When I was in the 6th grade, I read a book by Beverly Clearly called Jean and Johnny. I loved it. It was the first book I had read that was about a girl in my generation, a teenage girl who was experiencing her first taste of young love. All the books I'd read up to that point were about historical characters (Little House in the Prairie or my beloved Betsy and Tacy series) or characters I loved but couldn't really relate to (good old Nancy Drew). But this girl was me and even the name was right. It was all so innocent; probably the only worry in Jean's mind was how to ask Johnny to the dance.
Young adult fiction and stories of teenage love have certainly changed since then. Eleanor & Park is a beautifully written book about two teens struggling with major personal and family issues who find each other and truly need each other. It's a quick read but also one I couldn't put down. I found myself worrying about the characters when I wasn't reading it so I ended up reading it until 2 AM last night to finish it.
Two warnings. The narrator shifts back and forth from one character to another, sometimes even in extremely small entries. I didn't mind this but I know it bothers some people. The other warning is that the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. There are still some unanswered questions at the end, although there is some hope given that at least resolves the big issues. In an interview I read with the author she hinted that she might not be done with these characters so perhaps a sequel is coming.
Oh, and I suppose I should give another warning. Because this book is considered young adult fiction and this book does contain profanity, it was banned in a couple of small-minded communities. Their loss. -June
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Thursday, January 28, 2016
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Sometimes as I read a book, I ask myself periodically, "Will I recommend this book to friends?" (mostly you, BT) And as I read this novel, the answer was "YES... YES..... YES!!!" It is funny and sweet and well-written - and the characters are wonderful. So YES, BT and anyone else who reads this. This is definitely one to get.
Ove is a grumpy old guy. He doesn't like change, and he believes in living by the rules. Every morning, he walks around his neighborhood checking to make sure that the cars are properly parked, the bikes are correctly stored, and the garage doors are all locked. And if someone breaks rules, he's not at all timid about letting them know. He drives a Saab, and he's always driven Saabs and can't understand why anyone would drive anything else. Generally, he things most people are idiots. He's definitely a curmudgeon. But this is a feel-good kind of book, and by the end, we see the softer side of Ove.
Get it. Read it. Report back. - June
Ove is a grumpy old guy. He doesn't like change, and he believes in living by the rules. Every morning, he walks around his neighborhood checking to make sure that the cars are properly parked, the bikes are correctly stored, and the garage doors are all locked. And if someone breaks rules, he's not at all timid about letting them know. He drives a Saab, and he's always driven Saabs and can't understand why anyone would drive anything else. Generally, he things most people are idiots. He's definitely a curmudgeon. But this is a feel-good kind of book, and by the end, we see the softer side of Ove.
Get it. Read it. Report back. - June
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Once We Were Brothers by Ronald H. Balson
If you're tired of Holocaust books, move on to the next review. Many of my friends are, and as soon as I mention a book such as this, they hold up their hands and say "stop".
The author in this novel has told a story inside of a story. The first story takes place in the present (or maybe the early 2000's) and is all about an elderly man named Ben who was originally from Poland. He believes that Elliott, a wealthy Chicago businessman, was once a Nazi who was raised by Ben's family before the war. Ben is out to prove to the world who Elliott really is and to recapture items that he feels were taken from his family. To do this, Ben is telling his story to Catherine, a smart attorney who has major self-esteem issues.
Ben's story is compelling. He talks about his family and all that they endured because of their faith. I wish that the entire book had just been Ben's story. The part of the novel that revolves around Catherine is not at all compelling and sometimes downright stupid. For example, as Catherine listens to Ben's story, she seems to be learning about the holocaust for the very first time and is shocked to hear about Jewish ghettos and death camps. And, of course, there has to be a predictable love interest for Catherine. Must everyone pair up to be a happy ending?
So do I recommend it? Maybe just read Ben's story and skip the story that frames it. This would involve a lot of page turning, but I'm sure you can manage.
The author in this novel has told a story inside of a story. The first story takes place in the present (or maybe the early 2000's) and is all about an elderly man named Ben who was originally from Poland. He believes that Elliott, a wealthy Chicago businessman, was once a Nazi who was raised by Ben's family before the war. Ben is out to prove to the world who Elliott really is and to recapture items that he feels were taken from his family. To do this, Ben is telling his story to Catherine, a smart attorney who has major self-esteem issues.
Ben's story is compelling. He talks about his family and all that they endured because of their faith. I wish that the entire book had just been Ben's story. The part of the novel that revolves around Catherine is not at all compelling and sometimes downright stupid. For example, as Catherine listens to Ben's story, she seems to be learning about the holocaust for the very first time and is shocked to hear about Jewish ghettos and death camps. And, of course, there has to be a predictable love interest for Catherine. Must everyone pair up to be a happy ending?
So do I recommend it? Maybe just read Ben's story and skip the story that frames it. This would involve a lot of page turning, but I'm sure you can manage.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Recently, I had to drive a lot over several days and really wanted to listen to a good audiobook. I'd heard things about this one, but didn't know much about the plot or the characters. So what a wonderful surprise this was. It is quirky, funny, and just plain lovely. I loved hearing the narrator read with the voices of the characters, but I suppose if I had "read" the book instead of "listened" to it, I could have supplied my own voices in my head.
Bea is a young teenager living in Seattle with her eccentric mother, Bernadette, and her father who works for Microsoft. The story is supposedly a satire and it certainly does portray the Seattle lifestyle pretty well. You will learn at the beginning that Bernadette disappears, but it isn't until you are maybe 2/3 of the way into it that she actually does. For most of the book, you learn about the relationships in Bea's family and in their community.
Loved it. Read it. -June
Bea is a young teenager living in Seattle with her eccentric mother, Bernadette, and her father who works for Microsoft. The story is supposedly a satire and it certainly does portray the Seattle lifestyle pretty well. You will learn at the beginning that Bernadette disappears, but it isn't until you are maybe 2/3 of the way into it that she actually does. For most of the book, you learn about the relationships in Bea's family and in their community.
Loved it. Read it. -June
Friday, January 1, 2016
Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
Some books grab me right away; others take time to pull me. This book was the pulling kind. In fact, I almost put it down. But once I got 1/3 of the way in, I loved it.
This is the story of one summer in the life of a family living in rural Minnesota in 1961. The narrator is Frank, a young boy, who lives with his brother, sister, mother and father, who is a minister. There's also a group of fascinating, rich character such as Gus, his father's friend from the war, and Emil, his mother's former boyfriend who is now blind and disfigured. At the heart of the story is a mystery, and there are several people who have secrets that are slowly revealed. But for me, the best part of the book was the love between the Frank and his brother and between Frank and his father. Just a feel-good, well-written novel. Recommend it. - June
This is the story of one summer in the life of a family living in rural Minnesota in 1961. The narrator is Frank, a young boy, who lives with his brother, sister, mother and father, who is a minister. There's also a group of fascinating, rich character such as Gus, his father's friend from the war, and Emil, his mother's former boyfriend who is now blind and disfigured. At the heart of the story is a mystery, and there are several people who have secrets that are slowly revealed. But for me, the best part of the book was the love between the Frank and his brother and between Frank and his father. Just a feel-good, well-written novel. Recommend it. - June
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