BookLover1967

how i live now

2006-04-02T05:56:45Z

Rosoff, Meg. how I live now. New York: Wendy Lamb Books, 2004.

Because troubled teens, divorce, and fighting have been around awhile, it is at first difficult to determine the time of this story. When Daisy first leaves her father and Davina the Diabolical to live in England with her Aunt Penn and cousins, I guessed that the setting was modern; cell phones, airports, and emails were mentioned. Then, the London bombings happened, and I remembered the subway bombings not even twelve months ago in London. But, then Meg Rosoff cleverly projects you to a near future while remaining very vague about the details. The reader just knows that London – and its surrounding areas – has been occupied. There is a war. But, the real story is about the cousins who never met before Daisy’s trip.

Upon meeting Edmund at the airport, daisy recognizes a special attraction to her cousin. As the novel, war, world goes on, the two act on their feelings and become lovers. But, then the cousins are divided up, and Piper and Daisy go to one farm, and the boys all to another.

Daisy’s desperate search for answers, her new home, and Edmund keep Daisy and Piper going, sneaking through very dangerous parts of the occupation and stumbling upon horrific deaths.

John Lennon: All I Want Is the Truth

2006-04-02T05:44:59Z

Partridge, Elizabeth. John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth. New York: Viking, 2005.

Partridge does an excellent job chronicling John Lennon’s life, his Quarry Men band, the Beatles, and life after the Beatles when he became “JohnandYoko.”

The reader probably already is aware of the extensive drug use of the band – and many other bands – but Partridge explains why. She doesn’t excuse the behavior – just explains it. There really was so much tragedy in his life – so many losses. And, sadly, his sons’ “loss held an uncanny echo from John’s childhood: At age five, Sean was the same age John was when he went from his mother to his aunt Mimi: Teenage Julian lost his father, just as John had irrevocably lost his mother” (204).

Born in 1967, I was too young to understand what was going on during Beatle mania and post-Beatle mania; the politics; the drugs; etc. But, I did grow up appreciating the musical genius that was these four young men. It was quite interesting to go back and understand as an adult what was happening in the John Lennon’s world when I was just a young girl.

I think this distance has enabled me to be a little more objective than those who were in the throws of the sixties. I still agree that the Beatles and John Lennon created musical magic. But they, themselves, were just humans.

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

2006-04-02T05:29:19Z

Schmidt, Gary D.. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. New York: Clarion Books, 2004.

Turner Buckminster had only lived in Phippsburg, Maine, for about 6 hours and already he wanted to “light out of the Territories.” An expression more commonly known to us these days would be “get the Hell out of Dodge!”

He was the minister’s son, and everyone in the town expected him to act the part. Well, Turner didn’t want the part, so he seemed to do everything to be just the opposite.

Set back in the early 1900’s, Turner, being a young white boy, was “forbidden” to venture out to Malaga Island, where what soon becomes his best friend Lizzy, a young black girl, lives. Lizzy is just about the only person in the town who will give Turner any positive attention. Turner doesn’t need any help getting the negative attention that seems to follow him around like a cloud hovering over his head.

Turner, being punished, is to read and play the organ for old Mrs. Cobb every day in the summer, and soon he befriends her, as well. Turner soon invites Lizzy to listen to him play in Mrs. Cobb’s house. And to both of their surprise, Mrs. Cobb doesn’t seem to mind; she even quietly, without words, invites Lizzy back time and time again. Soon the three create quite a bond that was never to be expected. As Turner plays, Mrs. Cobb continuously reminds Turner that if her time comes, he must write down her last words. The time comes, and her last words are not what the town would expect…neither is her last will and testament.

Because she has made such a bond with Turner and Lizzy, she leaves her house to Turner, who in turn wants to give it to Lizzy. The rest of the town’s people are up in a roar and will not hear of it.

Time fades and the town ends up destroying Turner’s few loves. He and his mom go to live in Mrs. Cobb’s house and make it a home.

Turner’s father leaves him with this, “The world turns and the world spins, the tide runs in and the tide runs out, and there is nothing in the world more beautiful and more wonderful in all its evolved form than two souls who look at each other straight on. And there is nothing more woeful and soul-saddening than when they are parted” (215-216).

looking for alaska

2006-04-02T04:54:06Z

Green, John. looking for alaska. New York: Dutton Books, 2005.

Miles Halter, interestingly enough, chooses to go away to a boarding school. He’s grown up in Florida and has a very blah, uneventful life. Only two “friends” even show up at his going away party which convinces him that he is right in wanting to go search out a Great Perhaps – coined by poet Francois Rabelais. He willingly heads to his father’s alma mater, Culver Creek in Alabama.

On his second day there, he meets his roommate Chip Martin, AKA the Colonel, who dubs Miles “Pudge.” More importantly, the Colonel introduces Pudge to Alaska Young. Alaska is blunt, daring, annoying, funny, sultry, and she has a boyfriend Jake. But that doesn’t keep Alaska from flirting with Pudge or Pudge from falling head over heels in love with Alaska.

Along with Takumi and Lara, the Colonel, Alaska, and Pudge work up schemes to out prank the Weekday Warriors, the rich kids. Pranks are a long-standing tradition at Culver Creek as long as the Eagle, Mr. Starnes the headmaster, doesn’t catch you and make you face the Jury.

The Colonel, with his real hate for the money; Alaska, with her roller coaster of emotions; and Pudge, with his famous last liners survive the fall of their junior year. The spring semester, however, begins with pranks, continues with a death, and ends in the best prank of all.

Secrets of a Civil War Submarine: Solving the Mysteries of the H. L. Hunley

2006-04-02T04:29:24Z

Walker, Sally M.. Secrets of a Civil War Submarine: Solving the Mysteries of the H. L. Hunley. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 2005.

Walker has put together a wonderfully researched story of a bit of history. She begins telling about the purpose and research and creation of the H. L. Hunley, a Civil War submarine. The Union Naval ships hand blocked the important southern port in South Carolina, as well as several other southern ports. The Confederate Army desperately needed supplies – i.e. guns – that would be delivered via this port. Horace Lawson Hunley and James McClintock had the answer.

Walker goes on to tell what made the Hunley different from the other torpedo-carrying vessles of the time; it was a submarine – it could go undetected by the enemy ships. Walker easily explains the science of positive versus negative buoyancy.

The Confederate Army is up for the risky mission. However, after the first two crews lose their lives in trial runs – H. L. Hunley being the captain of the second crew - General Beauregard, commander of the Confederate troops in the Charleston area, does not want to risk another mission. George E. Dixon and William Alexander convince General Beauregard that they have learned and solved the problems of the previous two crews. So, a third crew trains and takes off, lead by Dixon, on February 17, 1864. They successfully sink the Housatonic, a Union ship in South Carolina’s bay. However, the Hunley and its crew never return.

The H. L. Hunley remains missing for 136 years.

Starting in the 1980s, Clive Cussler passionately searched for the never-found vessel and its crew. And, finally, in 1995, Harry Percorelli, an underwater archaeologist and diver, touched the smooth hull of the H. L. Hunley.

Water continues the tale with the painstaking steps the team took to first excavate her, lift her, and transport her to land – which took five years. Recovery day was August 8, 2000.

Then, the even harder task of investigating and conserving the Hunley and its crew began. Six years later, the story is not done. Several mysteries have been solved – the crew members’ identities - but many more remain. We still don’t exactly what happened that kept the crew from returning safely from their historical mission.

Airborn

2006-04-02T03:56:45Z

Oppel, Kenneth. Airborn. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2004.

When the reader first meets Matt Cruse, cabin boy on the Aurora, she might be a little confused. Is he on a ship? What kind of ship? Wait, he’s not merely looking up at the constellations and clouds, Matt’s in them. He’s in the sky on an airship.

Oppel then begins to weave this futuristic – no, it’s in the past – fantasy tale of Matt’s adventure on the Aurora, an airship for which he’s worked three years, ever since his fathered died. The reader meets a world that is full of like airships (like blimps), and today’s airplanes don’t even exist. Oppel’s able to tell the reader about this world very casually through the plot, and thus, he makes it all very believable. He completely explains the science of the airship without boring the reader.

Even though he’s just a cabin boy, Matt is the crew member to swing out to the troubled vessel, the air balloon Endurance, and bring its gondola and passenger on board the Aurora because he’s “Lighter than air, that’s our Mr. Cruse” (18). Once again, Captain Walken is very pleased with Matt.

However, the real adventure happens six months later when Matt meets Kate de Vries. She and her chaperone, Miss Simpkins, are late boarders, and Matt immediately notices that Kate is different from most girls his age, from most of the rich passengers.

Slowly, Kate shares with Matt that her grandfather was the man on the Endurance that Matt had attempted to save. (He died in the ship’s infirmary.) Furthermore, Kate shares her grandfather’s flight journal with Matt, and this only begins the excitement of a yet undiscovered flying creature, pirates, and a shipwreck on a deserted island.

Autobiography of My Dead Brother

2006-04-02T03:28:55Z

Myers, Walter Dean. Autobiography of My Dead Brother. New York: Amistad, 2005.

Rise and Jesse are brothers – blood brothers. Rise’s mother had babysat Jesse when they were both toddlers, Rise being two years older. So, Jesse thinks he knows Rise. They’ve grown up together; the collected comic books together; they hung out on the stoop together. Rise asks Jesse to write Rise’s life story. Jesse is a superb artist and has been sketching Rise and other friends and scenes for years. However, this summer as he tries to draw Rise, Jesse can’t capture him on paper. Because, this summer, Rise has changed, is changing. Jesse and the other members of a local boys club called The Counts – C.J., Gun, Calvin, and Benny - are desperately trying to avoid being sucked into the stereotypical drug and gun existence that is the hood – Harlem.

I kept wishing as I read that this was not going to be another Monster where the reader is learning about the narrator’s (Stephen’s – I think) court case and possible imprisonment because he caught sucked into bad things by bad people. I could feel Jesse – and even church piano/organ playing C.J. – being pulled in by Rise and his drug and drive-by dealings. I didn’t want to read about these good kids just giving up and allowing it to happen. Is that what happens to EVERY poor, hood-living young man? Rise talks about making it real, and that’s just what Myers has done again.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy

2006-04-02T03:04:36Z

Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks : A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2005.

Batty (four), Jane (ten), Skye (eleven), and Rosalind (twelve) are the Penderwick sisters, and one can easily be reminded of Little Women. At the outset of the novel, it is summer vacation, and the Penderwicks are venturing to the Arundel Cottage. They should have already arrived, but Hound has eaten the map. However, thanks to Harry the tomato man, they find Arundel and much adventure.

Upon arrival, the Penderwicks’ mouths fall open at the grandness of Arundel Hall. Cagney, the teenage gardener, greets them and explains that the cottage is over to the back and side of Arundel Hall. As they load back into the car to head for the cottage, Jane thinks she sees a boy in a window of the mansion. Because she is a creative, imaginative spirit, her sighting is dismissed by her sisters.

Later, Skye, the athletic, math-minded sister, runs head on into Jeffrey Tifton, the boy from the window. And, from that point on the girls’ summer adventures begin with Jeffrey, Cagney, Harry, Churchie, Hound, and the bunnies, Carla and Yaz. Unfortunately, they keep running head on into mishaps and – even scarier – Mrs. Tifton, Jeffrey’s mother.

The Sledding Hill

2006-04-02T02:34:48Z

Crutcher, Chris. Sledding Hill. New York: Greenwillow, 2005.

I really like the creative risk Crutcher took in this novel. First, I like the dead narrator – following Lovely Bones (Sebold) and The Afterlife (Soto). His dead narrator, Billy Bartholomew, even talks about writing a book, telling his friend’s, Eddie Proffit’s, story like Alice Sebold. Crutcher keeps Billy this side of the theological questions. Billy focuses on his friend, saying that he will eventually leave his side when it’s time.

I, also, love how Crutcher weaves Crutcher into the tale! I was worried, at first, just how he was going to handle it. I couldn’t imagine this turning into a self-praising story.

Warren Peece is the novel the very modern literature teacher assigns her class to read – which happens to be by Chris Crutcher. (I love the play on the title, by the way.) The novel is attacked by the Red Brick Church, and Reverend Tarter is behind it.

The problem is that Eddie Proffit needs this book. In one month’s time, his father has died, and his best friend Billy Bartholomew has died; AND Eddie is the one who found them both.

School starts, and Eddie is convinced that he’s gone mad because he keeps seeing Billy’s face. Then, when Billy talks to him … It’s a very lonely, scary time in Eddie’s life, but he relates to the characters in Warren Peece. He won’t let them be taken from him, too.

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things

2006-04-01T22:26:16Z

Mackler, Carolyn. The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things. Cambridge: Candlewick Press, 2003.

Virginia Shreves comes from the perfect family. Everyone is perfect except, of course, Virginia. Virginia battles with her weight, her mom, her brother, her best friend moving away, and anything else you can imagine a young high school girl might have to deal with.

Mom is an Adolescent Psychologist; Dad travels and doesn't have a lot of time for family; sister is in the Peace Corp in Africa; and brother is the perfect athlete, college debater, and all around good looking guy. Virginia has a lot to compete with; at least she thinks so.

Virginia lives by the "Fat Girls Code of Conduct" and hasn't had any sexual experiences, until this year. She finally gets to second base. Froggy has now come into her life and into her shirt. But Virginia would be mortified if Froggy ever saw what is underneath her shirt.

With all the stresses of a high school teen, Virginia has become very distant from the rest of the world and doesn't associate herself with anything but food, her computer and the TV. She doesn't even talk with her parents. She would rather help Mrs. Crowley grade papers than have to deal with trying to find someone to sit with at lunch.

Mrs. Crowley becomes her only confidant, at least in New York City. Shannon is her best friend but has moved to Walla Walla and can only be an ear to help Virginia. It isn't until Mrs. Crowley tells Virginia that she has to quit doubting herself so quickly that Virginia finally starts to stand up for herself and to everyone.

She announces to her parents that she's going to Seattle to visit Shannon. They tell her she can't go, but Virginia doesn't take no for an answer.

While in Seattle, Virginia "finds" herself. She pierces her eyebrow, and that is just the beginning of Virginia "coming to life."

From this point on, Virginia starts to make a change in her life and decides to live. She starts a web page for the school, takes a stand with her weight and her mom, tells her brother how she feel, mends relations with her Dad, and really spreads her wings.

Rurouni Kenshin 5

2006-03-27T03:59:48Z

Watsuki, Nobuhiro. Rurouni Kenshin 5. San Francisco: Shonen Jump Graphic Novel, 2004.

Volume 5 opens with a bonus story about Yahiko. Everybody starts noticing that Yahiko has been dissappearing a lot lately. So, the follow him and find out that he’s working at a restaurant. Through this experience, he takes up for a friend – a girl – named Tsubame and fights some thugs. Kenshin and the gang watch from a distance, but Kenshin won’t let them interfer with Yahiko’s fight. Yahiko stands his ground for his friend.

Isurugi Raijuta comes into the picture.The gang is at Maekawa Sensei’s dojo, and Kamiya Kaoru is demonstrating some moves for Sensei’s students – all of them in awe of “[t]he famous ‘Kenjutsu Princess’” (83). Then, Raijuta comes pounding into the dojo and demands a challenge with Sensei, who – out of honor – accepts evn though he is an old man. Raijuta is merciless with Sensei and declares as part of his victory ownership of the dojo. This is when Kenshin steps in; he and Raijuta fight. However, Raijuta ends the fight suddenly and leaves. Later, when the two are speaking, Raijuta asks Kenshin to join him in preserving the fine art of swordfighting. Raijuta is in awe of Kenshin’s talent. Kenshin refuses, even when Raijuta’s thug show up to force him to join them. He easily overthrows them, and the reader must wait for the next volume to read about the next real battle between Raijuta and Kenshin.

Rurouni Kenshin 4

2006-03-27T02:29:10Z

Watsuki, Nobuhiro. Rurouni Kenshin 4. San Francisco: Shonen Jump Graphic Novel, 2004.

Kenshin and Han’nya, Master of Intelligence of the Edo Castle Oniwabanshu, (we learn his name and position at the beginning of this volume) are beginning their dual. Kenshin realizes the power behind Han’nya’s “spell”; it’s an optical illusion. Then, Han’nya removes his mask and reveals the monster that he is beneath. Nonetheless, Kenshin defeats him, and Kenhin, Yahiko, and Sanosuke move on to Shikijo, Keeper of the Castle Gate. Sanosuke sends the other two on, and he and Shikijo have an honorable match, respecting one another’s abilities – Sanosuke winning , of course. Kenshin then battles Shinomori Aoshi, Okashira. Here, Kenshin learns that Aoshi and the others fight not for Kanryu but for the honor of fighting for the essence of Oniwabanshu. Kenshin finally gets the upper hand in this battle, but Kanryu shows up with a secret weapon. All of Aoshi’s men and Kenshin’s men enter the room, and Kanryu tries to take them ALL out. Now, Kenshin’s and Aoshi’s men fight together!

Rurouni Kenshin 3

2006-03-27T00:44:11Z

Watsuki, Nobuhiro. Rurouni Kenshin 3. San Francisco: Shonen Jump Graphic Novel, 2004.

Takani Megumi is in a very precarious situation. If she stays with Takeda Kanryu and relunctantly helps with the Spider’s Web opium, people will die. But, if she stays with Himura Kenshin, people will die. Sanosuke’s already angry that Kenshin has taken her in because one of his friends has just died from the very opium she helps to create; thus, he calls her Opium Woman. However, that very night he helps Kenshin fight off several of Kanryu thugs. One of the thugs poisons Yahiko, and he is dying until Megumi, using her medicinal knowledge, helps him. Because she puts them at risk, sadly, she leaves Kenshin, Yahiko, Kaoru, and Sanosuke’s protection and returns to Kanryu.

Megumi leaves a note, lying saying that she’s gone home. Kenshin knows this is untrue, and the team heads to Kanryu’s headquarters. There Kenshin is to face off with the skeleton-looking thug who earlier poisoned Yahiko. Their dual is to be continued in the next volume.

Again, the art is far less cluttered than Mashima’s, which makes it easier to read. But, in the uncluttering, the intricate detail of the art is lost.

A Million Little Pieces

2006-03-26T22:55:58Z

Frey, James. A Million Little Pieces. New York: Nan A. Talese, 2003.

“Be strong. Live honorably and with dignity. When you don’t think you can, hold on”(391). This is James Frey’s mantra. He gets this strength from a very unlikely source. A man who you or I would probably never associate ourselves with, a loan shark who lives in the rehab center with James.

There has been much controversy over this book and as I read it, I read it as a work of fiction rather than non-fiction; so as not to be disappointed. However, if even only half of the story is true, I don’t think I could have ever survived this kind of life.

The story begins with James waking up on the airplane bound for an unknown destination. James has no idea how he got there or where he is going. He awakes with a hole in his cheek, his nose is broken and his eyes are nearly swollen shut. The stench coming from him keeps everyone at bay. Although the attendant is nice, she only helps because it is her job. Upon arriving at the unknown destination, James is greeted by his parents. The overwhelming feeling of guilt and shame bring up the “fury” that lives within him. He soon discovers that his parents have come all the way from Tokyo to take him to a rehab center in Minnesota.

The entire story is written about his stay and recovery while in the rehab center. Of course, at first James is reluctant to believe that he will ever recover. He thinks that his addiction is too strong to fight. But with help from the staff, unbelievable friendships and love, James finds his strength.

The staff believes in the twelve-step program, AA and a higher power, but James denounces any of it and is going to prove to everyone that he will not let this addiction control him. They think that James’ belief in depending on nothing but himself is a recipe for disaster. He refuses to turn his life and his will over to something he doesn’t believe in and sets out to prove that living and dealing with what he is dealt is how he will survive.

James reveals his first sips of alcohol at age 10, which quickly turn to addiction followed by black outs, drug over doses, near deaths from the drugs and the scary people he has come to associate himself with. He recounts the memories of wanting to die and coming very close to committing suicide.

Although he doesn’t ever go through the twelve steps, he does complete the forth and fifth step, which are Inventory and Confession. James writes out 22 pages of his tragic life, “confesses” and then burns the past so that he can move on.

Because of his strong will to prove that he can recover on his own, James tests himself on the way home with his brother and friend at a bar, and he survives.

Shaman King 5

2006-03-26T21:54:03Z

Takei, Hiroyuki. Shaman King 5. San Francisco: Shonen Jump Graphic Novel, 2004.

Yoh Asakura is participating in the Shaman Fight in Tokyo – kind of like a Shaman Olmpics. However, the winner becomes the Shaman King. In his first battle, he is almost equally matched with Horohoro. Horohoro is a skilled and honorable Shaman, as well. But, Yoh wins. A Shaman must lose two battles to be knocked out of the competition. Horohoro even joins Yoh’s celebration that evening because he is a good sport. But Yoh’s next opponent isn’t so honorable. He is Faust VIII, a legendary necromancer. He is “heir to the Faust blood and madness” (80). He does not “play fairly.” He immediately – even before the match begins – flays Yoh’s close friend Manta and makes Yoh use up almost all of his mana fighting off skeleton soldiers. Then, by the time Faust engages his oversoul, Eliza, Yoh is almost spent – ALMOST. The battle is continued in the next volume.

Takei’s art is not as detailed or clear as Mashima’s. But, because his pages aren’t so “cluttered,” it makes his story a faster, less challenging for the novice manga reader.

Rave Master 2

2006-03-26T19:48:02Z

Mashima, Hiro. Rave Master 2. Los Angeles: Tokyopop, 2004.

So, I've taken the plunge ... into Manga ...

Haru and Plue have arrived in Hip Hop Town; they are in search of Musica, a famed blacksmith who is supposed to fix Haru’s Ten Powers Sword. Along the way, Plue gets “dogknapped,” and while looking for him, Haru meets Elie. They get Plue back and agree to help each other – Haru to find Musica and Elie, her memory. While on their quest, they run into several Demon Cards and meet not one but two Musicas. Finally, with the Ten Powers sword in hand, Haru, the new Rave Master, is batteling Lance, a Demon Card. The plot pauses here and will be continued in Volume 3.

Mashima also includes character Ids with stats at the end and a search-n-find game (akin to a Where’s Waldo-type puzzle). These “activities” and the to-be-continued ending encourage readers to remain interested in Mashima’s books.
Comic lovers will be interested because of the amazing details in each square of the story.

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow

2006-03-26T17:52:24Z

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow. New York: Scholastic Nonfiction, 2005.

Society questioned and probably still questions how Hitler was able to convince the people of Germany that what they were doing was justified. How was he able to convince them to carry out mass murders? There certainly have been several telling books written since that black spot in history; but Bartoletti’s piece blends “all sides of the story.” She objectively tells about Hitler’s Youth – how he was able to use children to carry out his dream of the master race.

Hitler was rising to power at a time that Germany needed a leader to bring them out of the post World War I hell that they were experiencing. Here was a man “who said that a person’s money and titles didn’t matter. All that mattered was whether a person contributed to the well-being of the people” (16). And the people – especially the idealistic youths – believed that “’[a]t last … here’s somebody who can get us out of this mess’” (19). So caught up in the idealism of National Socialist (Nazis) Party, former members of the Hitler Youth admitted that their group leaders had far more influence on them than their parents, friends, church leaders, etc. Hitler used youths to brainwash youths and other Germans. Even the outside world was initially impressed with Hitler’s work with the youth of Germany; journalists reported on the well-disciplined youth of Germany because of Hitler’s program.

History does repeat itself. As the reader digest the pages of Bartoletti’s non-fiction account of Hitler’s rise to power, he/she should be reminded of the French Revolution. Who didn’t pity the starving Third Estate of France in the late 1700s?
However, by the time the Reign of Terror was in full swing, the revolutionists were becoming the very past they were trying to overthrow. And, French citizen feared French citizens; one derogatory remark about the new republic would land one in line for La Guillotine. The same held true in 1930 and 1940s Germany. The children of the Hitler Youth would even report their parents for remarks against Hitler, thus remarks against the Fatherland.

Therefore, when the idealism well ran dry, fear rained on the people of Germany, thus continuing Hitler’s reign of terror.

Bartoletti closes her “Author’s Note” section eloquently stating, “The stories in this book are complicated. They are riveting. But most of all, they turn the heart over” (162).

My Sister's Keeper

2006-03-26T17:19:24Z

Picoult, Jodi. My Sister's Keeper. New York: Atria Books, 2004. (Recorded Books)

When I was first beginning to read this book, I thought that I would easily side with the protagonist, Anna, feeling her plight, knowing her need for individual choice. However, Picoult forces her readers to walk in each of her character’s shoes by writing the novel from each of the character’s first-person points of view. First, I was completely shocked by Sarah’s, the mother’s, choice to give birth to Anna as a medical supplier of Kate’s (Anna’s sister who suffers from Leukemia) next-needed body parts. However, as soon as Sarah’s chapters unfolded, as a mother, I felt her pain. I, too, would do anything to save my children.

Picoult goes further, giving Brian’s, the father’s, point of view; Jesse’s, the forgotten brother’s, point of view; and even Campbell’s, Anna’s lawyer’s, and Julia’s, the court-appointed guardian ad litem’s, points of view. The reader is forced to sympathize with each, which, in turn, causes internal conflict for the reader. With whom do I side? And, I think that, that is Picoult whole point. When the reader meets each character and understands his/her situation, the reader realizes that life is not about absolute truths; it is not black and white. There is a lot of gray area.

I highly recommend the listening to this book, as I did. Each character is performed by a different reader/actor. So, even though it took several days to complete (the tapes are 13.75 hours long), the plot was easy to pick back each day because each character – literally – had his/her own voice.

The reader will suffer with the family and the Leukemia-stricken Kate chapter after chapter. However, just when all the plot threads seem to be knitting together well, Picoult throws a completely unexpected, heart-wrenching event into the novels final chapters.

A Northern Light

2006-03-24T13:29:40Z

Donnelly, Jennifer. A Northern Light. Orlando: Hartcourt, Inc., 2003.
Mattie Gokey, AKA Matt, lives in the North Woods in 1906. Because of her mother’s recent death to cancer, Mattie cares for her three siblings, the blind dog Barney, her father, and the farm. She made a promise to her dying mother and makes another to a soon-to-be drowned young hotel guest, Grace (based on a true murder). These two promises gnaw at her through the course of the novel as she tries to keep them and be true to herself and her heart. But, can she do all these things - stay home, go to college, write, and marry?

Mattie delights in words and shares this passion in word games with her sisters and friends. Weaver, a word connoisseur as well, challenges Mattie often in these games, and he, too, wants to go against the grain and attend college like Mattie. In 1906 in farming communities, young ladies and black young men weren’t supposed to aspire to such heights. Donnelly does an excellent job of pulling the reader in and making her suffer along with Mattie, trying to choose a direction in life. And, just when the reader believes Mattie’s mind is made up, a twist - possibly influenced by Grace’s “love” letters - occurs and more tears are shed.

Just a Test

2006-02-02T01:30:34Z

I just want to check to see that I correctly established this journal. :)