BOOK: The Awakening by Kate Chopin

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

decades challenge (1890s), novella challenge

Imagine life one hundred years ago for the well off woman. She would leave her father and be married, hopefully an advantageous marriage with good money prospects, and then produce children. She would preside over a home, with servants and maids, with no real task other than to be there. For the husband (keep the house nice, keep up proper appearances), for the children (who the nanny truly looked after, so maybe just a kiss goodnight) and for society (the rounds of visitations, the appearances above all else.) Who is she? How would she know when she spends her time in service of others? She may dabble in painting or singing, but it must not interfere with the family.

When Kate Chopin wrote this book in 1899, this would have been a scandalous event. She proposed that women were basically sleeping, not meeting their full potential. Edna Pontellier is the woman we follow as she begins to open her eyes, awaken as she discovers who she is. Southern Louisiana is the setting as Edna is living a very Victorian lifestyle. One summer at the shore, she meets Robert and all these emotions are woken up.

I liked this little classic. It was easily readable, one of my biggest complaints about some 'classics'. Obviously, life is very different now, but to see how women were subjugated and how far we have come in one hundred years was insightful. We still face that dilemma of learning who we are and what our role is, but now we have so many more options. Edna was very brave to continue on her journey, to stand up to her husband. I was surprised she wasn't just put into an insane asylum to deal with her revolt, but her options were so limited.

If you've read and reviewed this book, let me know in the comments. We can link up.

BOOK: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Southern Reading Challenge, Herding Cats

I've seen this book listed on every list of books where people get to nominate their favorite books, and now I know why. Set in South Carolina in 1964, against the civil rights backdrop, it is the story of a young girl trying to find someone to care about her, a mother to love her. Lily runs away from her widowed father, T Ray, with her black housekeeper, as Lily is looking for some connection to her mother. She ends up at a pink house with three black bee keeping sisters in a neighbouring community. There she learns about bees, love, forgiveness, and mothers.

I would put this one on the short list of books worth reading again. The spiritual level of looking for forgiveness and finding love within yourself, as exemplified with the Black Madonna Mary was beautiful. The writing of Kidd to set the scene of South Carolina in the summer was breath taking, and I couldn't wait to immerse myself in her world every time I picked up the book. The voice of the narrator was wise and yet oh so human, with emotions of love and jealousy and anger. But the overall strength of the women was my favorite part, and an antidote after the past few books I've read. It made me proud to be a woman and see some amazing girl power.

Having said that about girl power, T Ray and his cranky foul moods and his behavior at the end made me really wonder about him. What was he like when Lily's mom met him? How did he deal with her abandonment and then death? What were his thoughts about Lily? He is a character that I would like to read this story of from his perspective. Did he analyze his actions and their ramifications afterward? I just feel there was a lot more to T Ray, and he could star in his own novel.

If you've written a review of this book, leave me a link in the comments.

BOOK: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith


chunkster challenge 483 p; what's in a name? plant in title category; decades challenge 1940s



This is a book I've been meaning to read for quite a while, so it ended up being on several challenge lists, most notably the chunkster challenge. At 483 pages, it took a while to read. Francie Nolan grows up from 10 til 17 years old, during the early part of the 20th century. Smith provides a view of life, based on her life, of poor working class Americans living in Brooklyn. It was a time of vast changes, but with so little historically happening, it's a time I haven't read much about. It's not prohibition, it's not the first World War, it's not nation building. I enjoyed it, but I think if I had read it as a much younger person, it might have had more impact on me. There were parts that touched me a lot, but in other places I found it a bit preachy. The funniest part was when Francie's brother tried to buy sauerkraut once the Americans had joined the war, and he forgot to order it as Liberty Cabbage. Freedom Fries anyone?

It was an epic novel, following one family's journey, during a much simpler time of life. A glimpse of life when the difference between rich and poor was very noticeable, when a family's pride was all they had as they struggled to better themselves. A real American dream novel.

BOOK: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Young Adult Challenge, Cardathon, another Something About Me

Melinda had just started high school, but she is an outcast. A party over the summer has drastically changed her life, and caused her to lose her friends. She tries to fit in, tries to survive, but she is finding it hard to find the works to express herself. This book follows her first year of high school.

This was touching, and heart breaking, and a very good book. Anderson puts into words the agony of high school, and dealing with teachers who are only concerned with school and forget that there can be a whole world of issues that the students are dealing with and algebra isn't even on their radar. I appreciated that reminder every now and then, and it will help when I can't understand why they are not as fascinated by projectiles as I am.

This is an excellent young adult book, covering big issues, but in a very humanizing way. At less than 230 pages, it is a quick read that I recommend. I can see why it is so popular.

BOOK: Angry Housewives Eating Bonbons by Lorna Landvik

Angry Housewives Eating Bonbons by Lorna Landvik

another something about me book, chunkster challenge 2
Minnesota book in the Booking Around the 50 States challenge

another something about me challenge book, chunkster challenge 2

I didn't even realize that this would qualify as a chunkster, but it had over 480 pages, so it just makes it in. The back cover sums up this book quite well - 'a guilty pleasure' and a 'light snappy read.' It reminds me of the type of books I read in the 1980s by Judith Krantz, the beginnings of the chick lit genre. It is a sweeping book, covering forty years of five friends, set in Minnesota. The friends, all quite different, form a book club to get through the sixties and seventies when women needed more intellectual stimulation than they could get as stay at home moms, or housewives as they were known. Each has a very different personality but they support each other through life changes, husbands and kids, plus secrets they are keeping. There is nothing too sinister or terrible happening here, but life in general. Imagine Wisteria Lane lite.

It took me a little while to keep all the characters straight, but they are quite different and physically described enough to make an impression. My biggest complaint was the point of view and the time line. The book is divided into many sections, according to their book of the month, and each section gets a different narrator, sometimes in the first person, sometimes third, and sometimes it seemed to change part way through the section. It allowed each woman to get her story told but it felt a little jumpy. And the years would jump dramatically within sections at times.

But all in all, what I would call a beach book - easy to pick up and set down, easy to follow with different story lines and well defined characters and interesting plots, if somewhat predictable. You can't complain too much about a book like this, because it is what it is - a guilty pleasure, an easy read. This could have qualified for my themed reading challenge, because books play an important part of the story line.

Tinylittlelibrarian picked it for her book in the Something About Me challenge because I belong to a book club of great women, like the ladies in this book. And this was one of the few books that all of our members really enjoyed. Also, it's set in Minnesota, which is where my husband's from and I love visiting there every summer. Since two of her picks were two of my all time favorite books - Anne and Bridget, I really wanted to read one of her picks and I am so glad I did. I was able to think about her while I was reading, and wonder which angry housewife she is!

BOOK: The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

Young Adult Challenge, mini challenge # 4 (read a banned book)

You can't read the title of this book and not be intrigued. It's a quick little read that will make you glad you aren't a teenager anymore. I think of this book as chick-lit for teens.

from the back cover:

Virginia Shreves has a larger-than-average body and a plus-size inferiority complex. She lives on theWeb, snarfs junk food, and obeys the "Fat Girl Code of Conduct." Then there are the other Shreveses: Mom is an exercise fiend and adolescent psychologist; Dad, when not jet-setting, or golfing in Connecticut, ogles skinny women on TV; and older siblings Byron and Anais are slim, brillian and impossible to live up to.

Delete Virginia and the Shreveses are a picture perfect family... until a phone call changes everything.

It was an eye opener to remember how self conscious and self absorbed teenagers are, even though I work with them everyday. The first part of the book was a little slow as I wanted to shake Virginia and her family as things seemed a little exaggerated. But I would guess there are teenagers who feel like everyone is looking at them and are critical of them. And I liked Virginia, and her growth as she begins to question how perfect everyone is. As an adult, I know they aren't perfect but it's Virginia who thinks they are. Her gradual awakening is done nicely, if somewhat quickly. And that is part of growing up: realizing that you can only control your own thoughts and behaviours and not letting other opinions or perceived opinions affect you. Did the popular people suddenly notice Virginia, or did she stop feeling like they didn't notice her and was open to talking to them? Once her opinion of herself changed, so did the response of other people.

The novel deals with some big issues including a good job on body image, but also touching on self hurting, date rape, eating disorders, and cliques in school. Many young adult novels I've read recently include different technology to get information across, and this novel includes emails and text messages. And yet the same old angst is there, teenagers, and their thoughts and their parents. Oh, and I wanted to slap the mother, adolescent psychologist indeed!

BOOK: Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

Young Adult Challenge, more Somthing About Me, Newbery Award Winner


Young Adult novels can be such a satisfying read. They cover interesting topics in a slightly less intense method. This lovely story about Karena, the girl living alone on her island, was easy to read, and yet still powerful. O'Dell's writing was sparse but still conveyed all the emotions of a young girl struggling to survive. This reminded me of Robinson Crusoe, but emminently more readable. I was also reminded of Shawnadithit, from Cloud of Bone, but only after I read the afterword, of how this was based on a true story.


Again, with so many of these older children's classics, I wonder, why I didn't read this when I was younger? It is a quiet book and I might not have appreciated it when I was younger. I could see reading this as a class novel, with lots of survival discussions and projects. Karena stayed so level headed, and dealt with her situation with such calm and intelligence, she makes a great role model.

Juli chose this for the Something About Me Challenge because: When I would play alone outside I would always pretend that I was alone on an island surviving with what skills I had. I would act out scenes from the book over and over. I also checked this book out from the library over and over.

BOOK: Booked to Die by John Dunning

Booked to Die by John Dunning

themed reading challenge, another something about me



Great mystery, starring Cliff Janeway, ex-cop and now book dealer, set in Denver. It took me a while to get into the book, because the first half of the book was necessary to set up the series - Janeway changing from cop to book store owner. Once the second act started, the mystery moved along solidly as Janeway looks to solve the murder of a bookscout, and learns the ropes of owning a store. It had the feel of a thirties hard-boiled mystery, where many things were happening and people's motives were just out of my understanding. I still enjoy these types of books, but I just ride the wave until the end and hope I'm not too confused. I'll look for more of these, since his romantic future seems up in the air, and he seems like a man looking for love, as well as his next big book find.



I'm sure I said I wasn't going to start anymore series, and here I am, with two started in the last two weeks - Thursday Next, and Cliff Janeway. New rule: I must finish at least one series before I read another of these books, or any more new series. I have the last Lily Bard book from the library, and I bought the lastest Shopaholic book last month.


This book was recommended by Bonnie for the Something About Me challenge. I'm still trying to read books from that list.

also reviewed by kristi

BOOK: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

themed reading challenge, Cardathon, more something about me


I loved this book! The imagination, the humor, the adventure, and Jane Eyre or rather Mr Rochester, black holes and warped time and literary detective Thursday Next, SpecOps of the LiteraTec Swindon Office.

I took my time reading this, because I enjoyed thinking about it during the day, and all the effects and jokes in the book, and wondering what would be next. I luxuriated in the story and can't wait to read the next one, Lost in a Good Book. Fforde has created a parallel, not quite right world that revolves around books. There were so many funny parts, and perfectly plotted events, I can't begin to summarize. The story involves a madman, and books that have 'soft' boundaries, where people and characters are moving back and forth, and Jane Eyre plays a pivotal part. I am so glad I read Jane Eyre last summer as it added immensely to my enjoyment, knowing that plot. It sounds weird, but Fforde knows what he is doing, and I was quite safe in his hands. I think I probably missed many jokes and allusions because this is packed full of goodness.

Example of small funny part: There are Baconians, knocking on doors in London like Jehovah Witnesses, trying to convince people that Francis Bacon wrote Shakespeare's plays. That was hilarious.

BOOK: The Remains of the Day by Kazou Ishiguro

The Remains of the Day by Kazou Ishiguro

1989 Booker Winner, 1980s decade, Man Booker Challenge

I haven't seen the movie, but I would like to now. This quiet book is the memoirs of Stevens, proper butler to Darlington Hall from the 1930s to his present day 1956. Ishiguro has written an amazing book in that this is a character study of the main character, told in first person narrative, and the man has no inner thoughts, a completely flat character. It is completely sad how removed from himself he is without even realizing it. But the book is genius.

Stevens has lived his whole life as a butler and he is very invested in being the best butler, to the point that he has no relationships with anyone - his father, Miss Kenton, or anyone. He doesn't think critically about any decisions of his boss, who, it comes out, was quite the Nazi sympathizer before World War 2.

Later in life, he seems to feel that bantering is a skill he should acquire, as part of his repertoire of a good butler. But bantering doesn't come easily to him. This is typical of his interactions with other people. It is particularly sad when he retells events with Miss Kenton, the housekeeper. He keeps his emotions so bottled up, under the guise of professionalism, that he cannot even offer condolences or talk of anything that is not to do with the job.

Ishiguro offers a view of life in the upper classes in England, and what life may have been like 'on the job'. And he does such a great job of exposing Stevens character without saying anything, especially the parts that Stevens isn't even aware of. Ishiguro is on my list of potential favorite authors now, with two books (Never Let Me Go) that have impressed me.

BOOK: 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff, 97 pages

themed reading challenge, another from something about me


Way back when, historia picked this as one of her Something About Me books because: Because I love reading anything about books - and I absolutely LOVED the movie. There were several glowing reviews at the blog by everyone who read this. I bought this one, big decision for me since it is a slim volume, to read for the Themed Reading Challenge, books about books.

What a delightful little collection! I didn't realize it was nonfiction until the end; I'm such a twit. Helene Hanff, a NY writer, begins a correspondence with a Marks & Co. in London. This book demonstrates a different time, before instant communication and was very charming. Helene would ask for a book, and they would find it and send it. Then, she would send a few dollars cash in the mail. They scrupulously kept track of the cents in credit and debit. Helene develops a relationship with the company, sending lots of packages to help the Brits through post war rationing. Travel was much more difficult in those days, as it is hard to imagine today she wouldn't just jump on a plane and hop over the pond to meet them.

It was also a different time in books and publishing, as Hanff was looking for books of letters and collections of essays, and specific editions of books. Or it just may be there is a whole world of book collectors that I am not familiar with at all. (seems more likely) I am also reading Remains of the Day right now; I am having difficulty adjusting to the 21st century since my reading life is decidedly early 20th century England. Both books would be excellent for Anglophiles with delightful slices of life in England.

If you enjoy books about books, or England, or need a quick read, you could try 84, Charing Cross Road. And there is also a movie? I must look into that.

CHALLENGE: Something About Me Completed

Wow, what a challenge! It seems like it went on all year, and in a way it did, and yet I'm not even letting go completely, as I'm using many, many books on this list as my TBR for next year.

Recap: Way back in April, Lisa at Breaking the Fourth Wall conceived the idea of a challenge, whereby participants would nominate 5 books to represent themselves, giving the reasons why. Then in order to get to know each other better, we would make our own reading list and read other people's books.

My list of books representing me included:

1. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson NF

2. Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth NF

3. Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman F

4. Evening Class by Maeve Binchy F

5. LM Montgomery: Anne of Windy Poplars F (or any other LM Montgomery book you want)

You can find my reasons why for each selection here.

Luckily Lisa didn't begin the reading part until August, which in April seemed so far off, and then, as more and more people signed up, and the great books got added, August seemed like the right idea. So many wonderful people (59, if I counted right, including Nattie, who sadly passed away after joining) and books joined in at the blog.

I got so excited by some of the books, I started reading some even before the challenge officially started:

A Man Without a Country (kookiejar) - see review
So Many Books, So Little Time (sally, a.book.in.the.life,vasilly,) - see review
The Echo Maker (3M) - see review
Uglies (faith) - dystopian challenge see review



Then August finally arrived and I started on this challenge with a vengeance, because I couldn't wait. Now, as December is coming to an end, I have the books finished I said I would, plus a few extra. My final list looks like this:
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (Kathrin)
I Am the Messenger - Markus Zasuk (jill mrsteme)
Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card (Becky, karlene)
Inkheart - Cornelia Funkle (becky shereads)
Number the Stars - Lois Lowry (booklogged)
We Need to Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver (dewey)
The Thirteenth Tale - Dianne Setterfield (kristin)
Tale of Despereaux - Kate diCamillo (booklogged)
Lolita - Vladimir Nobokov (heather)


One of these books even made my top ten reads of the year. Do you remember which one I raved about the most?
I still have many I want to read, and picked More Something About Me as a category for the 888 challenge, including some of the following I still really want to read:
Booked to Die - John Dunning (bonnie) [Themed Reading Challenge]
The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde (heidijane, valentina)
The Awakening - Kate Chopin (patti)
The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova (maryanne)
Twilight - Stephanie Myers (suey) [Young Adult Challenge]
Angry Housewives Eating Bonbons - Lorna Landvic (tiny librarian)
The Remains of the Day - Ishiguro (lucca) [Booker Challenge]
The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd (ennavic, Karlene) [What's in a Name?]
Mrs Dalloway - Virginia Woolf (trish)84 Charing Cross Road - Helen Hanff (Historia) [Themed Reading Challenge]
Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson (heatherbird) [Young Adult Challenge]


This was the challenge I had the most fun participating in, because I felt like I got to know some other bloggers much better than could be expected. Getting to hear the reasons why people chose their books was as much fun as picking my books. The books I read will be forever associated with the bloggers who nominated them. All in all, a wonderful time. Thank you to Lisa who organized it all, and to the many readers I've met along the way.
Whew, what a challenge.

BOOK: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

read for Something About Me Challenge and my own 50_books top twenty challenge

While I recognize that this is an important book and very popular, it didn't do it enough for me. It took me two weeks, at least and I never had a point where I couldn't put it down. That is for me what makes a book terrific: I can't stop reading it, I have to know more, read more. And this wasn't it.

Maybe it's too important for me. I had the annotated edition, and that doubled the size of the book. I would recommend this edition, but I went in stages, of checking the notes, and then ignoring the plethora of information at the back. No doubt, Nabokov is a genius, and the book is layer upon layer of alllusions and riddles, with interesting debates about ethics and morals and insanity that could last forever.

We've all heard the phrase Lolita to describe a wanton female, but this book is all about Humbert Humbert, the narrator and Lolita's lover/abuser. Our knowledge of pedophelia has changed over time, and this book would certainly be received differently now. I think what scared me about HH is that he appears to function in society, talking to people, and yet is quite crazy in his head, and can rationalize his obsession with nymphets, or 12 year old girls. And without the notes, I don't know if I would have understood the basic plot. Parts were interesting, but as the second half builds to the climax, I missed a lot without my periodic update.

It wasn't graphic per se, no big love scenes described, but obviously it was still disturbing. Part of the problem is that HH tells you that his memory of events is not perfect, so the story is hard to decipher, wondering what really happened. We only know about Lolita from what HH tells us.

As with most classics I've read this year, I am glad I read it, but I certainly didn't love it. At least now I feel ready to read Reading Lolita in Tehran.

BOOK: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

How cute is this book? A classic fairy tale, narrated wonderfully, being the story of a mouse, a princess, some soup, and a spool of thread.
This was the Newbery Award winner from 2004, and I would think it is destined to be a classic book.
I loved the narration, as the Reader is spoken to during the story in the tradition of The Princess Bride, warning that bad things are coming, and advising looking up a word like 'perfidy'* as it comes along.

I chose this book for the Something About Me Challenge as recommended by booklogged, and she has chosen wonderfully.

She said in chosing it: Sometimes I feel the size of a mouse trying to conquer problems that are so much bigger than me. My tools seem silly and inefficient, sort of like Despereaux's needle and thread. And sometimes my goals are not realistic in the same way that Despereaux had his heart set on marrying the princess.
I think this sums up the book better than I could. Also, I bought a copy of the book today so we will have one here in the house. I can't just return it to the library and not have a copy if I need some uplifting and hopeful reading. And my children must read this.



*perfidy: a breach of faith

BOOK: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Title and author of book?
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Fiction or non-fiction? Genre?
fiction

What led you to pick up this book?
Everyone I know has read and loved this book. It was a choice on the Something About Me challenge by Kristin, so I picked it for a RIP II challenge read as well. I've been wanting to read this one for a while.

Summarize the plot, but don't give away the ending!
Margaret Lea, a quiet, somewhat unhappy bookstore owner/biographer receives a strange letter from a famous author to come and 'hear the truth' of her story, to write her biography. As she enters into Vida Winter's tale, the plot gets very interesting.

What did you like most about the book?
I most liked the connection to Jane Eyre, which I read recently. Living on the moors, crazy people hiding in the house, abandoned children, pages ripped from the novel, fires in old castles; there were so many parallels to Jane Eyre.

Have you read any other books by this author? What did you think of those books?
First book by Setterfield I've read.

What did you think of the main character?
Margaret was dealing with her own sad childhood. She was not a very social person, so she didn't have any problem falling into Vida Winter's world and childhood. Margaret was brave to take on this challenge, and very injured herself emotionally.

Any other particularly interesting characters?
Emmaline and Adeline March were certainly unique. I also liked John the Dig and the Misses, both old fashioned servants, the kind you only find in tremedously British books. They were devoted to their charges and also didn't seemed to become fazed by some strange happenings.

Share a quote from the book:
Oops, I already returned the book to the library. I don't usually notice quotes anyway.

Share a favorite scene from the book.
I wouldn't say I had any favorite scene in this book. Each scene leads to the next. For over the first half of the book, I couldn't understand the amazing appeal. It was good, and I enjoyed reading it, but I didn't feel inspired to pick it up at every moment; I wasn't racing through it, and I actually read other books at the same time. It picked up at the end, and the actual ending was great!

What about the ending?
The ending was the best, with a trendous twist that I can not reveal of course. Suffice to say, it was tragic and full of atmosphere and tied up the story perfectly.

BOOK: We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

First of all, Lionel Shriver is a woman. I don't know why that should make a difference, but just like it changes how you say someone's name if you know how it is spelled - Sean, or Shawn, it does make a little difference.

Second, holy cow! What a book. It took me about 100 pages to get into it, and I wasn't sure I would like it in the beginning, because the narrator is not easy to like. But suddenly, I was wondering where my Sunday went, because I didn't get off the couch. This is not an easy book to read, it may challenge some ideas, it may make you think, it may make you scared, very scared, but you won't forget Kevin.

Plot summary, from the back cover:
In this gripping novel of motherhood gone awry, Lionel Shriver approaches the tragedy of a high-school massacre from the point of view of the killer's mother. In letters written to the boy's father, mother Eva probes the upbringing of this more-than-difficult child and reveals herself to have been the reluctant mother of an unsavory son. As the schisms in her family unfold, we draw closer to an unexpected climax that holds breathtaking surprises and its own hard-won redemption.

The big question after one of these shooting incidents, is always, why? Eva, the mother, takes us through Kevin's life and her own, to look for these answers. She is brutally honest about herself and how she saw things, but it is only her perspective in the end. There are parts where you will cringe with uncomfortableness, with sympathy, and with a 'there, but for the grace of God, go I'.

I don't like to put spoilers in a review, and I won't, but I would really like to talk to somebody who has read this book. This would make a great discussion book, especially among parents and teachers. Dewey picked this book for her Something About Me list, because she is the parent of a high school boy and a high school teacher. I teach high school, and my kids are younger, but it still had a great impact. Thanks, dewey, for the suggestion, I am really glad I read this one.

BOOK: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Newbery Winner 1990

Booklogged picked this as one of her selections for the Something About Me challenge. She said: I really like Lois Lowry, both as a person and an author. The other reason I chose this book is because my ancestor are from Denmark, which is the setting for this story.

I liked this book too. It was a very easy read, and sometimes it is nice to read a children's book and get a message in a different method. I'm definitely going to put this one on my kids' pile of books. I also enjoyed the setting of Denmark, and would like to read more books set there, even if it just involves rereading some old Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales. But this book is set during the Nazi occupation of Denmark so it is not a fairy tale at all. Lowry uses an example from the Danish resistance to define the word bravery for children in a concrete, wow, imagine if my life were like that kind of way. I've read two of Lowry's books this year (Number the Stars and The Giver), and each were excellent in very different ways. Thanks for the suggestion booklogged.

BOOK:Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

I knew this book would be good because it was on the list of top books as recommended by the 50_book challenge, and they haven't steered me wrong yet. I'm not a huge science fiction fan, but not matter what the genre, there are good examples of books to read that you think you wouldn't like, because the story and characters and writing are too good. I present exhibit A.

Ender's Game has won the Hugo Award and is a Nebula Winner. I found this to be very interesting to read as a study of war and the how and whys of war and battle. Andrew 'Ender' Wiggin has been identified at the very young age of 6 as the hope of military genius needed to protect the Earth from the buggers. The Buggers are expected to attack the Earth again, and although Earth survived the last attack, this next one is going to be big. Ender is thus trained, rather brutally, the lead the next attack. Much of the book follows his training and isolation and mind manipulation.

Some quotes I liked from the book:
Because as long as the people are afraid of the buggers, the IF can stay in power and as long as the IF is in power, certain countries can keep their hegemony.

So the whole war is because we can't talk to each other.
If the other fellow can't tell you his story, you can never be sure he isn't trying to kill you.

Very interesting quotes in today's world. Card also used the net to show how information could come from an anonymous person, and spread throughout the world. The book was written in 1977 long before blogs and the internet were common and I thought it was very interesting how this was predicted.

My copy from the library was missing the last page, I think, as a sentence wasn't finished, but it was wrapped up pretty much so I don't think I missed anything. This is the first book in a series of books, and I'll get to them eventually, but I don't feel the need to rush out and grab it. I know some people really love this series, and Becky and Karlene both recommended it at the Something About Me challenge for different reasons. Here's a link to a post Becky wrote about Ender and why she loves him and the book.

BOOK: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

translated from the German by Anthea Bell
soon to be a major motion picture

This is a book I've been meaning to read for quite a while, and when I saw it on the reading list of Becky in the Something About Me Challenge, I was ready. I borrowed it for the summer from my school library and was just waiting for August so I could read it. I am also going to give it to my son to read; I think he'll like it.

Genre: fantasy/fairy tale, young adult
Basic Plot: Meggie and her father are both book lovers; her father is a book binder. They are suddenly on the run as a sketchy character comes looking for a book they own. The character was actually a character in the book that Meggie's father 'read out' of the story. See, Meggie's father has a talent for this and he has accidentally unleashed some unsavory characters into our world, from the book Inkheart.

Quote from the book: The world was a terrible place, cruel, pitiless, dark as a bad dream. Not a good place to live. Only in books could you find pity, comfort, happiness - and love. Books loved anyone who opened them, they gave you security and friendship adn didn't ask anything in return; they never went away, never, not even when you treated them badly.

Favorite part: I liked the quotes at the beginning of each chapter, taken from some rollicking adventure books like Treasure Island, Peter Pan, The Princess Bride, and Lord of the Rings.

Favorite character: I liked Dustfinger, a lost character, and fire-eater. He was selfish, but he tried to do the right thing. I also liked Elinor, Meggie's grand aunt, a book lover and collector who gets caught up in the adventure, and finds reserves of strength she didn't know she had.

Anything Else? I found the time element on the book confusing. It takes place in modern day Europe, but it felt more like that 'unknown time and location' that can happen in some books. Like the wizard world in Harry Potter, but it was supposed to be now, with cell phones and banks. I was often unsure, and kept reminding myself that it was now this was happening. But overall a great adventure read; I read the over 500 page book in a few days.

BOOK: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

It is hard to read a most beloved book that has earned so much praise. There is such an expectation while you are reading, that the poor book doesn't stand a chance. However, Jane Eyre was a great book and I really enjoyed it. I think if I had read it earlier in my life, I would absolutely love it, because I certainly developed a huge crush on Mr Rochester, but I didn't devour it, my usual judge of books that go on my best list.

I'm not sure what I thought this book was about; I knew there was some crazy person in it, but I didn't realize how wonderful Mr Rochester was and how tremendous of a heroine Jane was. Her confidence in herself, and strength to do the right thing for her impressed me. What a survivor! And Mr Rochester, I loved how she called him that right to the end. The atmosphere was creepy and gothic, wonderfully moorish. There was a little too much of St John at the end of the book, I just wanted Jane! But that is the reflection of the religious themes in the book; I preferred the mystery and love story aspect.

So, I liked the book and the characters. It's not going to be one of my favorite books, but I can see why it is for many people. I'm glad I read it, and wish I'd read it years ago.