Room by Emma Donoghue

Title: Room
Author: Emma Donoghue
Genre: Literary fiction, contemporary fiction
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, 2010
Read for: Alex Awards Challenge
Source: Library

Jack and Ma live in Room. Room has everything they need -- Bed, Toilet, Table, Meltedy Spoon, even TV. However, Room is also a place where a bad man comes and hurts Ma. Is there life outside of Room, and if there was, could Jack handle it?

I've heard quite a bit about Room since it came out about two years ago. Many people I know heralded it as one of the best books they had ever read, disturbing and provocative. Room is definitely a book that caused me to consider how day-to-day life would be perceived by someone who lived in a more simplified paradigm.

When Jack learns that the things he sees on TV actually exist outside of Room, his entire world view is shaken. It was very interesting to experience the changes he went through in his own voice -- his distress is palpable, and his unique way of talking and seeing things intensifies that. His entire life has been carefully scheduled and peppered with specific rules and routines, and realizing that there is something beyond that life causes him to question everything that he used to believe was solid truth. At times, these discoveries were very stressful to read -- the book had many moments when I just wanted to warn Jack to act differently, and would cringe at his behaviors. At the same time, it was impossible to ignore how complicated his life was and how difficult it would be to deal with.

The narrative voice in Room was very unique. It is told from Jack's point of view, a voice that is quite different from your average five-year-old. First of all, Jack's perceptions are warped by his limited reality. In addition, he makes frequent grammatical and syntax mistakes in his speaking, but also uses huge words and thinks about his life at times in a complex way. It made for a unique reading experience, although at times I felt that Jack was not quite believable as a five-year-old. Then again, Jack would be difficult to pin down, having lived such a bizarre life. I did think that the plot construction and the experiences Jack has were very artfully arranged, leading to a poignant scene at the end of the book that was beautifully executed.

As Room was exploding across the blogosphere a few years ago, the reaction I most frequently encountered was that of disgust and sadness for the abuses and privations that Jack and his Ma endured. While those emotions were definitely present in my reading of Room, what most stood out to me was the bond between Jack and his Ma and the way she made such an effort to give him the best life possible with her extraordinarily limited resources. She doesn't let him watch more than an hour of TV a day, even though they are in an isolated room with only ten books to keep them entertained. She makes him run around the tiny room to exercise and be healthy. She comes up with game after game to keep him entertained as well as educated. To me, that was the most hopeful part of the book -- the fact that Jack's Ma loved him so much and made such an effort to raise him well in her uniquely awful circumstances.

Room is definitely an interesting book. It presents many questions about our modern lives without providing easy answers. It also gives an opportunity to perceive the complexity and excess of day to day life through a refreshing and different voice. While Room was not my favorite book of all time, it was an interesting experience.

3.5 stars

Warnings: Some violence, disturbing images and themes, not-detailed sexual abuse

Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett

Title: Truth and Beauty
Author: Ann Patchett
Genre: Nonfiction, memoir
Publisher: Harper, 2004
Source: Personal copy
Read for: Alex Awards Challenge, New Adult Challenge

Ann Patchett and Lucy Grealy met when they were working on their undergraduate degrees, but they became friends in their master's program, as they ended up rooming together in a cheap apartment due to their shared background. However, what started was an epic friendship, close as family, colored by their writing, their love lives, and Lucy's never-ending battle with her face, which was disfigured as a result of childhood cancer and made every day a struggle to eat, as well as coping with the reactions of other people. This is the story of that friendship, told from Ann's point of view.

I was already a fan of Ann Patchett's writing before I started Truth and Beauty, and it did not disappoint. Ann Patchett has a very readable and yet descriptive style. There is nothing straining about the style itself, although the subject matter is at times very heavy. Her writing is also addictive, meaning that I finished this book in less than 24 hours. Several of those hours transpired during a bout of pregnancy-induced insomnia, in which I probably could have gone back to sleep after an hour but stayed up for three reading.

The story itself is also compelling, for several reasons. First of all, for me at least, it is interesting to learn about the lives of successful writers and how they reached that point. As someone who occasionally toys with writing (although for the most part it all just goes onto this blog or into a personal journal), I was very interested in the day-to-day life details of these two successful writers. Second of all, much of the book takes place during Ann and Lucy's twenties. It has been bemoaned by many other book bloggers that there is a paucity of books taking place in college and about characters in their early to mid twenties, and I agree that it is a problem. Because I am in my mid-twenties now, I loved reading about other people and their experiences, despite the fact that they are different than mine. I think there is a common element of struggling to find one's identity and purpose no matter what the circumstances of one's life, and it is usually illuminating to see what others' experiences are. Finally, the relationship between Ann and Lucy itself is very unique and compelling.

I have to preface this by saying I found Lucy a dynamic and compelling character, one who had dealt with considerably more than most people. Diagnosed with cancer at a young age, she had lost most of her jawbone and teeth and was constantly undergoing reconstructive surgeries. She was unable to eat most food and was constantly stared at by others. In addition, her treatments had left her in a state of permanent debt. As someone who has worked with children who have cancer, it was interesting and heartbreaking to see the aftermath of the disease, when the individual is essentially cured by dealing with the side-effects of those cures for the rest of their life.

However, she was also a very difficult character to read about at times. She made very irresponsible decisions, frequently disregarded her friends' advice, continued to sink further and further into debt, and entered empty relationship after empty relationship with men, constantly seeking reassurance that she could be loved despite her facial abnormalities. Despite this, she was well-loved and popular, but no one cared for her the way Ann did. I loved the way Ann painted her clearly, showing her faults and weaknesses, while at the same time writing with unconditional love. She frequently refers to Lucy as her family, and it is clear that their relationship is one of family -- they helped each other through everything, even when it would have been easier to end the friendship and be around someone less needy or demanding. I think that is the true beauty of this book -- the ability to love someone imperfect, the ability to treat someone with patience and forgive them over and over again, the ability to see past someone's weaknesses to their truest, best self. There are so many heartbreaking images, so many acts of love, in Truth and Beauty.

While Truth and Beauty is not a story about romantic love, it is a love story -- a story about how to love in the purest, most unselfish form. Alternately frustrating, moving, and heartbreaking, this unique friendship spelled out in excellent writing is definitely worth reading.

4 stars

Warnings: Language, sensuality, graphic descriptions of surgery

Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier

Title: Daughter of the Forest
Author: Juliet Marillier
Series: Sevenwaters #1
Genre: Fantasy, fairy-tale retelling
Publisher: Tor Books, 2001
Source: Gift from my mom
Read for: Alex Awards challenge, Chunkster challenge

Daughter of the Forest is a retelling of the six swans fairy tale. Sorcha is the seventh child of a seventh son and the only girl in her family. She loves her childhood with her six brothers, learning to heal and having strange encounters with the Fair Folk. However, Sorcha's life is turned upside down first when she encounters a Briton, sworn enemy of her people, and second when her father marries the beautiful but venomous Lady Oonagh. Her family torn apart, Sorcha begins a quest to save her brothers. However, her quest takes her places she could hardly have imagined.

I am not especially familiar with the fairy tale of the six swans, but I do know that Daughter of the Forest was a compelling and beautiful read, rich with descriptions and haunting mystery. I found myself completely enthralled in Sorcha's world and eager for the next installment of the trilogy.

I think one of the greatest strengths of Daughter of the Forest is the atmosphere. Marillier creates a world that is beautiful yet completely wild and untamable. The beliefs of Sorcha's family lend an eerie, mystical feel to the story. As Sorcha encounters the Britons, the atmosphere changes into more of the hearty, meat-and-potatoes, green countryside type of setting, but Sorcha keeps her haunting air of magic. The way the mood enveloped the story made it so powerful and entrancing.

Hand in hand with the atmosphere is the beauty of the writing. Marillier's voice is distinct and lovely, with vivid descriptions of the forests and the emotions of the characters. I felt completely invested, completely involved with Sorcha's tale. I think the ability to involve a person so deeply into a book that is so long and so different from my contemporary life demonstrates Marillier's remarkable skill as a writer, and I am looking forward to reading more of her work.

Another aspect of Daughter of the forest that was extremely compelling to me was the depth of emotion in each of the characters. They do not experience flat, simple urges and reactions. Instead, their experiences are complicated and their sentiments are reflections of that complexity. I  felt strongly about what Sorcha was going through, experiencing moments of anguish and joy as if they were my own, even when the circumstances were situations I have never experienced. The sheer emotion of the characters were transmitted exquisitely through the writing.

Daughter of the Forest was a powerful and lovely book. As a fantasy novel it satisfied me by providing an interesting world with magic, but it also satisfied me simply because it stirred my emotions and was beautifully written. I am looking forward to reading the next book, Son of Shadows.

5 stars

Warnings: Violence, a scene of sexual abuse

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

Title: The Name of the Wind
Author: Patrick Rothfuss
Series: The Kingkiller Chronicle #1
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: DAW Hardcover, 2007
Source: Library
Read for: Alex Awards Challenge, Chunkster Challenge

When Chronicler finds himself in an isolated tavern one night on the way to a scribe assignment, he doesn't expect to meet one of the most legendary people in the land. He also doesn't expect to be offered the opportunity to hear the man's story from his own mouth. Kvothe tells Chronicler that it will take him three days to tell his story. The Name of the Wind is the first day, taking us from Kvothe's beginning as a member of a traveling performance troupe to his experiences in the famed and at times mysterious University in Imre.

I'm a sucker for a good fantasy novel, especially this summer, but I was absolutely blown away by The Name of the Wind. The world-building, characters, and small details made this not only a book but an experience.

One of the first things I noticed at the beginning of The Name of the Wind was that as readers we are thrust instantly into the world Patrick Rothfuss has created. While it was confusing for a few pages, Rothfuss is expert at weaving in the necessary details to make the world make sense without being overly didactic or obvious. The reader is slowly woven into the fabric of Kvothe's world, integrated into the experience without it being too jarring.

And the world itself is fascinating. There are different languages and groups of people, different types of professions. My favorite part, and one that dominates most of the novel, is that of the University, where Kvothe learns the intricacies of sympathy, manipulation of small particles in a way that seems very like magic, fabrication, which is engineering with sympathy, and medicine. As I have been in college for the last six years (and went through seven majors and two degrees), I could appreciate Kvothe's penchant for taking on more than he could handle and not wanting to be tied down to only one subject.

I also fell in love with the characters. Kvothe himself was very relatable to me. I loved how quickly he learned, how passionate he was about the universe around him, how desperate he was to avenge the deaths of his parents. I could relate to his absorption with music (the first of my seven majors was music), the way immersing himself in it was the only thing that could calm him down. I loved getting to know this character and can't wait to learn more about him.

While I'm talking about characters I could relate to in this book, I also have to mention that for the first time in my life, I saw someone else with the same first name and spelling as I do. Lorren the Archivist, protector of the massive library that blossoms from the University, made me do a double take every time his name was on the page. I appreciated that he was an intense book lover as well.

The secondary characters of The Name of the Wind were also vivid and fully developed, something that to me is a deal-maker with an author. If they are willing to devote time and space to create fully realized secondary characters, they are probably creating a story that is rich and satisfying to me. I loved Kvothe's close friends, his first teacher, his love, Denna. I couldn't wait to get to know these characters better, eating up every page.

The Name of the Wind was one of the richest, most satisfying books I've read in a long time. I can't wait to devour The Wise Man's Fear, although I don't want to read it too soon because I have no idea when the third book will be released. I can't wait to see what Kvothe does next.

5 stars

Warnings: Some language, violence, innuendo

Alex Awards Challenge Update

Hi everyone! I just wanted to post a little update on the Alex Awards Challenge for participants and any late joiners. For those just now hearing about the challenge, the Alex Awards are awards given out each year by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) honoring books that are written for adults that have a special appeal to young adult audiences. As an eclectic blogger that loves both genres, I was really excited about the fact that this perfect crossover exists (thanks to Asheley for telling me about it in the first place).

My own progress in the challenge has been a bit slow -- I keep getting distracted by review books and library books. I've read two books so far, The Glass Castle and Girl in Translation, and really loved both of them, so I am excited to dive a bit deeper into my TBR list to complete my goal of reading 10 books by the end of this year.

If you are looking for books to read, visit the Alex Awards page to find lists of the winners (10 each year) and nominees (which are also eligible for the challenge). 

If you've read Alex Award-winning or nominated books this year, you can link to them on the review page. 

If you haven't joined the challenge and want to, please join on the intro page. We'd definitely love to have you!

Let me know if you have any further questions, and I will do my best to answer them. :)

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Title: The Glass Castle
Author: Jeannette Walls
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Scribner, 2006
Source: Personal copy
Read for: Alex Awards Challenge

Jeannette's parents were intelligent, resourceful, and restless. From her earliest memories, she recalls moving from place to place in whichever rickety incarnation of the family car was still running. However, as Jeannette and her siblings grow older, the enchantment of their adventurous life begins to fade as they realize how poor -- and hungry -- they are. They spend the next few years trying to pull each other out of their parents' lifestyle.

All I knew of The Glass Castle before picking it up was that it was about a family that chose to be homeless. That in and of itself probably wouldn't have been enough to pique my interest; however, every single person I knew of that had read the book absolutely raved about it. I'm grateful for the rave reviews, because without them I never would have experienced this riveting book.

Walls' personal experience in and of itself is fascinating. Her existence of moving from shack to shack in the desert, eventually ending up in a molding, festering structure in West Virginia with no heat is an interesting story on its own. However, the real stars in The Glass Castle are the fascinating members of Jeannette Walls' family. Each person was captivating, intelligent, creative and unique, including her flawed parents. Despite my frustration with them throughout most of the book, it was impossible to hate them. Jeannette's mother was certainly a selfish woman, hating to go to work despite her teaching credentials (and a shortage of teachers in the areas in which she lived) because she felt that it stifled her creativity and because she was tired of taking care of others instead of people taking care of her. (I wanted to shake her and say, 'Hello woman, you had children and there are responsibilities associated with that'). I was unbelieving when she stashed food away while her children went hungry. However, at the same time, she was clearly creative and intelligent.

Jeannette's father was my favorite character in the book, despite the fact that he was the root of most of the family's troubles. Clearly an intelligent man with interesting ideas and a deep love for his children, he was unable to hold down a job or stay long in one place due to his rampant alcoholism, which he attempted to beat multiple times unsuccessfully. The pathos of his continued query to his children, "Has your dad ever let you down?" was heartbreaking, because it was so clear that he had, but it was also so clear that he hated and blamed himself for it. I'm not condoning the hell he put his family through, but I felt that Walls was outstanding at keeping his character well-rounded and objective, despite the ordeals she suffered through his mistakes.

The other aspect of The Glass Castle that truly impressed me was the ability of the Walls children (with one tragic exception) to overcome their difficult childhoods and succeed at their goals in life. Despite the fact that Jeannette didn't have enough food to eat or enough clothing to keep her warm, she worked and saved to send her sister to New York City with the hopes that her sister could take her away someday. She had her goal of becoming a journalist, and she was absolutely tenacious in achieving it.

While Walls is amazingly objective in her character descriptions despite the obvious emotional baggage that comes with them, she leaves nothing to the imagination in her detailed descriptions of her family's hunger, poverty, and decrepit living conditions. Her excellent writing depicts the horrible situation without accusation toward her parents but with no holds barred.

The Glass Castle is at times a difficult read, but the overall message is one of transcending difficulties. Despite the obvious privations of the Walls children's existence, their parents' choices are complex and objectively depicted. I think any reader will gain something from reading The Glass Castle.

4.5 stars

Warnings: Language, mild sensuality, violence, disturbing themes

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

Title: Girl in Translation
Author: Jean Kwok
Genre: Contemporary fiction, multicultural fiction
Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover, 2010
Source: Audiobook from library
Read for: Alex Awards Challenge

Kimberly and her mother immigrate to New York City from Hong Kong with high hopes of a much better life. They find themselves rather disappointed when they find themselves in a freezing, roach-infested apartment, in serious debt to Kimberly's Aunt Paula, who helped to bring them to America. Kimberly's mother doesn't speak English, and Kimberly is none too certain what many of her fast-talking classmates are saying herself. However, despite the difficulty of adjusting to life in America and Aunt Paula's oppression, Kimberly uses her talents to overcome her circumstances.

This book grabbed me from the very first sentence, and I was swept up for the entire time. I listened on audio, and it was a great option for this book. The narrator was dynamic and emotional, and I felt connected to Kimberly and her friends and family.

The story is told in the first person, and Kimberly's voice is distinct and powerful. Her story begins when she is in elementary school and follows her through the beginnings of her adult career. Kimberly goes through the typical ins and outs of growing up coupled with her differentness from her classmates and her misunderstandings of American culture. She shoulders the heavy burden of not only living in severe poverty and illegally working with her mother in a factory after school to help earn money, but also keeping the rest of the world from finding out about the way she lives.

The secondary characters are just as vibrant as Kimberly. Her best friend Annette, who is passionate and boisterous, supports Kimberly throughout their teenage years, despite being shut out of the complicated secrets of Kimberly's life. Then there is Curt, the popular it-boy at Kimberly's high school who fixates on her despite her "differentness." And of course, there is Matt -- another boy who works at the factory, and who has the greatest influence on Kimberly's life of all.

Like Kimberly, Jean Kwok immigrated from Hong Kong when she was a young girl, which I think is one of the reasons why this book has so much depth and power -- it is frequently coming from personal experience.

I think Girl in Translation would be a fantastic choice for a book club due to the complex decisions that Kimberly has to make throughout the book. This book doesn't mute anything -- Kimberly's struggles are poignant and painful, with no easy solutions. While some of her decisions left me gaping in disbelief, at the same time when I considered how I would face them, I had no answer.

For a powerful, moving coming-of-age story, Girl in Translation should leave readers satisfied.

4 stars

Warnings: Some drug use, a scene of sensuality

Alex Awards Challenge

Blogfriends, I am so excited to announce the challenge I will be hosting next year: The Alex Awards Challenge! I have to give a shout-out to Asheley, who directed me to these awards as a way of finding great books to read. Read on for more information!

What are the Alex Awards? The Alex Awards are given each year to books written/marketed to adults that have special appeal to young adults (age 12-18). They often feature teen protagonists.

Why should we care? As an eclectic blogger, I love crossing over from genre to genre. I have found that occasionally there is a division between adults who read adult books and adults who read young adult books (and of course, there are many who read both). I think it would be interesting for both types of readers to try out these books that blur the lines between these two genres.

When does the challenge run? It runs from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. You have to start the book after January 1, 2012 for it to count.

What are the rules? It's pretty simple -- read Alex Awards winners! I will also count nominees. You can find lists here. There are four levels - 1-3 books, 4-6 books, 7-9 books, or 10+ books. You are not required to post reviews, but on January 1, 2012 I will put up a linky for participants to post their reviews.

Great! How do I sign up? Write an introductory post stating your desired level and link to it in the linky below. You can sign up at any time from now until the challenge ends, so feel free to join in midway through the year.

Because I am hosting the challenge, I am going to go for it and read 10 books, because there are ten winners each year. Here are my potentials:

1. Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
2. Room by Emma Donahue
3. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
4. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
5. Never Let Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
6. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
7. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
8. Truth and Beauty by Ann Patchett
9. Stiff by Mary Roach
10. Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Honestly, there are so many others that sound good I might end up reading more! Let me know if you  have any questions. I am looking forward to the challenge!

The Sunday Salon: Random assorted updates!

Bloggy friends! Sunday always seems to be my day for dealing with the business aspects of the blog, and today I am going to inundate you with various challenges and events in which I shall be participating. If you are bored by this sort of thing, feel free to sneak out the back exit. No one will be mad at you for skipping out on this meeting. However, if you like participating in challenges and bookish events, you might find some gems for yourself, and I'd love to have you stick around.

First up - Dewey's 24 Hour Read-A-Thon. I've heard of this event multiple times in the year or so that I've been blogging, but never participated, mainly because I thought to myself, "What kind of person has time in their lives to dedicate 24 hours straight to reading? And who would even want to?" Honestly, not me. I'm a pretty busy girl. However, I do think I could give 12. And I'd like to try it. I tend to read in sporadic spurts during the day, and I think it will be nice to cozy up and just read for a few hours. That may not be the traditional way to participate, but I think it will be a great experience for me if that is how I do it. 

Nextly, Advent with Austen, hosted jointly by a few blogs but brought to my attention by the lovely Reading With Tea. Basically, read Jane Austen books during advent (from November 27-December 24). You can read books by the delightful lady, books about her, watch movies, etc. etc. Seems like a cozy way to pass some winter evenings. My participation will be minimal - I am just planning on rereading Persuasion. If you'd like to be involved, head over. 

I'm also joining a little challenge starting in January (I don't think the challenge itself starts in January, but that is when my participation will begin) called the Read Your Own Library Challenge. Basically, you read at least one book you own every month for six months. Which shouldn't be that hard. It's just that the books at the library are so shiny...

And finally, just a friendly PSA to go vote for your favorite books of the year on the Indie Lit Awards website. As a voting member on the nonfiction panel, I would dearly love to have some fantastic books to read. Think of it this way: it's your way of making me read a book you liked. But don't only nominate for us nonfiction lovers. There are seven categories (GLBTQ, Biography/memoir, fiction, mystery, speculative fiction, poetry, and of course, nonfiction) and this year, you don't have to be a blogger to vote. You just can't be a publisher or author. So go. Now. 

Also, stay tuned for an awesome challenge that I will be hosting next year. I don't want to flesh out all the details yet, because it is only October and the challenge won't be starting until January (I don't want everyone to forget about it before it even begins). But just be aware that the goal of the challenge is to build a bridge between YA literature and adult literature. 

Are you still here? Thanks for sticking around for all of that. I'm done with all of my pontificating for today, unless you want to hear about how I pulled out chest tubes and started IVs all week. Hey, where did everyone go?