her execution, when she realized that Martha’s love for her family was endless. Sarah’s father, Thomas, and her brothers were depicted as stoic yet vulnerable. The Carrier family was a pleasure to read about – complete with their faults, strengths and boundless love for each other.

If you are interested in historical fiction, then I would highly recommend The Heretic’s Daughter to you. I enjoyed this book immensely and gained a deeper appreciation for this tragic time of our history. ( )

I looked at myself in the mirror. And I saw her. With each step, Margaret’s ghost expanded. Gingerly, I touched the glass. I thought of those fairy-tale mirrors that show you your dearest wish in return for some terrible price. Mirror, mirror on the wall. Your firstborn son for straw woven into gold, a glimpse of your drowned sister for something more expensive. Margaret filled the mirror and floated off the edges, and by the time I’d backed away far enough for the glass to contain her, Margaret had vanished, and there I was, wearing her hula shirt. – from Goldengrove, page 50 -

People told us we looked alike, but I couldn’t see it. Margaret was the beautiful sister, willowy and blond. The lake breeze carried her perfect smell. She smelled like cookies baking. She claimed it wasn’t perfume. It was her essence, I guessed. I was the pudgy, awkward sister. I still smelled dusty, like a kid. – from Goldengrove, page 8 -

It was meant to be an idyllic summer – a summer like all the ones before it. But when thirteen year old Nico’s older sister Margaret dives into Mirror Lake and never surfaces, everything changes. Set in New England, Goldengrove is the story of that fateful summer. Narrated in the provocative and compelling voice of Nico, the novel reveals the cracks in a family which widen with the tragedy. Nico, on the cusp of womanhood, finds herself floating free without the sage advice of her sister. Nico connects with Margaret’s boyfriend, the artistic and slightly strange Aaron – a person whom she feels free to share her stories of Margaret and the pain of loss. But Aaron is also struggling with Margaret’s death…and in Nico he sees the young woman who he once loved.

I knew the reason Aaron liked being with me was that I reminded him of my sister. I’d catch him squinting at me, searching for traces of her. I knew it, and I didn’t. Some part of me believed that Aaron liked the part of me that was Nico, whoever that was. I felt as if Margaret were a plant inside me that, nurtured by Aaron, had begun to blossom. Mostly, it was fine with me, but sometimes – usually when I was tired or lonely – it scared me. I felt as if I, and not Margaret, was the one who had disappeared, or as if I’d become a petri dish in which my sister was growing. There were days when I wanted to say, “I’m the living sister.” – from Goldengrove, page 174 -

As the summer slips by, Aaron and Nico’s relationship inches towards a dangerous conclusion … and Nico must struggle to  move from adolescence into adulthood, and come to an understanding of her own needs in the wake of her sister’s death.

Francine Prose’s novel is that of grief, recovery, and the search for one’s identity. Tender, yet realistic, Goldengrove explores the impact of suddenly losing a child and a sibling. Although the story is told from Nico’s point of view, Prose gives the reader a glimpse into the devastation such a loss has on parents.

Margaret’s death had shaken us, like three dice in a cup, and spilled us out with new faces in unrecognizable combinations. We forgot how we used to live in our house, how we’d passed the time when we lived there. We could have been sea creatures stranded on the beach, puzzling over an empty shell that reminded us of the ocean. - from Goldengrove, page 50 -

Prose does a remarkable job building her characters. Nico’s father’s relationship with his youngest daughter is flawlessly portrayed. Nico clings to her father, wants the connection with him, but also pushes him away as she discovers her own sexuality and desires. Their love of art and reading binds them together, even when everything else seems to be changing.

We were silent for miles. How strange that my father was writing the book about the end of the world, when I was the one who believed that it was going to happen. - from Goldengrove, page 164 -

I read this novel late into the night – drawn to Nico and her journey through grief.  Prose writes radiantly and with a deep understanding of her characters. If there is a flaw in the novel, it is the ending when Prose lifts the reader away from Mirror Lake and the adolescent Nico, and transports us into Nico’s life as an adult. I would have preferred the book end on page 264 – still drenched in late summer sun with a hopeful glimpse into the future.

Despite this minor complaint, Goldengrove is a book I can recommend for its beautiful writing and tender look at a young girl growing up in the wake of tragedy.

American Wife
By Curtis Sittenfeld
Completed July 30, 2009

American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld is, according to the author, 15 percent based on the life of former First Lady Laura Bush. I feel obligated to express that I am not a fan of George W. Bush’s presidency, and the quiet, submissive nature of the First Lady also bothered me. So, with this bias, I approached American Wife with much hesitation.

The story is told from the perspective of Alice Lundgren, a bookish Wisconsin teenager, who later married the boisterous Charlie Blackwell. Alice came off as intelligent, articulate and guilt-ridden throughout most of the story. She was plagued by a car accident from her teenage years, where she killed her love interest on the way to a high school party. Later, she was guilty about stealing her friend’s love interest (Charlie), Charlie’s drinking and drug use, the Blackwell family’s enormous wealth and the thousands of deaths resulting from the war that marked her husband’s administration. Sometimes, Alice acted upon her guilt and tried to make up for these situations; while other times, she kept her mouth shut.

Alice was very human, and her marriage to Charlie was quite realistic – a series of compromises and confrontations that made them a strong couple. Charlie was charismatic but needed the support of others to make decisions. He came across as rude and insulting at times, but when Alice dug her heels in (which was rare), he did concede without issue.

I will not venture to guess how accurately Sittenfeld’s characters depicted their real-life counterparts, but it did make for an interesting story. At times, American Wife was bogged down with too many details, and I wish Sittenfeld spent more time showing Alice as the governor and president’s wife. We learned so much about Alice through her younger years – I almost felt cheated not learning more about her in such public roles.

We will never know what made First Lady Laura Bush tick, but this book, if nothing else, reminds readers that we only see what the media and public relations people want you to see. Sometimes appearances are different than actuality. ( )

The main thing isn’t about dying or how old you are when you die, it’s what you are doing the moment you die. In Taniguchi the heroes die while climbing Mount Everest. Since I haven’t the slightest chance of taking a stab at K2 or the Grandes Jorasses before June sixteenth, my own personal Everest will be an intellectual endeavor. I have set my goal to have the greatest number possible of profound thoughts, and to write them down in this notebook: even if nothing has any meaning, the mind, at least, can give it a shot, don’t you think? – from The Elegance of the Hedgehog, page 26 -

Renee Michel, concierge of a wealthy apartment building in Paris, screens her true nature from the residents she serves. She is a woman whose prickly attitude and appearance belies her love of art and literature, someone who finds beauty in a camellia and is horrified when a comma is misused in a sentence.

Madame Michel has the elegance of the hedgehog: on the outside, she’s covered in quills, a real fortress, but my gut feeling is that on the inside, she has the same simple refinement as the hedgehog: a deceptively indolent little creature, fiercely solitary – and terribly elegant. – from The Elegance of the Hedgehog, page 143 -

Paloma Josse, at age twelve, is plotting her own suicide before she turns thirteen and has decided to burn down the building in which she lives. But before she dies, she vows to write down profound thoughts in haiku. Highly intelligent and mature beyond her years, Paloma is fascinated by the beauty of movement such as a petal falling from a rose. She is also adept at observation…of the world at large and of her family whose dysfunction includes a depressed mother and a misguided sister.

When Kakura Ozu, a distinguished Japanese man, buys the apartment on the fourth floor of Renee and Paloma’s building the three are drawn together – people who appreciate art and simple beauty, and are seeking meaning in life.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog started slowly for me – in fact, I nearly stopped reading it at one point. But I persisted, and I am glad I did because Muriel Barbery has written an exceptional story about appearance, class, beauty, and the search for meaning in one’s life. Written in alternating viewpoints between Renee and Paloma, the book shows how an older lady from a poor background is not that different from a twelve year old being raised in a wealthy family.

We sit there for countless minutes holding hands, not speaking. I have become friends with a lovely twelve-year-old soul to whom I feel very grateful, and however incongruous this connection may be – asymmetrical in age, condition and circumstances – nothing can taint my emotion. - from The Elegance of the Hedgehog, page 289 -

The novel is rich in philosophy and thoughts about culture, art and literature. But it is the secret lives of its characters which drive the narrative and keep the reader turning the pages. Barbery’s writing is beautifully wrought and captures the small things in life which bring joy, wonder, and hope.

When of a sudden Old Japan intervenes: from one of the apartments wafts a melody, clearly, joyfully distinct. Someone is playing a classical piece on the piano. Ah, sweet, impromptu moment, lifting the veil of melancholy…In a split second of eternity, everything is changed, transfigured. A few bars of music, rising from an unfamiliar piece, a touch of perfection in the flow of human dealings – I lean my head slowly to one side, reflect on the camellia on the moss of the temple, reflect on a cup of tea, while outside the wind is rustling the foliage, the forward rush of life is crystallized in a brilliant jewel of a moment that knows neither projects nor future, human destiny is rescued from the pale succession of days, glows with the light at last and, surpassing time, warms my tranquil heart. – from Elegance of the Hedgehog, page 106 -

The Elegance of the Hedgehog was translated from the French by Alison Anderson. A sensation in France when it was published in 2007, the novel has won the hearts of Americans as well, which seems to validate Barbery’s theme that cultural differences do not preclude finding the beauty in simplicity. The Elegance of the Hedgehog is a simple story that explores complex ideas and leaves the reader fulfilled.

Highly recommended.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
By David Wroblewski
Completed June 28, 2009

 Suspected murder, family loyalty and tragedy all marked David Wroblewski’s debut book, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. Loosely based on Hamlet, this doorstop of a book centered on main character, 14-year-old Edgar, and his suspicions of his father’s death.

Edgar was born mute. While going to school, he assisted his parents at their at-home kennel, where they bred and trained “Sawtelle Dogs” – dogs that were highly intuitive, using their sense of vision to interpret their owners’ commands. One afternoon, Edgar’s father, Gar, fell to the barn floor and died. His death marked the beginning of numerous tragedies for the Sawtelle family.

One rainy evening, Edgar believed that he saw Gar’s ghost. The ghost told Edgar that Gar’s brother, Claude, had poisoned him – that Claude would stop at nothing to get what he wanted (presumably the family business and Edgar’s mother, Trudy, who was now in a relationship with her brother-in-law). Edgar became enraged and vengeful, promising his father’s ghost that he would prove Claude’s guilt. However, before he could, Edgar’s rage forced him off the farm and into the wilderness with three of the Sawtelle dogs.

Wandering through the forest, Edgar learned a lot about survival and had time to think about his situation. He missed his home, mother and loyal dog, Almondine. His decision to go back was a hard one to make, and any reader knowing Hamlet could foresee how this story might end.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle was a long, complex story. I felt Wroblewski’s passion for his masterpiece on every page. With the greatest respect to the author, I wondered where his editor was. So many of the descriptions, plot diversions and character stories were unnecessary to the story. In fact, I bet 200 pages could have been skimmed off the book, leaving a succinct but effective story.

Despite the book’s length, I did enjoy Wroblewski’s writing style, plot and character development and his animation of the dogs. You felt invested in each person or dog that Wroblewski included in his book. My favorite characters were the dogs, Almondine and Essay. Through their actions (and eyes), you could see their loyalty toward their human friends. And with this story’s tragic side, I believed that the dogs had the most common sense of all the characters. They outranked the humans in compassion and spirit.

Patient readers, dog lovers and Shakespearean fans should all give The Story of Edgar Sawtelle a try. It’s a book with many flaws, but the overarching story of love, greed and jealousy made it a worthwhile read. ( )

The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Muriel Barbery
325 pages

“They didn’t recognize me,” I repeat. 
He stops, in turn, my hand still on his arm. 
“It is because they have never seen you,” he says. (p. 303)

Renée is a concierge in a posh Paris apartment building. She is a recluse, quietly tending to the needs of her wealthy tenants. They consider her inferior, and she plays up to the stereotype. But behind closed doors, Renée is an intellectual who reads Tolstoy, watches Japanese films, and has in-depth knowledge of art. And unbeknownst to Renée, a kindred spirit resides in her building: Paloma, a 12-year-old girl of extremely high intelligence.      

For most of this novel, Renée and Paloma lead separate lives. Then one day, a new tenant moves in and unwittingly brings them together. And this marks a turning point in the novel. Beginning as an interesting and very well-written character study, The Elegance of the Hedgehog becomes an incredibly emotional work. In very simple and subtle ways Renée, Paloma, and the new tenant Kazuro each exert profound influence on their new friends, taking each other to unprecedented levels emotionally and spiritually. The last two chapters are some of the most moving literature I’ve ever read. 

This is a beautiful book. I loved it. 

Letter to my Daughter
Maya Angelou
166 pages        

Letter to my Daughter is a book of wisdom, a collection of 28 short works — mostly essays, and a couple of poems. Ms. Angelou doesn’t have a daughter (her only child is a son); this book is dedicated to women all around the world. Angelou plumbs the depths of more than 80 years on the planet to serve up bits of her experience as lessons for her readers. Some of the essays, particularly those pertaining to her younger adult years, concern violence and disrespect towards women. In others, Angelou relates cultural blunders or near misses made during her travels. The embedded lesson is usually not about the gaffe itself, but the personal learning and growth that came from it:

In an unfamiliar culture, it is wise to offer no innovations, no suggestions, or lessons.
The epitome of sophistication is utter simplicity. (p. 91)

In fact, most of her lessons came from mistakes. I admired Angelou’s ability to expose her own vulnerability for the reader’s benefit. My only complaint about this book is that its 166 pages are misleading. Each piece is quite short, usually 2-4 pages. Each essay is padded with additional pages (a cover page, a blank page, etc.), and of course there are obligatory pages about the author, the typeface, and so on. I would have preferred a greater percentage of this book be devoted to Angelou’s words of wisdom. Nevertheless, these essays lend themselves well to periodic re-reading, and this book will remain on my shelves to be dipped into later.

I’m not really sure why the choice of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book (320 pgs, Harper Collins, 2008) as a Newberry Winner surprised me so much. As a true fan-girl, I know the supreme awesomeness that IS Neil Gaiman. I just didn’t realize that others, most notably the CRITICS and NEWBERY judges, knew it too. Read for both the Once Upon a Time III Challenge and the YA reading challenge, this charming and enchanting book was both dark and beautiful.          

The knife had a handle of polished black bone, and a blade finer and sharper than any razor. If it sliced you, you might not even know you had been cut, not immediately. The knife had done almost everything it was brought to that house to do, and both the blade and the handle were wet.

And so begins the tale of a boy named Nobody. Nobody Owens. Or Bod for short. When he was only 18 months old the man Jack slipped into his home late at night and murdered Bod’s family. Only sheer luck and happenstance (and the curious wanderings of a toddler) saved Bod’s life. He stumbled into a Graveyard, and when the ghosts that inhabited the yard saw him, they knew the little boy was in trouble. The man Jack was trying to find the boy, and his mother, recently deceased pleaded with the inhabitants of the graveyard to protect her son. Mr. and Mrs. Owens, a couple that could never have children in life, took it upon themselves to “adopt” the boy. Since they could not leave the Graveyard, the mysterious Silas (a member of the “Honour Guard”) and another resident took it upon himself to be the boy’s guardian. He was able to leave, and provide food and clothing for Bod.

As the years went by, Bod learned a lot from the residents of the graveyard. Because his situation was unique, he was given the Freedom of the Graveyard. What this means is that he is allowed to enter places the average human being isn’t able to. He is also learning skills such as fading, dreamwalking, and sliding. The ghosts of the graveyard were his friends, his family, his teachers. Each of the 8 chapters is like it’s own little story, with Bod progressing from being a toddler to becoming a teenager.

Honestly, I don’t think it’s humanly possible for me to gush MORE about Neil Gaiman. Every person that reads this blog knows I’m a huge fan. But who knew this book would be something even more special than some of his other books? (oh, yeah…that’s right. The people that gave him the Newberry Award!) In typical Neil Gaiman fashion, this book is really dark for a children’s book. Death is the absolute core of this book. His family is killed at the beginning, and he spends his life in a graveyard. He is surrounded each day by the dead. If he leaves the graveyard, there are people waiting out there to kill him too, although he doesn’t know why. But through it all, Bod turns out to be a real person, knowing his time at the graveyard is limited.

My favorite “stories”, out of all the chapters, are probably the ones with Liza, the witch. When Bod was eight, Silas explained to him about Potter’s Field, and the people that were buried in the unconsecrated ground. A “witch” lived over the fence in Potter’s Field, and her name was Liza Hempstock and when Bod falls out of a tree there, she helps him. Trying to think of something nice to do for her in return, Bod decides he needs to buy her a headstone, for she is buried in an unmarked grave. What starts out as a tiny little trip outside the gates, ends up being a dangerous journey. But Liza had followed Bod. When she found out the reason he was in the outside world, she helped him escape back to the graveyard, and forever had a soft spot for Young Bod. And if I was hard pressed to actually pick one chapter as my FAVORITE, it would probably be the Danse Macabre…..the one day that all the ghosts were allowed outside of the walls of the graveyard, to do the Danse of the Macabray.

A little something for everyone, this book should appeal to kids and adults alike. With an unbelievable cast of characters ranging from a curious little boy to ghosts parents to a guardian that is quite an enigma. Although it never really says, I have a feeling that Silas might possible be a vampire, since his interactions with humans are different than the others in the graveyard. There are also a whole host of ghouls, bad guys, and even a werewolf. And when Bod is allowed to go out of the graveyard to school, he learns the best from both worlds.

Quite frankly, this is one of the best books I’ve read all year. So far, I haven’t met a Newberry that I didn’t like. The Graveyard Book is no exception to the rule! Go Read This Book! Right now. Run, don’t walk to the nearest library!!

5/5
 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Young Adult Fiction
2008 Scholastic Press
Finished on 4/15/09
Rating: 4.5/5 (Terrific!)

Product Description:

Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, “The Hunger Games.” The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When Kat’s sister is chosen by lottery, Kat steps up to go in her place.

Wow! It’s been a while since I’ve read such a good teen novel. While not quite as good as The Book Thief, it sure comes a lot closer than Stephenie Meyers’ Twilight series. It may even be as good as theHarry Potter books.

The Hunger Games was my book club’s choice for this month’s discussion. We had a fantastic meeting, and yes, we all loved it. I’ve gotten to where I don’t read any reviews or even the dust cover blurbs prior to reading a book, as I prefer to go in completely unaware of what might take place between the covers. And since this was a book club choice, I just assumed I’d give it a try without really knowing what it was about. As I began reading, I immediately wondered what I was getting into. I’d heard very good comments about the book, but wasn’t aware of the premise of the “games.” I had an uneasy feeling that it would be a bleak, depressing story about killing and death, but I continued on and quickly became engrossed in the characters and story. I think the author did a very good job of keeping the story interesting and suspenseful without resorting to gratuitous violence and gore. There was no lingering detailed description of the actual killings and I never felt uneasy or disturbed by the acts of violence.

On life in Panem:

When I was younger, I scared my mother to death, the things I would blurt out about District 12, about the people who rule our country, Panem, from the far-off city called the Capitol. Eventually I understood this would only lead us to more trouble. So I learned to hold my tongue and to turn my features into an indifferent mask so that no one could ever read my thoughts. Do my work quietly in school. Make only polite small talk in the public market. Discuss little more than trades in the Hob, which is the black market where I make most of my money. Even at home, where I am less pleasant, I avoid discussing tricky topics. Like the reaping, or food shortages, or the Hunger Games. Prim might begin to repeat my words and then where would we be?

On the Hunger Games:

The rules of the Hunger Games are simple. In punishment for the uprising, each of the twelve districts must provide one girl and one boy, called tributes, to participate. The twenty-four tributes will be imprisoned in a vast outdoor arena that could hold anything from a burning desert to a frozen wasteland. Over a period of several weeks, the competitors must fight to the death. The last tribute standing wins.

Taking the kids from our districts, forcing them to kill one another while we watch — this is the Capitol’s way of reminding us how totally we are at their mercy. How little chance we would stand of surviving another rebellion. Whatever words they use, the real message is clear. “Look how we take your children and sacrifice them and there’s nothing you can do. If you lift a finger, we will destroy every last one of you. Just as we did in District Thirteen.”

To make it humiliating as well as torturous, the Capitol requires us to treat the Hunger Games as a festivity, a sporting event pitting every district against the other. The last tribute alive receives a life of ease back home, and their district will be showered with prizes, largely consisting of food. All year, the Capitol will show the winning district gifts of grain and oil and even delicacies like sugar while the rest of us battle starvation.

Fans of The Giver (Lois Lowry), Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card),Lord of the Flies (William Golding), The Most Dangerous Game (short story by Richard Connell) and, yes, the Twilight series (Stephenie Meyers) will not be disappointed. I know I’m not alone when I say I’m anxiously awaiting the release of Catching Fire, the second in the trilogy, which is due out on September 1st. Until then, I may have to check out the first in Collins’ young reader series, Gregor The Overlander (Underland Chronicles).

Final words: Highly addictive!!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (384 pgs, Scholastic Press, 2008) is a fantastic dystopian novel that I’m using not only as a selection for the YA Reading Challenge, but also for the End of the World Reading Challenge!! Me loves a good dystopian novel!!     

When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s warmth, but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must have had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course, she did. Today is the day of the reaping.

For 16-year-old Katniss (and yes, I really hate this name!) Everdeen, the day of the reaping is a day to dread. Panem, the country that was once North America before natural disasters and war laid waste to it, holds a “reaping” once a year. It is the Capitol’s way of punishing the 12 districts of Panem for the “uprising”. Each year, the 12 districts hold a drawing that will provide one girl Tribute and one boy Tribute to the Hunger Games. The 24 Tributes are taken to an arena and dropped off. Imprisoned together, it is ever child for him- or herself. There can only be one winner of the Hunger Games, and it is a fight to the death.

Each child between the ages of 12 and 18 is eligible for the reaping. District 12, The Seam, is the coal-mining district. They have only had one winner of the Hunger Games since it started. On the day of the reaping, all the kids are brought into the town square for a televised drawing. But this year, when Katniss’ 12-year-old sister, Prim’s name is drawn, there is a volunteer to take her place. Katniss is not going to let her sister go to be slaughtered. She immediately volunteers to go as the girl Tribute instead of Prim. Along with Peeta Mellark, the baker’s son and the boy Tribute from District 12, Katniss is whisked away to the Capitol.

Because Katniss has spent the last few years providing for her family by hunting in the Seam, she feels she would have a better chance at survival than her little sister. Because frankly, being chosen for the reaping is a death sentence. Other districts have kids that are bred to be winners. But even if she can’t survive, at least she has the knowledge that her little sister will be saved.

In a very Shirley Jackson sort of way, The Hunger Games is a glimpse into a terrifying future. In a world controlled completely by The Capitol, people live in fear of what can be taken from them. Even the games themselves are controlled by the Capitol. Each child can have sponsors that give them certain items to help them in the games. And if there isn’t enough “action” to satisfy the powers that be, then the Capitol steps in and makes things more difficult for the contestants.

Collins has created a truly horrific look into the future. As a mother, the thought of such an events as the reaping or the Hunger Games makes me a little sick to my stomach. But as a reader and a lover of good fiction, this book is top-notch! Katniss is about as smart and as tough as a protagonist can be. I just fell in love with her. The Hunger Games starts out with a bang, but the suspense doesn’t let up…ever! As a reader, you know there isn’t going to be a good ending with this one, but Collins never lets you give up hope. From page one, you are immediately sucked in and just can’t let go!! I practically read this in one sitting, it was so intense. I just needed to know what happens. Although there is clearly an ending….there is still more of the story to be told. Again, there is a follow-up book that won’t be released till the fall. Damn. What is it with me and and the inevitable series reading?? Regardless of that, this is one intense read, and I highly recommend it!!

4.5/5

Suzanne Collins

374 pages

In a future North America, now called Panem, Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12. There Katniss hunts to feed her family and to trade and sell for other necessities.

Once a year a lottery is held to choose two teens, one boy and one girl, between the ages of 12 and 18 to fight in The Hunger Games. Katniss winds up representing her district and she knows that she will be forced to fight to the death.

I have been seeing a lot of buzz around this book on the blogs and since I tend to really enjoy both survival stories and futuristic societies, I was thrilled to find out that there was no wait for this at the library. Either I beat the buzz to my branch or I am way behind it, I’m not sure which.

Katniss is a real survivor. She steps up and takes over the responsibility of feeding her mother and sister when her father is killed, she doesn’t like owing anyone anything, she faces her lot in The Hunger Games with grit and determination and she is as smart as anything when it comes to outfoxing her opponents. She is tough, abrupt, and almost mean at times and that’s to the people she likes.

Coming off of a sickness-induced reading slump, this was the perfect book to get me jump-started. Once I picked it up, I didn’t want to put it down. It’s violent and disturbing but I expected that once I knew it was about a death match and the circumstances which changed North America into Panem.

My only complaint is that I wish we would have seen more about the government. I kept wondering if I was seeing clues to a revolt or things not being what they seemed as I read. I guess I will have to wait for a sequel.

There’s also a sort of a love triangle going on here but, again, we will have to wait for the next book to see any resolution on that front.

I thought the names were a little lame but I really enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to the next one.(4.5/5)

Pieces of My Heart: A Life by Robert J. Wagner, with Scott Eyman

Pages: 324
First Published: Sept. 2008
Genre: memoir
Rating: 4.5/5

First sentence:

I was twelve years old when my future passed in front of me.

Comments: This is Robert J. Wagner’s personal memoir from his birth to 2008, when he was 78. Wagner briefly tells of his parents and then spends a small time on his childhood moving into the full story of his life at the time of his mid-teens. Wagner is one of the unfortunately few remaining from the generation that actually worked and played with the greats of the Golden Age of movies. He intimately knew the likes of Jack Warner, Bette Davis, and Fred Astaire, among many others. It is brilliant to read of these people from a first-hand account. Then of course Wagner was in his prime along with all the stars of the 50s, 60s and 70s. Wagner drops names right, left and center in this book but he refrains from “dishing dirt” on anyone. Oh, he has some colourful stories to tell but he is not vindictive to anyone, not even Warren Beatty who stole his Natalie away from him.

A wonderful read, Robert J. Wagner has lead a long and eventful life immersed in show business from the movies to the stage to TV and back again. I remember seeing him recently on Three and a Half Men and he’s still a looker. Of course, everyone from my generation remembers him most from the TV show Hart to Hart and Wagner spends just the right amount of time on that period of his life. Of course, he also spends a great deal on his relationship with Natalie Wood, one of the great love stories to come from the entertainment world, and it’s tragic end.

Wagner has the help of a co-author to make this a wonderfully written story. I was totally captivated. Wagner comes off more than a bit egotistical at times but then he comes off that way in person and in the characters he’s played on TV, so it is somewhat expected. He does have the annoying habit of letting you know of every man he introduces that is g*y and whether they made a pass at him or not. From famous people to backstage unknowns, this is something I really wasn’t interested. Do I need or even want to know if a camera guy was g*y and didn’t make a pass at him? That aside a really incredible read that anyone interested in Wagner’s life or just that of movies and television from the 50s to the 80s will certainly enjoy.

Susan Meissner

305 pages

You are the girl in between. You are young like Mercy, a writer like Mercy and the sole daughter like Mercy. And you’ve lived a life of privilege like me. You’ve seen its every side, just like I have, and you are the heir to an accomplished man’s legacy, as I was. You, like me, will always have choices to make because of it.- The Shape of Mercy, pg 298

Lauren Durough has always had money. Since she has grown up with wealth and privilege, she decides that when she goes off to college she wants to make her own money. To do this she takes a job transcribing a diary for retired librarian Abigail Boyles. The diary belonged to a distant cousin of Abigail named Mercy Hayworth, who was caught up in the events of the Salem witch trials.
Lauren is immediately captivated by Mercy’s story and she begins to see the world around her differently. As “the middle girl” between the history of Mercy and the past and present of Abigail she has a unique understanding of both points of view and both ladies have much to teach her as well.

When I first began reading this book, I somehow expected Abigail to be a crotchety old lady. She is not ornery or mean. She is just reserved because she is used to being taken advantage of and she is haunted by many things from her past. She is still a very likable character.

Lauren was not at all what I expected either. I thought she would be spoiled and self-centered since that is usually the lesson given to us in stories about people of privilege. She’s not. Lauren marches to the beat of her own drummer. She is a bookish introvert(a girl after my own heart) and doesn’t really follow her family’s expectations. She is also a very likable character.

The story of Mercy is tender and heartbreaking from the beginning because we understand where it will inevitably end. However, before it’s all over Lauren, Abigail and the reader will learn lessons about forgiveness, misjudging others, sacrifice, and love.

I preferred the Salem portions of the book to the present day portions but that’s just how it always works out for me. Both portions were equally well-written. This is a poignant story that I highly recommend for lovers of historical fiction. (4/5)

When I was contacted by author Diana Spechler to review her book Who By Fire (368 pgs, Harper Perennial, 2008), I was flattered. I was also a little hesitant. I always feel a certain amount of pressure to like a book, knowing it was sent by the author, herself. But there was no need to worry when reading this book. Diana Spechler’s debut novel is fantastic! I can only hope she keeps writing!

from the Prologue:
After Alena disappeared, my mother was brimming with blame. She blamed the state police for not making enough of an effort. She blamed other families for not understanding. If my father sat down to watch TV, she would say, “You think your daughter has the luxury of watching television?” She started grinding her teeth so hard, she had to wear a mouth guard. For a year, she dragged Ash and me all over New Jersey, making us tape up fliers to telephone poles, as if we had lost her favorite cat. She never directly blamed us, her two remaining children, but she ofter began a thought with, “If it had been you instead of Alena….” Of course, she always followed that up with “Don’t give me that look. I never said I wished it had been you. God forbid. What do you take me for?” But we have always understood: Alena was the baby. Alena was the favorite. Six-year-old Alena, with the paint-brush black hair and the chin dimple and the jeans rolled halfway up her calves, Alena imitating our eighty-four-year-old neighbor’s smoker voice, Alena whizzing through the kitchen on roller skates with pink wheels — Alena was the irreplaceable one.

Thirteen years after six-year-old Alena was kidnapped, the Kellerman family is still feeling the affects. Bits, the older sister, uses sex and men to try to fill the void in her soul caused by her sister’s disappearance. Ash, the older brother, left college his freshman year to travel to Israel. His void is filled with religion. He has moved to a yeshiva to become an Orthodox Jew. And Ellie, the mother, spends her days trying to rescue her remaining children.

Ash has cut himself off from the rest of his family. Feeling more guilt than the others, he thinks the only way he can atone for his past “sins” is to live the Orthodox lifestyle. Ellie and Bits thinks he’s gone and joined a cult. But when Alena’s body is recovered after all these years, it’s up to Bits to try and bring Ash home. Bits, the girl that can’t even take care of herself.

This novel is about love and loss; grief and guilt. It is about broken people and their need to try to “fix” the other. Each person has handled this horrible tragedy in his own way and each to an extreme. Diana Spechler has created some intensely flawed characters and brought them to life. With each mistake made, the reader draws closer to the characters. They are extremely human and very well written.

Hard to read at times, Who by Fire is an excellent debut from a very talented writer. Although I spent a lot of time wanting to shake these people, I fell in love with the Kellermans. Especially Bits. Having lost a sibling myself, I could so totally relate to her that at times it was scary. This is a highly recommended read for everyone that loves a book with an intensely character-driven plot. This book deserves to be read. 4.5/5

The years of Scarlet’s migration, through the decade of the 1990s up to this cool and puzzling spring of 2002, were relatively quiet ones for Addie. Had her mother somehow been holding her breath, reining herself in, waiting to see how far south, and now how near to this overdeveloped coastline, Scarlet would fly? Had she been watching for those final fledgling years to pass before her next and last great scheme? - from In Hovering Flight, page 8 -

In the first chapter of In Hovering Flight poet Scarlet Kavanagh arrives at the New Jersey shore home of her mother’s closest friend Cora to sit with her mother Addie as she dies. Scarlet’s father, a professor of ornithology at a small college in southern Pennsylvania, and Lou - another of her mother’s friends - are also present. Although the novel begins with Addie’s death, it is the lives of these characters, not the death of Addie, which the reader becomes enthralled with in this delicately unfolding novel about love and loss.

Addie Strumer Kavanagh is a college student when she meets Tom Kavanagh - her professor in Biology of the Birds. Addie’s love of drawing birds parallels Tom’s fascination with bird song, and when they marry they live in a small cabin in the Pennsylvania woods full of birds and close to bubbling creeks. When their daughter is born, she is named for the Scarlet Tanager which Addie has grown to love. Addie’s friends, Cora and Lou, move in and out of Tom and Addie’s lives - having children of their own and pursuing their own dreams, and yet sustaining a connection with each other. As in all great stories, the characters face challenges and grow and change through the years - Addie becomes obsessed with environmentalism and activism, Cora struggles to raise a child with autism, Tom must live with a mistake, Lou’s choice of men is never right, and beautiful Scarlet moves from girlhood to womanhood with all the struggles one might expect of a creative and sensitive child.

In Hovering Flight is a beautifully wrought and soothing story about what it means to love another, about the flaws in relationships and how they are sustained despite these flaws.

At that moment he knew that whatever happened in the following year, or the years after that, he had made one perfectly right decision: to be with her. And like Tom’s other certainties - the importance of work that one loves, the redemptive powers of music and poetry, the unquestionable clarity of evolutionary theory - he remained unflagging in this as well, in his love for Addie Kavanagh, “the Sturmer girl,” despite countless trials, for the rest of her life. - from In Hovering Flight, page 71 -

The novel is also about the ambivalent relationship between mother and daughter. Addie and Scarlet’s relationship is one of subtle conflict, doubt, awe, and ultimately deep love.

Two nights ago she’d held her mother’s hand and looked into her eyes, which were remarkably clear, despite her obvious pain; she had declined the medication the hospice workers offered for as long as she could, saying she wanted to stay as clear-headed as possible. As she gazed into those remarkable, impenetrable eyes, Scarlet said, “You’ve taught me so much.” It seemed that the words came, unaccountably, from her chest, which ached with a very real pain. Because Addie had taught her a great deal, and at that moment she could see it, and she longed for her mother to teach her more. - from In Hovering Flight, page 175 -

Throughout the novel, Hinnefeld wraps the themes of friendship, nature, the fragility of eco-systems, and art. These themes inspire the characters and bind them to each other. Hinnefeld’s writing is poetic, sensitive and evocative. I was touched by the very real struggles of her characters - their failed dreams, their conflicted love for each other, their doubts and triumphs.  This debut novel is simply a joy to read - one which resonates with the songs of birds and the grace of the human spirit.

Highly recommended.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by Dave McKean

Pages: 309
First Published: Sept. 30, 2008
Genre: children, fantasy
Award: Newbery Medal 2009
Rating: 4.5/5

First sentence:

“There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.”

Comments: After his family is killed a baby escapes by wandering out the open door and making his way to the graveyard. A married ghostly couple adopt him and name him Nobody Owens, Bod for short. Nobody then commences to grow up in the graveyard and can see and talk with all the ghosts of those buried there. In fact, he himself is not quite in the land of the living but somewhere between the life and death. He must stay here in the graveyard until he is old enough to look after himself on the outside as the man who killed his family is still looking for him and will continue until his job is completed.

I really enjoyed this book. Finally a 21st century Newbery winner I can rave about and recommend. The story and the characters are just wonderful. I really enjoyed the premise. It reminded me a bit, at first, of Terry Pratchett’s Johnny and the Dead even though the plot’s are completely different. Even though I don’t believe in ghosts and my religion tells me differently what will happen in the afterlife, it still is so much fun to imagine a world of ghosts. To imagine graveyards are full of the people buried there talking to each other. The book is really well written, fun and exciting. I think this is the type of book that will appeal to pretty much anyone, even those who don’t like fantasy as a rule. Finally a Newbery winner that *will* be enjoyed through the ages!

My only reason for not giving a full rating of 5 is that I really did not like the illustrations at all. They were dark, hard to see the details and I thought the faces were horrible. They definitely did not enhance the reading experience at all. From looking at covers at LibraryThing I see there is an edition with illustrations by Chris Riddell. Now that is someone whose art I appreciate and I’d love to have a look at those illustrations.

Maybe I’m overstepping my boundaries, maybe I’m supposed to let my kids make their own mistakes—that’s what the self-proclaimed experts say—but I know about mistakes, about how indelible they can be. [pg 45]

When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson
3rd Jackson Brodie mystery

Pages: 348
First Published: Sept, 2008
Genre: mystery, psychological suspense
Rating: 5/5

First sentence:

The heat rising up from the tarmac seemed to get trapped between the thick hedges that towered above their heads like battlements.

Comments: This is the story of three women, one who survived a brutal family crime when she was a child, another who recently experienced the same and one who grieves from a particularly unsettling sudden family death. While all three characters are delved into; it is the grown woman who finds that her past is about to meet up with her present when the criminal’s release date from prison (after thirty years) comes and goes. She is advised to get away for a while just to make sure she’s safe and can keep her mind off it and then the next day she simply disappears without a word to anyone. The local DI believes her advice was taken, one person thinks she’s been kidnapped and one person knows what really happened to her. This is a thrilling ride of psychological suspense.

I found the setting of Scotland to be very interesting and different as most of my crime reading takes place in either England or the US. The Scottish way of life certainly added a unique flavour to the story. The writing is skillful as the author slowly releases a plot that unravels page by page. The reader does not know where the story is going until each secret is revealed. Even though the story slowly unravels I still found this to be a page-turner as I couldn’t help but need to know just where this story was going and where it would end up.

Each chapter is written from the point of view of several different characters. This is a little bit unsettling at first as each of the first few chapters seem unrelated but when connections are made a light goes off in your head and you realize just how intricately interwoven the lives and crimes of several people are intertwined. Simply brilliantly written. I will be going back to read the first two books in this series quite soon.