Books at the Breast
Well, I've been nursing and reading. I'll mention some of more interesting books I have read.
Things they carried with them by Tim O'Brien. This books tells several points-of-view accounts in a platoon in Vietnam. It travels around in time and perspective. It examines the power of story telling in our experiences. It gave a real sense of what it was like to be there. It is a gritty account full of swearing. Wonderful writing with complex layers.
On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (YA). A girl is left on a small road by her mother. She encounters others who have experienced tragedy and loss. It also seems to be a mystery. It has a sense of mysticism to it. It has a lot of characters and it is difficult to follow. I wasn't sure if I even liked anyone. Suddenly, I was connected to the two main characters and left sobbing. How did she do that? The characters stayed with me and I wonder how they are.
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (YA). I love fairy tale retellings. This one is a retelling of Snow White. I didn't catch that at first. I'm sure most would. It looks at the story from a completely different angle. It examines the pursuit of beauty and how that impacts us. Yet, it is complex enough to show different points of view within that story. Because I am frustrated with the impact this fourth child has had, I found the book to be quite thought provoking.
The Host by Stephenie Meyer. I have always enjoyed Science Fiction. I thought Stephenie could not write a different type of book. Once again, she takes a topic and turns it. Aliens are taking over bodies, but how do the different characters handle it? I liked how she explored relationships within this well-known concept. She still needs to be edited. Sometimes, I feel like saying, "got it Stephenie, move on!"
Special topics in calamity physics by Marisha Pessl. This book has a brillant, sarcastic senior high student as its narrator. At first, I thought it might just be a coming-of-age book, but with sharper observations than others. Instead, it morphed into a mystery with an ending that was unpredictable. I love being surprised. At first, I thought the narrator was too witty/literary for me to like her as a person. At the end, I felt greater empathy for her. The book is full of book/movie/pop culture references. It is kind of like Gilmore Girls meets Say Anything. What fun to read.
Sweethearts by Sara Zarr (YA). New author from SLC. She has issues from being non-LDS in SLC. This comes through in her writing. She explores a girl who hides from pain through food. The experience feels real as you get to know her. The main characters are compelling and messed-up.
Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. Typical dramatic reading. I love the drama of Dan. (Yes-I know this is not good writing. He cracks me up.)
Comments
Another good read is "Ines of My Soul" by Isabel Allende. Fictional account of a true person, Ines Suarez who helped found modern Chile with the Conquestadors. I has fascinating history and is just a good story. Also I saw an interview where the author stated she wrote the book to show the role women played in the early days of the founding of modern South America. Men always had to fight, so it was women who planned the cities, oversaw the community, etc. She said this history was later overlooked due to machismo.
But I really liked it because it was a good epic story.
Marni