Rufi Thorpe continues her streak of strong coming-of-age novels featuring young women characters in distressing circumstances. There are never easy anRufi Thorpe continues her streak of strong coming-of-age novels featuring young women characters in distressing circumstances. There are never easy answers to the moral quandaries, but lots of thinking, feeling, talking, and discussions of guilt, innocence, and the human experience. Hoping this expands the ranks of Rufi Thorpe fans!
Just in case you have the same intense need for geographic resolution as I do: North Shore is El Segundo, and the bike path along the ocean going south from there is among my favorites.
p.s. So I know the person or close family of three of the six authors blurbed on the back, that's a sign that I've made it, right?...more
I've read more than my share of coming-of-age stories, but this one was absolutely stunning. The main character, Cindy, is a girl from an impoverishedI've read more than my share of coming-of-age stories, but this one was absolutely stunning. The main character, Cindy, is a girl from an impoverished family, desperate for a change in her deteriorating home situation. A local girl has gone missing, captivating their rural community, and Cindy decides to step into her life. She moves in, dyes her hair, and even wears the missing girl's clothes.
I know what you're thinking – this sounds crazy. In fact, Smith brings such a distinct and understated quality to Cindy's voice and personality that the story moves smoothly and quickly through a year in rural Pennsylvania, as she settles into her new life. The events that sound so crazy in summary are made natural and inevitable in the novel, not bizarre but beautiful. I only had one scene that made me stop for a moment, and it was as intended, a shocking, debilitating moment that floats by, leaving you short of breath. But the story keeps moving.
Marilou is Everywhere is a brisk, heartfelt novel of growing up, finding family, and finding yourself. I would definitely recommend it....more
This book is certainly not The Night Circus. I don't know if I've ever been so misled by a book comparison on a blurb before, but, there you have it. This book is certainly not The Night Circus. I don't know if I've ever been so misled by a book comparison on a blurb before, but, there you have it. That's why I read it – clearly not reading the reviews closely enough – and my fatal mistake.
That's not to say that there are not some points of similarity, things that give this novel some redeeming qualities, but they take up so much less of the novel than one might hope. Most of the book is an exposition on the dire poverty of the Great Depression in Montreal. If the book really put effort there, I'm sure there's lots we could learn about that era, and a compelling story could be told. Instead, the effort is sunk into two regrettable overindulgences: sex and similes – hold on, let me trademark that for an upcoming book on terrible fiction – and it becomes tedious, depressing, and awkward. And that ending. (view spoiler)[Last fifty pages, last chapter, last sentence; it was like the author was pulling out all the stops to frantically get down to one star. (hide spoiler)]
Why more than one star? - The section of the book where the revue was prepared and performed was very nice, I especially enjoyed all of the clowns and their Greek chorus moments. - There were a handful of wonderful descriptive passages; those would be better utilized if she didn't attempt it every sentence, but the descriptions of a Montreal winter are still breathtaking. - The overall story arc was ambitious and well-planned.
Maybe if I had gone into it with a more clear idea of what I was reading, I would look back on it more kindly. Alas, even listening on audio didn't give it anywhere the magic that The Night Circus was full of. Not recommended....more
I think I decided against reading this and ended up reading it anyway. I felt like I was tired of it the whole time I was reading it, and it was a shoI think I decided against reading this and ended up reading it anyway. I felt like I was tired of it the whole time I was reading it, and it was a short book....more
Definitely an enjoyable read, but read a lot like a cliché to me. Awkward, normal girl finds out that she's magical, has a grumpy teacher, has to saveDefinitely an enjoyable read, but read a lot like a cliché to me. Awkward, normal girl finds out that she's magical, has a grumpy teacher, has to save the kingdom from magical force of evil. Various powerful men are incompetent, stupid, or lustful, and they get their comeuppance. It just seems so vanilla and extremely predictable. The ending seemed rushed and a deus ex machina.
I mean, it definitely had good parts – well written, the magic system was fun, etc. Just felt very derivative.
(view spoiler)[And ugh! I don't understand why there had to be a romance. It stuck out like a sore thumb in the narrative. Very upsetting. (hide spoiler)]...more
I'm not really sure what to do with myself after reading this. This book is heart-wrenching, beautiful, moving and wonderful. It has a very To KillI'm not really sure what to do with myself after reading this. This book is heart-wrenching, beautiful, moving and wonderful. It has a very To Kill a Mockingbird feel to it, even though I wouldn't dare to compare it to that beloved work. I haven't felt this close to characters in a long time, and I haven't been this affected by a novel, either. And it's set in Ohio, no less.
This book was maybe written to hit all of the buttons, but it hit them truly and its popularity here is well-deserved. You want to be a member of this family almost from the first page. Its town is your town, its people are your people. Its emotions become your emotions.
This novel is definitely among the highlights of 2016 for me, a strong contender for my top 5. It is extraordinary reading, and highly recommended for anyone who loves excellent writing and powerful characters.
But seriously, though, time for at least several lighthearted books now....more
I picked up an anthology with the first four books of the series in it, and decided to stop after one. While it was fun to sit in the world of Arthur I picked up an anthology with the first four books of the series in it, and decided to stop after one. While it was fun to sit in the world of Arthur and company, and was a great childrens' story, it was kind of 'meh' for me. I found the constant references to contemporary issues (communism, etc) quite odd -- not off-putting, but hard to accept. Enjoyed the use of humor and the straightforward ways the story was told.
This would probably be excellent for an elementary school reader, but I think I'm ready to move on....more
I was really surprised by how ambivalent I felt about this book when it was done. I think, honestly, there was just too much action, too much intensitI was really surprised by how ambivalent I felt about this book when it was done. I think, honestly, there was just too much action, too much intensity, and that meant there wasn't as much time to really learn about the world or care about the characters. It started off strong, but never stopped being all about action and intensity. And that was too bad, since there was a lot of potential there.
It's the first in a trilogy, but it seems to work as a standalone, so I won't feel at all bad about not picking up the next book......more
Of all the undying books of my childhood — and there were many — few so imprinted on me as His Dark Materials. Devouring the entire trilogy near the eOf all the undying books of my childhood — and there were many — few so imprinted on me as His Dark Materials. Devouring the entire trilogy near the end of middle school, the story has stayed with me ever since. An overflowing abundance of imagination, wonder, and mystery introduced me to worlds of fantasy that I had only begun to discover. I became overwhelmed with Lyra's universe, and, similar to other books I read around then, my naiveté prevented me from fully understanding the controversial and important themes the novel unveils. Who cares if they’re going off to battle God, my thought process went, when you have multiple universes to explore?
When I re-read the trilogy this year, I appreciated it for many reasons, but an almost entirely unique set from my 12-year-old self. This time, it was the tremendous prose and world building that made for such a compelling fantasy universe; the illuminating references and allegories, mostly surrounding the corruption and hypocrisy of organized religion; the strength and charisma of Lyra and the following she inspired. I’m sure I knew none of the authors with epigraphs in book three before; now, their perspectives were valued new pieces that deepened the underlying themes and message. Of course, I also saw places where the story suddenly fell flat — some supporting characters are surprisingly one-dimensional, a few plot holes and inconsistencies are surprisingly obvious to an adult, and deus ex machina is used liberally, to the point of cheapening some plot points. However, the strongest points were obvious on both readings: the imagination, the rich descriptions, the creativity, and the characterizations that brought me so quickly and warmly into these worlds.
I have to admit, there is one other item in the book that made it so remarkable to me at that young age: the depiction of love in the story. This, obviously, was the Lyra/Will situation. I realize now how arbitrary and uncomfortable it is to read, given their ages, not to mention abrupt; the entire romance thread seems an unnecessary tack-on to an otherwise complete epic. But, on my first read, it was shocking and beautiful. To my mid-pubescent self, eager to understand this strange new emotion, it was a perfect form of love. Upon this re-read, I took a minute to shake my head sadly at that earlier interpretation, and moved on. This time, the strongest aspect of love was the sense of love and loyalty and sacrifice that was shared between the main characters — that was a true joy.
Regardless of how I changed in the many years between my readings, it’s clear that this is a story I will always love. I can’t imagine growing up without it, and I would encourage others to include it as a must-read fantasy novel for their own children. Welcoming Lyra into your world is well worth the investment into reading the full trilogy.
(Bonus: This edition includes “lantern slides”, paragraph-long snapshots of omitted scenes in each book. It works wonderfully, exposing a tiny amount more story, just enough to satisfy.)...more
First things first: This didn't get five stars just because it has a great title (the title didn't hurt!)
This is a poignant and moving tale of life inFirst things first: This didn't get five stars just because it has a great title (the title didn't hurt!)
This is a poignant and moving tale of life in high school in a small town, about the friendships, dreams, and realities of such a life. Being out of high school for now ten (!) years, it is sometimes easy for me to forget what things were like in those days, or how much influence parents had over what you did and didn't do. This book is an excellent reminder.
I was really surprised how much the book pulled me in, as these kinds of stories don't always resonate with me and sometimes I get bored with them. Here, I got pulled in from the start. (view spoiler)[Reminded me of Where All Light Tends to Go, especially at the end. Why can't the protagonist ever succeed in these types of stories? (hide spoiler)]...more
From beginning to end, I was impressed by the Diamond Age. Stephenson seemed prescient at times (about everything except tape drive storage) and his wFrom beginning to end, I was impressed by the Diamond Age. Stephenson seemed prescient at times (about everything except tape drive storage) and his worlds were truly imaginative. I could not help but be drawn into the story of Nell, Hackworth, and the others. There is much going on here, and it builds into a strong story. Strangely for Neal Stephenson, the book could have used another hundred pages. (Someone must have told him that, and now he uses those pages in every subsequent book he's written, whether he needs them or not.)
I will admit it – I did not love all of this book. Plot gets messy, imagination overwhelms rationality. But the parts that I did love, the windows into storytelling bliss, were more than sufficient to outweigh the truly odd machinations of the final third. The genius of Neal Stephenson pops up over and over again, and I was always excited to see what was coming next.
P.S. In the dedication, one line reads: “Douglas (Carl Hollywood) Crockford” Yes, that Douglas Crockford. I wish I knew why......more
For a long time, people have always been surprised that I've read none of Neil Gaiman's works. My excuses, "I haven't had time!", or "There's always sFor a long time, people have always been surprised that I've read none of Neil Gaiman's works. My excuses, "I haven't had time!", or "There's always something else on my shelf to read" have been admittedly flimsy. But no longer! Stuck looking for a last-minute audiobook available for a trip, Stardust was available for checkout. Not my first choice for an introduction to Neil Gaiman, but I figured it would work as well as anything.
Stardust is such a wonderful story, full of fantasy and wonder and the magic of Victorian youth. (Oh, to be a storybook Victorian youth, where nothing but the supernatural, with or without love, ever occurs!) There was a great deal of long monologues, unnecessary apologies, and stale bread, such that it qualified for an old-fashioned fantasy tale. Gaiman's tone and careful attention to detail made the tale memorable. I thoroughly enjoyed it. (It only was docked a star due to an over-reliance on many fantasy clichés and stereotypes; there was little that made this story stand out so many other period fairy tales.)
Recommended for fans of fantasy, and for anyone wanting a good fairy tale. Now, off to read more Neil Gaiman... but not until I finish a few other things on my shelf... ...more
[I picked up this book solely because of the author -- she was a professor of mine back at Washington University in St. Louis. So, I admit the review [I picked up this book solely because of the author -- she was a professor of mine back at Washington University in St. Louis. So, I admit the review may be a bit biased; I enjoyed her class.]
The Yonahlossee Riding Camp is a classic tale of the Old South, a literary novel that in many ways reflects the time period it is written about. The Florida and North Carolina landscapes are richly described and fully realized pieces of the narrative, and a wide cast of characters exposes many sides of the Great Depression -- at least from the perspective of the wealthy. I thoroughly enjoyed the immersion in Southern society, as the story presents a beautiful portrait of an age only my grandparents could have known. (well, they were in Cleveland. but you get the idea)
Admittedly, I'm not a frequent reader of books about teenage girls, horse camp/boarding schools, and the Great Depression; I'm not sure this is the first book I would choose to get away from the usual. From my perspective, it felt like a few parts were slogs -- please! not another horse scene! But I suppose I knew that was coming when I picked it up.
The larger issues, to me, were in the plot and characterization. It was hard to get into the protagonist's head, so as to root for her and to understand her motives. Additionally, the story doesn't seem to really move anyone forward and bring closure to anyone; I was disappointed in the way it ended, and wanted something better for these families.
While this wasn't my favorite, I'm sure there are plenty of demographics where this book would be a hit. For me, it ended up as more of a "meh"....more
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