Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad is a book I've been meaning to read 'for real' since my senior year in high school. It is the one of only two books I have ever been assigned and not read completely. (The other is A Diary of Anne Frank and I feel horribly guilty over that one)
So, I started Heart of Darkness for my AP English class, like I was supposed to, and then got bogged down in Conrad's endless description. So, I skimmed the rest, asked my English teacher for 'help' because I, 'didn't understand' the message, wrote my thesis paper, and got an A.:) No one ever knew.
But, I always felt like I hadn't been fair to Mr. Conrad's book. I owned my AP copy, it's not even 80 pages, and I figured I could just read it and mark it off my slate of unfinished (shameful) reads. I even hoped that if I gave it another chance I wouldn't hate it so much the second time.
Although it will never be one of my favorite books, I will say that Heart of Darkness was improved the second time around. I liked it much more this time (although that isn't saying much, since I loathed it the first). One of my earliest concerns with this book is the narrative voice. The narrator and the storyteller are two different people. People are sitting around a fire, listening to a man tell a story about his trip through the heart of the African Congo, and one of the men around the fire is telling it to us. It's weird, and it makes the descriptions and language that much stranger, because really... Even back then, who talks like that around a campfire?! I don't really see the point, and I thought it made the story more stilted than it needed to be.
I also felt that a lot of the book was superfluous, which in a 78 page book is a problem. Nothing really happens until the end of the book. Now, I'm perfectly willing to admit my part in this. I know that I read this book faster than I should have, and that I missed some of the important parts to the story. But, I don't care. I still found a lot of it dull, meandering and pointless.
There is a surprising amount of depth to this story. I missed it entirely the first time, because I was intentionally blocking out any meaning to the story, and I think I barely touched it this time, but I was impressed by what Conrad is able to convey in just 80 or so pages (closer to 40 or 50 if you consider that I felt the first half mostly irrelevant). But, once Kurtz becomes an important and active part of the story, I think you can learn a lot. Although I didn't love this book, and I doubt I ever will, I'd like to read it at least once more to try and glean more because I think there is more that this book could teach me.
This review is posted as part of Once Upon a Bookcase's Body Image and Self-Perception Month.
Have you ever found yourself rooting for the bad guy? Knowing that the character deserves every bad thing coming his way, but hoping that, somehow, things will work out better in the end? I don't know that I had ever truly experienced that before reading Tenderness by Robert Cormier. I generally prefer (ahem-totally love) reading books where the bad guy totally gets his comeuppance. I'm all about hard-core justice for my villains. Mercy?! *Scoff,* What's that. Don't you know what he's done?!
Reading this book changed that. This is the first time (or at least the only time that comes immediately to mind) where I have truly felt bad for our bad guy. Other times when the bad guy is pitiable or shown mercy, it is because they aren't really all that bad, merely misunderstood. Eric Poole may be misunderstood. That's a distinct possibility. But, there is no denying the fact that he is bad. He's a sociopath. When we meet Eric, he's been in a Juvenile Facility for the last three years for the cold-blooded murder of his mother and step-father. Or course, it was justified because of the 'severe abuse' Eric has been living with, so the state tries him as a juvenile instead of an adult, which means he will be released after he turns 18 and his record will be expunged. No one knows about the three young girls Eric murdered, or so he thinks.
If I had to sum up my thoughts/feelings/idea of this novel in one sentence, it would be revolve around the quote that begins this novel: "To know the pain of too much tenderness" — Kahlil Gibran. One generally equates tenderness with only positive things. It brings to mind images of gentleness, kindness and love. But, what about the idea of too much tenderness? Is that possible? Apparently. Lori and Eric are searching for that tender emotion. Almost every action is driven by this desire to experience tenderness. They are always seeking it, they look for and find it in all the wrong places and they never grasp it for long. It creates intense dysfunctions within each character.
Eric kills young girls to find it and Lori subjects herself to all manner of unwanted and unwelcome sexual advances to feel it. Their paths cross and Lori decides that Eric is the one who can give her what she seeks. She goes with him, knowing that he murdered his mother and step-father (but he was so abused!) and later discovers that the murmurs about Eric killing young girls is also true. But, Eric is tender with her. She loves him. She informs Eric that she will stand by him, ignoring his past and assisting him in the future if he will simply remain tender with her. And how can he refuse that, especially once he begins to care for her, as much as he is capable of caring for anyone.
If we only heard from Lori's perspective, it would be incredibly easy to hate Eric and despise him for the crazed cold-blooded killer he is. But, he isn't, is he? I still don't know. We also hear from Eric. While Eric never demonstrates any remorse for what he's done, he too merely desires a little tenderness in his life. Before his mother remarried, she and Eric had a very close relationship. The man she married and Eric do not get along at all. Eric despises him and he thinks Eric is rather in the way. Eric seeks compassion and tenderness from these girls and finds that the only way he truly feels able to experience it is upon their deaths. However evil that is, I can't hate him for it. He seems genuinely puzzled when the main detective on the case calls him a monster and surprisingly, I found myself agreeing.
By the end of the novel, he seems genuinely concerned for Lori's welfare. He takes care of her, makes her feel special and begins to show her what she has been searching for. And there is no doubt that by the end, he truly cares for her. Although abrupt and a bit jarring, the ending suited the story perfectly. It was tragic, but it was the only way to end the story and be true to each character. I won't spoil it for you, but I will say that I ended up heartbroken for each of our main characters. None of them really received their happy ending.
This is a book that will stay with me for a long time, and one that will influence my thoughts as well. I can't imagine someone with such a low image and perception of themselves that they would be willing to subject themselves to what Lori willingly puts herself through before and after meeting Eric. What would drive an attractive young woman to such lengths and who is to blame for not teaching this girl that she has value all on her own. This is a story that will both warm and break your heart and one that will linger in your thoughts long after you've turned the last page.
Pegasus by Robin McKinley was one of my most highly anticipated books of 2010. I've mentioned before that I love Robin McKinley. She is the author I credit with teaching me that fantasy can be a great genre to read. I was so excited when I noticed a new McKinley book that I'm pretty sure I made those embarrassing 'sqeeish' noises.
When the book came in the mail, I was beyond excited. And then, I started reading... End of excitement. The entire book was a struggle for me to get through. The beginning of the book is really vague, with the readers jumping into the middle of our 12 year old princess' history lesson and the narration doesn't really clear up much after that. I felt like I was reading the story told many years later by someone who kept forgetting the order things happened. It was full of flashbacks and flashforwards that would go on for pages, before the narration would pick up again in the present. I'm normally okay with this in books, but I like a little warning first. These flashes would just happen, and I'd find myself wondering where we were, and when we left the present tense.
I also regularly found myself bored with all the description. McKinley is a fantastic world builder and has a great imagination. I am amazed that she is able to come up with such beautiful and vivid descriptions for this magical world, but I got tired of hearing about them over and over again. It felt too much like a really boring teacher's desperate attempt to make a history lesson interesting to a group of students who couldn't care less. (ie: fail).
The story does definitely pick up once Ebon enters the picture and the story is no longer solely about Sylvi. Ebon was a fun character and I found myself truly enjoying his blunt and honest interior commentary. But this too was over used.
I must also admit that I was seriously upset, disappointed and annoyed when I realized that this book was actually going to have a sequel. I thought that McKinley could easily have cut the book down by 100 or so pages, removing the repetitious and redundant descriptions, and smoothing out the timeline, and then I find out she's going to follow it up with a second book?! Sigh. That was a bit of a bummer. And, of course I need to read the sequel because this book has one of the worst endings I've ever read. It ends, quite literally, in the middle of a scene. Nothing is resolved, everyone seems doomed, and all we have to go on are questions, assumptions and vague references to history.
I know that this review is predominantly negative, which makes me sad, and is not entirely what I was going for. The writing is, as always, beautiful and very well done. Sylvi and Ebon were a great character team, and their friendship is almost palpable. Their connection has enriched their lives, and I'm very interested to see what they will be able to accomplish in the future.
And although I was quite annoyed that this story ends in the middle of the scene, I must admit that I am incredibly interested in watching what Sylvi's father does with this new information, and how it will change their lives.
Overall, this is a beautiful story that just happens to be a little difficult to get through. But, I'd still recommend it for McKinley fans. Just, don't get your hopes too high.
* Disclaimer: I received this book through Star Book Tours.
Today's Memory Monday takes me back — way back. I remember each of these picture books from early grade school. These are books that I first heard when my teacher read them to the class. I loved them so much I read them later on my own, but then I forgot all about them. Something reminded me of them, and I searched for both of them for a long time before I finally found them.
The first was the easiest to find — The Mitten by Jan Brett. A little boy loses his mitten in the woods, and various animals in the forest use it for shelter. I believe this book was my first real experience with the suspension of disbelief. I distinctly remember thinking to myself that what was happening simply wasn't possible. There was no way these animals could all fit inside this mitten, especially when they all start cramming in there together. But then I remember making the conscious decision to like the book anyway, and just pretend for a moment that it was possible, and I was then able to enjoy the story. What can I say, I tend to over think things.
The next book took a lot longer to find, because I didn't remember anything about the title, I just knew it was about a Christmas tree that kept getting its top chopped off over and over, because each piece was just a tiny bit to big for its new home. I was beyond thrilled when I finally found the title again. Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry. I used to examine the tops of our Christmas trees every year after I read this book, looking for that bend in the top that meant we would need to clip it off. I never got to though, and I'm pretty sure I was awfully disappointed about it...
Do any of you have a favorite winter or Christmas picture book? Or a favorite winter read now? I'd love to hear about them!
This is my review, and BTW, I'm totally going to spoil the ending... You have been warned.
Liam the Leprechaun by Charles A. Wilkinson is a short book, only 46 pages, with pictures placed throughout. I accepted this book for review because it looked like a fun, cute story that I could sit down and read with my nephews (ages barely 3 and almost 5) who already love books. (Yay! Big smile). When I received the book, I was excited, but quickly realized my nephews probably wouldn't enjoy the story. There are full pages of text with only a few pictures placed in between (7 pictures total). I was a little disappointed it wasn't going to work to read with the boys, but excited to read it nonetheless because I'm not too old to admit that I still like a good picture book.
But, I didn't really like it. I feel bad saying that, because most of the story was fun. It's a little bit wordy and repetitive, but overall, that wasn't too much of a problem. I think the writing is on the level of those I-Can-Read-Books, designed for kids who are just beginning to read on their own. So, the writing wasn't a problem for me, but the story itself, was.
I enjoyed the beginning of the book. Liam was a sweet little guy, who desperately wanted to fit in with the rest of the leprechauns. But his problem? He's short... Even for a leprechaun and no one notices him. Watching Liam attempt to find his place within the leprechaun society was endearing and he finally decides to seek out the wise, almost mystical O'Hoolihan to figure out what he can do to make a place for himself.
He takes 'Hooley's' advice, and begins to see an improvement. He's given a job finding lost things that are too small for normal sized leprechauns to see. I thought this was a great solution to his problem and was excited for the resolution, where Liam is so happy to be himself, because no one can contribute what he can and all that great stuff. But, that didn't happen.
Liam helps the department he works for find the missing emerald of Mzzzzzz. GloccaMoora McShaughnessy, daughter of the local judge, and a dumpy, screaming harpy/feminist. I'm not making this up. In two pages, she's described as having a rusty voice, screaming eyes, a voice like a worse than a Banshee, a terror, beady eyes and more. And on and on and on. But wait! Liam finds her missing emerald. Moora's daddy, the judge decides to reward him for ending the horridness that is Moora displeased, and has Moora give him a gold coin. And then, MAGIC!
Liam magically grows 8 inches taller, and Moora drops 20 lbs, and with another coin — 8 more inches and 20 more lbs. Somehow, this also makes her less shrewish and she becomes all sugary sweetness, and she and Liam are able to live happily ever after (or so it implies). So what lesson can we take from this people? No matter how useful you are, who you are isn't good enough if you don't fit the 'norm' and women who believe that men trying to put them in their "place" because we are "only a lass" and try to develop a "sense of themselves" as women are going to be labeled 'banshee' link or something otherwise horribly degrading and will never be able to find a husband, so you'd better get nice fast. (quoted from pg. 27)
I'm sure I'm reading more into their 'transformation' than was meant, but seriously. What else are you supposed to think?! It annoyed me that a book meant to teach you about accepting yourself and trusting in your heart instead teaches that you can't truly be great until you have changed who you are.
There will be people who enjoy this book, who really like and appreciate it, I'm sure, but I'm not one of them. I'll look for my moralistic stories in Stephen Cosgrove's Serendipity books (a favorite from childhood).
*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
My mom gave me her old copies of the first two Encyclopedia Brown books by Donald J. Sobol when I was pretty young, around maybe 10 or so. I had Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective and Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret Pitch. Each book has 10 mysteries Encyclopedia Brown is supposed to solve. His name isn't really Encyclopedia, it's Leroy. But, no one called him Leroy except his mother and his teachers.
I don't know if any of you read any of the Encyclopedia Brown books, but I absolutely loved them. I read my two copies so often the covers fell off and the binding started falling apart. And then, I discovered that both the public library and my school library had more! I was so excited! I read mystery after mystery, always excited when Encyclopedia outwitted Bugs Meany again or helped his father, the Idaville Chief of Police, capture some bad guys. And I don't think I ever once solved the riddle before Encyclopedia. I always had to peek in the back of the book for the answers.
I pick up copies of these books in book orders, or when I find them in good condition in used book stores, because I had such fond memories reading these while growing up, I'd love to have them in my home. I've found new stories that I'm pretty sure I never read as a kid. And, I'll admit it — I still don't solve the mystery before Encyclopedia tells us the answer.
I loved the recurring characters in the stories — Tough Sally (the partner) who routinely beats up Bugs Meany (more or less, the nemesis), and Charlie with his collection of animal teeth. Encyclopedia Brown has a lot of friends, many of whom we meet as they hire Encyclopedia (for 25¢) to help them solve a mystery.
As I said before, I loved Encyclopedia Brown when I was a kid. I actually believe he was my first (and only) legitimate literary crush. I would so have loved to meet him, but alas... It never worked out, and I've decided I'm way to old for him now. So Encyclopedia, here's looking at you kid.
Torment by Lauren Kate is the sequel to Fallen. (review here.)
I wanted to read these books because I think the covers are beautiful. I did enjoy Fallen, and I expected to like Torment about equally. But, I did not. I have to say, I'm rather annoyed by this book.
Daniel and Luce are the main characters, and I did not like either one of them in this story, but I especially hated their relationship. Daniel can't get over the past enough to realize that this incarnation of Luce is different (obviously, because she didn't go up in flames when you kissed her) and he refuses to talk to her about anything. When he sees her, he tells her what she has to do (sort of), kisses her, fights with her, maybe flies with her, and then leaves without actually giving her any useful information. Luce is wildly in love with Daniel when they are making out, or when she thinks about how wonderful he is, and how fabulous their pasts were, but I got really tired, really fast of the 'I love you when you first show up, and while we are kissing, but the second our lips separate, I can no longer remember why I'm supposed to love you, and I'm doubting everything about our relationship'. BTW, in case everyone else missed this — that is not true love. That's hormones, aka — lust. They were in love in the past, they might really love each other in the future, but what Luce is talking about (I'm disgusted with you when I'm not around you, but when you touch me, I get all fuzzy headed/weak in the knees) is not love. Seriously.
Also, I have a hard time believing that Daniel truly loves her. I totally believe that he wants to be with her, and that he feels his life is tied to hers/completely dependent on hers. But, I believe that part of being in love is putting the other person ahead of your own needs. And, I don't see how kissing/killing her in incarnations spanning centuries is really saying, "I love you". He kills her, and puts all of her family members through agony. How is this love? The more Luce learned about her past, the less I wanted the two of them to actually end up together. That's not to say I want her with someone else, but I just do not like Daniel.
I do get that Daniel wants to protect her, but he really is a lot controlling. I don't blame Luce at all for being continuously frustrated with him, because he leaves her in the dark about everything. But, I also thought Luce was stupid about her anger. She put herself in danger over and over again because she needed to prove to herself and Daniel that he doesn't own me, and I can make my own choices, so there. Except, all her own choices were juvenille and destructive. I felt like she was sticking her tounge out at Daniel, almost a Na Na na Na na moment.
It really bothered me that no one would explain anything to Luce, because it's her life that's on the line. She's someone important, and it's pretty obvious that she's going to have a big role to play in the future, but no one thinks she needs any information about it. They brush off her concerns, refuse to help her understand, and dictate her life for her, because it's safer that way.
About the only characters I liked in this book were Miles and Shelby, and even they felt a little stiff/forced at times. I really liked Arriane in the first book, so I was excited when she reappears her. Except, she acts just like everyone else. She lost the parts of her personality that made her so much fun in Fallen, and became just another angel, trying to control the future. I also didn't like the two teachers. I never felt comfortable when they were around, and again, I got annoyed that Luce was supposed to be at this school to gain more of an understanding of the world she now finds herself within, but they refused to help her access the information she needed. Everyone just assumes that they can arbitrarily tell Luce what she can and can't do with absolutely no explanation beyond, 'Because I said so' and she'd just going to go along with it.
I just didn't feel like there was a lot of positive about this book. I wasn't a huge fan, and that makes me sad. I wish that much of it this book had been done differently, because I still like the basic premise. About halfway through this book, I was undecided if I would keep reading the series or not. I have a pretty good idea about where/how the book is going to end (a few main points anyway) and an exploration of Luce and Daniel's previous incarnations didn't really appeal to me, which is what the third book, Passion, is purportedly about.
However, the best and most believable part about this book was the ending. I actually really enjoyed the ending, and felt that it's the first time every character acted according to their natures. And, it's made me very interested in seeing how the third book will play out. I'm definitely going to be picking up a copy now, and I just hope that the author lets up on some of the more ridiculously angsty moments.
*Disclaimer: I received this book through We Love YA! Tours.
On my sister's personal blog, she started a weekly post she calls Memory Monday to try and create consistent posts about her and her family. With 3 young kids, it's hard to find the time to post regularly, and this was her way to let people know what's been going on in their family on a regular basis.
I think the idea is great, so I'm contemplating stealing it to use on my book blog, because there are so many books I absolutely love from before I started a book blog that I want to share. A lot of those also have distinct memories associated with them, so I thought I could use this Memory Monday idea to share some of those past favorites and the memories of reading them and my reactions to them that will probably last longer than the memories of what I actually read.
What do you guys think? Would you be interested in hearing that I cried when my 4th grade teacher read us Where the Red Fern Grows, and ran off to the bathroom (hopefully) before anyone noticed and when my best friend came to find me and make sure I was okay, I sniffed dismissively and told her it was 'Just my allergies'? Or that I stopped reading this book after the only dog I've ever loved died and I swore that, even though it was my favorite book EVER, I would never read it again, but couldn't stop myself from picking it up about 2 years later when these our next two dogs (who were not good dogs for kids...) ran away and I felt bad that I wasn't sad about it. Or, that I've always wanted to live in the Ozark mountains because of this book, and it makes me ridiculously happy that Billy lives in Idaho when the book starts.
Anyway, back to my idea — I doubt I would do this every single Monday, but it is something I'm tossing around. Any thoughts?
This week, September 25 — October 2, is Banned Books Week. It is a "Celebration of the freedom to read." How great is that? There is a full week dedicated to readers and promoting the freedom for us to chose which books we want to read. But it's more than that. It's more than just celebrating our right to read. It's also about standing up to those who wish to limit our ability to do so. So many great and wonderful books, directed to all age groups are challenged or banned every year. Complaints are made regarding everything from violence and profanity, to sexual content and drugs. Perhaps the most common is 'unsuited to age group'. It's a catch all, one that I feel is used as a label with people don't want to admit the real reason they oppose the book. Although, I will say that I laugh when it's applied to certain books like My Sister's Keeper. Although it's true that a lot of young adults read it, it's marketed as an adult book. But, sorry guys, you 30, 40, 50+ can't read it, because it's actually unsuitable for your age. Seriously people, come on.
As I've mentioned and I'm sure you've noticed, censorship is something that really bothers me. I don't like it when people think they are more entitled to make a decision about what I can or cannot handle reading than I do. What makes you the expert? And what gives you the right to decide that it's unacceptable for everyone just because you are uncomfortable with it. It makes me sad and angry and upset and conflicted and all sorts of other things that are often hard to express. And, when something bothers me, especially if it makes me angry, I talk about it. A lot. I love that I now have this blog, which allows me to reach more people, share my thoughts and feelings with people all over the world. But, with the topic of censorship, I really feel like I'm preaching to the choir. Out of all the book blogs I've read and visited, not one has been pro censorship. The general consensus seems to be that it's perfectly fine to limit or censor what you read, what your children read, and what you allow into your home, it is never okay to expand that viewpoint into the general population. Or that it's fine to ask a teacher to offer an alternative reading option if you, as a parent or as the reader are uncomfortable with the subject matter, but that it is never okay to deny the entire class (and future classes) the opportunity to read that book.
Sometimes I feel like I'm going to be the next crusader. I'm going to hop onto my metaphorical white steed and crush the seeds and roots of censorship, injustice, and cruelty beneath my the astounding might and strength of my brilliant mind. But other days, I feel the only people I reach are those who already wholeheartedly agree with me. Book bloggers all over the world have been complaining about and railing against Wesely Scroggins and his offensive view of books all week, but I doubt any of that has changed his opinion. I actually doubt that he's even heard about most of it. He might have seen the article Laurie Halse Anderson wrote in response to his, because it was printed in his local paper, but has he seen the public outcry online? I doubt it. So, is it worth it? Does it matter?
Ya. It definitely does. But there is even more that we can do.
This banned books week, try to do something new that can spread the word farther. Donate a banned book to the library — public or school — that they don't already have. Write a (polite and non-inflammatory) letter to the editor for your local paper. Attend school board meetings where they discuss whether to ban specific books challenged by community members and share your thoughts and feelings there. And don't limit your activity to banned books week. This is an ongoing challenge across the world. It's not something that is unimportant during the rest of the year. If someone in your community challenges a book, stand up for it. Donate copies to students you think would benefit from it.
I'd love to hear what you are trying to do to combat censorship and promote freedom of expression. Feel free to leave me a comment or a link to a post telling me what you've done to try and end censorship.
A short while ago, I reviewed A Journey into Tomorrow by Veronica C. Tinto. (Read my review HERE.) I have been in contact with the author, and she was kind enough to write a short bio and guest post for my readers here, explaining a little bit more about herself, her background and why she decided to write poetry. Also, (and I think this is quite exciting) Veronica has offered to be available to respond to comments and questions left on this post! She'll be keeping track of reader comments and answering questions etc. with anyone who would like to ask questions, give feedback etc. This is a great thing for her to offer, so I definitely think it's something that you should take advantage of! In my experience, she's been a great correspondent! So, here is what she had to say for us!
Bio:
I am from Trinidad and Tobago and my only language is standard British English. My educational background is in Communicative Disorders and Psychology. However with that being said, first I must say that I have never written poetry before, it is talent that I never knew I had before the unfortunate circumstances of a very bitter divorce. The title of the poems came first to me and within five to ten minutes I would have them completely finished. I was inspired by different factors as I wrote these poems. Of course by my own feelings, but I was also inspired by the tremendous courage I saw in my baby boy's actions in terms of the resiliency that he showed dealing with these life circumstances. I was also inspired by the unconditional love and countless support that I received from my closest and dearest friend Jemeka who on many nights spoke with me on the phone until 3am many mornings as I dealt with the emotional turmoil that was happening in my life. The poems began as sending Jemeka a simple thought for the day via a text message. However, as weeks passed by the poems began to have a life of their own as my words began to transcend my own life altering experiences and began to touch the lives of family and friends. I should also add that I made reference to the elements of nature many times in my poetry because growing up in Trinidad and Tobago I had the first hand experience of seeing the natural wonder of Mother Nature which was always a soothing experience for me in my life. In addition to this bio, she also wrote a guest post just for us! Here it is!
As funny as it sounds, my first experience writing poetry was almost my last experience! While attending high school in Trinidad and Tobago, my English teacher assigned the entire class a homework assignment to write a piece of poetry with personal meaning behind it. I dutifully went home that night and poured my ten-year-old heart and mind into the assignment. I returned to school the following morning proud of what I had created. I handed my piece to the teacher with all the confidence in the world, just knowing that it was an “A+” effort. After reading it, my English teacher promptly gave me an “F” and scolded me in front of the class for plagiarizing. Unfortunately my English teacher never acknowledged that the poem written that day for homework was only written by me the author. The hurt and embarrassment of that one experience so long ago stuck with me throughout my life. For this reason I never thought or even conceptualized that one day I would have been blessed with the ability to one day write a book of poetry entitled “A Journey into Tomorrow.”
Pushing that high school experience aside and through the inspiration, love and unconditional support I received from my closest and dearest friend Jemeka, and seeing the resiliency that my baby boy demonstrated, my healing process through poetry began. The words, thoughts, feeling and emotions flowed out of me like water in a torrent river. By turning my feelings into words, I was able to appreciate what was important in my life. For example the unexpected deepening friendship that occurred, the kindness of strangers, the simple pleasures I enjoyed and the lessons I learnt from my little angel, and the metamorphosis of my spirituality during this season of my life. Each experience that unfolded in my life as well as the lives of family and friends became the lyrical melody for my poetry.
It is my sincere hope for you my reader that these poems provide you solace during stressful or quiet moments in your life. The purpose of writing these poems were to also address the spectrum of human emotions from love to disappointment, to rage, to sadness, to the beauty of nature, to enjoying life to the sadness of death, to the past, present and future. I believe these are common themes that we all can relate with since these themes are the fundamental foundations of our human experiences. The poems were written to provide you food for thought without the use of vague metaphors and obscure analogies, because during the lowest moments in life, regardless of what circumstance generate these feelings, we all want to read words that speak directly to our hearts.
I'd like to thank Veronica for taking the time to talk with me, and write this up for me and my readers. Please, share your thoughts with me and Veronica. I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
When Shlemiel went to Warsaw and Zlateh the Goat are both collections of short stories awarded a Newbery Honor in 1969 and 1967 respectively. They were written by Isaac Bashevis Singer, a Jewish author well known for his short stories, who received the 1978 Nobel Prize in Literature.
These two collections included several stories that I really enjoyed and many that I didn't much like. Several stories in each book took place in the city of Chelm and mentioned the 7 City Elders (described by the author as fools). One of the residents of that city is Shlemiel, who appears in several stories and is also, undeniably, a fool. Although I like to think I have a sense of humor, and I enjoy a good taste of the ridiculous every now and again, sometimes, it's just a little too much. The two collections contained just a few too many stories dealing with the utter foolishness of these people for me to truly enjoy the reading. To give a quick example, a short story from Zlateh the Goat entitled The Snow in Chelm begins like this:
Chelm was a village of fools, fools young and old. One night someone spied the moon reflected in a barrel of water. The people of Chelm imagined it had fallen in. They sealed the barrel so that the moon would not escape. When the barrel was opened in the morning and the moon wasn't there, the villagers decided it had been stolen. They sent for the police, and when the thief couldn't be found, the fools of Chelm cried and moaned.
For some, I'm sure these stories would be very enjoyable and amusing tales. However, reading story after story involving more and more absurdities became just a little too much for me. Between the two books, almost half the stories dealt in some way with the preposterous happenings of the residents of Chelm.
However, I generally found the stories that did not mention Shlemiel or the Elders (and people) of Chelm to be very entertaining, and often delightful. I especially enjoyed the stories, Rabbi Leib & the Witch Cunegunde, and Shrewd Todie & Lyzer the Miser and the message of Utzel & His Daughter Poverty from Warsaw. My favorites from Zlateh were the stories Fool's Paradise, and Zlateh the Goat. These stories are all clever and well written, often with a warm moral, subtly teaching the reader ways to improve and become better without beating you over the head with the moral.
For the most part, I enjoyed reading these stories. It's always nice to get a new look at a culture I know very little about. In the foreward to Warsaw, Singer mentions that while each are retold using his own language and ideas, several of the stories within came from legends and stories told by his mother and grandmother. I love the different folk tales from various cultures, so that was fun. I did enjoy reading these short stories, and am glad I picked them up.
Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher is set in Ancient Persia and it is a retelling of 1001 Arabian Nights. The original tale is the story of Shaharazad, the young woman who tells stories each night to the Sultan, ending before the climax is complete in order to remain alive one more day. Over and over she does this, for 1001 nights. The original tale is where we get such beloved stories as Aladdin, Sinbad, and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. I have not yet read the original tale, partly because there are so many translations available and I am unsure which is best, but as far as I know, there are a lot of questions that the original tale doesn't answer.
What happened after 1001 nights that the Sultan decided Shaharazad could live without telling more stories? Why was 1001 somehow the magical number? Where did Shaharazad get enough stories to fill 1001 nights? What would have happened if she started to run out?
Shadow Spinner answers these questions and more. I was surprised and intrigued but this book when I learned about it, because Shaharazad is not the main character as one would expect from a retelling of 1001 Arabian Nights. Instead, our story is narrated by Marjan, a crippled young serving girl who gets drawn into the lives of those in the palace. She goes with her mistress to sell baubles in the Sultan's harem and stops to tell a group of young children a story. Her voice and her ability to tell a story are one of her most valued and prized 'possessions' and her hero is Shaharazad. No one believed that an ability to tell stories could change your life until she stepped up and offered to marry the Sultan. Shaharazad's sister overhears Marjan telling her story to the young children and she takes Marjan to meet Shaharazad, because she is beginning to run out of stories and she doesn't know what to do next.
And so, Marjan comes to live in the Sultan's palace as a serving maid to Shaharazad. But there is much more to live in the palace than plush fixings and plenty of food. Even after almost 3 years of storytelling, every morning there is an air of tension when Shaharazad leaves the Sultan's rooms. The Sultan's mother also hates Shaharazad and wants to see her fail, which means a hatred for anyone close to her, or trying to help her.
I love this book. I mean, really, honestly and truly, I love this book. Marjan wants to be a great storyteller. Every where she goes, she collects stories and collects information that could be used to create and weave her own tales. Each chapter begins with section titled "Lessons for Life and Storytelling" and the lesson within would often foreshadow the events to come withing the chapter.
Watching Marjan grow and develop as a person and as a storyteller felt like a gift. In the beginning, Marjan is holding onto some deeply rooted anger and bitterness, although it takes a while for the reader to realize this. I think it takes Marjan herself a while to realize the extent of the anger she is harboring. She also learns about a solid core of goodness within herself. She is fiercely loyal, willing to do whatever she can to protect and shield those she cares about.
Shadow Spinner is a completely unique tale that takes us into a world of palace intrigue, danger, love and hope. It is everything a fairy tale should be. There is no magic in their world but there is magic in their story. And their story teaches us that there is magic within ourselves.
With us today, we have Mette Ivie Harrison, author of The Princess and the Hound, The Princess and the Bear, The Princess and the Snowbird, Mira, Mirror and the upcoming Tris and Izzie. Her bio tells us that her name, Mette is Danish and when spoken, rhymes with 'Betty'. She currently lives in Utah with her husband and five children. And, she tells us 'I write during nap time, or at 4 in the morning, or while the broccoli for dinner is burning. Whenever Ig et a chance. I love to write the kind of books that I love to read. And I love to discover what it going to happen next, just like a reader would.' As if being a writer isn't enough, she also participates in triathlons.
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I wrote the first draft of The Princess and the Hound in 1997, and in that version, it was a retelling of the story of The Princess and the Pea. Doesn’t sound likely, does it? What happened as I was writing the first scene, in which the bedraggled princess knocks on the door of the castle to escape from a rainstorm, was that she came in with this hound. This big, black hound whom she would not let anyone take away from her. It was obvious they were very close, that their relationship was not like any other hound and girl. And Prince George, who told the story from the first, could not stop thinking about this princess and this hound. He had to find out the mystery behind their relationship.
So, it was a mystery and a romance from the beginning, and it was based on a fairy tale. But as I rewrote it many, many times over the next eight years before it was accepted for publication, it took on its current hints of Beauty and the Beast. In fact, I thought of it as a new fairy tale, a story that would make the reader sure that this was a fairy tale she had missed reading from the original Grimm’s collections, but in fact was my own invention. It wasn’t until my editor pointed out the hidden Beauty and the Beast that I realized she was right. There are many fairy tales based on Beauty and the Beast, however, and it is only if you look for it that you will see that as a backstory.
Some readers have complained that The Princess and the Hound isn’t a retelling at all. Well, it’s not like any other retelling you’ve probably ever read. I think my brain is just twisty this way, and as soon as I hear a story, I start thinking of the way I would tell it, and by the time I actually tell it well enough that it could be published, it doesn’t look very much like the original. I got some of the same complaints from readers of Mira, Mirror. If you want a retelling of Snow White, you might not be happy with Mira, Mirror, because Snow White appears in one sentence and then disappears. It’s the story of the mirror and the evil queen before Snow White and after. It’s my own story, one only I could tell.
I remember an experience at a writing conference I went to in 2010. Candace Fleming was there and she was teaching a section on writing historical non-fiction. She had just finished writing The Lincolns, a wonderful biography of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, and she told us about a bit of historical fact. Mary Todd had been stopped by a night watchman while running by the streets of Atlanta in the wee hours of the morning. The night watchman thought she would only be running toward an elopement, but in fact, she was going to an early morning poetry class, held at that hour so that the oppressive heat of the summer did not bother the students. We were supposed to work on telling only the facts of the story, adding in no details we could not verify. This was something I could not do. Really. I just wanted to go off in all directions on my own. In fact, I started working on a novel called The Asylum after this workshop, using the idea of a girl sent to an insane asylum (as Mary Todd Lincoln was sent by her own son after Abraham’s assassination) for no reason other than that she would not do as she was told.
Tris and Izzie, which will be out in the fall with Egmont, is a project I have been thinking about for a long time, as well. I studied German Literature in college and have a PhD in it. I read Tristan and Isolde in the original middle high German in grad school, and also listened to Wagner’s opera of it. It’s one of the greatest love stories of all time, but it’s also very frustrating to me. It doesn’t have very modern sensibilities about women, and I object to the adultery scheme. Plus the ending is wretched, not romantic at all. And I hate love triangles. So why in the world would I choose to do a retelling of that story? Well, the challenge of it always gets me excited. I feel like I tend to retell fairy tales I hate more often than ones that I like, because I want to fix them. Tris and Izzie is my “fixed” version of the original. I get to play with a love triangle, but in a way that I don’t find objectionable.
I often find that when I read a standard romance with a love triangle, I want to smack all three characters around. What are those two hot guys doing, waiting around to be chosen? They need to get a life, both of them, and dump her. Plus, what is her problem? Doesn’t she know she can’t hold guys on a string like that? If she seriously can’t choose, then she’s too stupid and young to have a romance right now anyway and she should go to an all girls’ school until she grows up. So, in my version of the love triangle, you can imagine things are a little different. I don’t want to give it all away, but I hope readers like my modern take.
Tris and Izzie is also the first time I’ve had a chance to try out a humorous slant on a retelling. It’s not slapstick funny, but Izzie tells the story and she has an ironic twang to her depiction of events that I think works well. There’s lots of action and big save the world stuff going on, but she can also make fun of herself and what’s going on at the same time. It may not feel like it’s as serious a love story or a meditation on life as The Princess and the Hound, but there’s some serious stuff hidden in there, too. I mention how I feel about love triangles, about girls who can’t choose who they love, and about girls who are fighting over the same guy. Also, what secrets do to relationships. And what has happened to our scientific world in which we have no sense of magic anymore. Those are some of the big themes that I think are touched on, while the readers are having a good time reading.
I've got a new website up: www.trisandizzie. com which I’m trying to promote. There is a “Dear Izzie” vlog there, where “Izzie” answers questions for the romantically and magically challenged. So I will give a free book away to the best question posted here in comments, with the understanding that all questions can be used on my blog. Hope you have fun!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ What a wonderful post Mette! It was awesome hearing more of the story behind the book. And Tris and Izzie looks amazing! Can't wait to read it!! Isn't that cover gorgeous?!
Alright everyone! You heard her! Go to www.trisandizzie. com and come up with some questions for Izzie for your chance to win a copy of The Princess and the Hound!
Be sure to leave your questions in the comments section of this post!! Contest ends May 5th. May 8th!
The Swan Kingdom by Zoë Marriott is one of my favorite fairy tale retellings of all time. I love it. Zoë has taken the old tale, The Wild Swans and made it completely her own. She wrote us an absolutely lovely guest post that talks about the book far better than I could, so I'm going to link it here.
Alexandra is the young daughter of a distant and disappointing father and a warm, loving and magical mother. Her father is disinterested in her life, preferring to spend his time and attentions on his three sons, all older than Alexandra. Her mother teaches her about the enaid, the life magic that flows through the land, the growing things and Alexandra herself. The kingdom of Alexandra's family is rich with the magic and flourishes, while outlying kingdoms have destroyed theirs. But then tragedy strikes, madness and evil take over and Alexandra must find strength within herself. She is no longer able to rely on her mother or brothers for strength, support and protection. Now, it is up to her to save everything.
Alexandra is one of my very favorite heroines in all the fairy tale retellings I have read. She is so real. She is strong, brave, intensely loyal, and loving. But, she also begins the story meek and accepting. She is told what to do, and she does it. Sometimes, this is a good thing. But not always. And definitely not when the great evil you believe killed your mother has taken on the form of a beguiling female, betwitched your father, destroyed your beloved brothers, ensnared the entire kingdom, and is now shipping you off to a neighboring kingdom to live with an aunt you barely know exists.
In her defense, Alexandra was drugged, poisoned and unconscious while she was being shipped off to a neighboring country, but still. Once there, she accepts that this is now the place for her, and she does nothing. She does not search for her brothers, waiting instead for them to come find her, she does not question her aunt's rule beyond sneaking out to the beach each night, and she does not try to return home to stop the evil Zella whom she knows is destroying her kingdom and her people.
While living with her aunt, Alexandra feels stifled. The enaid is not strong her, as it is in her kingdom and being indoors all the time wears her down. So, each night she slips out her window and walks along the beach, and each night she meets up with Gabriel, a young man vacationing on the coast with his family. They talk and laugh each night until dawn, learning of each other, and filling the empty spaces life has left within. Alexandra is one of my favorite heroines and Gabriel is one of my favorite love interests. He never tries to steal the show, never upstages Alexandra. This is her story, and she must live it, but her is there for her. He is her friend in a troubling time when she has no one, and they slowly grow from friends into the hope of something more while walking along the beach. When the day comes he must leave, and return to his home, your heart weeps with Alexandra's and cracks with Gabriel's. And you hope, oh you hope that they will be able to meet again soon.
The time spent with her aunt is somewhat a state of limbo for Alexandra. She knows that something must be done, but is content to wait for her brave and strong brothers return. But then Zella, her evil step-mother, sends people to collect Alexandra and bring her home. On the way, Alexandra realizes that she is enchanted and dying, and to return home would be to go to her death. And so, she escapes and begins the struggle to rescue her brothers and save her kingdom. And she leaves behind the meek Alexandra who follows orders blindly.
There is so many amazing sections of this book. There is so much to say about the enaid, the circle of the ancestors, the curse Alexandra discovers on her brothers, Zella, and, of course, Gabriel. I don't have the space here to tell you everything that I love about this book. There is so much awesome in this book that it would be impossible to fit it all into one review. I know that my review isn't doing the book or the characters justice, but I want you to know that it is truly a book worth reading. It is all the standard 'review' words (compelling, captivating, magical, stunning) but it is more than that too. It is a book that fills you up, that gives meaning to the mundane.
Do not all of us wish we were like Alexandra? That we had power far greater than even we understand? There is a scene in the book where Zella confronts Alexandra at the base of the mountain of the Circle of Ancestors. Zella is there to kill Alexandra and it is the first time we see Zella without the pretense of innocence and fragility. But Alexandra defies her. And in so doing, she realizes that she has power and that if anyone is to save her kingdom and her brothers, it shall be her. Watching her grow and mature, both in life and in magic is empowering, heartening and wonderful.
Do not let my lack of eloquence deter you from reading this book. Ignore my stumbling attempts to express how much I love this book and grasp the love and delight that is beneath them. And, then, go read this book! (in my blog for a chance to win a signed copy, along with a signed ARC of her upcoming novel, Shadows on the Moon!)
Beastly by Alex Flinn is not your usual Beauty and the Beast. For one thing, it's set in modern day Manhattan. For another, our narrator is the beast. Who starts out as a genuine POS. No sympathetic misunderstood hero here! Just your run of the mill, 'I am so much better than you', a***ole.
The story of Beauty and the Beast is traditionally told from the beauty's pov. It's all about looking below the surface, and recognizing that outward beauty isn't important. But, in almost every version of this story that I've heard, our 'Belle' is already like that. She doesn't have any trouble falling in love with the beast, because looks have never been important to her, because she is an intrinsically good character.
And think about it. The beast is the one who was cursed, for being vapid, vain, and shallow, right?! So why is it that the girl is the one 'learning' the lesson to free the beast? Who says spending a few years looking nasty is really going to convince this guy that looks aren't important?! Somehow, I think that's more likely to teach him the opposite lesson-teach him that looks really do matter. After all, how many people are willing to spend time with him when he's horrific to look upon?! So really, this lesson's not so great for getting your point across, but boy! Is it ever cathartic!
That is why I thought Beastly was such a great story. We get to hear what the beast has to say. We get to see how it changes him. And at first, he is incredibly bitter about everything and everyone. His dad shuts him up in a fancy townhouse and hires a blind tutor, because he can't stand to be around him, and Kyle becomes a complete recluse. He knows he needs to find a girl that he can love who will love him back in order to break the spell, but he's not exactly about to go out looking. So, if I remember correctly, (it's been a while since I read the book) he kidnaps the girl breaking into his rose garden and forces her to stick around, with the necessary trips home to quell any suspicions that might arise. (I'll admit my details here are a little fuzzy, but I think I'm close)
The girl, Lindy, actually goes to Kyle's school and he never even noticed her. But she's a sweet, genuinely good person, who loves roses and reading (pretty typical 'Belle' character) and she isn't overly concerned with Kyle's appearance. And Kyle, who now calls himself Adrian, which means 'Dark One', really begins to change. He recognizes traits in Lindy that he can admire, and he realizes that she is happy. She doesn't need exorbitant amounts of money, wealth, or popularity to be happy. She just is. And we watch as Kyle changes from self-absorbed, egotistical jack-ass into a person I could be friends with. He begins to understand that life isn't all about money and looks, and there really is value in having depth.
Kyle's magical transformation is necessary for the story, but it is his internal transformation that really makes this story magic. Too often the beast's lesson is overlooked in favor of what Beauty sees and I love that in this book, the focus is on the Beast. Beauty really is only skin deep, and it's even more important for our beast to realize this than it is for our beauty. So thank you Alex Flinn, for giving us a beast who gets it, a beast who actually learns his lesson.
When I first heard about The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky I wasn't sure what I thought about the idea. No one would ever accuse me of being very interested in fashion, and my designer recognition is limited to the names of the very most famous. But, I was approached, in a round-a-bout way to review this novel, and realized that the dress takes our main character back to the Titanic... Well, it just so happens that 11 year old Ashley was obsessively in love with the Titanic, and 11 year old Ashley has an especial love for books where modern kids were able to travel back themselves. How could I not want to read this book?! So, I accepted, if for no other reason that to 'feed' 11 year old Ashley a little bit.
Before I say anything about the story, I want to briefly mention that this is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. I know you aren't supposed to just by appearances and all that, but seriously. This book is gorgeous. There are pages and pages of full color illustration, beautiful script work inside, the chapter headers are elegant and lovely, and the exterior of the book is a lovely purple. I'd love owning this book for the aesthetic value alone.
However, I did find this book to be delightfully charming, and I loved reading it. I admit that a lot of why I loved this book so much comes from 11 year old Ashley saying, Yay!! Titanic! but the story itself was cute and a lot of fun to read. Louise is 12 and in love with vintage clothing. She loves clothes and fashion, but would rather scour Goodwill and Salvation Army that hit up the mall. When she gets an exclusive invite to a traveling vintage sale, she's thrilled and can't wait to see what's offered. She just knows she's going to find something amazing to wear to the upcoming school dance. What she ends up finding are two (possibly crazy) old women and a glorious pink dress that transports her to the deck of the Titanic.
I did find found myself a little disbelieving that it took Louise so long to realize she was on the Titanic. Her history teachers may have been insanely dull, but they talked about the Titanic in class the day before she puts on the dress. Not only that, but she mentions having seen the movie. I do also wish that there had been a little bit more history of the Titanic included. It seemed to focus more on the outfits aboard the ship than on the history of the people or the ship itself.
I also found the descriptions of all the outfits worn both by Louise and others in the story to be a little too detailed. I freely admit that this one is more my fault, more personal, than anything actually wrong with the story. I have never been very interested in what's fashionable, or who is wearing what, and I would never recognize real designer clothing. I just don't have the eye or the interest towards it. I understand that vintage clothing is a large part of what makes Louise unique, but it's never been my thing. And, I worry that it might limit the readership a little bit, because I've never met a 12 year old in real life with this type of interest in vintage clothing. But then again, with the gorgeous illustrations, maybe it will, instead, encourage their interest in vintage fashion.
With that being said, I did really enjoy reading this book. It's a quick read and Louise was a fairly believable 12 year old. Initially, she's in shock and scared about where she's found herself. But then, as she realizes she's a first class passenger with a stunningly lovely wardrobe and she is back in time, she starts to enjoy herself, and enjoy living the life of pampered and loved starlet. But, once the newness wears off, she definitely resorts to 12 again, missing her mom, and wishing for nothing more than to be back home with her family and friends.
Although I mentioned wishing for more history of the Titanic, I did like the interaction Louise had with the passengers aboard the ship. Whether or not their portrayal here was completely accurate to real life, it was neat being able to see a little of what they might have been like as real people, instead of just names on a list. It's one of the reasons I love historical fiction, and I thought this book did a marvelous job of bringing the real people to life a bit. The story has set itself up to easily become a series, and I would be interested in following along with the series to see what else happens to Louise. I would be fascinated to watch as she travels through different clothing eras, and will also be interested to see if Louise ages at all as the series progresses. I think it would be neat to watch as her adventures change with her real age, and the perspective that age grants you. But then again, maybe the magic of the dresses wears off as you age, and no longer believe in magic the same way you do as a kid.
Overall, the book was a really fun middle grade read that allowed me to remember what it was like to be 11. My 11 year old self would have rolled my eyes at the clothes and gobbled up any mention of the Titanic. I think that young girls will love the illustrations that go along with the clothing descriptions and who doesn't love the idea of being able to travel through time?!
*Disclaimer: I received a copy of this for review in exchange for an honest review.
Today's Memory Monday post is going to be another author spotlight. I have so many Memory Monday ideas, that it's hard to narrow it down, and decide what books or authors to talk about. Last week, while deciding which topic to write about, a friend on Twitter asked for some book recommendations, and in the large list I supplied her with, I included a link to Sharon Creech's twitter account, telling my friend to read her books. And guess what. Sharon Creech replied to me. She's commented back to me on Twitter before, but every single time it happens I get butterflies in the pit of my stomach because, guys, she's Sharon Creech!
I recognize that many of you will not understand the significance of this to me yet, so let me explain. Sharon Creech was a monumental author figure in my childhood. I don't remember how I got a copy of her book, but I read Walk Two Moons in elementary school, and I was completely blown away by the amazing story and characters Creech created. Salamanca Tree Hiddle completely captured my heart and I felt filled up with her story. I was compelled to turn the pages in a way I don't think I had ever experienced before.
When I finished reading this book, I was completely in love. It completely filled me and I knew that I would never be the same. I needed everyone to read this amazingly wonderful book, and I wanted to tell everyone about it. I loved it so much that I asked my teacher if it would be okay if I did an additional book report on it. Yes, I was, and am, that much of a nerd. I made a shoe box diorama of a significant scene (similar to the one on the cover, but mine was more detailed) and wrote a report about it, that the teacher had displayed for me in the library.
I quickly inhaled Bloomability, Chasing Redbird, Absolutely Normal Chaos, and The Wanderer. Each story brought something new to my newfound wonder at character relationships, life stories and writing. Each book opened a new part of my eyes and I was thrilled at the wonderful world Creech could create for her characters. Bloomability is one of the original boarding school books folks. Long before out heroines were running around their boarding schools seeking out paranormal not-quite-bad-guys-but-definitely-not-good-guys, Domenica had to leave her gloriously eccentric family to attend boarding school in Switzerland.
I read these 5 books when I was younger, and then imagine my shock and joy when I, now almost 20 realized that Sharon Creech had written more books beyond these 5 glorious reads. So, I made a point to find and read them all. And, I think that I have. Or, very nearly.
Sharon Creech was one of the absolutely essential writers from my childhood. Bloomability was my first reading experience in a foreign country, and man did I want to visit the Alps. (Still do). Walk Two Moons makes me want to take a road trip, and part of it takes place in Boise, Idaho. I lived in Washington when I read this book, but all of my dad's family is from Idaho. So, I felt a strong connection to Sal and her grandparents as they traveled to what I considered to be my *other* state. Chasing Redbird is about a girl striking out on her own over the summer, tackling a huge project by herself, and needing it to be that way. I've always loved doing projects by myself, and I get irrationally annoyed when other people try to help me, which Zinnia felt as well. Also, as an awesomely cool connection, Zinnia was best friends with Sal before her dad made them move. She misses her, and mentions her. It's been a few years since I read these books that were so important to me growing up, and this post has reminded me that I have missed them. It's definitely time for a reread soon.
I don't know how else to tell you how important Sharon Creech was to me growing up. Her books rank right up there on the favorites shelf with Billy and his dogs in Where the Red Fern Grows which, if you've been around a while (or click that link) you know at least part of what that means to me. Even today, Sharon Creech goes on the auto-read list for me. If she wrote a book about dirt, I would read it and I would be delighted with how wonderful Sharon Creech managed to make dirt sound.
And guys. She talked to me on Twitter. An icon from my childhood thanked me for recommending her books. I screamed a little.
If you would like to be a Memory Monday guest blogger, I'm always looking for more volunteers. I would love to hear about what books or authors influenced your childhood and left strong memories! If you are interested, in my blog for more information, or send me an email!
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White is one of those books I've been hearing about my whole life, and everyone who has ever read this has loved and told me that I have to read it because it is just so amazing. I read Charlotte's Web as a kid and really enjoyed it, so I fully expected to love this book.
I bought a really nice copy of it on impulse a couple years ago, because I just knew it would be awesome, and pretty copies of awesome books are great, right? I had a feeling it was going to be a while before I would get to it, so when Adam over at Roof Beam Reader started his 2011 TBR Reading Challenge, I thought it would be a great excuse to read this book.
So, I read the book. And, I didn't like it. I mean, it was okay, I guess. I actually really enjoyed the first couple of chapters, when the boy is our main character and the story is told by him and from his perspective. He goes camping in the wilds of Canada with his dad, and stumbles across a nesting pair of Trumpeter Swans, which are big, loud and beautiful. Being a nature and animal enthusiast, he does what he can to observe them and share a little part of their world. He's quiet and doesn't move as he observes the swans, because he doesn't want to alarm them, both because he doesn't want to threaten the home they have created for them and their eggs, but also because swans get downright nasty and you do NOT want to be on the receiving end of their territorial attacks.
And then we get a section from the swans point of view about this strange human boy who has invaded their space. But, it's kind of all right, because he just sits there, quietly, never moving. Just watching. So the swans get used to him. And then, a fox tries to attack the Mrs. and the boy saves her. So, they like the boy and allow him into their world, and when their chicks hatch, he is part of their lives also, at least for a few weeks.
If that was the only time we heard from the swans themselves, I would have been just fine. But it's not. The entire rest of the book becomes narrated by the swans and I didn't like it. They are ridiculous and far too human for me to believe any of it. And their understanding of the world is far too advanced for an animal. Like the son who cannot speak. He goes to school and learns to read and write on a little chalk board that hangs around his next. The teacher, of a first grade classroom, allowed a giant bird, notorious for its mean streak, into a classroom full of small children so it could learn to read, and it does.
And then even more craziness ensues, including the aforementioned swan learning how to play a magnificently beautiful trumpet, that more than makes up for the fact that he cannot 'trumpet' himself. Something has been wrong with his vocal cords since birth. But here's the things guys. I have played a trumpet. I know how they work. I know how hard you have to work to play one. And, if you don't have a working set of lips, you ain't getting any sound out of that thing. And if you can't depress the keys with your fingers, which takes more effort that the feathers on a wing could manage, you are vastly more limited in the notes you are able to play. So I didn't buy it.
I will admit right from the start that I want nothing but contemporary from my contemporary and realistic novels. I do not think there is any room for the abstract or unimaginable when I'm reading a book that I fully expect to be a realistic contemporary. If my book has impossibilities mixed in with it, I'm automatically more inclined to dislike it, and I didn't believe a single thing in this book after the swans took over the narration. And, it doesn't help that the father swan was one of the absolute most annoying characters I have ever read. He's full of ridiculous bluster, rambling pretension, and thoughts of inflated self, while his lady swan was very down to earth, practical and calm.
I feel bad that I didn't like this book, and I recognize there is a good chance I would have liked it a lot more if I had read it as a kid. But, I didn't. I read it now, and I didn't like it. The only thing that would possibly motivate me to read it again would be reading it aloud to my future kids someday.
06As I'm sure most of you know, Misty at The Book Rat and I are gearing up for Fairy Tale Fortnight, and doing all we can to make this event as awesome for you as possible. We've gotten in touch with authors, bloggers, publiscists etc to try and make this event rock. And the participation we have received and the support has been amazing. I'm completely stunned by how many great authors are willing to contribute, and I've worn out my happy dance from the number of times I've checked my email to see even more participation.
One of the authors who has agreed to contribute to the event is Donna Jo Napoli, who has written many, many great fairy tale retellings. Stay tuned, both Misty and I will have some reviews go up for you. She's been great to talk with, and had been very generous with her giveaway offerings. (Just saying here, I wish I was you... Great giveaway!)
She emailed me the other day, asking for my help. And, because she's been so great to work with already, and I definitely support her cause, I was more than happy to agree.
This summer, Donna will be going to Italy to teach a writing workshop for the Siena School of Liberal Arts, which is a non-profit organization that provides significant outreach to the elderly, immigrants, and the deaf community. But, as is the case with, I believe many non-profits right now, the school is struggling financially. Donna has agreed to teach this workshop without pay because she truly supports their cause and wants to assist them in anyway possible.
I've left links all over the place in this post, and you can click on any of them for more information.
Donna is hoping that this post will do three things, in part or in full. She is hoping to raise awareness of both the workshop and the organization. She also wants this workshop to be a success. But for it to really be successful, it needs participants. The workshop will be in Siena, Italy this May and is suitable for writers just beginning their career, or those who have already been published. If this is something you are interested in, or think would be beneficial and would work for you time/money wise I strongly recommend looking into this workshop. It looks pretty great, and I know I'd love to work with Donna in person! And really, it's in Italy. If I had the money and time for it, I'd totally go just as an excuse to go to Italy!
But, because it's definitely not something that everyone is going to be able to participate in, there is also the option to donate something to their cause. They are a non-profit organization, which means they exist on Government assistance and donations from others who appreciate what they stand for. I have never asked my readers for any kind of donations or contributions before, and definitely don't plan to make a habit of this, but this is something I think is worth talking about. If you are at all interested in, willing or able to contribute in any way to this organization, I strongly recommend looking into it! Feel free to follow any of the links within this post for more information, or you can email Donna or myself and we can try to answer any questions.
Although this post is specifically about the Siena School for the Liberal Arts and their writing workshop, I'd like to broaden this up to say donate anything you can (time, money, books, information) to any of the non-profit organizations you support. There are so many groups out there (including your local library!) who support and improve literacy and who are trying to make improvements to your communities. They can only survive if people are willing to support them, so go for it! If at all possible, give a little of yourself and your talents to help support these great programs!
Let's help these great organizations stay alive!
Also, welcome to the hoppers! I posted this today on purpose, in the hopes that more people would see it, with the additional 'hop' traffic to the blog! But, I also welcome you and would love to have you stick around and chat!:)
Last week, I posted my review of Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta. (Click the link if you missed it). I had read it earlier last year, but hadn't gotten around to reviewing it, mostly because I was afraid all that would come out was a big LOVE! But then, I saw some news that made me spaz out a little bit... She wrote a sequel. That happens five years later, and is told by Tom, who was my favorite of the male characters in Francesca's story. Seriously... I did myself a little squeal and dance and started breathing funny. So when I had the chance to sign up for an ARC tour, of the sequel, I took it. Which meant I had to quickly review the first. So I did. Then I read this book. And, sigh. Here I go again with that great big LOVE!
The Piper's Son is Tom Mackee's story, and the years between now and the end of Francesca's story have not been kind to him. His family is disintegrating, Tom is unraveling, he has no idea how to stop it, and he's basically given up on everything. Two years ago, Tom's favorite Uncle moved to London to teach, and was killed by a bomber on the train. And everything has completely fallen apart since then.
As I mentioned above, Tom was my favorite of the guys we met in Saving Francesca. I was so excited to learn that this would be his story, but just reading the blurb broke my heart a little, because I knew Tom was going to be really suffering throughout the whole book. In Saving Francesca, it's clear that there is a lot more depth to Tom than Francesca and the others believe. He has a huge capacity for love, which means there is also a lot of space for pain. And in the last two years, all that love is drowning in the pain Tom can't escape from. So he ignores it. He spends him time lazing around, mostly stoned out of him mind. He has no liking or respect for the people he lives with, but they have cheap beer and access to drugs, so whatever.
After a chain of events where even Tom begins to realize that he's let things get out of control for too long, things start to change. He gets a job, starts (sort of) talking to Francesca and Justine again, and after a time starts sending Tara emails. She's living in another country at this point, and given their history, he's pretty sure she doesn't actually want to hear from him. But these emails to her become cathartic and he can't seem to stop sending them. He's able to tell her things in an email that he can't hardly face yet, and it begins to slowly heal him, as do the interactions with his former friends, and moving in with his aunt.
The family scenes were the hardest to read. Marchetta is such a gifted writer that it doesn't take much for the pain to start pouring off the pages. There is so much anger, grief and betrayal floating around that family that it is hard to see how they've stuck together for so long. But, there is undeniably also a lot of love, and that is what holds them together past all the hurts. It's almost palpable.
The only complaint I have with this story is the absence of Jimmy. He was such a fun character to read about before, and he is kind of who brought the group together. Things would not have been the same without Jimmy, and I definitely felt his absence. I understood that he was working on his own issues, but I missed him! Maybe Marchetta will write his story next. (Ahem... Please. Thank you)
Marchetta has definitely earned herself a place on my favorites list. She is a stunningly brilliant writer. Her characters are real and they are raw. They all have their faults, their inconsistencies within themselves, but they also each contain good qualities. There is never any doubt in my mind that these people whose lives I am reading about are real. They exist, they, hurt, they laugh, they cry, they bleed. And I will love them always.
*Disclaimer: This book was received as part of Banned Book Tours.
