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Do not let your kids check out this book. I admit to not having read it entirely. Actually, I only read the first 3 paragraphs and found 3 curse words, one semi-curse word, and a reference to playing with electrical outlets for fun. I decided at that point to save my mind by not reading any more, and recommend you do the same.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Andersonn, Laurie Halse
A word of warning: this author's books are very good, but tend toward depressing, so don't read them all at once like I did!
Chains is the story of a young slave girl during the Revolutionary War. Her mistress had written in her will that Isabel and her younger sister Ruth were to be freed upon her death, but the lawyer who wrote the will has run for safety and Isabel and Ruth end up being sold to a couple from New York. Their new owners are Tories, and Isabel is soon asked to spy on them for the Patriot Army. This stirring tale follows Isabel's attempts to find her own personal freedom in the midst of the greater struggle for American Independence. It was awarded the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, which I think was well earned. I look forward to the sequel which is hopefully coming soon!
Catalyst is one of the more difficult reads. It's the story of Kate Malone, a high school senior who has hedged all her bets on going to MIT. That's where her mother went, and it's all Kate wants. When she doesn't get in, she feels completely lost until her family gets caught up in the troubles of their next-door neighbors. The girl next door, Tori, is Kate's polar opposite - a thief and loner with a huge chip on her shoulder. When Tori's house burns down, she moves in with Kate and the next few weeks change both of their lives forever. Some of the issues dealt with in this book are pretty tough, so I would only recommend it to older teens, and there are great discussion points that parents and teens could search out together.
Speak was probably the hardest book for me to read. Melinda Sordino was a popular, well-liked girl...last year. At the end of last year, she attended her first ever "real" high school party. She ended up calling the cops, and is now the school outcast. The only friend she has is the new girl who hasn't found her group yet - and who ends up ditching Melinda when she does. Melinda's grades have dropped dramatically, her parents are upset, and she won't talk to anyone. She finally finds her solace in art and begins to express her pain and anger through sculpture, and is eventually able to talk again. Again, this book deals with very tough issues - Melinda was raped at the party, which she doesn't say until near the end, but the discerning reader will pick up on quite a bit sooner. I have to say again that this book would not be appropriate for younger readers, and would be a good one for a mother-daughter discussion.
Prom was a much more light-hearted book. Ashley Hannigan has no interest in the prom whatsoever - and frankly has too many detentions to ever begin to get them done before then. However, when their math teacher steals the prom money, her friends come to her desperate for help and she ends up planning - and attending! - the cheapest, coolest prom her high school has ever put on! Her family is hilarious, and her best friend's Russian grandmother's pranks (swimming in the baptistry of a local church, for one) take the cake. This book was written for "normal kids" because apparently some had complained to Ms. Anderson that no one wrote books about them - this is it.
Fever 1793 is about a young girl who lived through the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia. In the summer of 1793, 10 percent of Philadelphia's population died from yellow fever. Anderson tells the story of that summer through the eyes of Mattie Cook, a young girl who works in a coffehouse with her mother and grandfather. It's a fabulous piece of historical fiction, and a great way to spark an interest in an historical study of that time.
Chains is the story of a young slave girl during the Revolutionary War. Her mistress had written in her will that Isabel and her younger sister Ruth were to be freed upon her death, but the lawyer who wrote the will has run for safety and Isabel and Ruth end up being sold to a couple from New York. Their new owners are Tories, and Isabel is soon asked to spy on them for the Patriot Army. This stirring tale follows Isabel's attempts to find her own personal freedom in the midst of the greater struggle for American Independence. It was awarded the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, which I think was well earned. I look forward to the sequel which is hopefully coming soon!
Catalyst is one of the more difficult reads. It's the story of Kate Malone, a high school senior who has hedged all her bets on going to MIT. That's where her mother went, and it's all Kate wants. When she doesn't get in, she feels completely lost until her family gets caught up in the troubles of their next-door neighbors. The girl next door, Tori, is Kate's polar opposite - a thief and loner with a huge chip on her shoulder. When Tori's house burns down, she moves in with Kate and the next few weeks change both of their lives forever. Some of the issues dealt with in this book are pretty tough, so I would only recommend it to older teens, and there are great discussion points that parents and teens could search out together.
Speak was probably the hardest book for me to read. Melinda Sordino was a popular, well-liked girl...last year. At the end of last year, she attended her first ever "real" high school party. She ended up calling the cops, and is now the school outcast. The only friend she has is the new girl who hasn't found her group yet - and who ends up ditching Melinda when she does. Melinda's grades have dropped dramatically, her parents are upset, and she won't talk to anyone. She finally finds her solace in art and begins to express her pain and anger through sculpture, and is eventually able to talk again. Again, this book deals with very tough issues - Melinda was raped at the party, which she doesn't say until near the end, but the discerning reader will pick up on quite a bit sooner. I have to say again that this book would not be appropriate for younger readers, and would be a good one for a mother-daughter discussion.
Prom was a much more light-hearted book. Ashley Hannigan has no interest in the prom whatsoever - and frankly has too many detentions to ever begin to get them done before then. However, when their math teacher steals the prom money, her friends come to her desperate for help and she ends up planning - and attending! - the cheapest, coolest prom her high school has ever put on! Her family is hilarious, and her best friend's Russian grandmother's pranks (swimming in the baptistry of a local church, for one) take the cake. This book was written for "normal kids" because apparently some had complained to Ms. Anderson that no one wrote books about them - this is it.
Fever 1793 is about a young girl who lived through the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia. In the summer of 1793, 10 percent of Philadelphia's population died from yellow fever. Anderson tells the story of that summer through the eyes of Mattie Cook, a young girl who works in a coffehouse with her mother and grandfather. It's a fabulous piece of historical fiction, and a great way to spark an interest in an historical study of that time.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Anderson, Kevin J. and Moesta, Rebecca
So, no, I didn't give up reading for the holiday season, just haven't found time for blogging. I've been reading a lot of things, which I may tell you about, but next on the library shelf was the Young Jedi Knight series by Kevin Anderson and his wife Rebecca Moesta. The only bad thing I have to say about reading these books was that 2 of them were missing. Otherwise, I loved them. I had read the Shadow Academy series before but not the rest of them, and I was very happy to remedy that fault. If you have a young Star Wars fan in your house, these books are the perfect Christmas gift - they are clean, fun, and even have Boba Fett in them. It doesn't get better than that.
The series follows the adventures of Jacen and Jaina Solo, the twin children of Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo. They are studying at the Jedi Academy under Luke Skywalker, but they actually spend more time away from the Academy than actually there. Along with their friends Lowbacca (Chewbacca's nephew) and Tenel Ka (the heir to the Dathomir and Hapes systems) they have incredible adventures all over the galaxy that no parent would actually allow a 15-year-old to experience but which make for great reading. I highly recommend this series to all Star Wars fans, and particularly to the young ones. These books would make an excellent choice for parents who aren't quite ready to let their children watch the movies yet and who get asked every day when that decision will change. :)
The series follows the adventures of Jacen and Jaina Solo, the twin children of Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo. They are studying at the Jedi Academy under Luke Skywalker, but they actually spend more time away from the Academy than actually there. Along with their friends Lowbacca (Chewbacca's nephew) and Tenel Ka (the heir to the Dathomir and Hapes systems) they have incredible adventures all over the galaxy that no parent would actually allow a 15-year-old to experience but which make for great reading. I highly recommend this series to all Star Wars fans, and particularly to the young ones. These books would make an excellent choice for parents who aren't quite ready to let their children watch the movies yet and who get asked every day when that decision will change. :)
Monday, November 2, 2009
Aguiar, Nadia
The Lost Island of Tamarind
First, I think this book is meant to be the beginning of a series because the story was not finished completely at the end. It was just published last year, so hopefully a sequel is coming. At 436 pages, I wouldn't recommend it for beginning readers, but older elementary and up to high school students should find it entertaining. It's about three siblings who are cast away upon an island not found on any maps, and which most people cannot reach. Tamarind is reminiscent of Never-Never-Land, and the children have a great adventure while trying to find their parents and escape the island (something that has rarely, if ever, been done).
Things parents should be aware of:
a woman who steals children to make them work in mines (they escape and free the other kids)
pirates
man-eating vines
If you think your kids can handle those things, they will enjoy this book very much. It was only mildly frightening in the scariest parts, and those were few. There is a lot of mystery and adventure, which I found very enjoyable.
First, I think this book is meant to be the beginning of a series because the story was not finished completely at the end. It was just published last year, so hopefully a sequel is coming. At 436 pages, I wouldn't recommend it for beginning readers, but older elementary and up to high school students should find it entertaining. It's about three siblings who are cast away upon an island not found on any maps, and which most people cannot reach. Tamarind is reminiscent of Never-Never-Land, and the children have a great adventure while trying to find their parents and escape the island (something that has rarely, if ever, been done).
Things parents should be aware of:
a woman who steals children to make them work in mines (they escape and free the other kids)
pirates
man-eating vines
If you think your kids can handle those things, they will enjoy this book very much. It was only mildly frightening in the scariest parts, and those were few. There is a lot of mystery and adventure, which I found very enjoyable.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Anderson, Jodi Lynn
Love and Peaches
Unfortunately, this is once again the last book of a series and the only book the library has. I enjoyed it, but wish I could have read the first two books. As far as what the book is about - set Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in Georgia and you've got it. Not a terribly original book, but enjoyable nonetheless.
Unfortunately, this is once again the last book of a series and the only book the library has. I enjoyed it, but wish I could have read the first two books. As far as what the book is about - set Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in Georgia and you've got it. Not a terribly original book, but enjoyable nonetheless.
Almond, David
Kit's Wilderness
This is an excellent book, though I would caution against giving it to young children as it deals a lot with death and ghosts.
Kit and his family have moved back to Stoneygate to care for Kit's elderly grandfather, who begins telling Kit stories from his years as a coal miner. However, as he tells Kit his stories he begins to forget them and by the end of the book Kit is telling the stories back to his grandfather to help him remember who he is. Anyone who has dealt with elderly and forgetful family members will be touched and moved by Kit's compassion and love toward his grandfather.
Kit also is making new friends of course, and one of them is named John Askew. Askew and Kit are both from the old mining families, and Askew teaches Kit how to see the ghosts of the old "pit children" - children who died in the mines and whose bodies were never recovered and buried. At the same time, Kit begins writing a story about a boy who lived during the Ice Age and realizes that the story is also about Askew's struggle to reconcile his relationships with his family. The stories all become entwined with one another in the most unusual, unexpected book I have ever read.
This is an excellent book, though I would caution against giving it to young children as it deals a lot with death and ghosts.
Kit and his family have moved back to Stoneygate to care for Kit's elderly grandfather, who begins telling Kit stories from his years as a coal miner. However, as he tells Kit his stories he begins to forget them and by the end of the book Kit is telling the stories back to his grandfather to help him remember who he is. Anyone who has dealt with elderly and forgetful family members will be touched and moved by Kit's compassion and love toward his grandfather.
Kit also is making new friends of course, and one of them is named John Askew. Askew and Kit are both from the old mining families, and Askew teaches Kit how to see the ghosts of the old "pit children" - children who died in the mines and whose bodies were never recovered and buried. At the same time, Kit begins writing a story about a boy who lived during the Ice Age and realizes that the story is also about Askew's struggle to reconcile his relationships with his family. The stories all become entwined with one another in the most unusual, unexpected book I have ever read.
Alexander, Lloyd
The Xanadu Adventure
This book gives me the first opportunity to rant about something that really bothers me in our library. It is the 6th book in this series, and is apparently the only one the library has. Now why would anyone buy only the sixth book of a series?! Unfortunately, this happens far too often - I have many times found a series that looked interesting, only to find that the first book is gone, or that the second book (usually of a trilogy) is missing, of that as in this case, there's only one book and it isn't the first. That just frustrates me to no end and I don't read them.
These books are about a girl named Vesper Holly who is apparently quite wealthy and enjoys adventures and saving the world in her spare time. She is extremely intelligent and resourceful. This book combines adventure, archaeology, and science in a fun storyline. I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if I had known the background of the story and character, so I highly recommend trying to find the rest of the series if you are interested in reading it. It looks like it would be a good series for young readers as it is adventurous and fun without ever being scary or offensive.
This book gives me the first opportunity to rant about something that really bothers me in our library. It is the 6th book in this series, and is apparently the only one the library has. Now why would anyone buy only the sixth book of a series?! Unfortunately, this happens far too often - I have many times found a series that looked interesting, only to find that the first book is gone, or that the second book (usually of a trilogy) is missing, of that as in this case, there's only one book and it isn't the first. That just frustrates me to no end and I don't read them.
These books are about a girl named Vesper Holly who is apparently quite wealthy and enjoys adventures and saving the world in her spare time. She is extremely intelligent and resourceful. This book combines adventure, archaeology, and science in a fun storyline. I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if I had known the background of the story and character, so I highly recommend trying to find the rest of the series if you are interested in reading it. It looks like it would be a good series for young readers as it is adventurous and fun without ever being scary or offensive.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Alcott, Louisa May
Rose in Bloom
This is a sequel to another of Alcott's books, but you can easily read it on its own. It's a cute story about a girl who has grown up with her cousins, being raised by her uncle, and about her coming of age and romance. If you have a daughter who's just starting to be interested in romance, this is a great story for her. It's completely clean - not even any kissing - and the heroine is very level-headed and is much more interested in the character of a man than in his looks. I highly recommend it.
An Old Fashioned Girl
This is another great one for young teenage girls. Polly is a very poor girl who goes to spend the winter with a wealthy friend, and is all about the adventures they have as a family. It's a lot of fun and again, a very cool-headed heroine who knows that what's inside is much more important than fancy clothes or lots of money. The story picks up again 6 years later when they are all grown up and experiencing the beginnings of romance, and is another very clean story and one that I would have no qualms at all about giving to my young nieces.
*Note* If you can find a publisher besides the one I read (1st World Library), please do so. If you cannot, give your daughter a piece of notebook paper and have her write down every punctuation, capitalization, and grammar mistake she finds in the book. This would be an excellent English assignment and will teach proofreading skills. 1st World Library is run by donations, and they apparently haven't gotten enough to hire a proofreader yet, as there were literally hundreds of mistakes in this edition. It's still a good book, but the mistakes were enough to make it frustrating to read as I kept getting jarred out of "story mode".
This is a sequel to another of Alcott's books, but you can easily read it on its own. It's a cute story about a girl who has grown up with her cousins, being raised by her uncle, and about her coming of age and romance. If you have a daughter who's just starting to be interested in romance, this is a great story for her. It's completely clean - not even any kissing - and the heroine is very level-headed and is much more interested in the character of a man than in his looks. I highly recommend it.
An Old Fashioned Girl
This is another great one for young teenage girls. Polly is a very poor girl who goes to spend the winter with a wealthy friend, and is all about the adventures they have as a family. It's a lot of fun and again, a very cool-headed heroine who knows that what's inside is much more important than fancy clothes or lots of money. The story picks up again 6 years later when they are all grown up and experiencing the beginnings of romance, and is another very clean story and one that I would have no qualms at all about giving to my young nieces.
*Note* If you can find a publisher besides the one I read (1st World Library), please do so. If you cannot, give your daughter a piece of notebook paper and have her write down every punctuation, capitalization, and grammar mistake she finds in the book. This would be an excellent English assignment and will teach proofreading skills. 1st World Library is run by donations, and they apparently haven't gotten enough to hire a proofreader yet, as there were literally hundreds of mistakes in this edition. It's still a good book, but the mistakes were enough to make it frustrating to read as I kept getting jarred out of "story mode".
Alcock, Vivien
A Kind of Thief
This was not a very good book, nor a very bad one. I think I could have put it down at any point and never wondered what happened to the characters, which was good since the author never explained it satisfactorily anyway. The story is about a family: the father is accused of embezzling and the children are split up between their relatives while he is in jail. Eventually they end up back together living above a restaurant that their step-mother's uncle owns. That's really all there is to say about it, I think. As I said, it's not bad but it's not very memorable either.
This was not a very good book, nor a very bad one. I think I could have put it down at any point and never wondered what happened to the characters, which was good since the author never explained it satisfactorily anyway. The story is about a family: the father is accused of embezzling and the children are split up between their relatives while he is in jail. Eventually they end up back together living above a restaurant that their step-mother's uncle owns. That's really all there is to say about it, I think. As I said, it's not bad but it's not very memorable either.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Aiken, Joan
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
I was disappointed with this book. The title was very intriguing, but the author unfortunately seems to have used all her imagination in naming the book and had none left for the writing of it. It was terribly predictable and felt like she'd drawn scenes from every sad orphan book written for children and molded them together. Also, I kept expecting the wolves to come into the story somewhere but aside from frightening the characters twice at the beginning of the story, they never showed up again. From the title, I thought they'd end up being in league with the evil governess but that was a far more imaginative plot than this author had time for. Children who are just beginning chapter books may enjoy this story, but anyone over the age of 12 will be bored by it.
I have just checked, and this book was first published in 1962, which may explain some of the dullness, but I think it is still no excuse for the author to have been named a Member of the Order of the British Empire unless the rest of her books are much better than this one, of which I admit to having doubts. Our library apparently does not have any more books by this author, which helps confirm my suspicions. On to the next author!
I was disappointed with this book. The title was very intriguing, but the author unfortunately seems to have used all her imagination in naming the book and had none left for the writing of it. It was terribly predictable and felt like she'd drawn scenes from every sad orphan book written for children and molded them together. Also, I kept expecting the wolves to come into the story somewhere but aside from frightening the characters twice at the beginning of the story, they never showed up again. From the title, I thought they'd end up being in league with the evil governess but that was a far more imaginative plot than this author had time for. Children who are just beginning chapter books may enjoy this story, but anyone over the age of 12 will be bored by it.
I have just checked, and this book was first published in 1962, which may explain some of the dullness, but I think it is still no excuse for the author to have been named a Member of the Order of the British Empire unless the rest of her books are much better than this one, of which I admit to having doubts. Our library apparently does not have any more books by this author, which helps confirm my suspicions. On to the next author!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Adams, Richard
Watership Down
I have heard about this book several times from various sources, and always that it was very good, but from the title I had always assumed it would be a nautical book. I couldn't have been more wrong. It is about rabbits. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has this to say about the book: "Everyone who can read English should read it." I might not go quite that far, but if you like adventure and are starving for some animal fun between Redwall releases, this is the book for you. Watership Down has been around awhile - it was published in 1972, and is as good now as it was then. It is not in any way dated, since rabbit technology hasn't changed much in the last thirty years, and is simply a riotously good story. I was very impressed with the depth of plot in this book - you'd think it would be hard to write a really engaging story about rabbits, but Richard Adams pulled it off admirably.
Watership Down might be a stretch for some young readers, as it is nearly 500 pages long, but it would be a great book to read aloud as a family. There are also several stories within the book that the rabbits tell one another that would be fun for even younger children. These stories are about the rabbit version of a Robin Hood-like character, a daring and adventurous rabbit who is always getting into scrapes and somehow manages to get out again, usually with a crazy and (if you'll permit the pun) hare-brained scheme that shouldn't work but does.
The main plot of the book follows a group of young rabbits who leave their home in search of a safe new place to live. They go through an incredible amount of difficulties (rivers, mad rabbits, crows and more) and finally find a new home only to realize once they are safe, that they are all bucks and really need to find some does. So off they go on a completely new venture, involving a farm where they encounter a farmer with a gun, cats, and a dog (rough night); and a rabbit warren run by a general who would make Castro proud. There is no end to the excitement in this extraordinary tale.
*Note* If you like this book, you should read The Cold Moons by Aaron Clement, for which Richard Adams wrote a praising critique. It is a similar story, following a set of badgers to a new home. I first read it several years ago and have reread it since, thoroughly enjoying it both times.
I have heard about this book several times from various sources, and always that it was very good, but from the title I had always assumed it would be a nautical book. I couldn't have been more wrong. It is about rabbits. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has this to say about the book: "Everyone who can read English should read it." I might not go quite that far, but if you like adventure and are starving for some animal fun between Redwall releases, this is the book for you. Watership Down has been around awhile - it was published in 1972, and is as good now as it was then. It is not in any way dated, since rabbit technology hasn't changed much in the last thirty years, and is simply a riotously good story. I was very impressed with the depth of plot in this book - you'd think it would be hard to write a really engaging story about rabbits, but Richard Adams pulled it off admirably.
Watership Down might be a stretch for some young readers, as it is nearly 500 pages long, but it would be a great book to read aloud as a family. There are also several stories within the book that the rabbits tell one another that would be fun for even younger children. These stories are about the rabbit version of a Robin Hood-like character, a daring and adventurous rabbit who is always getting into scrapes and somehow manages to get out again, usually with a crazy and (if you'll permit the pun) hare-brained scheme that shouldn't work but does.
The main plot of the book follows a group of young rabbits who leave their home in search of a safe new place to live. They go through an incredible amount of difficulties (rivers, mad rabbits, crows and more) and finally find a new home only to realize once they are safe, that they are all bucks and really need to find some does. So off they go on a completely new venture, involving a farm where they encounter a farmer with a gun, cats, and a dog (rough night); and a rabbit warren run by a general who would make Castro proud. There is no end to the excitement in this extraordinary tale.
*Note* If you like this book, you should read The Cold Moons by Aaron Clement, for which Richard Adams wrote a praising critique. It is a similar story, following a set of badgers to a new home. I first read it several years ago and have reread it since, thoroughly enjoying it both times.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
The Two Princesses of Bamarre
Like I said, I can't get enough of this author! This story is the tale of two sisters who love each other deeply and do everything together, though they couldn't be more different. Meryl is outgoing and vivacious, loving horseback riding and swordplay. Her greatest dream is to one day rid Bamarre of monsters go on quests. Addie is afraid of spiders and everything else. She is sweet and loving, a true artist in embroidery, and wants to live in safety and peace without ever leaving her castle's walls. One of their favorite games involves finding the cure for the Grey Death, a horrible disease that has tormented their country for years. There is a prophecy that the cure will be found, and in their game Addie becomes sick and Meryl manages to find the cure (after fighting numerous horrible monsters, of course) just in time to save her. In reality, when the Grey Death strikes, it is Meryl who becomes ill and Addie who must face her fears in order to save the person she loves most. Filled with fantastic beasts, adventure, and a very unexpected ending, this book is a fun read for young people.
Princess Academy
A princess academy is something established when the omens point to a certain town as being the birthplace of the prince's bride. All the eligible girls spend a year being taught diplomacy, conversation, manners, dance, and commerce before finally meeting the prince at a ball where he is to pick the one he will marry. In the kingdom of Danland, it's been merely a formality for decades, but when the village of Mount Eskel is chosen, it must become a reality. All these girls know about is mining linder, a stone like marble, which is found only in their mountain. It is a year of discovery, friendship, and change for their village, and especially for Miri, who never felt before like she really belonged but finds her place and more in this delightful story for young girls.
Ella Enchanted
Gail Carson Levine is one of my favorite authors, and this book is one of the reasons. It has been made into a movie, and while the movie is very good, the book is still - as always - much better. This one is about a girl, Ella, who was given the "gift" of obedience by the fairy Lucinda when she was born. Lucinda is a good-hearted fairy, but has no idea that her gifts never turn out well - for example, at one point in the book she gives a newly-wed couple the gift of never being away from each other. The result of Ella's gift is that if anyone gives her an order, she must obey them no matter what. This is a Cinderella story, but has such an interesting and unique twist to the well-known tale that you almost don't realize that it is a retelling of Cinderella until you're almost through the story. Ella is a delightful, intelligent character who finally finds release from her gift through determination, courage, and love.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Daddy-Long-Legs
A lady at church handed me this book a few weeks ago and said that it had been her mother's and she thought I would enjoy reading it. She was absolutely right. The copy she gave me had been printed in the 1950's, but it has been reissued since and can be found on Amazon.com and used book stores (which is where I bought my copy).
The easiest way to describe this book is to say that if Anne of Green Gables had been written by Grace Livingston Hill, this book would be the result. Jerusha Abbot, the main character, is an orphan who unexpectedly receives a gift from one of the trustees at the orphanage. He will pay for her to go to college if she will write him a letter once a month. She has no idea who he is and is to send her letters via his secretary. She ends up calling him Daddy-Long-Legs because all she has ever seen of him was his shadow, which was very long and spindly. The book mostly consists of the letters she wrote to him, which are extremely funny and charming. If you've read any of GLH's books, you may be able to guess the ending already, but it's fun getting there!
The easiest way to describe this book is to say that if Anne of Green Gables had been written by Grace Livingston Hill, this book would be the result. Jerusha Abbot, the main character, is an orphan who unexpectedly receives a gift from one of the trustees at the orphanage. He will pay for her to go to college if she will write him a letter once a month. She has no idea who he is and is to send her letters via his secretary. She ends up calling him Daddy-Long-Legs because all she has ever seen of him was his shadow, which was very long and spindly. The book mostly consists of the letters she wrote to him, which are extremely funny and charming. If you've read any of GLH's books, you may be able to guess the ending already, but it's fun getting there!
The Orphan Train Trilogy
I am a complete sucker for orphan train books, and this trilogy is well worth the time to read. For those who don't know about orphan trains, here's a brief summary. In the early 19th century, New York City was flooded with street children, some of whom were orphans, others who had been turned out of their homes by parents who could not afford to take care of them, and some who had run away. By 1852, there were an estimated 30,000 street children. Charles Loring Brace came up with the idea of sending them west to be adopted by families who would have the space and ability to care for them. So began the orphan trains, which ran from 1854 until 1929 and placed around 250,000 children in homes across the west. It was an opportunity for a child to find a home, love, security, and a future, and these books explore the stories of several fictional children. They are a joy to read - though be warned that you may need a tissue at hand.
Dragonspell
This book is a fantastic find for all parents of dragon-lovers. It's a parable-type story in the line of Tolkien or Lewis, and is the first book of the Dragon Keepers series, which consists of at least four books. I just checked Amazon, and you can get them for about $10 apiece.
The main character is a girl named Kale, who was a village slave (meaning she had to do what anyone in the village wanted) until she found a dragon egg, and the village leaders sent her to serve Paladin. Paladin is a great warrior (the Jesus figure in the series) and has a school to teach young people to fight evil with him. Kale discovers that finding dragon eggs is a gift that she has, and that she is uniquely chosen to help raise dragons. There are several different types of dragons in these books: minor dragons, major dragons, greater dragons, and meech dragons. The ones Kale has are minor dragons - about the size of a house cat, and each different colored dragon has a different ability. The first one she hatches is a green dragon, which has gifts of healing - and the unusual propensity to faint at the slightest provocation.
Throughout the series, Kale learns what it means to trust in Paladin and Wulder (his father) and about friendship. These books are a great read and are an excellent choice for parents who are looking for fantasy-type books for their family bookshelves.
The main character is a girl named Kale, who was a village slave (meaning she had to do what anyone in the village wanted) until she found a dragon egg, and the village leaders sent her to serve Paladin. Paladin is a great warrior (the Jesus figure in the series) and has a school to teach young people to fight evil with him. Kale discovers that finding dragon eggs is a gift that she has, and that she is uniquely chosen to help raise dragons. There are several different types of dragons in these books: minor dragons, major dragons, greater dragons, and meech dragons. The ones Kale has are minor dragons - about the size of a house cat, and each different colored dragon has a different ability. The first one she hatches is a green dragon, which has gifts of healing - and the unusual propensity to faint at the slightest provocation.
Throughout the series, Kale learns what it means to trust in Paladin and Wulder (his father) and about friendship. These books are a great read and are an excellent choice for parents who are looking for fantasy-type books for their family bookshelves.
Monday, September 28, 2009
The Last Knight
This is the first book I've read by Hilari Bell, but I will be looking for more. This is a very fun story, with a knight errant and his squire who have unfortunately come onto the scene about a hundred years after knights errant have ceased to exist. They spend the book questing, learning about friendship and justice, and generally having a very good time. I enjoyed the story and hope I can find the next book in this series!
Backwater
Backwater is a story about family. The Breedlove family, to be exact. They have been lawyers for generations, ever since their ancestor had written on his tombstone: "O, wouldst that all my sons be lawyers/Lest my heart break with the anguish/That they have become lesser men". What a lot to live up to - and what kind of person would want that on their tombstone? At any rate, the guilt trip worked, and almost all of the Breedloves turn out to be lawyers.
The main character, Ivy, wants to be an historian and is working on a history of their family, which is a point of contention in their family. Most of them think she is wasting her time, and should be working toward law school anyway, and are very upset about the whole thing - especially since she keeps bringing up all those Breedloves who weren't lawyers. Ivy ends up taking a trip to visit her aunt, who is a hermit, in order to understand her family better and ends up bringing the whole family back together and healing some very old wounds.
This book is very clean, and is a great discussion starter. Every family has its "skeletons", and things that they prefer not to talk about, but it's important to keep communication lines open and to allow and answer questions honestly. The Breedlove family had never allowed that and was on the verge of falling into pieces when Ivy started finding out the truth. Instead of the truth being as destructive as they had always feared, it turned out that the lies and fear had actually been the problem all along. That's true for every family, and I think this book is a wonderful way to start teaching children that families are not perfect, but that they can be encouraging and loving as they are.
The main character, Ivy, wants to be an historian and is working on a history of their family, which is a point of contention in their family. Most of them think she is wasting her time, and should be working toward law school anyway, and are very upset about the whole thing - especially since she keeps bringing up all those Breedloves who weren't lawyers. Ivy ends up taking a trip to visit her aunt, who is a hermit, in order to understand her family better and ends up bringing the whole family back together and healing some very old wounds.
This book is very clean, and is a great discussion starter. Every family has its "skeletons", and things that they prefer not to talk about, but it's important to keep communication lines open and to allow and answer questions honestly. The Breedlove family had never allowed that and was on the verge of falling into pieces when Ivy started finding out the truth. Instead of the truth being as destructive as they had always feared, it turned out that the lies and fear had actually been the problem all along. That's true for every family, and I think this book is a wonderful way to start teaching children that families are not perfect, but that they can be encouraging and loving as they are.
Ever
Levine has written several wonderful books, including Ella Enchanted - which is a great movie and an even better book, and Fairest, which I also very much enjoyed. Ever is another great hit. Levine's books feel like fairy tales populated by real people. The heroes and heroines have personality flaws and heartaches and usually end up living mostly happily ever after, but not completely. In Ever, for example, the heroine ends up both with and without the people she loves most, which is the most I can say without giving away the story. :)
Ever has some eastern influence, including the worship of many gods - the main male character is the god of wind, and you meet several other gods throughout the story. These gods are friendly and well-meaning, but prone to mistakes. Otherwise I saw nothing that would be objectionable as a parent. The characters must face trials to prove their courage and overcome their fears, and show loyalty both to friends and family.
Ever has some eastern influence, including the worship of many gods - the main male character is the god of wind, and you meet several other gods throughout the story. These gods are friendly and well-meaning, but prone to mistakes. Otherwise I saw nothing that would be objectionable as a parent. The characters must face trials to prove their courage and overcome their fears, and show loyalty both to friends and family.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Hope Was Here
I walked away from this book thinking it was one of the best teen fiction books I'd read in a long time. The title really grabbed me, and I love the way the author used the idea of hope and the main character Hope interchangeably - that it's "hope was here", and also "Hope was here". I recommend this book - it's very clean, fun to read, and is both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Hope is a teenager who lives with her aunt. Her mother actually named her Tulip, which was the worst name ever, and Hope changed it when she turned 12. Her aunt is a short-order cook and Hope has worked as a waitress for several years when they move from New York City to Wisconsin. They've moved several times to work in different restaurants, and this move turns out to be monumental for both of them.
There is so much to the story-line in this book that makes it wonderful. There is a political campaign that the teenagers all get involved in, there's a little bit of romance for both Hope and her aunt, and there are deep family relationships that are very touching. Hope has spent her whole life dreaming about finding her father one day and eventually learns that fatherhood is not just about biology, it's about love.
Hope is a teenager who lives with her aunt. Her mother actually named her Tulip, which was the worst name ever, and Hope changed it when she turned 12. Her aunt is a short-order cook and Hope has worked as a waitress for several years when they move from New York City to Wisconsin. They've moved several times to work in different restaurants, and this move turns out to be monumental for both of them.
There is so much to the story-line in this book that makes it wonderful. There is a political campaign that the teenagers all get involved in, there's a little bit of romance for both Hope and her aunt, and there are deep family relationships that are very touching. Hope has spent her whole life dreaming about finding her father one day and eventually learns that fatherhood is not just about biology, it's about love.
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Amaranth Enchantment
The Amaranth Enchantment was written by Julie Berry, and is her first book. I hope she writes more. To be perfectly honest, the plot was predictable and the ending completely unsurprising, but it was a charming book and a fun read. It's like a cross between Cinderella and A Little Princess. The poor orphaned girl is taken in by her terrible aunt and her kind but browbeaten uncle. She is rescued by her fairy godmother, fights off the horrible bad guy, and ends up marrying the prince. Not an unusual plot-line, but the characters were fun and the story did take some interesting twists. This book won't change the world, but it's an easy, fun read and very enjoyable.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Harry Potter
I knew I couldn't stay away from talking about Harry for very long. :) This is by far my favorite young adult book series ever, judging by how much I've read them - I am rereading them right now, for about the 70-hundredth time. Seriously, I read them all about every 3 or 4 months and they never get old. I'm so impressed with Rowlings' abilities as an author and really hope she writes something just as amazing in the future - though I can't see how she would do it. It would be like telling Tolkien to please write something better than LOTR - asking a bit much, really.
The main complaint I've heard from parents who won't let their children read HP is the fact that it's about witches and wizards, which are of the occult. I can see how you would come to that objection, but the fact is that no kids are going to go join a coven because of reading these books. In Rowlings' world, you must be born a wizard - it is not something you can learn. It's like being born Jewish or Scandinavian, there's nothing you can do to change that. Before I read the books, I was also told that there was human sacrifice in them and all kinds of other horrible stuff, which is blatantly untrue. There are a couple of kisses, some British swearing, a classic battle between good and evil, and an incredibly intricate plot-line for a series aimed at young teens.
The things I love about these books are too numerous to mention, but I think the biggest draw for me is that the characters are so funny and real. I was depressed for a week after reading book 6, and cried so hard during the last book that I couldn't see to read it. And that was the second time through. I still laugh out loud and am prone to bursting into tears even though I've read them at least a dozen times and know exactly what is going to happen. I've never met a book series that I still reacted to so strongly after reading it so many times. Maybe I've been bewitched, and if so I hope it never changes.
I personally will probably not let Luke read them until he is a teenager, but that is simply because I don't think he'll be mature enough to understand it until then. On the other hand, maybe I'll let him read the first book when he turns eleven, the second when he turns twelve...and just let him grow up with Harry. He could have worse friends.
The main complaint I've heard from parents who won't let their children read HP is the fact that it's about witches and wizards, which are of the occult. I can see how you would come to that objection, but the fact is that no kids are going to go join a coven because of reading these books. In Rowlings' world, you must be born a wizard - it is not something you can learn. It's like being born Jewish or Scandinavian, there's nothing you can do to change that. Before I read the books, I was also told that there was human sacrifice in them and all kinds of other horrible stuff, which is blatantly untrue. There are a couple of kisses, some British swearing, a classic battle between good and evil, and an incredibly intricate plot-line for a series aimed at young teens.
The things I love about these books are too numerous to mention, but I think the biggest draw for me is that the characters are so funny and real. I was depressed for a week after reading book 6, and cried so hard during the last book that I couldn't see to read it. And that was the second time through. I still laugh out loud and am prone to bursting into tears even though I've read them at least a dozen times and know exactly what is going to happen. I've never met a book series that I still reacted to so strongly after reading it so many times. Maybe I've been bewitched, and if so I hope it never changes.
I personally will probably not let Luke read them until he is a teenager, but that is simply because I don't think he'll be mature enough to understand it until then. On the other hand, maybe I'll let him read the first book when he turns eleven, the second when he turns twelve...and just let him grow up with Harry. He could have worse friends.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Tired of Trying to Measure Up - part 2
The second half of this book deals with breaking free from shame and learning to find value, acceptance, and life in what Jesus has done for us and in who we are before God. I'm just going to point out a few things that really jumped out at me and hope for some good discussion. :)
First, VanVonderen discussed the purpose of the Law of Moses - that it was to point out our complete inability to keep it and to drive us to grace. He says that when Jesus claimed to fulfill the Law (Matt. 5.17), what he meant was that "When a person comes to faith in Christ, and makes Him the basis of life, value, and identity, it means the Law has done its job." (p.91) That was very freeing to me. I know that I am not "under Law" anymore, but have been a bit hazy about the meaning of that phrase. To know that the whole point of the Law was to show how desperately I need grace is amazing. "God's law was given to drive us to grace and hold us there." (p.92)
He goes on to talk about who the "enemies of the cross" (Phil. 3.18) really are. We tend to think they are atheists, humanists and so on, but he points out that in the context of Paul's letter to the Philippians, the enemies "were those who said the cross was not enough! ...For a person to assess his life as victorious based upon how well he has followed the Law...is idolatrous..." (p.92) So according to this, those who are actively and obviously opposed to Christianity are not the real enemy; the real enemy is much more subversive and hard to see - the danger to our faith lies in believing that what Jesus did for us is not enough, that we must still earn God's favor. Obviously this is impossible, and leads us straight back into a performance-based, shaming system.
Second, he points out something I would never have thought of on my own and I thought was profound: "you and I do not sin because we want to make life worse for ourselves. Rather, we sin because we believe it will make life better." (p.101) I've put a lot of thought into this, and I believe it is true. Even people involved in sins that make the rest of us shake our heads in wonder ("what on earth are they thinking?!") honestly believe that this is somehow going to work out for them and make them happy. I would never have put that thought together, and it is revolutionizing the way I view both "dead" people (more on that later) and Christians caught in sin. Basically what it comes down to is that we are doing whatever we can to make ourselves more acceptable. "In short, Satan has the whole world on a self-improvement course." (p.104)
About those "dead" people: this is VanVonderen's argument against the idea of the "sin nature". He says that this phrase has been around since Augustine and is completely mixed up. The fact is that the idea of a "sin nature" minimizes the real catastrophe, which is that we're DEAD. "...death is what was passed on, not an evil nature." (p.127) He also mentions the idea of "giving your life to Christ" - which he says is impossible, since dead people don't have a life to give. (p.137) What happens in fact is that you receive life from God when you accept His gift of salvation. We have nothing of our own to give. "A new creation (2 Cor 5.17) is something that wasn't there before." (p.129)
Finally, I was floored by the idea that "people are being shamed in the name of God and taught to walk by the flesh under the guise of spirituality." (p.139) He bases this idea on the fact that even within the church we are taught to how to look good, to pretend that we have it all together, and to ignore and not talk about problems. Our "effort to deny self... actually results in focusing on self." (p.130) In our desperate attempt to earn God's favor - since we still can't grasp that we already have it - we are making the same mistake that Paul argued with the Galatians about. "The Galatians were not going to movies, reading dirty magazines, or dancing. They were getting circumcised! Religion was the fleshly indulgence of Galatia!" (p.144)
I really enjoyed this book and have come away with some pretty astounding new ways of looking at relationships. Am I shaming those around me? Am I looking at myself as someone who is inherently unlikeable? Am I finding my value from God or from somewhere else? Am I sinning by trying to earn God's approval or am I doing what I do out of love for Him?
First, VanVonderen discussed the purpose of the Law of Moses - that it was to point out our complete inability to keep it and to drive us to grace. He says that when Jesus claimed to fulfill the Law (Matt. 5.17), what he meant was that "When a person comes to faith in Christ, and makes Him the basis of life, value, and identity, it means the Law has done its job." (p.91) That was very freeing to me. I know that I am not "under Law" anymore, but have been a bit hazy about the meaning of that phrase. To know that the whole point of the Law was to show how desperately I need grace is amazing. "God's law was given to drive us to grace and hold us there." (p.92)
He goes on to talk about who the "enemies of the cross" (Phil. 3.18) really are. We tend to think they are atheists, humanists and so on, but he points out that in the context of Paul's letter to the Philippians, the enemies "were those who said the cross was not enough! ...For a person to assess his life as victorious based upon how well he has followed the Law...is idolatrous..." (p.92) So according to this, those who are actively and obviously opposed to Christianity are not the real enemy; the real enemy is much more subversive and hard to see - the danger to our faith lies in believing that what Jesus did for us is not enough, that we must still earn God's favor. Obviously this is impossible, and leads us straight back into a performance-based, shaming system.
Second, he points out something I would never have thought of on my own and I thought was profound: "you and I do not sin because we want to make life worse for ourselves. Rather, we sin because we believe it will make life better." (p.101) I've put a lot of thought into this, and I believe it is true. Even people involved in sins that make the rest of us shake our heads in wonder ("what on earth are they thinking?!") honestly believe that this is somehow going to work out for them and make them happy. I would never have put that thought together, and it is revolutionizing the way I view both "dead" people (more on that later) and Christians caught in sin. Basically what it comes down to is that we are doing whatever we can to make ourselves more acceptable. "In short, Satan has the whole world on a self-improvement course." (p.104)
About those "dead" people: this is VanVonderen's argument against the idea of the "sin nature". He says that this phrase has been around since Augustine and is completely mixed up. The fact is that the idea of a "sin nature" minimizes the real catastrophe, which is that we're DEAD. "...death is what was passed on, not an evil nature." (p.127) He also mentions the idea of "giving your life to Christ" - which he says is impossible, since dead people don't have a life to give. (p.137) What happens in fact is that you receive life from God when you accept His gift of salvation. We have nothing of our own to give. "A new creation (2 Cor 5.17) is something that wasn't there before." (p.129)
Finally, I was floored by the idea that "people are being shamed in the name of God and taught to walk by the flesh under the guise of spirituality." (p.139) He bases this idea on the fact that even within the church we are taught to how to look good, to pretend that we have it all together, and to ignore and not talk about problems. Our "effort to deny self... actually results in focusing on self." (p.130) In our desperate attempt to earn God's favor - since we still can't grasp that we already have it - we are making the same mistake that Paul argued with the Galatians about. "The Galatians were not going to movies, reading dirty magazines, or dancing. They were getting circumcised! Religion was the fleshly indulgence of Galatia!" (p.144)
I really enjoyed this book and have come away with some pretty astounding new ways of looking at relationships. Am I shaming those around me? Am I looking at myself as someone who is inherently unlikeable? Am I finding my value from God or from somewhere else? Am I sinning by trying to earn God's approval or am I doing what I do out of love for Him?
Monday, August 3, 2009
Tired of Trying to Measure Up - part 1
Tired of Trying to Measure Up was written by Jeff VanVonderen, a pastor and counselor for many years. He bases his book on his years of experience in counseling and his theories about why people - even people from seemingly good homes and churches - are exhausted emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually and are, simply put: "tired of trying to measure up".
According to VanVonderen, most relational and personal problems boil down to a deep sense of shame, which he defines as "the belief or mindset that something is wrong with you." (p16) That's different from guilt, he clarifies, because guilt is an emotional reaction to improper behavior, something God created us with. He argues that our family and church systems have become places where, instead of being safe and assured that we are loved because of who we are, we are forced to perform in a certain way - usually impossible - and upon failing are shamed for our inadequacies. Over time, we begin to see ourselves as flawed, unlovable, and deserving of abuse.
One thing that particularly struck me was his description of idolatry - which he says is a trait of someone with a "shame-based identity". He says, "Idolatry means basing your sense of life, value, and acceptance on something other than God. ...it is...allowing what the neighbors think to control your actions." (p20) I was blown away by that statement. He goes on later to talk more about that and includes finding or value in something we do, or in how people see us. If, for example, I invite someone over for dinner and they criticize my home or food and that somehow makes me feel devalued as a person, I have been guilty of idolatry for finding my sense of self in my homemaking skills. However, that doesn't mean you should lie to me about it - that would only be encouraging my insecurity, immaturity, and idolatry. So what, he asks, are you finding value in besides God? What are your idols?
Another thing that I identified with was the "can't-talk" rule. VanVonderen says that in shame-based societies, the "can't-talk" rule is probably the most important in perpetuating the situation. You will probably recognize the "can't-talk" rule. It goes like this: we don't have problems. If you think there is a problem and bring it up, you are the problem. If we don't talk about problems, they don't exist. This rule stays in effect because everyone becomes afraid to bring up problems and talk about them, because when they do they are ridiculed and shamed, "viewed as unspiritual for talking about their struggles and feelings - things for which they already feel bad." (p30)
One last thing that I want to discuss is the dysfunctional versus the malfunctional family. VanVonderen says, "Malfunction is when something works but doesn't work properly. Dysfunction is when it gets stuck and won't work, period." (p33) A dysfunctional family is one that breaks down its members instead of building them. He goes on to discuss how family members overcompensate for each other, sometimes in healthy ways - if someone is sick, hurt, has an unusual opportunity that takes them away from the family for awhile. However, adjusting and overcompensating for each other can easily become very unhealthy. "Once a family has become stuck in unhealthy roles, the irresponsible member does not have to resume his place in the family. He is allowed, by the dynamics of the family relationships, to remain irresponsible even though other family members would say that they desperately want him back..." (p37) He says that at this point, it is difficult for that family member to actually go back to their role even if they want it because the family has become so adept at functioning without him that they no longer need him. That is a scary thought, and makes me question how many people I know who are not functioning properly in their families simply because the family no longer has room for them - and how that can be repaired.
Obviously there was a whole lot more in the first part of this book, but those three things really stood out to me and hopefully will be thought-provoking to you as well. I look forward to hearing your comments!
According to VanVonderen, most relational and personal problems boil down to a deep sense of shame, which he defines as "the belief or mindset that something is wrong with you." (p16) That's different from guilt, he clarifies, because guilt is an emotional reaction to improper behavior, something God created us with. He argues that our family and church systems have become places where, instead of being safe and assured that we are loved because of who we are, we are forced to perform in a certain way - usually impossible - and upon failing are shamed for our inadequacies. Over time, we begin to see ourselves as flawed, unlovable, and deserving of abuse.
One thing that particularly struck me was his description of idolatry - which he says is a trait of someone with a "shame-based identity". He says, "Idolatry means basing your sense of life, value, and acceptance on something other than God. ...it is...allowing what the neighbors think to control your actions." (p20) I was blown away by that statement. He goes on later to talk more about that and includes finding or value in something we do, or in how people see us. If, for example, I invite someone over for dinner and they criticize my home or food and that somehow makes me feel devalued as a person, I have been guilty of idolatry for finding my sense of self in my homemaking skills. However, that doesn't mean you should lie to me about it - that would only be encouraging my insecurity, immaturity, and idolatry. So what, he asks, are you finding value in besides God? What are your idols?
Another thing that I identified with was the "can't-talk" rule. VanVonderen says that in shame-based societies, the "can't-talk" rule is probably the most important in perpetuating the situation. You will probably recognize the "can't-talk" rule. It goes like this: we don't have problems. If you think there is a problem and bring it up, you are the problem. If we don't talk about problems, they don't exist. This rule stays in effect because everyone becomes afraid to bring up problems and talk about them, because when they do they are ridiculed and shamed, "viewed as unspiritual for talking about their struggles and feelings - things for which they already feel bad." (p30)
One last thing that I want to discuss is the dysfunctional versus the malfunctional family. VanVonderen says, "Malfunction is when something works but doesn't work properly. Dysfunction is when it gets stuck and won't work, period." (p33) A dysfunctional family is one that breaks down its members instead of building them. He goes on to discuss how family members overcompensate for each other, sometimes in healthy ways - if someone is sick, hurt, has an unusual opportunity that takes them away from the family for awhile. However, adjusting and overcompensating for each other can easily become very unhealthy. "Once a family has become stuck in unhealthy roles, the irresponsible member does not have to resume his place in the family. He is allowed, by the dynamics of the family relationships, to remain irresponsible even though other family members would say that they desperately want him back..." (p37) He says that at this point, it is difficult for that family member to actually go back to their role even if they want it because the family has become so adept at functioning without him that they no longer need him. That is a scary thought, and makes me question how many people I know who are not functioning properly in their families simply because the family no longer has room for them - and how that can be repaired.
Obviously there was a whole lot more in the first part of this book, but those three things really stood out to me and hopefully will be thought-provoking to you as well. I look forward to hearing your comments!
Friday, May 29, 2009
My Ántonia
My Ántonia was written in 1918 by Willa Cather about a young girl whose family immigrated from Bohemia to Nebraska. The story is told by Jim Burden, who met the Shimerda family just after they moved and became friends with Ántonia.
My Ántonia is a book about friendship, courage, and the struggle to thrive in a new environment. When the Shimerdas immigrated, Ántonia was the only one in the family who spoke any English at all, and she only knew a few words. They were taken advantage of by a fellow Bohemian, who sold them their land at a greatly inflated price and then continued to live with them because he was their only means of communication with the rest of the community. Mr. Shimerda was a musician, not a farmer, and found himself unable to cope with the changes in his life. Ántonia became the family's rock, working in the fields and hiring out during harvests and plantings. She later became a "hired girl" in the town, working as a housekeeper and nanny. By the end of the book, Ántonia has become a strong, independent woman with the ability to make her dreams for her children come true. Her own struggles and heartaches have made her into a formidable woman.
Ántonia is a beautiful picture of the quintessential pioneer woman. She is strong but sometimes trusts the wrong people, loving but disappointed several times by those she loves, and always passionate about life. Though her life was difficult, she made the best she could of it and turned out beautifully in the end. I hope that I am able to face life's trials as bravely and see them come out as well. I was encouraged by My Ántonia and enjoyed it very much.
My Ántonia is a book about friendship, courage, and the struggle to thrive in a new environment. When the Shimerdas immigrated, Ántonia was the only one in the family who spoke any English at all, and she only knew a few words. They were taken advantage of by a fellow Bohemian, who sold them their land at a greatly inflated price and then continued to live with them because he was their only means of communication with the rest of the community. Mr. Shimerda was a musician, not a farmer, and found himself unable to cope with the changes in his life. Ántonia became the family's rock, working in the fields and hiring out during harvests and plantings. She later became a "hired girl" in the town, working as a housekeeper and nanny. By the end of the book, Ántonia has become a strong, independent woman with the ability to make her dreams for her children come true. Her own struggles and heartaches have made her into a formidable woman.
Ántonia is a beautiful picture of the quintessential pioneer woman. She is strong but sometimes trusts the wrong people, loving but disappointed several times by those she loves, and always passionate about life. Though her life was difficult, she made the best she could of it and turned out beautifully in the end. I hope that I am able to face life's trials as bravely and see them come out as well. I was encouraged by My Ántonia and enjoyed it very much.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Fields of Bannockburn
This is a book for history lovers. It's a novel based on the legends and lore of Christian Scotland, all about how Christianity came to Scotland and the country's struggle for freedom. It has a modern-day setting, but the characters are searching for the truth about the Stone of Destiny - the Lia Fail. While doing so, they meet a sennachie (storyteller) whose tales take the reader back in time to "experience" the events of the past. It's a fun read.
The Lia Fail originally came to Scotland with Saint Columba in the 6th century, according to legend. He was the priest who brought Christianity to Scotland, standing up to the druids and baptizing hundreds into the faith. The Lia Fail has been called, in other places, the stone that holds Great Britain together - its lodestone, so to speak. It is the stone on which Scottish kings were crowned. During the coronation of a new king, each lord would bring soil from his own land to place under the king's foot, symbolically showing the king's lordship over it. Through the centuries this practice eventually resulted in the king's mound, a small hill on which the kings were crowned. The Stone of Destiny was immensely important to the Scottish people because of its symbolism.
When Edward I invaded Scotland and subjugated the people, he took the Lia Fail back to England with him and had a coronation throne built to hold it. (I have seen this throne, and the stone, in Westminster Abbey.) However, many Scots claim that the stone they sent away with Edward was not the true Stone of Destiny - after all, how was he to know one stone from another? - and that they still have the Stone, though they've never since tried to break away from England. The story is that as long as English kings are crowned with this stone in the chair (and they always are), Scotland will remain under their rule because their loyalty is bound up in the Stone.
The legends are many and impossible to verify, but it's a fascinating story. Crow does a wonderful job interlacing the history of Christian faith in Scotland, the history of the Scots, and the story of the modern characters searching for the truth of the Stone and finding instead the Truth of Christ. It's a bit of a daunting book to pick up - it's just over 700 pages long - but it's well worth the time to read. If you love history, legends, and stories that grip the imagination, this one is for you.
The Lia Fail originally came to Scotland with Saint Columba in the 6th century, according to legend. He was the priest who brought Christianity to Scotland, standing up to the druids and baptizing hundreds into the faith. The Lia Fail has been called, in other places, the stone that holds Great Britain together - its lodestone, so to speak. It is the stone on which Scottish kings were crowned. During the coronation of a new king, each lord would bring soil from his own land to place under the king's foot, symbolically showing the king's lordship over it. Through the centuries this practice eventually resulted in the king's mound, a small hill on which the kings were crowned. The Stone of Destiny was immensely important to the Scottish people because of its symbolism.
When Edward I invaded Scotland and subjugated the people, he took the Lia Fail back to England with him and had a coronation throne built to hold it. (I have seen this throne, and the stone, in Westminster Abbey.) However, many Scots claim that the stone they sent away with Edward was not the true Stone of Destiny - after all, how was he to know one stone from another? - and that they still have the Stone, though they've never since tried to break away from England. The story is that as long as English kings are crowned with this stone in the chair (and they always are), Scotland will remain under their rule because their loyalty is bound up in the Stone.
The legends are many and impossible to verify, but it's a fascinating story. Crow does a wonderful job interlacing the history of Christian faith in Scotland, the history of the Scots, and the story of the modern characters searching for the truth of the Stone and finding instead the Truth of Christ. It's a bit of a daunting book to pick up - it's just over 700 pages long - but it's well worth the time to read. If you love history, legends, and stories that grip the imagination, this one is for you.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Northanger Abbey
Well, it was really only a matter of time before something by Jane Austen showed up on my blog! She is one of my favorite authors, and perhaps is my favorite. I think the reason I love her so much is because her insight into human nature is so vivid and her characters seem to just walk off the page. I'm convinced that if I were to meet Emma or Catherine or Elizabeth I would recognize them almost immediately.
Northanger Abbey was Jane Austen's first full-length novel and is unique among her works because she wrote it from her own perspective. We're familiar with novels written from first- or third-person points of view, but this one is written by the author to her audience about the events happening. She often comments on what is happening and critiques her own story or stories written at the same time. She monologues about why authors often create characters who criticize the very kinds of works they are writing - heroines who would never pick up a novel except to scoff at it. I feel like in this book I get to know Jane a little bit, and I love it for that.
Catherine Morland is the heroine of the story, and a more unlikely one you'd be hard pressed to find. She is not particularly pretty and after reading the story again, I'm convinced she is not particularly bright, either. She is far from stupid, but she's a bit "blond". Catherine is very trusting, innocent, naive, has a good heart, and sees the best in everyone. Those are excellent traits in themselves, but she lacks judgment and insight and is therefore taken advantage of by people she considers friends.
I also am amazed at Catherine's parents. Granted, they have ten children and are a bit busy, but they play such a small role in the story as to be almost completely inconsequential. Catherine is 17 years old, and they send her off to Bath with an older couple without telling her anything more than to "wrap herself up very warm about the throat...at night; and...try to keep some account of the money you spend..." Honestly, if I had a 17-year-old daughter I was sending off like that, I'd have a bit more to say! Then when Catherine finally comes home eleven weeks later (having been allowed to spend several weeks with people she had just met), they hardly even ask her about her trip. When she is dejected and depressed for days, they have no thought of her having met anyone of consequence and to perhaps be pining after him. I ask you, what 17-year-old girl, away from home eleven weeks, would not have met someone, or at least thought she had?! I cannot be impressed with their parenting skills.
Overall, Northanger Abbey is a very enjoyable book. It is quite short - less than 200 pages - so is great for a weekend or trip. It is lighthearted, funny, and touching all at once. As silly as Catherine can be, I still root for her the whole time and am nothing but pleased at how things turned out for her.
Northanger Abbey was Jane Austen's first full-length novel and is unique among her works because she wrote it from her own perspective. We're familiar with novels written from first- or third-person points of view, but this one is written by the author to her audience about the events happening. She often comments on what is happening and critiques her own story or stories written at the same time. She monologues about why authors often create characters who criticize the very kinds of works they are writing - heroines who would never pick up a novel except to scoff at it. I feel like in this book I get to know Jane a little bit, and I love it for that.
Catherine Morland is the heroine of the story, and a more unlikely one you'd be hard pressed to find. She is not particularly pretty and after reading the story again, I'm convinced she is not particularly bright, either. She is far from stupid, but she's a bit "blond". Catherine is very trusting, innocent, naive, has a good heart, and sees the best in everyone. Those are excellent traits in themselves, but she lacks judgment and insight and is therefore taken advantage of by people she considers friends.
I also am amazed at Catherine's parents. Granted, they have ten children and are a bit busy, but they play such a small role in the story as to be almost completely inconsequential. Catherine is 17 years old, and they send her off to Bath with an older couple without telling her anything more than to "wrap herself up very warm about the throat...at night; and...try to keep some account of the money you spend..." Honestly, if I had a 17-year-old daughter I was sending off like that, I'd have a bit more to say! Then when Catherine finally comes home eleven weeks later (having been allowed to spend several weeks with people she had just met), they hardly even ask her about her trip. When she is dejected and depressed for days, they have no thought of her having met anyone of consequence and to perhaps be pining after him. I ask you, what 17-year-old girl, away from home eleven weeks, would not have met someone, or at least thought she had?! I cannot be impressed with their parenting skills.
Overall, Northanger Abbey is a very enjoyable book. It is quite short - less than 200 pages - so is great for a weekend or trip. It is lighthearted, funny, and touching all at once. As silly as Catherine can be, I still root for her the whole time and am nothing but pleased at how things turned out for her.
Friday, May 8, 2009
The Silver Hand
The Silver Hand is the second book of the Song of Albion trilogy. Like most mid-trilogy books, it's a bit darker than the other two (I have actually finished the whole thing now - I couldn't put the third book down until I was done!), but still a very good book. I don't want to give away the story, so I'll just continue my look into the characters themselves.
This book is written from Tegid's point of view, instead of Llew's. Tegid is the chief bard in Albion, and is Llew's main councilor. Lawhead said that he had to write this book from another point of view because there was no way he could show what a great king Llew was any other way. If he'd tried to show it from Llew's point of view, Lawhead said he'd have come off as a stuck-up megolomaniac, which is definitely true.
The job of a bard in Albion is very complex. They are storehouses of information on every subject - they study plants, animals, medicine, politics, culture, music, art - they are basically walking universities. Their most important role, though, is in holding the sovreignty of the nation. Kings rise and fall, but sovreignty - the ideal of kingship and leadership - remains forever, and it is the role of a bard to keep that sovreignty and bestow it on the most able man. It's a different way to look at what makes a leader and where their authority comes from. Ultimately, it comes from the people (a leader can't lead if no one follows), who trust the bard to make their choice for them. Tegid is an incredible man in that while holding this unbelievable authority, he is completely trustworthy and honest, wanting the best for the people and for Llew himself, and giving himself totally to making that happen. He literally is the power behind the throne, but is a man of such integrity that he is never even tempted to misuse that position.
The struggle between Llew (Lewis) and Siawn Hy (Simon) is still a central theme. I was completely blown away to see just how far Simon had let his desire for power take him. After the brief glimpse we were shown of him in our world at the beginning of The Paradise War, I picture him as lazy and careless. Now he is, quite simply, evil. But he's also sneaky and conniving and has a silver tongue. When he gets the chance to talk to Llew and his leaders, he almost convinces them that he was right to do what he did, even though they all know how wrong it was - and how it nearly destroyed Albion itself, not just the people. He's the smooth politician type who can make genocide sound like the right and noble thing to do, and it's scary to watch him do it.
Then there's Llew, who is driven to try to make things right in Albion but struggling to find the way to do it. Tegid wants to make him king, but Llew thinks that's a terrible idea - partly because he feels unworthy, and partly because he knows that he ultimately does not belong in Albion at all, but in Britain. Llew is a very "real" person - Tegid is almost too good to be true, and Simon is so horrible you don't want to think he could be true, but Llew is someone you can hold on to. He wants to do the right thing, struggles with his inadequacy, questions everything, worries, loves, hopes, dreams, fails, and succeeds.
Lawhead claims this series is about sovreignty and others say it's the classic struggle between good and evil. Those are both true, but I would also submit that it's a character study. The characters Lawhead has created are so clear and so beautifully made that just watching them is perhaps my favorite part of this series.
This book is written from Tegid's point of view, instead of Llew's. Tegid is the chief bard in Albion, and is Llew's main councilor. Lawhead said that he had to write this book from another point of view because there was no way he could show what a great king Llew was any other way. If he'd tried to show it from Llew's point of view, Lawhead said he'd have come off as a stuck-up megolomaniac, which is definitely true.
The job of a bard in Albion is very complex. They are storehouses of information on every subject - they study plants, animals, medicine, politics, culture, music, art - they are basically walking universities. Their most important role, though, is in holding the sovreignty of the nation. Kings rise and fall, but sovreignty - the ideal of kingship and leadership - remains forever, and it is the role of a bard to keep that sovreignty and bestow it on the most able man. It's a different way to look at what makes a leader and where their authority comes from. Ultimately, it comes from the people (a leader can't lead if no one follows), who trust the bard to make their choice for them. Tegid is an incredible man in that while holding this unbelievable authority, he is completely trustworthy and honest, wanting the best for the people and for Llew himself, and giving himself totally to making that happen. He literally is the power behind the throne, but is a man of such integrity that he is never even tempted to misuse that position.
The struggle between Llew (Lewis) and Siawn Hy (Simon) is still a central theme. I was completely blown away to see just how far Simon had let his desire for power take him. After the brief glimpse we were shown of him in our world at the beginning of The Paradise War, I picture him as lazy and careless. Now he is, quite simply, evil. But he's also sneaky and conniving and has a silver tongue. When he gets the chance to talk to Llew and his leaders, he almost convinces them that he was right to do what he did, even though they all know how wrong it was - and how it nearly destroyed Albion itself, not just the people. He's the smooth politician type who can make genocide sound like the right and noble thing to do, and it's scary to watch him do it.
Then there's Llew, who is driven to try to make things right in Albion but struggling to find the way to do it. Tegid wants to make him king, but Llew thinks that's a terrible idea - partly because he feels unworthy, and partly because he knows that he ultimately does not belong in Albion at all, but in Britain. Llew is a very "real" person - Tegid is almost too good to be true, and Simon is so horrible you don't want to think he could be true, but Llew is someone you can hold on to. He wants to do the right thing, struggles with his inadequacy, questions everything, worries, loves, hopes, dreams, fails, and succeeds.
Lawhead claims this series is about sovreignty and others say it's the classic struggle between good and evil. Those are both true, but I would also submit that it's a character study. The characters Lawhead has created are so clear and so beautifully made that just watching them is perhaps my favorite part of this series.
Monday, May 4, 2009
The Wormling
The Wormling is actually a 5-book series which I'm putting together in one post, which is why it's been a few days! The five books are The Book of the King, The Sword of the Wormling, The Changeling, The Minions of Time, and The Author's Blood. The series was written by Jerry Jenkins and Chris Fabry and is an allegorical story.
The Wormling was a fun read and brought up some interesting questions. Since it is an allegory there are obvious similarities to the Gospel, but there are points in which it is also very different (the Son makes mistakes - which Jesus would never do). At the beginning of the series, Owen is given a book and told that he must find the Son of the King, who will restore Owen's world and the unseen world (which Owen very soon gets to visit). Basically, the unseen world and the visible world are two halves of a whole - every person in the visible world has a counterpart in the unseen world. When the Son makes things right, the two will be united and made whole again.
Owen's quest, then, is to find the Son who was stolen as a baby. His only help in this quest (besides some friends he makes along the way) is the "Book of the King". This Book contains the writings and prophecies of the King of the world (and is very often recognizable as scripture-based) which Owen must interpret to find out what he needs to do. Near the end of the series, Owen does finally find the Son (I'm trying not to ruin the suspense for you!) which brings me to one of the questions I sometimes ponder:
When did Jesus realize who He was? In this series, the Son does not know his own identity for a long time. Obviously this story is not meant to be a deep theological discussion, but the question is still there. I don't believe that the infant Jesus had any idea who He actually was (infants don't, as a rule) - so when did He know? Surely Mary told Him the story, but when did He really know for Himself that He was actually God? Perhaps the knowledge was there all along, and He learned to understand as He got old enough. He seems to have known at a young age, which is evidenced by His questioning the teachers at the temple and His surprise that His parents couldn't guess where He would be. Or, since God was still God and not just a baby in a manger, was there a connection and communication between them - Him? - sort of a vast consciousness? It's all very confusing to me, which I suppose it is meant to be. If I understood God, He wouldn't be worthy of worship, in my opinion.
Let me know your opinion on the subject. This series was written for young adults, and has lots of dragons and sword fighting in it - perfect for young boys! - so it's not something that everyone would enjoy, but I'd still like to hear your opinions on the question of Jesus' "God-knowledge".
The Wormling was a fun read and brought up some interesting questions. Since it is an allegory there are obvious similarities to the Gospel, but there are points in which it is also very different (the Son makes mistakes - which Jesus would never do). At the beginning of the series, Owen is given a book and told that he must find the Son of the King, who will restore Owen's world and the unseen world (which Owen very soon gets to visit). Basically, the unseen world and the visible world are two halves of a whole - every person in the visible world has a counterpart in the unseen world. When the Son makes things right, the two will be united and made whole again.
Owen's quest, then, is to find the Son who was stolen as a baby. His only help in this quest (besides some friends he makes along the way) is the "Book of the King". This Book contains the writings and prophecies of the King of the world (and is very often recognizable as scripture-based) which Owen must interpret to find out what he needs to do. Near the end of the series, Owen does finally find the Son (I'm trying not to ruin the suspense for you!) which brings me to one of the questions I sometimes ponder:
When did Jesus realize who He was? In this series, the Son does not know his own identity for a long time. Obviously this story is not meant to be a deep theological discussion, but the question is still there. I don't believe that the infant Jesus had any idea who He actually was (infants don't, as a rule) - so when did He know? Surely Mary told Him the story, but when did He really know for Himself that He was actually God? Perhaps the knowledge was there all along, and He learned to understand as He got old enough. He seems to have known at a young age, which is evidenced by His questioning the teachers at the temple and His surprise that His parents couldn't guess where He would be. Or, since God was still God and not just a baby in a manger, was there a connection and communication between them - Him? - sort of a vast consciousness? It's all very confusing to me, which I suppose it is meant to be. If I understood God, He wouldn't be worthy of worship, in my opinion.
Let me know your opinion on the subject. This series was written for young adults, and has lots of dragons and sword fighting in it - perfect for young boys! - so it's not something that everyone would enjoy, but I'd still like to hear your opinions on the question of Jesus' "God-knowledge".
Monday, April 27, 2009
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles
Ben, Lindy, and Tom hadn't even wanted to go to the zoo that day, but when the Professor they met there posed the question, "If you're looking for something really unusual, have you ever considered a Whangdoodle?" their lives were changed forever. A Whangdoodle, if you're unfamiliar with the term, is a creature who has antlers, rather short legs, and grows bedroom slippers on his feet - new ones every year. He can also change colors to suit his mood.
The reason the Whangdoodle (and the Prock, Whiffle Bird, the High-Behind Splintercat, Swamp Gaboons, and so on) are names you've never heard before is that they live in a land you can only reach by using your imagination. Many years ago they lived on earth, but as people became more "sophisticated", they stopped believing in such creatures. As a result, all the magical beings started to disappear. In a great effort to preserve as many as he could, the Whangdoodle created this land and took with him all the magical beings that he could save.
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles is a very fun story about how Ben, Tom, Lindy, and the Professor reach Whangdoodleland and meet the Whangdoodle himself despite the efforts of the Prock, who wants to keep them away. Julie Andrews Edwards (yes, the same Julie Andrews from The Sound of Music) has created a great adventure, which is aimed at younger children but is a fun read for anyone.
She also manages to very carefully address larger issues, which creates an excellent opening to teaching younger children about genetics, imagination, belief, creation, and the art of listening - because what someone says might not be exactly what they mean! The question of morality in genetics is one that the children face, and this is what Ben says when his dad asks him about it: "'Well, whether we like it or not, I think genetics is here to stay, Dad, and it could be the answer to a lot of things.' He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. 'We will have a tremendous responsibility on our hands. If we're going to play God we must try to do it with honor and decency.'"
This book is such a delightful adventure that I don't think kids will even realize that they're learning! It's a great tool for parents who are starting to teach their kids about scientific responsibility, and it's also a pleasure to read!
The reason the Whangdoodle (and the Prock, Whiffle Bird, the High-Behind Splintercat, Swamp Gaboons, and so on) are names you've never heard before is that they live in a land you can only reach by using your imagination. Many years ago they lived on earth, but as people became more "sophisticated", they stopped believing in such creatures. As a result, all the magical beings started to disappear. In a great effort to preserve as many as he could, the Whangdoodle created this land and took with him all the magical beings that he could save.
The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles is a very fun story about how Ben, Tom, Lindy, and the Professor reach Whangdoodleland and meet the Whangdoodle himself despite the efforts of the Prock, who wants to keep them away. Julie Andrews Edwards (yes, the same Julie Andrews from The Sound of Music) has created a great adventure, which is aimed at younger children but is a fun read for anyone.
She also manages to very carefully address larger issues, which creates an excellent opening to teaching younger children about genetics, imagination, belief, creation, and the art of listening - because what someone says might not be exactly what they mean! The question of morality in genetics is one that the children face, and this is what Ben says when his dad asks him about it: "'Well, whether we like it or not, I think genetics is here to stay, Dad, and it could be the answer to a lot of things.' He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. 'We will have a tremendous responsibility on our hands. If we're going to play God we must try to do it with honor and decency.'"
This book is such a delightful adventure that I don't think kids will even realize that they're learning! It's a great tool for parents who are starting to teach their kids about scientific responsibility, and it's also a pleasure to read!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Jacob Have I Loved
I have read this book several times and every time I come away feeling a little bit differently about it. I think I'm starting to understand it more, but I still think there is something else there and that this is one book I may always learn from.
It's the story of Louise, a girl growing up on Rass Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Louise is adventurous, tomboyish, and has always felt unloved because of her twin sister Caroline. When people tell the story of their birth, everyone talks about how Caroline didn't breathe at first and was in the hospital for such a long time, but no one seems to remember where Louise was. When they had whooping cough as children, their mother thinks Louise got sick enough to need a tent, but everyone on the island remembers that Captain Billy had to be woken in the middle of the night to ferry Caroline to the hospital. Louise is the only one who ended up with scars from chicken pox. When Louise asked whether she was a good baby, her grandmother (who had been her caretaker while Caroline was in the hospital) said she couldn't remember, and her mother said, "You were a good baby, Louise. You never gave us a minute's worry." Louise says, "She meant it to comfort me, but it only distressed me further. Shouldn't I have been at least a minute's worry? Wasn't it all the months of worry that had made Caroline's life so dear to them?"
Caroline is beautiful, talented, cheerful...she's the kind of sister that everyone thinks is great until she's their own sister. Jacob Have I Loved begins the summer they were thirteen. Everyone has a rough time at some point during their teen years, but most of us don't have a "perfect" twin to make it seem even worse. That summer, Louise and her best friend Call meet the Captain, a man who lived on the island when he was young and has just come back.
It seems like the beginning of the perfect summer, but then Caroline starts to befriend both Call and the Captain. For Louise, who feels like she's always had so little to herself, it's the end of her rope. She angrily starts closing off her heart from her friends and family, and it gets even worse when her grandmother (who Louise takes too seriously because she doesn't realize the old lady is suffering from dementia) quotes Romans 9:13 to her, which says "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." Louise looks up the verse, sees that it's God talking, and decides that since Caroline seems to get everything good, God must have decided to hate Louise even before she was born. The book does end on a happier note, but I'm determined not to give away any endings in my posts so you'll have to read it yourself to find out what happens.
I think the book is a very interesting look at sibling rivalry and family communication. If Louise had realized her grandmother was mentally ill, she wouldn't have listened to her so seriously and been so upset about everything she said. Louise is overly sensitive to other people's remarks (which is common at 13!) and blows things out of proportion, which just ends up making her miserable. All of us do that to some extent as teenagers, but Jacob Have I Loved shows a girl who takes that to such an extent that she almost misses the chance to change.
It's a good book for teens because it's about a girl dealing with the same frustrations and emotions that they feel, and it's a good book for the rest of us because it reminds us of how we felt during that time and can perhaps make us a little more patient and understanding.
It's the story of Louise, a girl growing up on Rass Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Louise is adventurous, tomboyish, and has always felt unloved because of her twin sister Caroline. When people tell the story of their birth, everyone talks about how Caroline didn't breathe at first and was in the hospital for such a long time, but no one seems to remember where Louise was. When they had whooping cough as children, their mother thinks Louise got sick enough to need a tent, but everyone on the island remembers that Captain Billy had to be woken in the middle of the night to ferry Caroline to the hospital. Louise is the only one who ended up with scars from chicken pox. When Louise asked whether she was a good baby, her grandmother (who had been her caretaker while Caroline was in the hospital) said she couldn't remember, and her mother said, "You were a good baby, Louise. You never gave us a minute's worry." Louise says, "She meant it to comfort me, but it only distressed me further. Shouldn't I have been at least a minute's worry? Wasn't it all the months of worry that had made Caroline's life so dear to them?"
Caroline is beautiful, talented, cheerful...she's the kind of sister that everyone thinks is great until she's their own sister. Jacob Have I Loved begins the summer they were thirteen. Everyone has a rough time at some point during their teen years, but most of us don't have a "perfect" twin to make it seem even worse. That summer, Louise and her best friend Call meet the Captain, a man who lived on the island when he was young and has just come back.
It seems like the beginning of the perfect summer, but then Caroline starts to befriend both Call and the Captain. For Louise, who feels like she's always had so little to herself, it's the end of her rope. She angrily starts closing off her heart from her friends and family, and it gets even worse when her grandmother (who Louise takes too seriously because she doesn't realize the old lady is suffering from dementia) quotes Romans 9:13 to her, which says "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." Louise looks up the verse, sees that it's God talking, and decides that since Caroline seems to get everything good, God must have decided to hate Louise even before she was born. The book does end on a happier note, but I'm determined not to give away any endings in my posts so you'll have to read it yourself to find out what happens.
I think the book is a very interesting look at sibling rivalry and family communication. If Louise had realized her grandmother was mentally ill, she wouldn't have listened to her so seriously and been so upset about everything she said. Louise is overly sensitive to other people's remarks (which is common at 13!) and blows things out of proportion, which just ends up making her miserable. All of us do that to some extent as teenagers, but Jacob Have I Loved shows a girl who takes that to such an extent that she almost misses the chance to change.
It's a good book for teens because it's about a girl dealing with the same frustrations and emotions that they feel, and it's a good book for the rest of us because it reminds us of how we felt during that time and can perhaps make us a little more patient and understanding.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The Paradise War
Don't you love that title? It gives me chills - The Paradise War. It's the first book of a trilogy, so when I've finished the next books I'll review them as well. An introduction to the book: it was written by Stephen Lawhead (an author you'll no doubt see here again, as I love everything he's written) and is set in Britain. The time of the book is harder to pin down - it starts in modern times and then the main characters accidentally find themselves in Albion, which is a timeless place that is perhaps best described as a prototype of our world. Albion is what Britain (and apparently it encompasses the rest of the world too, but you don't get to see that) really is underneath it all. It feels like we've gone back in time about a thousand years or so to the time of the Picts and Scots - the main difference being that these people apparently don't age. The idea behind it all is that whatever happens in the manifest world affects what happens in Albion and vice versa - so that if Albion were destroyed, our world would be devastatingly affected by it. As Albion goes, so goes Britain - and as Britain goes, so goes Albion.
Getting to Albion seems a little too easy and makes me want to try it. All you have to do, according to the book, is get to one of the markers the ancient Celts made (standing stones, stone circles, etc) at the "time between times" - that is, dawn or dusk - walk around the thing a few times and the door will open. If I am ever in the British Isles again, you can bet I'm going to try it! :)
The characters in this book are what make it interesting in my opinion. The plot and storyline are excellent, as they always are in Lawhead's books, but I am very caught up in the characters themselves. The two main characters are best friends who met their first year at Oxford. One, Simon Rawnson, is a wealthy Britain of good birth. He's had bred into him the idea that he deserves what he has simply because of who he is. The other, who is telling the story, is Lewis Gillies, an American student who has worked for everything. He describes the difference between them like this:
"Everything he had - everything he was - had been given him, granted outright. Everything he ever wanted came to him freely, without merit. People made allowances for Simon Rawnson simply because of who he was. No one made allowances for Lewis Gillies. Ever. What little I had - and it was scant indeed - at least was mine because I had earned it. Merit was an alien concept in Simon's universe. It was the central fact of mine."
I think this is the central point of the development of these two characters. Thrown into a world where they are unknown and life is completely different from anything they have ever known, Simon still believes he deserves honor and privilege because of who he is, while Lewis works to earn it. In the culture in which they find themselves, ruling power flows not by birth but by merit. Lewis, as an American, understands and accepts this without question, while Simon bucks the system because of his belief in "divine right". When lines are drawn, Simon sides with the son of the king - even when the son opposes his father - because of his birth, while Lewis stands by the king himself because of his merit.
I think if the two men had stayed in their own world they would never have seen their personalities and abilities develop so strongly and so clearly, but being in Albion seems to make everything bigger and fuller. As they learn to survive in a new culture - students becoming warriors - parts of their personalities that they never knew existed come to the forefront and change them forever. It makes me wonder what I would learn about myself if I were thrown into a similar situation - and would I be pleased with what I saw?
Getting to Albion seems a little too easy and makes me want to try it. All you have to do, according to the book, is get to one of the markers the ancient Celts made (standing stones, stone circles, etc) at the "time between times" - that is, dawn or dusk - walk around the thing a few times and the door will open. If I am ever in the British Isles again, you can bet I'm going to try it! :)
The characters in this book are what make it interesting in my opinion. The plot and storyline are excellent, as they always are in Lawhead's books, but I am very caught up in the characters themselves. The two main characters are best friends who met their first year at Oxford. One, Simon Rawnson, is a wealthy Britain of good birth. He's had bred into him the idea that he deserves what he has simply because of who he is. The other, who is telling the story, is Lewis Gillies, an American student who has worked for everything. He describes the difference between them like this:
"Everything he had - everything he was - had been given him, granted outright. Everything he ever wanted came to him freely, without merit. People made allowances for Simon Rawnson simply because of who he was. No one made allowances for Lewis Gillies. Ever. What little I had - and it was scant indeed - at least was mine because I had earned it. Merit was an alien concept in Simon's universe. It was the central fact of mine."
I think this is the central point of the development of these two characters. Thrown into a world where they are unknown and life is completely different from anything they have ever known, Simon still believes he deserves honor and privilege because of who he is, while Lewis works to earn it. In the culture in which they find themselves, ruling power flows not by birth but by merit. Lewis, as an American, understands and accepts this without question, while Simon bucks the system because of his belief in "divine right". When lines are drawn, Simon sides with the son of the king - even when the son opposes his father - because of his birth, while Lewis stands by the king himself because of his merit.
I think if the two men had stayed in their own world they would never have seen their personalities and abilities develop so strongly and so clearly, but being in Albion seems to make everything bigger and fuller. As they learn to survive in a new culture - students becoming warriors - parts of their personalities that they never knew existed come to the forefront and change them forever. It makes me wonder what I would learn about myself if I were thrown into a similar situation - and would I be pleased with what I saw?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
In His Steps
My husband asked last night what book my first post would be about, and I'm sorry to say that I lied to him. I told him it would be The Paradise War by Stephen Lawhead, since that's what I finished reading yesterday, but it's going to have to wait because today I picked up In His Steps by Charles Sheldon and realized that there's a lot more to this book than I remembered. Of course, the last time I encountered this book I was about 13, and my mom was reading it to me. I don't think I paid attention very well, because I remembered the book being rather boring and I found quite the opposite to be true while rereading it today. The language is a bit dated, but the story moves along fairly quickly and the characters are interesting, if a bit unrealistic. (Honestly, does anyone go to church with an heiress, the best female vocalist in the country, a railroad superintendent, a newspaper editor, a novelist, an extremely successful businessman, and a college president? I could accept 2 or 3 of those together, but not the whole list.)
The saddest moment of the book is when Jasper Chase (the novelist) realizes that his chances with Rachel Winslow (the singer) are completely gone and so he turns his back on his vow to ask "What would Jesus do?" before anything he does. He purposefully continues to write a book that he knows Jesus would not write, and Sheldon quotes Luke 9:62 in which Jesus says that "no man having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God." I had never before seen that verse illustrated so well and I was struck by the intensity of Jasper's loss, and also by the sorrow that Jesus must have felt when he said that. I had always thought that verse was rather condemning and harsh, but in light of Jasper's deliberate decision not to follow Christ, it makes much more sense. Jesus was not saying that if we have doubts we are unfit, but that we are if we start on the way of following Him and then deliberately change our minds.
The paragraph which most struck me is at the end of chapter 13. To quote, "...that obedience to their pledge had produced in the heart of families separation of sympathy and even the introduction of enmity and hatred. Truly, a man's foes are they of his own household when the rule of Jesus is obeyed by some and disobeyed by others." Now, I had a hard time with those sentences because I always believed that if you were doing the will of God, then your family would be pleased and it would create harmony instead of dysfunction. I've learned that this is unfortunately not true, and I've seen families torn apart because one or more members refused to follow Christ's example, but it is hard to understand why God would allow that. In the instance in the book, Alexander Powers (the railroad man) discovers proof of illegal activity within the company. He does the right thing and as a result loses his job, his social standing, and subsequently the love of his wife and daughter. It simply is not fair and makes me mad.
The next two sentences are what particularly caught my attention though. Sheldon says, "Jesus is a great divider of life. One must walk parallel with Him or directly across His way." I have never heard anyone say that before. I have never been told that if I am not walking in His will, following His steps, then I am at cross purposes with Him - there is no middle ground, no wandering along near Him. I am either walking in His way or walking completely opposed to it. That is a strong sentiment, and one I will be spending considerable time contemplating.
I wonder if I am committed enough to make Rev. Henry Maxwell's pledge - for an entire year to do nothing without first asking what Jesus would do. Would the results really be as revolutionary as Sheldon seems to think? How much would it affect our communities if our churches resolved upon that course? Would the social ills of our country be solved by it as Sheldon proposes?
The saddest moment of the book is when Jasper Chase (the novelist) realizes that his chances with Rachel Winslow (the singer) are completely gone and so he turns his back on his vow to ask "What would Jesus do?" before anything he does. He purposefully continues to write a book that he knows Jesus would not write, and Sheldon quotes Luke 9:62 in which Jesus says that "no man having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God." I had never before seen that verse illustrated so well and I was struck by the intensity of Jasper's loss, and also by the sorrow that Jesus must have felt when he said that. I had always thought that verse was rather condemning and harsh, but in light of Jasper's deliberate decision not to follow Christ, it makes much more sense. Jesus was not saying that if we have doubts we are unfit, but that we are if we start on the way of following Him and then deliberately change our minds.
The paragraph which most struck me is at the end of chapter 13. To quote, "...that obedience to their pledge had produced in the heart of families separation of sympathy and even the introduction of enmity and hatred. Truly, a man's foes are they of his own household when the rule of Jesus is obeyed by some and disobeyed by others." Now, I had a hard time with those sentences because I always believed that if you were doing the will of God, then your family would be pleased and it would create harmony instead of dysfunction. I've learned that this is unfortunately not true, and I've seen families torn apart because one or more members refused to follow Christ's example, but it is hard to understand why God would allow that. In the instance in the book, Alexander Powers (the railroad man) discovers proof of illegal activity within the company. He does the right thing and as a result loses his job, his social standing, and subsequently the love of his wife and daughter. It simply is not fair and makes me mad.
The next two sentences are what particularly caught my attention though. Sheldon says, "Jesus is a great divider of life. One must walk parallel with Him or directly across His way." I have never heard anyone say that before. I have never been told that if I am not walking in His will, following His steps, then I am at cross purposes with Him - there is no middle ground, no wandering along near Him. I am either walking in His way or walking completely opposed to it. That is a strong sentiment, and one I will be spending considerable time contemplating.
I wonder if I am committed enough to make Rev. Henry Maxwell's pledge - for an entire year to do nothing without first asking what Jesus would do. Would the results really be as revolutionary as Sheldon seems to think? How much would it affect our communities if our churches resolved upon that course? Would the social ills of our country be solved by it as Sheldon proposes?
Monday, April 20, 2009
My Envoy to the World of Blogging
I've kept journals (albeit somewhat irregularly) over the years, but never seriously considered blogging until very recently, when I decided that I really do want to share my thoughts about the books I read. I love reading. No, seriously. I am not happy with my day until I have read something. So, this is my blog about books. I will talk about the books I am reading and perhaps foray into books I have read in the past and loved. Maybe this will serve as a book review source for some people, or perhaps will simply be my chance to talk about what I love with a captive audience. :)
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