tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9904499260865611442024-03-04T23:02:18.090-08:00Perhaps ReviewedWelcome to Perhaps Reviewed, the sister blog of <a href="http://perhapswelearn.blogspot.com/">Perhaps We Learned Something</a>
On this blog you will find original reviews for books, movies, television shows and more written by Kaylia Metcalfe.Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-1114646384961463092017-02-24T15:18:00.000-08:002017-02-24T15:18:00.251-08:00The Color Purple<img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51d0meRFk8L._SX327_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" /><br />
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The Color Purple by Alice Walker<br />
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There is a reason this book is a classic.<br />
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Few books have the power to change the way you view the world. This book does that. It takes you on a journey to a time and place that might seem foreign but is, once you pause a moment to consider, all too familiar. From the racism and sexism to the bonds of women and the struggles of victims overcoming, this book weaves a spell that leaves you aching for more.<br />
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A true "Southern" novel by its poetic nature and setting, <i>Purple</i> is a masterpiece of emotional battles won and lost through the passage of time for our complex narrator. There is no sugar coating the brutality and no whitewashing the horrors... but there is also no shrinking away from the universal truths found in these pages. At once beautifully tragic and stunningly empowering, this books will stay with you and beg to be reread for years to come.<br />
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I cannot recommend it highly enough<br />
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<br />Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-35037758607374791622017-02-17T15:12:00.000-08:002017-02-17T15:12:01.646-08:00Trigger WarningThe following is a review for the short story collection Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman<br />
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<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Trigger-Warning-Short-Fictions-Disturbances/dp/0062330322/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487372888&sr=8-1&keywords=trigger+warning"><img src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51qVE0MWq3L._SX329_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" /></a><br />
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Have you read Neil Gaiman? If so and you enjoyed him... then by all means pick up this book and relish it. If you are not a fan of his longer works like <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/American-Gods-Tenth-Anniversary-Novel/dp/0062472100/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487372940&sr=8-1&keywords=american+gods">American Gods</a>, then leave this on the shelf.<br />
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And if you are one of the few out there who has never read Neil Gaiman, may I say that you should prepare yourself to be highly entertained.<br />
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Don't let the tittle fool you. Yes, there are dark things (secrets, monsters, shadows) lurking in the pages of this book... but they are more interesting than scandalous, more intriguing than horrible, and more enjoyable than you might otherwise think.<br />
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And a few of them are poems.<br />
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Like many short story collections, the theme here is rather loose. I would challenge you to ignore the story by story explanation of how and why each entry was created until after you had read them and restrain yourself from playing the game of "where is the dark thing?" while reading each piece. Your enjoyment will go much further if you simply relax and enjoy the ride through poetry, fantasy, horror, and genre stories that all beautifully well crafted.<br />
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I personally found the retelling of a familiar fairy tale and the return to already known fandom universes to be the more enjoyable parts... but my favorite story is one of the longer ones that could have very easily been lengthened into a high fantasy story all its own but works so much better as a short sharp addition in this format.<br />
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Do not read these short stories looking for happy ever afters, profound epiphanies, or endings with bows. Read these for the adventure and the challenge. Read them for the mystery and the fun.<br />
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But please, read them.<br />
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I highly recommend this short story collection.<br />
<br />Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-72638483824759646462017-02-08T20:12:00.001-08:002017-02-08T20:12:26.409-08:00/tap tapTesting 123........Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-42010997578813822812014-04-04T18:01:00.000-07:002014-04-05T18:01:40.727-07:00RoomRoom<br />
By Emma Donoghue<br />
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<img src="http://haveyounerd.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/165561708.jpg" height="320" width="198" /><br />
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A book club favorite, I have read and reread <b><i>Room</i></b> half a dozen times since it came out.<br />
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It holds up remarkable well.<br />
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The first time I read it, I saw it as a story of a little boy being raised in confinement. I found the shtick of the perspective being a five year old boy well done for the most part and I was fully invested in the plot.<br />
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True, there were things that were hard to believe and there were points when I felt I should be more emotionally invested than I was (the climax for example, because of the first person telling of the little boy, I never saw *him* in any real danger... it is a brave author who can kill off the narrator half way through a book), but that was ok because there were aspects that really worked: the treatment of the mother character, the frustration of the situation, the ending, etc.<br />
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The second, or third, time I read it, I began to see the symbolism. I began to think about more global points of our own sense of self and the rooms that we build for ourselves in our everyday lives... the walls that are real, the walls that are emotional... the walls others build versus the ones we create for ourselves. How safe are we in our rooms?<br />
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Later, I began to think about the idea of "room" being a societal point. We are who we are based in large part by our surroundings. To be that fish-out-of-water is a frightening experience. Whether we are a boy leaving the relative safety of his "room" or an immigrant leaving their home country, or a college girl leaving home for the first time... we all go through culture shocks and how we react to the inherent difficulties is very telling.<br />
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It wasn't until a more recent reading when I was told that this book was inspired by real life events.<br />
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/shudder<br />
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Let me say, that it is a quick an relatively easy read. The only difficulty comes at the emotional level, not the reading level. The characters are not all that fleshed out or profound, but that is more because the narrator is a five year old.. and through his eyes we do get glimpses of character development that isn't at all obvious to him. The story is interesting and won't soon leave your mind.<br />
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I feel compelled to say: trigger warning for violence against women and children in peril.<br />
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Well worth the read.<br />
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</iframe>Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-6782268015312542512014-03-28T12:22:00.000-07:002014-03-29T12:22:56.956-07:00The 100<br /><br />The 100<br /><br /> <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/99/Series_logo_for_The_100.png.jpg" /><br /><br />I want to like this show. <br /><br />Why is this show making it so hard to like it?<br /><br />Sigh. Ok, here goes.<br /><br />What we know from the get go: space, adventure, teen, The CW.<div>
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<img src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRqvMtcqTT-f38g-KSZQeUVpHOGRtgowovQ7F4oerwlcmXoNfPG" /><br /><br />What we can posit: sci-fi, teen angst, plot contrivances, pretty people, the need for suspension of disbelief.<br /><br />Then we watch the <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/609794">5 minute preview on Hulu.</a><br /><br />And we get excited. Very excited. The first five minutes gives us exposition (handled well –quick, succinct gives we what we need to know and moves on). It gives us a heroine who is strong, feisty, and likeable. It gives us some cool space shots of space stations and other such things. In other words, there is a good budget on this, that bodes well. It gives us a peek at some of the coming drama, but it seems tempered by the story. So far so good.<br /><br />Then we watch the whole first episode.<br /><br />But wait… first let’s make a check list:<br /><br />Teen angst means unrequited love, someone being dramatic for no other reason than being dramatic, the line “you just don’t understand!” and a pretty girl getting mostly naked.<br /><br />What else can we expect? Well, I am going to predict a stereotypical villain doing something villainy, adults looking stupid, and hints to a bigger story arc, and probably the death of a somewhat central character fairly soon to show us how edgy and stuff the show is. <br /><br />--- an hour later ---<br /><br />That check list is now a mass of checks and stars and underlines.<br /><br />Here’s the central plot: The humans destroyed their planet almost a hundred years ago and the survivors have been living in the Ark space station. All crimes are given the same weight (wha…?) and prisoners are judged on their 18th birthday. For some reason, the powers that be decide to jeteson 100 teen prisoners down to Earth with no supplies but equipped with wristbands that let the Ark monitor their vitals in order to determine if the air is safe down there. During the landing, the communications between the teens and the Ark are destroyed.<br /><br />Here’s the thing. Some of the acting is good. Some of the storylines are decent. But there is a fair bit of WTF and that makes it very hard to concentrate on anything else. <br /><br />The good: The show has potential. Especially up there on the Ark, a few things happened that made me wonder what the background was. I could see the introduced villain turning out to not be the villain (hopeful eyes) because he really isn’t all that evil. At least not yet. What a switch that would be! </div>
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<img src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT09uFiWJbh4H6IodmyfNb5mRDZNt9MidqV01x7CGwZhWeuqmBw" /><br /><br />More good: despite hitting everything on my checklist the teens down there are interesting. The show on the ground is more Lord of the Flies meets Lost, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.<br /><br />The bad: We do not understand the motivations of some main characters who are doing colossally stupid things. Over and over and over again. Who needs food, lets just hang out and play with the trees. Who need water, lets take off our clothes and have knife fights! Also? That check list thing is pretty annoying. We shouldn’t be able to predict the entire first episode. Also? All the teens look like they are 16 and 17. (It was established that they aren’t 18.) So. In a space station that regulates the breeding of the population and is all scrappy and hardly making do, there were a hundred 16 and 17 year old criminals? That’s… mighty specific and really really tough to swallow. </div>
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<img src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQaygg9Am6BgOOppu9_gL9lIThsT4vEpmXLwqNBsiIVT7Df0E2R" /> <br /><br />Fingers crossed the show finds itself and makes it work. We need better sci-fi on TV.<br /><br />--- <br /><br />Post Script. I watched the second episode. Let me just say, the good is slipping and the bad is getting worse. I got a head ache from all the eye rolling. So far? No problems have been fixed… but a whole lot of more crazy you have to just ignore it if you want to stay sane stuff has happened.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Le sigh</div>
Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-31398051980349728102014-03-14T17:46:00.000-07:002014-04-05T17:47:59.046-07:00The Glass Castle<br /><br />The Glass Castle<div>
By Jeannette Walls<br /><br /> <img height="320" src="http://media.npr.org/assets/bakertaylor/covers/t/the-glass-castle/9780743247542_custom-e0d2df43d1a5fd1da1f0905912701fc74972dda1-s6-c30.jpg" width="202" /><br /><br />I am not normally a big fan of memoirs, but I am very glad I made the exception for this one. <br /><br />Written with a powerful clarity and possessing remarkable prose, this is a story that reads like a fairy tale for the modern time.<br /><br />Nomadic and possibly mentally affected mother, an alcoholic father, extreme poverty, and the struggles that are born from each make up the background. <br /><br />Jeannette tells her story with humor and humility. We are never preached to, and her story is not part of a self positioned pedestal. Instead, we have her story of triumph and escape from a highly dysfunctional situation that is both inspiring and heartbreaking. <br /><br />What really makes this book fascinating is her tone. She loves her parents despite their obvious and detrimental flaws, and that love shines through. It is easy for a child who doesn’t know any better to idolize her father and not see his sins as sins, but even as she ages Jeannette manages to show both the good and the not so good in her parents with descriptions that are honest and haunting, and which never place her obvious love for them in doubt. <br /><br />The pace is clear, the characters are well developed, the stories from her youth as fully fleshed out and act as perfect threads that weave the story of the Walls family in vivid and tragic relief.<br /><br />I highly recommend this book. </div>
Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-42430439408481359212014-02-21T11:53:00.000-08:002014-03-29T12:23:11.448-07:00When Gravity Fails<br />
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When Gravity Fails<br />
George Alec Effinger<br />
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I read this book because it was recommended to me by someone who said “Hey, this book is really cool. It treats the idea of gender and transgender in a really cool way.”<br />
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If you don’t know, I am very active in the local LGBT community and so this piqued my interest.<br />
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And yes, the book does indeed treat gender in a way vastly different than is typically done in society and fiction: it makes it totally moot.<br />
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In this futuristic world, one can change one’s gender easily (for a price to be sure) and there is very very little stigma attached. Of course, this world also features personality cartridges that one clips in and out of one’s head. The idea of interchangeable personality traits, whole personalities, and also gender is so commonplace that it is just background noise to the “free lance PI investigates a series of murders and gets in over his head” story line. <br />
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That story, by the way, is engaging and full of nuance. It is classic hard boiled but it has a dash of color and flair not found in classic noir stories. The main character, Marid, is both totally believable and easy to root for. The twists are good twists, the fem fatal is done extremely well, and the mystery unravels as a good and steady pace.<br />
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Set in an Arabic ghetto, some readers might have trouble with the names and local language, but I found the fact that this wasn’t a New York based detective story a nice change of pace. I loved the way that Effinger handled world building… both with broad strokes and with little details that helped one get more than a sense of things, you really felt that this was a real place full of complex and dynamic real people. The quirks and futuristic flourishes didn’t feel forced or there for shock or shtick value.<br />
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I won’t go too far into the plot because I would love for each and every one of you who read this blog to go out and read this book. Suffice it to say, I highly recommend it… and not just because of its treatment of gender politics, but for the story it tells and the phenomenal way in which it tells it.<br />
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</iframe>Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-33101972297527832902014-02-07T11:36:00.000-08:002014-03-29T12:23:21.917-07:00The Book of Jonah <br />
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The Book of Jonah<br />
Joshua Max Feldman<br />
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The Amazon description is as follows:<br />
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<i>The modern-day Jonah at the center of Joshua Max Feldman’s brilliantly conceived retelling of the book of Jonah is a young Manhattan lawyer named Jonah Jacobstein. He’s a lucky man: healthy and handsome, with two beautiful women ready to spend the rest of their lives with him and an enormously successful career that gets more promising by the minute. He’s celebrating a deal that will surely make him partner when a bizarre, unexpected biblical vision at a party changes everything. Hard as he tries to forget what he saw, this disturbing sign is only the first of many Jonah will witness, and before long his life is unrecognizable. Though this perhaps divine intervention will be responsible for more than one irreversible loss in Jonah’s life, it will also cross his path with that of Judith Bulbrook, an intense, breathtakingly intelligent woman who’s no stranger to loss herself. As this funny and bold novel moves to Amsterdam and then Las Vegas, Feldman examines the way we live now while asking an age-old question: How do you know if you’re chosen?</i><br />
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This is mostly accurate, but if you think this book is full of Christian allegory or life lessons learned through connection to God or the divine, you would be wrong.<br />
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Instead, this is a book that attempts to tell two interwoven stories about two very different people who find something supernatural and healing when they find each other. Except that it doesn't.<br />
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What we have in a confused convoluted plot, the introduction of a second main character late in the game and then ignored, a check list of vices, and a picture of God as a cruel puppet master. I don’t think any of those things were intended.<br />
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The plot: Jonah gets a vision. It makes no sense to him. He tries to ignore it. He gets another and then another and then another.. but at no time is he given actual (or figurative) instructions by God. There is no “Go there, do this” there is just visions of death and nakedness. There is, in short, no context. How then should he act? He hasn't a clue. He attempts to become a slightly better person (breaking up with his mistress, coming clean to his fiance, alerting the media to the shady deal his law firm is making, etc. But he is still punish by more visions and confusion.<br />
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Enter Judith. She is written as a two dimensional foil… a sad lost person floating in the world with no purpose except that she exists and eventually becomes the object of Jonah’s quest.<br />
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In both the case of Jonah and Judith, the author seems to have an offensive check list of sins for his characters to partake in… I’m guessing to show us just how bad they really are before they get saved. Jonah is materialistic, cynical, an adulterer, likes his drugs and alcohol, and is the epitome of the greedy lawyer. Judith is an extreme intellectual who lacks ass social graces, is sexually manipulative, promiscuous –with both men and women-, cold, and sells out to work for an evil casino mogul by helping him buy up church land. <br />
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They finally meet and have a moment of connection but then Jonah gets another vision (this time with a sense of what he should do) but he runs away. She returns to her sheltered slightly hedonistic life and Jonah finally decides to do something vision related besides bail and he goes on an “epic” quest to find her. The last, maybe, twenty percent of the book is this quest.<br />
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He finds her. They talk. <br />
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And then… nothing. He goes into the desert and lays down to feel the sun on his face.<br />
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The end.<br />
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We have no idea what is going to happen next except that they will change their lives (we assume for the better) and they both feel… something… although that really isn’t shown.<br />
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I’m not sure when I have had a more disappointing end to a book, but I probably shouldn’t have been surprised. The whole thing is written as so introspective and verbose… chapter after chapter of exposition and very little movement in terms of consciousness or plot. <br />
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Frustrating to say the least.<br />
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And what makes this double hard is that Feldman is very talented at some very important part of story telling. He has a beautiful way with dialogue. His side characters are well described and totally believable. His has an almost uncanny way of setting a scene and giving the reader tactile signposts that illustrate more than the current action. And the story he was trying to tell had mounds of potential. It could have been powerful and life changing. <br />
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It just, wasn't. <br />
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Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-79755822772871584092014-01-17T14:03:00.000-08:002014-04-01T14:04:45.615-07:00Paper Towns<img src="http://johngreenbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/PaperTowns2009_6A.jpg" height="320" width="211" /><br />
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Paper Towns<br />
By John Green<br />
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Don’t be fooled by the fact that our protagonist is in high school. This is not a YA book.<br />
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Instead, it is a wonderfully written examination of human goals, perceptions (both of self and others), ideas, and connections.<br />
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It is a coming of age story, a hero’s quest story, a road trip adventure story, and a story about life. With universal themes, witty dialogue, complex and yet toally believable characters, and an ending that is pitch perfect, this is a modern classic.<br />
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I cannot say enough good things, but I want to say something specific about the characters.<br />
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We have a host of high school troupes. We have the friendship dynamic, the boyfriend girlfriend dynamic, and we have the unrequited love dynamic. We have characters who fall under the LGBT umbrella who are fully accepted. Every single character is written in a realistic compelling way. These are people we know and people we wish we knew. The dialogue is so real (and at ties hilarious) that it is hard to believe that this is a book. <br />
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The plot is well paced with the story having clear acts that shift in tone and purpose but work together almost seamlessly. Incorporating literary classics like Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” as well as pay pop culture homage and use modern day tech (the internet plays a significant role) in a totally plausible way, the story manages to still be timeless. <br />
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I highly recommend this very quick read to anyone who has felt lost, anyone who has wanted to peer behind the sets of their own lives, anyone who has hidden behind a public mask. <br />
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</iframe>Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-2868057167678952462014-01-10T15:21:00.000-08:002014-04-01T15:22:03.527-07:00The Dinner<br />
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<img src="http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/rc/files/2013/11/Koch_The-Dinner.jpg" height="320" width="206" /><br />
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The Dinner<br />
By Herman Koch<br />
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(Not one of the Koch brothers)<br />
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Premise: Two couples have dinner and discuss their children. The entire book takes place at this meal. It is a story about parental sacrifice.<br />
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That… didn’t sound very interesting to me. However, the idea of the whole thing happeneing over the course of a many course meal… that was a bit intriguing from the narrative structure point of view.<br />
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Boy, am I glad I read this book.<br />
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First off, yes. The present day action all takes place around one meal. However, the author uses flashbacks ( a lot of flashbacks) to give context to the discussion and the action at the table. Thankfully we move back and forth easily; it is always obvious where in time we are.<br />
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Secondly, yes… sort of. This is a story about parental sacrifice. But it is so much more. It is about parental responsibilities and about human responsibilities. It is about legacy. It is about violence and repercussions. It is about turning a blind eye… or blinding oneself to avoid seeing.<br />
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There aren’t a lot of characters, but those that ae introduced, even the side character of the waiter, are given unforgettable details and quirks. The dialogue is fine, as far as it goes, but what really shines in this book is the story; the complicated, layered, and downright creepy story. <br />
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As the adults discuss, and pointidly don’t discuss, what it is their children have done (and not done), the onion is peeled letting us in deeper and deeper to what many would consider a parental nightmare.<br />
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Layers. That’s really what this book is about and what holds it all together so well. Layers. Layers of guilt, of action, of inaction… layers of the past, and in a shocking twist, layers of decisions and choices that affect the future.<br />
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I really don’t want to spoil any of the surprises for you… I highly recommend this book. Note: do not power read. This story, like a fine meal, is better savored and digested slowly. Trust me, barrel through and you will miss some of the wonderful subtlety and nuances that make this book a rare and delightful feast.<br />
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Any more food puns? Nah, I think I’ll stop. <br />
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</iframe>Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-32945701500417663222014-01-04T13:28:00.001-08:002014-01-04T13:28:47.930-08:00Love Saves The Day<br />
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Told mostly through the perspective of a cat named Prudence, this novel was mostly a delight.<br />
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I have a low tolerance for the schtick of "animal voices" in fiction, but this novel did a great job of evoking a very cat like response to the unfolding drama. Prudence is dismayed when her Most Important Person, Sarah suddenly disappears... but she is even more upset when Sarah's daughter Laura and her husband Josh invade her home, pack up all the Sarah-things and then transplant everything, Prudence included, to a new home across the city.<br />
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While trying to come to terms with her new life and roommates, Prudence deals with the grief of a lost loved one with surprising depth. Interwoven in her memories of Sarah and her adventures with Laura and Josh is a back story of a complicated mother-daughter relationship.<br />
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There were laugh at loud moments as well as some profound messages of love and hope... and of course, a happy ending.<br />
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But there were also a few things I didn't like about the novel.<br />
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While most of the narration comes from Prudence (and is done in the first "cat" perspective), a few chapters focus on Laura... and jarringly are told in the third person. As if that wasn't complicated enough, there are a couple of Sarah chapters too... which are not only in the first person, Sara, but are conversational in tone... as if she is telling her story (to whom we don't know) from beyond the grave.<br />
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Chapters 1 - 4: Prudence<br />
Chapter 5: Laura<br />
Chapter 6: Prudence<br />
Chapter 7: Sarah<br />
Chapter 8 and 9: Prudence<br />
Chapter 10: Laura<br />
Chapter 11 and 12: Prudence<br />
Chapter 12: Sarah<br />
Chapter 13: Prudence<br />
Chapter 14: Laura<br />
Chapter 15 and 16: Prudence<br />
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The reason for the narration change seems to be to give the readers more information so that the plot movement makes more sense. While this is accomplished, it is still awkwardly done. Sarah's chapters are full blown flashbacks that fill in a lot of missing facts, but are unsettling because she didn't share these facts with either of the other characters while she was alive, and yet they are essential in our understanding of Sarah as a person.<br />
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I just think that either the shared narration should have started earlier (four chapters in is a long time to suddenly change anything) or have been handled differently.<br />
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Regardless of the narration, the other thing that was slightly cumbersome was the "sticky point", the thing which all the negativity and family drama between Laura and her mother Sara hinged upon. There is an awful lot of lead up to this traumatic moment where their lives took this horrible turn and nothing was ever the same and Laura just couldn't get over it even years and years later because oh my god it was so big and so nasty and... And then we read it, and it is somewhat of a let down. (And we read about it from Sarah who isn't the one still dwelling on it!)<br />
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And then another character, who had been referenced but had yet to show up,does in fact show up, and she solves Laura's problem with a direct "get over yourself" sort of moment... and then... the problem is pretty much solved.<br />
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... /raised eye brow/ ...<br />
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Of course, as happens in most animal point of view books, the animal has a near death experience but since we all know that there is going to be a happy ending, the drama isn't really there, even if the writing is particularly strong in this section.<br />
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So. All in all, I enjoyed the story this book told. I loved Prudence as a character and enjoyed her cat-itude about things like food and The Monster (vacuum cleaner). The book was a fairly quick read and did have some universal truths to point out in terms of loss and communication. In short, it was a good book and I am glad I read it even if I am picky and easily bugged by things that probably wouldn't even phase a more casual reader.<br />
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Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-78765983422850940362013-09-17T10:24:00.000-07:002013-09-18T14:22:54.099-07:00Sleepy HollowI'll admit it. I love fantasy TV shows.<br />
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<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118276/?ref_=sr_1">Buffy</a>: RIP.... you paved the way and set the bar so high....<br />
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<a href="http://perhapsreviewed.blogspot.com/2010/01/dollhouse-season-1-and-2.html">Dollhouse</a>... you were awesome and gone too soon....<br />
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Ahem.<br />
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Apparently, the masses are starting to give fantasy a bit more of a go. Yeah, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460681/?ref_=sr_1">Supernatural</a> has been on for forever (a few seasons too many, but with the eye candy, we don't complain too much). And yes there are (too many) vampire and the like shows out there, but what about original fantasy?<br />
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NBC has <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1830617/?ref_=sr_1">Grimm</a> (excellent show!)<br />
ABC has <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1843230/?ref_=sr_1">Once Upon a Time</a> and soon the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2802008/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Wonderland spin off</a>.<br />
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Enter Fox with <a href="http://www.fox.com/sleepy-hollow/">Sleepy Hollow</a>! (Mondays)<br />
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I was ready to not like this show. I was sure we would have contrived polts, repetitive fish-out-ofwater jokes, magic as plot spackle, and really, the Rip Van Winkle addition to the Headless Horseman story? Why? Plus, could the show have enough story to last a whole season?<br />
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I'm glad to report that I was wrong.<br />
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Yeah, the show is a bit silly and the acting can be a bit hamfisted at times (it is the pilot afterall), but on the whole the writers have done a decent job of making the characters likeable (if not wholy beliveable... that will come later with character development one hopes) and of making the story make as much sense as a story featuring a Rip Van Winkle meets National Treasure sort of scenario with a shaggy haired hero who must stop the coming apocalypse by defeating a headless zombie who can somehow still hear people. There are also witches and the hint that George Washington wasn't just fighting for our freedom from British taxation and tyranny.<br />
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I wouldn't say it was a rollicking good time, but it was fun. The saving grace is that the cast seems to know how crazy it all sounds and the influx of humor. Go ahead, watch the preview. If you don't crack a smile, then skip the show... I have a feeling the humor and the occasional tension fraught deep in the dark forest scenes will be what carries this show forward.<br />
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I also have to point out that Crane is played by Tom Mison (a British relatively unknown)is pretty darn hunky.<br />
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<br />Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-5791980384585723442013-09-11T17:34:00.000-07:002013-09-17T17:35:22.741-07:00The Patience StoneThe Patience Stone by Atiq Rahimi<br />
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I got this book because I saw a preview for the upcoming movie. A wise person once said that books and the movies adapted from them are like comparing apples with apple pie, but it has been a while since I did a side by side comparison so I figured why not.<br />
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This review will focus solely on the book.<br />
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I had a hard time reading this book. It is short... very short and the writing style is crisp and unfettered with too many details. In fact, it is downright sparse in terms of details which is part of its charm. And still, it was hard to read because the subject matter is hard to face.<br />
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I'm a middle class liberal minded American woman fiercely loved by my partner and supported by my family. <br />
I have nothing besides gender and motherhood in common with the protagonist of this book.<br />
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Which is why I felt I must read it.<br />
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I was prepared to be dismayed. I was prepared to be bothered. I was prepared to be taught a leson.<br />
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I wasn't prepared to have all three things happen so smoothly.<br />
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Rahimi has a beautiful grasp of poetry. Even though the novel is translated, it flows like water... it doesn't stop, it waits for no one, it pushes through blockages of judgement and wariness.<br />
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This book moved me beyond my expectations. <br />
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Set in one single room and told from an almost God-like place of indifference, we see the final days of a man's life as his wife cares for him. But it is not his story, it is hers. It is her voice that breaks the silence and tells us of her life... it is her plight and her history that carry the story forward. It is her body that suffers as he dies and her torrent of words that can not be silenced in the almost silent room.<br />
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By being sparse on the details, Rahimi draws our attention to what really matters: her story in her own words.<br />
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The ending was shocking and yet unavoidable. The writing was exquisite and the plot, though limited by its own contrivances, moved along and took me on a journey of discovery.<br />
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I highly recommend this book.<br />
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<br />Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-11393423426316753762013-09-04T11:03:00.002-07:002013-09-04T11:03:56.698-07:00NefertitiNefertiti<br />
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<img src="http://www.michellemoran.com/books/images/nefertiti-cvr.jpg" /><br />
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If you love Egypt history, if you are interested in the battle between monotheism and polytheism that shaped the infrastructure and the social customs of ancient Egypt.... well, this book probably isn't for you.<br />
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If you are moderately interested in those sort of things in the peripheral, but like a story with a very clear "good guy" and "bad guy" that is loosely based on a few scattered archaeological finds... this book might be just what you want to read!<br />
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In short, this book is what I would typically call Lit Fluff... except that it is rather too long for such a designation. It is, however, a relatively quick read for its girth because the writing, while a tad prolific, isn't weighty.<br />
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In short, Nefertiti is the story of, you guessed it, Nefertiti as shown through her rival and sister Muty. There is a rise to power, some actions taken because of hubris, karmic retribution, and a whole lot of Muty sighing in frustration as Nefertiti is a horrible person who does horrible short sighted things.<br />
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I'm not sure if the characters lack depth because the author is basing them off some very skimpy historical data or if the author was just lacking imagination, but the end result is a forgettable book about what could have been unforgettable characters.<br />
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My advice? If you happen to ge the book for free or cheap at a used book store and you have a plane ride in your future, why not. Otherwise, there are more compelling better written books out there.<br />
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But that's just me.<br />
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Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-54588382751230318872013-08-27T16:36:00.001-07:002013-08-27T16:36:24.950-07:00Memoirs of an Imaginary FriendMemoirs of an Imaginary Friend<br />
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By Matthew Dicks<br />
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It has been a while since a book grabbed me by the throat / heart and refused to let me go until I had finished it.<br />
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I’m happy to report that this is that sort of book.<br />
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Don’t be fooled by the subject matter sounding corny or childish. Imaginary friends are, after all, a fairly universal theme in childhood. Dicks, however, finds a way to tell this story in a way that is anything but childish… it is rich and powerful full of literary gems and haunting moments of sentimentality.<br />
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In a word, the book is amazing.<br />
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Budo is our narrator. He is the imaginary friend of an autistic boy. He stays “alive” by being needed by Max, warning him about bullies, helping to calm him down, etc. But like all imaginary friends, he is confined to the way he was when Max created him… so he can walk through doors, but not walls, he can talk to Max but no one else, and he can’t move all that fast.<br />
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The two of them are the best of friends and while other imaginary friends are at risk for fading away when their child friend outgrows them, Budo is confident that Max will need him for a long time yet.<br />
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And then something horrible happens and Budo has to decide if he loves Max enough to help him grow up.<br />
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I won’t ruin the twists, suffice it to say, the book is paced to perfection, the characters are real in a way that few literary ideas ever are, and the story itself is gripping. <br />
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Five out of five stars indeed. I highly recommend this book.</div>
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Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-69999907852305022572013-08-11T13:00:00.000-07:002013-08-11T13:00:45.432-07:00A Tree Grows in BrooklynA Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith<br />
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This book has been in my "to read" pile for a long time.<br />
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Years.<br />
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I had heard of, I had heard good things about it, I knew it was an important book in terms of literature and such....<br />
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Heck, <a href="http://www.gayfresno.com/news/local/2135-a-tree-grows-in-the-tower-community-links-tree-dedication-to-the-lgbt-community">I even referenced it in an article</a> I wrote about a tree dedication a few years back.<br />
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But I had never read it.<br />
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What a mistake to wait!<br />
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This book was excellent. The writing style is classic, at once easy to read but full of gems of prose not often found in contemporary lit. The characters were well rounded and full of life. The description of New York in the 19-teens is beautifully done. It captures the mundane bits of everyday stuff that adds up to a life of memories and holds these fragile moments of time up to the light to be studied.<br />
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Yes, there is symbolism. Yes there is metaphor and prose that could be dissected in literature classes. But there is also a story, a compellingly simple story, of a girl growing up in Brooklyn and a more complicated story of the American dream acted out in perfection by the tragedies and achievements of her family.<br />
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Nestled in the stories of the family members, allagories and character sketches alike, are tiny chapters that shine like unexpected treasures.<br />
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Such as Chapter 22 in which Smith shows us Frannie growing up, discovering books but also showing us how her imagination still personifies numbers (making them into little families in her sums). The juxtaposition is perfectly balanced. Frannie, on the cusp of reading, a pastime which will shape her life, is still a little girl full of dreams and a child's sweet innocence. If there was a doubt in the reader's mind that Frannie is something special, a tree growing where no one expects it to and then thriving on the dirty concrete in a tenement yard, this chapter makes it crystal clear with examples that resonate with subtle meaning.<br />
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A triumph of literature, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" is a wonderful book that I highly recommend. It is well worth the time (a bit long for some readers is isn't a book one would want to skim.<br />
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<br />Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-73108449615188485822013-05-08T12:19:00.000-07:002013-09-18T12:19:23.305-07:00A Thousand Splendid SunsA Thousand Splendid Suns<br />
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Khaleo Hosseini</div>
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ZLrqUlqmJfwj4Fsr63cduEKWtDxQU51JEQkj8pB5mj3xntQp3DWgBlU+hAHKCQI9KXOGWsdw9DjNtapKFOFeZQSozoNPONIHMU049gWI3hwtbzaEutuIcfCT5UgKmdzrlAkCdTpVScXVO9e4kmtzy97C/lscbaiEi8aKf+FTiSI+se1es4bboHErxSuV/KqK0xok5mwBPMxuI0035Q8acDPXGK2t0yEhCFoU6SYgIWFTtqYkR6VV4o4SxT8ScvLBaG8yckk6kcxBSRGgPtSUtI30tfPPcbW9F34Xf/sMX/xGP/uqt8OVf9s4oOyD9CP50e+GnB71iH3Ll0OP3CkqXl/KMmeNYEk5zPLah/BnD1w1jF9crRlZcRlQqRqczZiN9kmiKyuK8P0J62/H9lfAmEDiO7yrzK+VUVCNAS4zoDOukcudZ8Hx+3xX/wAWf+Z2qPEHCGKDEn7uxUhvxBkkkSUyCQQUkbpB9qafhpwk5YNPF9wOPPueIsp/KN+ZAkkkknSlCqXkOQw43iTdqw4+6TkbBUYEn0A5mlvHL23vsJduEatONLOogiJBB7hQP0pi4lwgXds4wrQLTFeI/wDQXGkIXYtLJtVGTKsqDqDrMlOupA033pSadxlp8/IK1qglxRcpd4atVJ5BCT6oUEH7pNTfFBaVYVhqlklJNuVHYlJZJJ7aUx45wGoYKixbUCtsZp5KXmzqjmElRPoDSNZ8P4tfm1tLprw7a3yjMpIHkQAmJBOdWXQf0aaacmr636Uv0HSxr+MmX5JjLt4zUekKj7Un8VWRYxptBMNPPtPRH7wlP3JP/m7V6Z8ReHXLxllpqE5XkKUTsEp0PuAZjtVHjjhU3VzaPt5QWXQpRJ3SCFRtqZSI9TSWkr8fZe6H0or4/b2zxFu+G3FQVpQTCo5qSQQR7UpWFgi3uLq3akIHhuJSSTlC06jU6wRvRjjrAH1vt3lopPjNApyqjzDXadP3iIPXehGC4ZcIcefulJLruUQkyAE/YdIHSnFpu1pva9dyZbHF0NaypLnesroTMqDOEI2ptsEbUsYTtTXYjapBJBi2FEWxVC2FX0UFFgV0K4FVWsRSpta0j8hIgmJjUGeQKSDPeiylFvYuGuYql+Jjy+U+ad9DopKYjmqVbdjWnMQICjl/KoI/NuSY6dMp9+1LMiuXIvCsIqqzfJUtSJTIyx5pmU5tB0iq68V/PCQci0oPm/tKKQduo1pOSEsOT0oJRW4qB64KVtogeckTMRAJOka6CqQxeUlWXbIN/wC0op6dppZkNYcmrSChqPNVd+/SkNk/vlIEGYnn6AkCe4qsvETlcVlEN5pGbXyqUOmkgSPUUsyBYcmEPErkuVTN9+0DZTqSBM9UrV0/uR71XVi4CUqy6FSRvtmTmnblz6UrQ1hSfQJeJ61pSqrvXeVYRBMxr6kjTrEa9JFatLgrRmiAdvoDO3ePahNBkdWdOKqhcqq68KH3Ap5iKA16ql2/O9Hr+l2/O9OxAG63rdc3B1rKrM0IZsJG1NdkKVcJNNliKdgkGLarzYqnbJpZ+ImEMrSy8tEr8ZponMfyKUZTEx771M5UrN+Hwli4ihJ1fhfuh4BrZIG+1I+JvsWeIWST+zZQw6kElRiToOZOo+9CXbkKwV5Zkhdwo+oLwNZc06ocA5KMk9JNLbu2u/Sr9T04KB2M1qgfCr1mtCjZZAkEZ8iSnWOcgSYpP4zv3EYkpptWUvsN2+YmMgW5qoe0/U0PFpWRg8E8TFeHtSvVV9j02a2mlPErdtu4w9jXIlLqU/5WgkAn0NBMGwO2ZvL0oRHgIQWjmV5czSirn5p/vTFLmuxx4WDg5OT2taf+svfvXfr219HSoHYg+lZFInw0fsi00lsIF0Gz4nkOffWVRBG3PpVj4h+EV2SbggMF1XiSSEkBPOP61pudxsHwdcRydevTXS9let1pqOcVzlrzVFwPwq/8JSi0l9xLJlWjf7OEpJ1y6mjbq1fitnqYNqrnpOs+uw+gqc5UuCpvXbN07JP39BuIrWWvG7vH1Jtrxgkg/MeIyT2elQHYEA+5pr+IOMLtrqydTPk8UqA5pPhhQI56D6gVKnoay/8AmTU1C97r0in97rwHdQqIGdiPrSNZXmexxUggpLj5SQdwU79+VXeErmzLB+VCA8llPi5UEKnLrJjXzTRnsynwbhGT10dbeCeuum40OtmKH3CKQOElshdkWlTcLWvx4KpKSlX5xtvBr0d+KcZ2RxfDcieW79K6149tBcv0b0sYinem++iKVsTSNapSpnLlsVrjesqS5RrW6vOQ1W4x4RThh40Fef4XeQR6044fiWg0rNuVmiiNVumhXG9oty3QG0lSg+0qAJMBWp9BNWLe/FXGrqaUn9NGmFJ4c1JdAbiFitWJWzoQS2lp0KVGgJ2HYmaAXWEPnDbhrwleJ8ypaEAaqT4gMgdImnpDs12TWLdbnRDipwy6LSvs2/cFYNianSQbZ9kATLgSAeUCFEzSzxVw45cXjqwg5flf2a50DqVgpHrE/Wnkqqlc3IqVKxYXEPCm5wVfyLrvjuuYe6pshSArxQf3SURJ9SPvXLLCxdX6ikhLiGggxofIoGDsYP8ACijl53qu7dk7V0RiS+JdNJKqr/bMU+DcXWywzbuWrySkFJWQkIGqjrrP2ohjA8a4slBOZKHXPE5hILZAnsTVIrJqVteTUGfSryKqsiXEt4rxFGrvv1u/yU7bCXzh15aZDKHXAzIjOiQpJBOhkz22FT4EX3rxl1Vu4yhm3LSy6nKVKMfl6jQa9jRNGKhMHX0NELK+CxWbg0bPjXJSVLW/S1T/AJEDGeFXnbRJS0fGTcPHJpJQ4smd9tAfSaacdwwvXjBKJaDT6Vq00KwAB9KO564U5G5qUhz43ElV1pm/23/oSsEwN5rDrxhSDnV4gQNJX5QAR6kUWwG/cLSGFWr7ZSyEla0pCSpKADGs6nbSirt5BgVEb+DrVKJOJxbxLzJau+u9UK+F4Y61+HOBpYWlKmXgE6hKsxBV0APXrTbcVnjA7GoXnaknGxnjO34/lv3Bd9zpcxBBg0ev3wJ1pev1TsaG2ZqKoXLxPmrKku061lWkNEthaq5Ux2FurTWaqWLaeZphsW0xuKh40uxpLChEmtWzzNXkaV000Iq0lI5kUcyzJwSNIePtUpu60lI6itqaEVDpgqRVeu6ordKucUUcsgf96xNmkcqccqEwS8xAB3mofBV0NH1NVGW61WL0JcdQKGVdKkFselEyisCKHiMVAv5cjlU1olSVTtV7Sa2UUuYJRJ/F0qJa65Ke9RkVCaNEmcLSNaqLZNWya4UapSDKyqklO29cuO9TVlQqrcIp5rGoAi/k60CfUoaHaj90igl6KeboVkQHuF61laeGtZVpiyP5/wAOrR4ijtldKpYtV0asnYrqcV2OFOQzW1yrqavIeNArd81fbfrOtdhq6CgfNdNu0PFxWxc02kGZBRLx0/nUnzJA3+9B/HrFPGocLKUqC6b4c6mN4nrS/wCKa6S7UPBRaxQ8Xx1rlVyBzoKH6wO1PJobxEEA7rM12LqhfiVorqnhoaxFuEHL46xXIvKHlVaUoUctbBzOoSF8K0LoH+dDCrpXJd70cpdCuawqq471C4596HKd0rh24IG9LlFLFVndyqgd7vvVq5eNB7p00LCHz0VnCJ3rKquKM1lXyxc9diK1VRa0XQG3eE70SZeHWulnHTYeZeq22/QRp2rKXh1FJ0VlbNcUY2q3t1LT+bQJ9SQJ9hJoHwrxM644ltw5pnfcaEz9qX+McWL6whIORsnX+0dpjoNfrQ7B3FIcStKiCDvzjn2qJ7WjWEejR7Sh2uvGoRhmIJdSFJPsdCKvFY7VlnG8In+YrkvKOlcg+lcFR2kUniIfK8Cck9da48RU9qiM9a1J6/eksWuo3g30LhdiuS/VUGen1rSqh4niUsJdEWRcmKzx6rA77fWtpINHNGsFHbjnfTtUKlc9Z6V0U68prZQeoo5g+UiEOE9a4Us96mI05R61woen1oeKUsFFB9ZNCbt0g0YuQANSPrQ26SI3FVDFoJ4KaoGl+srlaY5j61ut88Tn5L7APD3iRM/1/Qosw/Gxn6CheHJTAIUR7R941oxbqQkTB9ZTr2PT6VMplqHYkD/v71NcvkJX2SSN9PtrUZvyrQJMacgJPTbWpL19RbUDpKTuRrvoKjmMvliYG+VTMI3Pb+Irl5WtYyM0gbxt112rpa0OdN3oNWC3BTIB6nr3iKYmbkqTIOxAIjf+WtJduspAWDqNCCfSmVq4AHPkdDv2j71570Z3NWkXvmVctD0JSf63qC4vynSfYfyFD1O+aEkEjmJzep0j/apypROiwQNJVpHOMs6ilaRNMsNXa1CMpA9/5TWHEUjQwDPX+FVSydfOlRTrIKY05AZt6rFJJganc8gO21Glj1oLOYnljTfbWPtvW1X0RodRsf8AagegiBA0JJEn9OVY2hxbkoUopj8sDXXcnpRSC2Gn7pQA8pE7/qImuhfaaxJ77x3A+1BnHllU5oI6qGvfn05xUqXCUlMkAToFDeTOg1FJoaC6LvbYA9Tp/XasNwdgsfX+fOgTqzsR5SepKjHKRt71YDSVJOhjpmP113qWqLCzbyjzkDUxvHftUa1999qFK8qSdQANgEn171wm+KU+SFSfy5Y06giKKfQLXUJLSBMmNJGm/wDOhdxpJkZQPzCDUS8TBJCk8thuPSaq3F6kagwDpOuv12rSKleom4mKSZ1UR7VlDRiEc0fSsramZ5olGwVyA+gEUXaXr5cyik6AEfQ0BZuEpiUAH7kdxRmyu2TqEhOv96T6kmKc0ZwaCzLjgGYpAVmnXSDHLL7867xG4C21SFJUAZOUwTvJJ2k1WReblICuSStQJ6/l0odiDisiySADqU99Omg9JrJRtmjlSA729bZcgzW1xUYFelVnnB29cSUlSdzBPejlg6gpSVpUoRMCBr68udKylS0nsY/WmPDE+IhtCswgcoA5mT7TXn4scsPU7oSzS9Aq7eJIGWUkHm4dO+XNA/32qqb0SZ8RR6gjWOkKzV1lbCi3GZQTm0CdvpXJtJQ4UKyLiIUlPIyRoOn2Ncvmb+Ry88hzKVrIHlByDfXmelYLwtugflbA0zTJOsn0gVy0wpYy+JEakBJCTHSNE0OvGVISoeUrWfDSE66EGeU7A1UUm6E3RebX4y0rk5DrAClACdNhAMCSPSosSBQVZQCE7CD2OpnlvV3BrSUqcX4bUJgJjMdJMGNRoIqS9WG2XZgwJjJvmG8ka8jrrRm+qkHQpYU6MxghA2BK+XoTvWXpe8WW0+IFQZSM2ogEbxskUtWlynnm+tH8Fvkz4aj5VbSdles89vpVzi4uyYTT0On1ESh0LAUNJQJR3BB1idqHNtKCilSiSOYBIO36giieIOqkBOoE/vzJ6xG+nOa0h9ZQonRUHSPzabjkDpz3+kJNpDcU3qRMNpJESO8bd9qnWyrWIH+XT120rGyQUkKJCkeVaUEiNdNNteVVL+5ygJczJAJhRIIPtnnb+jS1bHokV7xTjZlbSVAggGJB9xzHeqqr1C0gNpaSuIKFiJ/4VbfWKmOOpQMplKxEnzKHfUKpevy2olSSJJnKEkJj3510Qg3ujGU8uzJrjIkwttaDG0Ag76ieW3WsqoxiLiBCVqA6T/PasrfKzHPH4v7J1J2UowNvza+sVZLCI/7xUenP1qO2SkHResRJT/rRBNssJH7YQkTEHmaiUioolt2W20BS8xMgQCNiJkH0qy+i3WhaZUkxKTuPfrQ69uVuKiBAECDH671EzmCgSgkDTYkekx9qzp7su1sUzWA1M8oKUogROoHTtUbSZMV3J6WcbWtBTDbdPjpSojKBn11Bgc9aaG3UqWClKMp0J9P07a0v4Rh/ijMSRCMum8yRr2imOwKUzlzeQ7lBPIbHYwP415vEyt77HbgqltucsOFTnjEJAMoTM5soGhgbEqrLht8uBCVRM/vCTqf7W+kVw9fhJMqyzqE5lEySTMxG46aVTevn3E5kJMSQCFyTJHrqCKwUW3+zRukWsbulhpCWk5wrykj1jahly24hTKSlKQpwKSJMykc5PeorrFlLUEKJ8iiM3lkGAkggbxHKrTH/AFi7AWorShBKSQEiTlB+3U1pGOVa+JLd7Ebt2Qp0eMImFIyjrBAn8wOY9dK1j2Ip8BSW9CYBidddecVZW4USmGiSo5SoQqM3psNhXLlsqT4iEQROpSpOnMCNNBOtNVabHrsJtulX9RVxtKv7Uewq1xDaBC0eGkecHRKdOUAATJj+FCFKKdFCD3BFdSeZWjkf0umEbkqBnMPNr09fvUXjHmv71zbuhacp3mRB37VjjQBgmO1LwY99UEWL4lARmTpsDBH+hrlxToBHkGsmAPvQ9aBGmverCrklA5xpPp/oKnLWxqra1OL3Ov8AMEnn0/ShLukgiiXzYA1iqzziFcq0g2iJq+pRAFZW1JitVuc402uHp0nJPUxRZnDk7SgCOU0v21yetEWbv2rhmpdzti0EjhaBB8TffyAkemtWXHAiA24SnoRljtpvQ9t7UajUj39vSmfi5hq3H5Uy6sKGkBKUgCBGxKjJjrXPJ1JRfUtOtjzzEFlT6zOpJ/T/AEqoyqK9GtMLDj2HL8IZCl1ThySnTMRnMR0iTQn4dWzTly66pI8NtGyoIBUQPrv9a7FxUVht1svdr2OR4bzev9m8FsV+CkjLB1339Y+lWUYc8VglzKkiMo16nsOdE7T9neC2y+QOaDllOoB9qptX5+YKdCnxSOmmeABXBKcpSbXXU7I5UkiLEkJY80knaCYkdZAqq1jSF+WSCT1OnfejvFDic5S63CMxy/s4B7yBrp3qyhbeRpiE+Eq1KspGmiVGdpmRM1Kn9KbQPcTkqBXOU+YnYDSNN6Ms4egBOpzEH8pGm8TpQu0xFHiJS2kBJUkbRMkDWmTFGMnzqyiEhTYQYjc65dPTarxG00tvle4JoGuhCCMzZWZ1UYJ+4qyi4ZO7ZPIgoA0PcaVYwHJ4dukoSovlwKUdxlmMuum1QcPLk3BCAtxCPIkiZ1icvPSKhvfw/dDUiqXmif8AuFaHMJAhJGnaNCajuLtakHLmKuWbIQR351aw25S9eIC0JSFKgo5AhO0d1D71VxzEVE5VMhpSSdAnLI5ae0Tzq0vqSoHKyk94i2yChoFQ6Jn9JFDxhi1Tq377DvEU1cROuICUpaCWsjZzhsblImVxvPeqN0uLVlUaqW5KgBJiBFXDEdKupDV7iovBnJ/Mg69DH6VdZwpWy1IA10SlX84r0K5whCSF5RlNsskRspIT5vXX9aWi8Pk1LyifHCZjUDJP8aceIzrQWRIW7vBWyfKVJHQ61QVgyR+8r7UZuMQQBI1noaEXOIa6f7V0wcyJRiVlWCe9ZUTt4SaytakZ/T2NpBMxPSrrLg5k+gIkEfpVSzXKiAmZ6696nYMJmfr+tTIqOpL82UrSTqJGp6TvTxxriSHkPjMjNbOtlGo8zbiETGvmIWT9BXn93bqABJ3Jg89tu3Oqa7Uj9faoeDGTUr2+f16icpK1R6ngmI64YkOkJKHCsZoBMnRQmPrVDAFs2to8VAPeK4GwjMEkpQJBMajUk/SvOUuFOn1qZN8odKzfCb09H+2/cpYi6nqD90hy/sn0EQ8EkgEEhQkQfbT2pfxK2uWLhC3myhtVwAlZiCCueR00BOtJovDpyjpoR3HSpLq9UsAKWtQ38yif1NOPDOLXbYHiJjrxyzcpdceW6FW/ifs0+MDlCtoQDpRC0ukBtl43DGVNmUKSXE+KFlK4QEjWAVRrrpXl01tK6r/F+lRb28CeZqMOHXYS42SR5Vpk/wCYamf60pvxrEyo4olTkpR4RbSVyN9con9K8vDlaWaqfDKUr+bp+wubR6nwq4lbVq8FthDCnlPZlgFMgwcp5EUDwQ/MKc8N4NOiVNHPkzebVJVpGgnfWkcGu21b61P+NVtPf937jWKP+JFtd9lW+kA5At1JEJWEJzEHY6jfrUvEuZtpgOuhx0FySleaEynLKt+sV5629G1WPm9AnYDX+vel/jtNa7FLER6TxYh9xsOIdHgBltRT4oicuv7OdTt3oNeXQOGsEKhSXHgRufpypNL2aAAkd+5O5/0qQOgAjty/rUUo8PlSXZlKdnrSsdbHzTSnEx8slaTmET4cKAPXVOlJSLsfhTmoCvmU6cyCgCQOn8qUnFz251244Mg11B2jl1n+FEOFUOvb7EvEs5W6eXWoiusSrSOdRmuxIxcjoqk61lcVlOiLLKXINTeJIE77dgIrVZUNGsWzpb8mPT7Vy48dKyspUi2yN1wK1O/67VXWINZWVcTKZqsmtVlUZmVlZWUAZWVlZQBlZWVlAGVua1WUAbmugqsrKRVmgK0VVlZTEzVZWVlAjKysrKAP/9k=" 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" 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This book, which could be seen as a companion read to The Kite Runner, is a masterpiece of plot, passion, and profound prose. The characters are deeply human and their struggles are heart breaking. Rarely do we see a story come full circle as this one does. Rarely do we get a chance to see into the hearts and minds of another culture in a way that does more to connect us than to create a sense of difference.... and that is how this novel shines, it bridges the connections of characters to the human experience, and it does so beautifully.</div>
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Not for the faint of heart, this novel tells of the plight of generations of women in Afghanistan. Be prepared for stomach clenching tension and frustrated tears at the injustice that is faced. </div>
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But it is worth it, deeply worth it.I highly recommend this book. But have your tissues handy.</div>
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Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-80362513136406881852013-04-03T20:35:00.000-07:002013-09-17T21:23:12.111-07:00The Handmaid's TaleThe Handmaid's Tale<br />
By Margaret Atwood<br />
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src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" 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Timeless<br />
Riveting<br />
Frightening<br />
Profoundly crafted<br />
Perfectly paced<br />
Chilling.<br />
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This is a story of a dystopian future where we are no more than the sum of our parts and where the religious extremes are followed through to insane levels. It is compelling and haunting, full of nameless and socially named characters that will stay with you far past the final pages. And those final pages are essential. The "Afterword" adds so much to the story, it would be a travesty to skip it.<br />
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This book takes the notion of class, of gender, of rights vs privilege, of hierarchical systems, and of cultural xenophobia to some very frightening logical conclusions. It will make you think. It might give you nightmares. It is, understandably, one of the most important allegorical stories of our time.<br />
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The fact that it wasn't written in 2008 is shocking and a testament that there really is nothing new under the sun.<br />
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I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone... but especially those who like to think outside the box, who want to be challenged a bit in their beliefs, and who harbor a well placed mistrust of organized religions / systems.<br />
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<br />Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-20130517149408097032013-03-22T20:02:00.002-07:002013-03-22T20:02:11.652-07:00Things Fall ApartThe titan of African literature, Chinua Achebe, has died at the age of 82. We know him as the writer of <b><u>Things Fall Apart</u></b> (<a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/03/22/chinua-achebe-dies-beyond-things-fall-apart-and-his-best-books.html">although that was only his first book</a>).<br />
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I read <b><u>Things Fall Apart</u></b> as part of my <a href="http://perhapsreviewed.blogspot.com/2009/04/plan-for-tale.html">501 Project / Goal.</a></div>
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But then I didn't write about it. I have no idea why. I remember reading it, I remember typing about it... I even remember a few turns of phrase that I used... but I can't seem to find a blog post about it anywhere... so let's blame internet gnomes and move on.</div>
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I really liked <b><u>Things Fall Apart.</u></b> It was a relatively quick read but it packed a wallop of an emotional punch. Published in the late 50s (and thus at the end of British colonial expansion) it tells the story of British colonial expansion in Nigeria through the eyes of not the colonist, but the African people who get colonized, namely a tribal leader named Okonkwo.</div>
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Not only is it a gripping foray into a part of history and a population that is often overlooked in both literature and politcs, but the story itself is well told and full of fascinating characters. </div>
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Yes the book is significant because it humanizes the plight of the African people, but it is more than that... this glimps into the lives of the tribal people is at once a history lesson and a reminder that there are such things as universal human emotions: love, fear, greed, hope.</div>
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I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Read it for its cultural significance, read it for its well crafted pose, read it for the history lesson... but read it.</div>
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Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-41501008898603845542013-02-15T14:50:00.000-08:002013-02-18T18:16:15.557-08:00Behind the Beautiful ForeversBehind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo<br />
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The title warns you: this is a book that is going to deal with big seriously depressing stuff.<br />
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And WHAM, right off the bat we jump into squalor and grime and a wrongly accursed youth afraid for his life, his ability to scratch out a living, and the the health and well being of his family.<br />
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On the surface, this is the book that follows a few of the inhabitants of an Indian slum but like the slum itself, that is just the surface. Really, this is a book about people struggling in a corrupt world, people acting out their baser instincts towards each other, and people overcoming their dismal situation<br />
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Or at the very least trying to make the best of a bad, very bad situation.<br />
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Boo's treatment of the inhabitants of the slum is interesting. She neither makes them into caricatures of themselves nor paints them as totally blameless angels... she shows us complicated people who's motivations are the same as those of us not living in slums even if their actions are different. It is a fascinating and perspective changing look at a portion of society that is at best ignored and at worst used for political traction.<br />
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I strongly recommend reading this book. Feel the weight of oppression the kindle of revolution, the despair of life's traps and the hope shared by the children that someday things will get better.<br />
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Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-33809091534939153272013-02-08T22:03:00.000-08:002013-02-17T22:04:20.228-08:00The Book Thief The Book Thief by Markus Zusak<br />
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We picked this for book club.<br />
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Another WWII book.<br />
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Le Sigh<br />
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And yet...<br />
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Calling it another WWII book is wrong. Very very wrong.<br />
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Because that is oversimplifying it. Yes, the story takes place during World War Two, but the story is about more than that... it is about some of the people who played the accordion and loved and fought and cried and read and stole books while World War Two thundered down upon them and changed their lives forever.<br />
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I didn't want to read this book.<br />
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I didn't want to think about world wars, or dead Jews, or little girls hiding in basements while bombs dropped from the sky. I didn't want to cry when characters I loved died.... because you know that in a book set during World War Two, a book about a German girl living in Nazi Germany, a book narrated by Death himself.... when you read a book like this, you know that people are going to die. A lot of people.<br />
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And yet...<br />
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I am so glad I read this book.<br />
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I'm glad I pushed past the first chapter when the voice of Death as narrator being almost pretentiously literary threatened to drive me up a wall. I'm glad I became swept up in the life of a little German girl who's love of reading leads to her stealing books. I'm glad I was introduced to her adoptive father who simply must be one of the best parents in all of literature. I'm glad I had an excuse to add a few choice German words to my vocabulary. I'm glad I got to watch Ruby play soccer and meet Max, the skin and bones Jew who lived in the basement and wrote stories on repainted pages of Mien Kampf.<br />
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The story is gripping, tragic, bittersweet, and unforgettable The writing is crisp, literary, magical, and haunting. The pace is both quick enough to keep your attention and slow enough to build the drama of the unavoidable climax into a fervent tension... Death teases us with glimpses of the future as a way of at once warning us (giving our hearts time to harden) and making us quake with anticipation.<br />
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This is one of those up-all-night-reading-instead-of-sleeping books that will trouble your heart, challenge your mind, and enrich your life.<br />
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Don't be daunted by the length.<br />
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Read this book.<br />
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Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-86620571667085665602013-02-01T21:35:00.000-08:002013-02-17T21:35:48.906-08:00The Wednesday SistersThe Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton<br />
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This book has a<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m3MAMWSRM5XEQQ/ref=ent_fb_link"> video preview</a>!<br />
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Clayton's novel about a sisterhood of housewives in Palto Alto California in the late 60s is everything a book about a sisterhood should be.<br />
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We have five different women who while being distinct enough that almost every female reader can find someone to identify with also have enough in common to make their eventual bonding not only believable but encouraged.<br />
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We have the end of the 60s and the turmoil of the US in terms of Civil Rights, Women's Rights, and the world at large changing.<br />
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We have the theme of empowerment that ties the Miss america pageant into the quest for self expression and drive.<br />
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We have a shared dream that is illustrated in a variety of ways... but is no less powerful for being done differently (This, is perhaps my favorite bit about this book... the focus is following your dream, not anyone else's So what if your dream is to write something no one else might ever see.... if your goal was to write it and you did, then you succeeded!)<br />
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We have female bonding over typical "female" issues of children, marriage, etc... and then we have female bonding through cancer. Through it all we have the focus being on the bonding itself andthe challenges play second fiddle to the strength that the women find in each other.<br />
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If the ending is a bit cavity inducing, well we can forgive it because sometimes, even in the midst of drama or turmoil, we cna find a moment to laugh with our friends and in that freeze frame second, we are living in someone's happily ever after.<br />
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Clayton does a great job of bringing five different women to life and making each one someone to root for. All in all, the book is a quick read with messages of hope, perseverance , and above all, the importance of close friendships, a funny and mostly light hearted read that is well worth the time.<br />
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<br />Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-12776606498150146972013-01-25T16:05:00.000-08:002013-02-15T16:11:05.055-08:00Jennifer GovernmentJennifer Government by Max Barry<br />
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<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This book takes place in the not too distant future where the government has been privatized and people (even children) take on the last name of their employer/school. Yes, it is satire. Yes it deals with with globalization and marketing craziness... such as Nike hiring a hit man to kill the first person to buy their new shoes as a way of making the shoes desirable... but thankfully it goes beyond the shtick and tells the story of the people living in this semi dystopian world; namely single mom and government agent Jennifer Government and struggling villain turned hero Hack Nike.<br /><br />I loved it.<br /><br />Witty, sharp, poignant, and short this book has everything you want in a speculative fiction novel; compelling unforgettable characters, dark humor coupled with sobering realities, and a perfect ending.<br /><br />One of those books that will stay with you and inspire rereading long after completion, this book is not to be missed.<br /><br />I highly recommend it!<div>
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Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-64524214293623089762013-01-18T19:51:00.000-08:002013-02-14T19:52:31.233-08:00Perks of Being a Wallflower: MovieI wrote a review for Perks of Being a Wallflower in which I gushed about it... because really, it is a very well written book.<br />
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And then I saw the movie... as one does when one likes the book and has a major crush on the actress in the movie adaptation.<br />
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Anyway....<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CJYSdOopYY4/UR2qWjS-UwI/AAAAAAAAEMM/ovrNtFnbJRk/s1600/images+(37).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CJYSdOopYY4/UR2qWjS-UwI/AAAAAAAAEMM/ovrNtFnbJRk/s200/images+(37).jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="135" /></a>Adaptations are always hard because if you loved the book you are bound to find something you hate about the movie even if that something is that no one looks the way you had imagined.<br />
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(I had it easy, my copy of the book was released after the movie was in the works so everyone looked exactly they way I had pictured them.)<br />
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A <a href="http://perhapsreviewed.blogspot.com/2009/06/novel-vs-movie-my-sisters-keeper.html">wise woman once said </a>that <i>comparing books to movies is like comparing fresh apples to apple pie. They are both apple in taste, but one has gone through remarkable transformation and is something altogether different. And sometimes, despite you love for apple pie… you crave an apple pure. They are different things and should be treated as such.</i><br />
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Well ok then... you know I lied the book (and if you need a refresher, <a href="http://perhapsreviewed.blogspot.com/2013/01/perks-of-being-wallflower.html">here's my review</a>.)<br />
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What about the movie?<br />
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<b><u>The Movie on its own merits.</u></b><br />
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- Well done! The pacing is smooth, the drama is gripping, the character development is pristine!<br />
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- The acting was superb!<br />
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- The use of flashbacks was a bit awkward, but the lead up to the climax was very well shot and executed.<br />
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- Marvelous story, we really feel for Charlie and his desire to fit in and stay connected to his friends.<br />
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<b><u>The Movie in terms of being an adaptation of the book</u></b><br />
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- Great use of music.... they kept the spirit of the times with the needed modernization .. ie, they didn't bring it into today's world but let it stay where it needed to be with the right amount of emphasis placed on the indie bands.<br />
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... but they made changes (how could they not?). I guess I am disappointed in the changes because they seemed to be unnecessary and to change, in small ways, the overall feel of the story.<br />
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- They took out almost all of the family stuff... and while that is understandable it is disappointing The scenes with Charlie's father and the MASH episode, the story arc of his bonding with his sister.. these are elements that made the story more than just a coming of age story like so many others.<br />
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- A subtle change, but one worth noting: Early in the book Sam tells Charlie to not fall in love with her... and so he tries not to. This results in him not chasing her, not asking her out etc. Towards the end, Sam asks him why he never pursued her and he reminds her of what she told him... and this worked on a few different levels. It showed us how Charlie is so literal, it showed us that he was so determined to maintain that relationship that he never acted on feelings even when the situation had changed and it might have been okay to do so. In the movie, which lacked the early instruction from Sam, his inability to ask her out is painted as more of shortcoming, a social awkwardness, a failing on his part to "get" that she might have been interested in him rather than a intentional choice on his part to respect her wishes.<br />
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- Which leads us to another Sam and Charlie change.. in the movie he helps her with her studies which leads to her getting to go to college... and this dramatically changes how they relate to one another. He helps her academically and she helps him socially .. and while it isn't done as a quid pro quo thing, the elements are there In the book, Sam likes him and includes him into her circle of friends for not other reason than she likes him and wants to include him.<br />
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- The sex. In the book, Charlie and Sam don't have sex. In the movie it is strongly implied that they do. This is a huge difference as the lack of sex (but the sexual touching) in the book is the catalyst for Charlie's breakdown and the book's climax... where Charlie learns about his past. Changing that changes the breakdown to be one stemming from guilt or from seeing her drive away... not brought on by the sexual touching... and if it isn't a PTSD moment of panic that leads Charlie to realize his own abuse but rather the loss of a friend and romantic interest that gets him to that dark place, well, that is a loss as well because it siply isn't as powerful.<br />
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All in all the movie was well done and had I not read and loved the book as much as I did, I would probably have enjoyed it more. <br />
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However... I would advise the reading of the book and the skipping of the movie because in the end, the elements that made the book so well done are important enough to warrant the extra time of reading rather than watching. And, like I said before, the book is an incredibly quick read.<br />
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There you have it... read the book... (maybe while listening to the soundtrack from the movie). You won't be sorry.<br />
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Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-990449926086561144.post-11458710658529239952013-01-11T18:46:00.000-08:002013-02-14T18:57:15.079-08:00The Peach KeeperThe Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen<br />
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A Chick-Lit with enough heart and mystery to overcome its almost cavity inducing sweetness and light.<br />
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The Peach Keeper is the story of women... old women, young women, women from a forgotten time, women of today... women who hate each other and women who would go to the ends of the Earth to protect each other. In short, this book is about the bonds that women can form when they decide to stop competing with one another and work together.<br />
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<b><u>What worked:</u></b><br />
- The perspective change between the two leading ladies. While the author's voice didn't change, she never left you in doubt of who's part of the adventure you were seeing.<br />
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- The build up of the mystery and eventual conclusion.<br />
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- The supporting cast of characters, most notably the character of Rachel who really deserved her own book.<br />
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<b><u>What didn't work... at least for me.</u></b><br />
- The Rom/Com pairing off of couples. As soon as our cast of characters had all been introduced, two men and two women, the thought of a double date and living happily ever after was not just obvious, it was a forgone conclusion that sapped a bit of the tension from the story.<br />
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- The injection of the supernatural. Yeah, it's a pet peeve, but supernatural stuff always takes me a bit out of the story especially when it is introduced rather late in the game. It simply wasn't needed to tell the story.<br />
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- The "is he or isn't he" in regards to the sexual orientation of a character. For goodness sake people, just ask. (But wait, you might be saying... isn't it rude to ask if someone is gay? No. Asking because you are curious is rude. But if you want to sleep with / fall in love with the person, then it is not only not at all rude, it is sort of a necessary step in determining comparability. And he was part of the little happy foursome mentioned above... so the only person who didn't know he was into the woman was the woman herself, which was just annoying.<br />
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*Ok... another pet peeve... she has a laundry list of reasons she thinks he is gay but never EVER considers the possibility that he is bi. So.. yeah.. she saw him kissing another boy back in high school. I'm sorry to burst your bubble but high school sexual explorations does not equal sexual orientation... and even if he was madly in love with the boy in high school that doesn't mean that he couldn't also be madly in love with her... because, again, he might be bi. A mystery easily solved by asking. <br />
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Grrrr<br />
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Ok.<br />
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But besides all that, the book was a quick read and I enjoyed the fact that though the two main women characters where set to be rivals, at least in the beginning the author managed to make them both fully rounded out and sympathetic. She didn't cut corners and make the rich perfect girl all evil or the more plain Jane character the heroine. I appreciated that.<br />
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So.. worth reading for sure... in fact if you need a book for the beach or the plane, consider this one a perfect fit. Yes it is chick-lit (with all the pros and cons that entails) but it is full of heart, has a good message, and was well written.<br />
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<br />Kaylia Metcalfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12527164450365029203noreply@blogger.com0