[Book Rant] A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

A Wrinkle in Time. Where have you been all of my life?

Reading A Wrinkle in Time was more than experiencing a literary adventure, it was reliving a magical childhood.

Within 190 (oh-so-short) pages, L'Engle manages to create a wonderful blend of excitement, humor, and genuine emotion.

As we join Meg, her brother Charles Wallace, and her sweetheart Calvin on a mission to rescue Meg and Charles Wallace's father (as well as stop the earth from succumbing to The Black Thing), we learn, as Meg does, that there is only one thing that can save any of us--LUURRRVVVEEE.

Also, can we discuss this bad-a** cover? They don't make book covers like this anymore. I love how unique and fascinating older fantasy and science fiction often book covers are. They are actual works of art. Look at those stunning pastel colors in those delicate wings. The contrast of shadow and subtle light. The floating, green mug with the glowing, red eyes in a crystal ball. I love it!

And Meg. Okay, I admit a love-hate thing with children's books. I love the stories, but I often hate the characters. I sometimes find it difficult to connect with young protagonists, unless the writer is quite adapt at their craft, which L'Engle-darling most definitely is. I found all three of the main young characters utterly endearing.

Stop and call the presses! THERE. IS. A. SEQUEL. A Wind in the Door. Oh yea, you know I'm searching for that baby as soon as possible.

Laters Gators,
Fatuma

[Book Rant] The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The Road. Where do I even begin speaking about The Road? Should I start with the simplistic, yet emotionally charged poetry disguised as prose? What about the complex characterization of characters that remain nameless even at the very end? Oh and the brutal, powerful wasteland backdrop. Can't forget about that.

The Road centers about a father and son pair as they wander around a destitute and dying earth. It isn't what one expects from a traditional dystopian novel in that there isn't a sense of adventure or of a protagonist "saving" the world.

There isn't much of a plot actually. Just a whole lot of feels. Rather than events, it's raw emotion that is the driving force in this novel. Fear, regret, grief, anger. Shining brightly through these darker feelings is a beam of hope and love. That is what keeps not only the boy and his father going, but it's what keeps readers reading as well.

The most impressive aspect of the novel, attesting to McCarthy's skill, is that even with minimal character detail (heck, we never even get names), I was able to forge a incredibly strong connection with the boy and his papa and felt deep concern for them. (I call this the McCarthy Effect, which is minimal words=maximum feels.) For 200+ pages, my heart was lodged in my throat as I breathlessly read, hoping that the two of them would somehow find their place in this horrid version of their previous world. And when that happened at the end . . . I was far too invested to be able to control the tears in my eyes.

Final Verdict: 

Princess Reads A Lot absolutely LOVES this book! She is captivated, enamored, enchanted, and fascinated, otherwise irrevocably in love. She has found yet another literary prince charming and is in bliss. 

 

The Road isn't the most exciting read if you're looking for something plot-driven. I can understand why I wasn't able to finish it in high school. I wasn't ready for it back then. The power of McCarthy's writing is in that the alternation from dense, descriptions of a harsh setting to simple, raw interactions between the father and son and back. It's the juxtaposition of desolate landscape and beating hearts, desertion and companionship, death and love that grabs hold of a reader and doesn't let go even days after turning the final page.

At the core, The Road is a powerful work about survival, hope, and love in the midst of utter devastation. For that alone, it is a worthy read.

Now the question that remains is whether or not my poor, tender heart can handle watching the movie. I don't think I can! That trailer though. Take a look below:

Currently Reading: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle.

Until next rant,
Fatuma

[Book Rant] The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates

I have incredibly mixed feelings after finishing The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates. Awe, exasperation, dissatisfaction, appreciation, and exhaustion are all fighting to be forefront. I can't quite decide if if his was one of of he best novels I've read in a long time or the worst.

At its core, The Falls is an intimate glimpse into one family's life as its members experience love, pain, joy, loss, grief, connection, separation, trust, and betrayal. 

Set in historic Niagara Falls, the story opens with a couple on their honeymoon and the groom's suicide. The reasons for the suicide are revealed to readers and we are compelled to keep reading in disbelief and in sympathy. As authorities search for her spouse's remains in the falls, the bride keeps vigil. By her side is confirmed bachelor Dirk Burnaby.

Over the span of the 28 years, readers join Ariah Erskine also known as "the Widow Bride of the Falls," as she deals with the loss of not one, but two husbands. Faced with these multiple tragedies, Ariah maintains a solid core of pride and strength as she pulls away from the world and creates her own safe space with her children and her piano at the center.

The dramatic irony of the novel's beginning instantly intrigued me. I felt strong sympathy for Gilbert, who could no longer maintain his charade. I felt pity for Ariah as well. Poor thing, having lost her husband of a day and becoming a media sensation.

When she meets Dirk, falls in love, and marries him, I breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, things are looking up Ariah. However, that small part of my reader brain that wasn't completely immersed in the story reminded me of the blurb and that "tragedy soon takes over their lives . . . " Oates does an amazing job of presenting their idyllic family life against the backdrop of scenic Niagara Falls. She does even better with increasing tension. Any hint of conflict was met with a panicked, "Is this it? The tragedy that 'poisons their hacyon years with distrust, greed, and murder'?" 

Aside from the story, Oates writes stunning prose. Having never visited the Falls, I could still easily imagine its beauty and power. As much as I loved the prose, it felt overdone at times. Oates introduces some fascinating characters, but she doesn't allow them to breathe life into the story on their own. There is too much interjection by an omniscient 3rd person voice that I didn't appreciate. There were instances where I wanted to hear and feel directly from the characters themselves, and not from a narrator. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the first 60-75% of the novel, but the last 25% dragged on and I struggled to finish. Eventually, I skimmed the last 50 pages just to see how it ends. Part of this could be due to the fact that I started The Falls a few weeks ago. It's been difficult to smuggle in reading time since I started substitute teaching full time. (Read about my Sub Adventures here.)

So I have to admit that by the time I picked The Falls back up, I was a bit fuzzy on details from the 300 pages. I believe that The Falls is the type of novel that cannot be completely appreciated on the first read. A second read is needed to absorb all of its subtle nuances. I'll get back to everyone when I've read a second time (if I ever get to it a second time). 

In the meantime, the final verdict:

Princess Reads A Lot isn't too sure about this book. She didn't like it, but she didn't not like it either. She knows it's one she won't ever re-read and that makes her a little sad.

[Book Rant] The Phantom Tollbooth

 

I'm apologizing in advance for this super lazy post, so please forgive me!

Blurb: 

One day Milo finds an enormous and mysterious package in his room. A phantom tollbooth, with a map to a weird world beyond! So Milo sets off on a fantastic voyage in which he meets: the not so wicked Witch, Faintly Macabre, Alec Bings who sees through things, and the watchdog, Tock, who ticks.

My Thoughts:

Overall, I enjoyed this. I first picked it up because it seemed very Roald Dahl-esque. And I absolutely adore Dahl's work. The Phantom Tollbooth didn't disappoint. I found it imaginative and endearing. The word-play was also very amusing and I found myself chuckling aloud in a couple of places. The Phantom Tollbooth is a great children's book--one that's incredibly magical, while teaching some vital life lessons. I would definitely recommend.

Final Verdict:

Princess Reads A Lot LIKES this book a whole lot!
It made her smile and she's sure glad she read it.

[Book Rant] Joyland by Stephen King

 

The Story:

In Joyland by Stephen King, we meet 21-year-old, college student Devin Jones, who's an aspiring writer. (No shocker there! King has a thing for writers as protagonists, I'm starting to see.) Young Devin spends his summer break working at a carnival-slash-amusement park called Joyland. There, he meets an assortment of interesting characters, including two soon-to-be-best-friends, Erin and Tom, and his eventual saviors, Annie and Mike, all while nursing first-love heartbreak and losing his virginity. Oh, and of course it wouldn't be much of a Stephen King novel without a ghost or two, would it? There's a ghost of a young woman who had been murdered on the only dark ride at Joyland. Who dun done it, is the question we're reading to answer. That, and experiencing young Devin's coming-of-age story with a twist.

Thoughts:

As far as King novels go, I haven't read nearly enough to really be familiar with his style, but I didn't enjoy Joyland nearly as much as I did Bag of Bones and The Shining. To be honest, I was a little bored. The story didn't grip me by the collar as tightly as I had expected it to. It lacked much of the suspense and tension I had come to expect from King. Could it be due to the fact that Joyland  is about 300 pages shorter than the previous two King novels I've read? Does King write better when he has more words to work with? Who knows. All I do know is that I found Dev a little dull, the other characters unimportant (didn't care about any of 'em much), the ghost story not very interesting, and the big reveal of the killer anti-climatic and rushed. 

Final Verdict:

Joyland is a run-of-the-mill crime/mystery novel. While not a bad read, it's not terribly exciting either. 

 
Princess Reads A Lot isn't too sure about this book. She didn't like it, but she didn't not like it either. She knows it's one she won't ever re-read and that makes her a little sad.

[Book Rant] The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

First Book Rant of 2014!

Kim Edwards' first novel, The Memory Keeper's Daughter, begins on the night of a blizzard in 1964 and Dr. David Henry and his young wife, Norah, are settling in for what they think will be a comfortable evening at home. That is, until Norah goes into labor. Yup. And during a blizzard. David, calmly, rushes her to the hospital where he works. It's no biggie; another doctor will be meeting them there and all will be well. Except the blizzard and its homies, Mother Nature and Fate, have other plans and the doctor can't make it. David is forced to put that MD license to use and delivers his own children. With the help of a nurse, Caroline, Dr. Henry's fraternal twins are born--a perfectly healthy boy named Paul and a girl with Down Syndrome, Phoebe. Dr. Henry makes a knee-jerk decision, one fueled by a painful past, to send his daughter with Caroline to be dropped off at an institution. Caroline leaves immediately. When she arrives, she realizes that she cannot leave the baby girl at the institution and takes her away, raising Phoebe as her own. In the meantime, Dr. Henry tells his wife that their daughter died in childbirth . . .

The premise of this novel is what initially drew me in. I continued reading, eager to follow the Henry's--David, Norah, and baby Paul--on their painful journey of grief, loss, and devastating secrets, as well as Caroline's struggles to successful raise a child that is not her own and has special needs. There was so much potential for an amazing novel and I was excited to keep reading.

Unfortunately, there were a few "irks" that stood in the way of my truly enjoying the novel as I had hoped.

1) What I liked best about Edwards' writing is also what stood in the way of my enjoyment of the story. I found her writing to be mesmerizing, full of great sensory language that is almost poetic. It gently draws you in--deeply, without your even realizing until you're in too deep to back out.

While I appreciated this style for describing the physical setting, I didn't enjoy it as much for the description or portrayal of deep emotions. I think every reader can attest to the fact that we'd prefer to be SHOWN how a character feels, rather than TOLD. I felt that Edwards didn't allow me to make my own decision about whether or not to empathize with the characters. Instead, I felt force-fed to believe certain things and feel a certain way. No, just no.

2) The effect of being told instead of shown how much the Henrys' and Caroline's lives changes after that night in 1964 is that all of characters (with the exception of Caroline) became caricatures and unrealistic. They lacked depth and authenticity, flat characters who didn't exhibit much change over the course of the novel. At least not in ways I felt meaningful. When I finished the novel, I didn't care about them any more than I did when I opened the book. Actually, I may have cared about them less.

3) Phoebe. The role of Phoebe in the novel, other than being the source of a secret, is unclear. On one hand, she and Caroline seem to be the core of a message for the treatment of and expectations for individuals with disabilities. On the other hand, she seems completely unimportant as an individual and more a character for which other characters react to. That lack of clarity, of purpose for Phoebe's character made it difficult to truly care or believe her. (Does that all even make sense?)

3) What happened to the climax?! It was so weakly executed that I nearly missed it! For all the commotion surrounding the secret, its reveal was anti-climatic, as was the characters' reactions that doubly suffered from being cliched.

4) Unrealistic, fairytale-esque ending. It sure sounded pretty. And my gut reaction was "Aw, that's nice and sweet." But then I thought about it. What the hell? There is no way that their lives can just continue so simply! It was a big freaking deal, wasn't it? Dr. Henry sent his daughter away to an institution to die and lied about it for 25 years!

Final Verdict:

Princess Reads A Lot isn't too sure about this book. She didn't like it, but she didn't not like it either. She knows it's one she won't ever re-read and that makes her a little sad.

Kim Edwards is a pretty good writer, as to be expected from someone who holds a MFA in fiction and an MA in linguistics. So, the writing style of the novel is one readers can appreciate. The potential for a great story and interesting character development initially hooked me in. However, I was left disappointed at how the story falls short. More attention seems to have been given to the structure of the writing rather than to the development of the story and characters. The Memory Keeper's Daughter is a fairly good read if there's nothing better in your Planning to Read queue.



Have you read The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards? Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.

Secretly Yours,
Fatuma

[Book Rant] Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Okay, I absolutely loved this book. The last book that I read and loved was Kate Stockett's The Help.

What first drew me in was the fact that it was written by an African writer. As a child of immigrants from The Gambia in West Africa, I'm been meaning to read some African literature. I've always felt like a slight traitor as I've yet to read Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. But I've made up for it with Purple Hibiscus. Or so I'd like to think. (Will still read Achebe's book one day. Maybe.)

A simple song for a tiny country, but it shows Moxie!

So what's it about?

Purple Hibiscus takes place in Nigeria (the birthplace of both of our writer). The story is told through 15-year-old Kambili, who lives with her mother, father, and brother Jaja. Kambili's father is an extremely religious man who rules his family with an iron fist. The tale unfolds as Kambili and her brother spend some time away from home and experience the first taste of freedom as civil war in Nigeria makes things even more unstable.

Dangit! Nigeria has the better anthem. Just because they're bigger. Humph!

 

Rant Begins:

I want to begin by commenting on Kambili's narrative voice. I think it was the best voice/POV that I have had the pleasure to read in a long time. It was authentic, compelling, endearing, and compassionate. I was immediately and deeply connected with Kambili and felt haunted by the life I was suddenly intimately privy to. Even more touching was Kambili's emotions, strength, and fears as she struggled between her love for her abusive father, love for her battered mother, and fear of change after tasting freedom. Also, because Kambili avoids things or pretends not to know, readers are increasingly horrified as we come to the realizations of the truths that Kambili refuses to admit.

Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Let's imagine that this is what Kambili will look like in 20 years.

I love the whole start-from-the-end-then-tell-the-events-that-leads-up-to-it plot device. Love it, I say, especially when it's as well done as it was in Purple Hibiscus. From the first line, Ms. Adichie caught me hook, line, and sinker and I was only eager to read more. Adichie's strong writing continued to lead me by the heart from beginning to end as I gasped in horror, smiled bittersweetly, held my breath with hope, and rooted wholeheartedly for Kambili, Jaja, Aunty Ifeoma, the cousins, and others. Each character was unique and meaningful within the story (even Papa-the-Bastard, the name I coined him in my head).

Purple Hibiscus is an absolute must-read if you want a taste of African literature that is strongly written, engaging, and moves your heart.

Official Rating:

Princess Reads A Lot absolutely LOVED this book! She was captivated, enamored, enchanted, and fascinated, otherwise irrevocably in love. She has found yet another literary prince charming and is in bliss.

[Book Rant] Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Wonder is a sweet and powerful read starring 5th grader August (Auggie) Pullman, who was born with facial abnormalities, as he navigates both school and the 5th grade for the first time.

It was a great Wednesday afternoon read that I enjoyed. It was touching and jolting and had a lot of important life lessons to teach/learn, such as not judging a book by its cover, true friendship, and the power of kindness. A triple threat.

The multiple POV's were an interesting way to tell the story, but not well executed. Via's POV I believe was the most touching and poignant and real. Jack and Summer's POV's were also effective and I enjoyed seeing their side. However, can someone please tell me why we needed to hear from the boyfriend, Justin, and the ex-BFF, Miranda? Neither character was connected to Auggie directly. Also, I don't understand why grammar and proper capitalization were suddenly thrown out of the window for Justin's chapters. And, Miranda's spiel about her time at summer camp? Completely uninteresting, irrelevant, and unnecessary--it didn't move the story at all.

I would have loved to hear from Mom or Dad or childhood friend, Chris, or heck, even one of his doctors instead. One of those would have been potentially more powerful and better than Miranda and Justin. Or even Julian's POV could have been intriguing and intense.

Minor Issue: The simplicity of the writing style felt at odds with the complexity of the characters' dialogue. Not sure if this makes perfect sense, but I felt like I was reading a book written by a middle schooler with High school characters. It's hard to explain, but it caused a bit of dissonance for me and lessened the believability of the story and characters. There were also places where the dialogue was incredibly childish for characters who had just been speaking pretty sophisticated.

Slightly less minor issue: Why were 5th graders dating?! Even with transitioning adolescence, puberty, hormones etc, I still cannot see 10-year-olds dating. They're still babies as far as I'm concerned and ten is too young even for the earliest of bloomers. I think as an older reader (my younger sister, who happens to be 10, that brat better NOT be doing anything, LOVES this book) I really couldn't get pass this idea of hormonal 10-year-olds. What happened to the good 'ole days where boys were stupid, ew gross, and had cooties until they were miraculously cured in 8th or 9th grade? Is there a Cootie Vaccination now?

FINAL VERDICT:

The story was really enjoyable. Some characters--Auggie, Summer, Jack, Via, and Dad in particular--really touched my heart (though some more depth and character development would have been appreciated. Then again, this is written for a much younger audience.), while other characters were literacy waste (cough, cough). Also, the writing wasn't as compelling as it could have been,  lessening the "punch in the heart" effect of this novel. But I'm being picky because the effect was there nonetheless as I won't be forgetting Auggie for a few days.

* * *

Princess Reads A Lot LIKES this book a lot!
It made her smile and she's sure glad she read it,
though there were a few things that bugged her highness.

[Book Rant] The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie

Sherman Alexie's The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven is a collection of interconnected short stories about Native Americans and reservation life.

What I like best about this work was Alexie's poetic language use in his storytelling. It's crystal clear that storytelling is more than a hobby or even a passion, but a vital piece of heritage. Alexie's prose is beautifully haunted and poignant as he narrates life on a reservation from the point of view of a few of its residents. We get a glimpse (because only a small glimpse is possible into something so vast and deep) into the strength, coverage, and bravery of Native Americans as well as the extreme suffering, injustice, and pain. I'm not much of a poetry person, but Alexie's writing made me gain a better appreciation for the naturally poetic nuances of language.

The main thing that stopped me from loving this book was the format of the novel. I'm not much of a fan of short story collections. Often the disjointed interconnectedness is confusing for me and it makes it hard for me to follow what I'm reading. In the case of The Lone Ranger and Tonto, I was mostly confused by which of the characters were speaking in each given story. In the beginning, it was clear that Victor was the narrator, but for the second half I couldn't figure out who was speaking. It made it difficult for me to fall into the stories. I'm not sure if it was due to not reading closely enough, but even re-reading didn't help.

Going back to the writing--The stories themselves, if I forced myself to see them as unconnected, stand-alone stories, were quite enjoyable. I loved the quiet, unassuming strength of the narrator voices, especially as they used humor as a strong weapon against the many issues in their lives. The comic relief was poignant in highlighting the stark reality, leaving readers with a bitter sweet feelings. By the end, you know that things may not necessarily change for the better, but that the narrators will continue to fight with insurmountable inner strength and heart.

FINAL VERDICT:

Princess Reads A Lot LIKES this book a whole lot!
It made her smile and she's sure glad she read it.