Yes, I've done it again! I've read two books before I managed to get my review written. I guess I feel like I need some time to let a book "sink in" before I write about it. The first book in this 2-for-1 review took me a while to get done, simply because I was darned busy. The second, however, I read in one day. On the way back from Midland, I read all but about 20 pages. When we got home and unpacked that evening, I sat down to read the rest. Couldn't put it down!
Book Review #11
I picked up this book on a total whim at Target. I walked past the book section and did not have book-buying in mind. For some reason, it jumped out at my line of vision and I picked it up. The review quotes on the back said that it "invited comparison to Angela's Ashes." That was all it took for me to buy it - Angela's Ashes is one of my all-time favorite memoirs, and my favorite genre is the memoir.
The book's setting lies in World War I-era England on a street where Jews and Christians live, only they live on opposite sides of the street. The story centers around the author as a child, his family, and their many struggles, heartaches, disappointments, and triumphs (few they were) in the midst of an ever-present "invisible wall" dividing a street of equally prejudiced Christian and Jewish population.
The tag-line reads "A love story that broke barriers." The barrier of the invisible wall, in my opinion, gets cracked, and by the novel's end, we can see light through the cracks. The cracks do not come without heartache and disappointment, however. World War I tears the street apart, and family struggles crush hopes and dreams.
All in all, the novel was touching and very memorable. Each character unfolds through the story and sticks to your heart. I thoroughly enjoyed it and give it 4 out of 5 stars on my book rating scale. It would have received a 5-star rating, but I can't help draw comparisons to Angela's Ashes, and while it was good, it was not at quite the heights of Angela's Ashes.
Side note: The author wrote this novel at the age of 93! He is now 96 and working on his third novel! That in itself is totally amazing.
Book Review #12
I first came to know about this novel because of the movie publicity. The movie looked interesting, and being the stickler I am, I wanted to try and read the book before seeing the movie. So, I read it in one day.
What a great book. The story of a young white girl searching for love and acceptance in the racially-divided south of the 1960's is so many things. Many people have described the story to me as "heartwarming," but for some reason, that just doesn't fully cover it, in my opinion. It is much more.
The writer's style is mesmerizing. The way she writes the main character Lily's thoughts and fantasies about love, acceptance, happiness, and sadness simply floats into your mind and heart. I got so caught up in this story with all the emotion spilling out of the main character.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:
- "... some things don't matter much. Like the color of a house. How big is that in the overall scheme of life? But lifting a person's heart--now, that matters. The whole problem with people is ... they know what matters, but they don't choose it... The hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters."
- "It was the in-between time, before day leaves and night comes, a time I've never been partial to because of the sadness that lingers in the space between going and coming."
- “There is nothing perfect,” August said from the doorway. “There is only life.”
I loved this book and highly recommend it. I still have it lingering in my mind and am really looking forward to see how the movie was done. I give it 5 out of 5 stars on my book rating scale.
Suzanne, I LOVED LOVED LOVED The Secret Life of Bees. Great book! I want to see the movie, but I'm scared I'll be disappointed. Maybe we need to get a Girl's Night organized for this? Neil would rather have a root canal than join me to see that. :-(
Posted by: MM | November 24, 2008 at 03:42 PM