Erin's Book #50: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

YES! I did it! For a while it was looking kinda iffy, but I managed to pull it off.

Oscar Wao has been on my list for a while, but I didn't really know what it was about. It's an interesting book - Oscar is an aspect of it, but not the entire story. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Jersey, Oscar is a fat nerd that just wants a girl, but spends his time writing, reading, and watching sci fi, graphic novels, and anime. We are also introduced to his beautiful older sister, his cancer-stricken mom, and his grandmother, who still lives in DR. Each character has their own story, each more fascinating than the last. What I love about this book is how your perception of the characters change, depending on whose story it is. These characters have survived dictatorships, heartbreak, beatings, and worse, perhaps all because of a curse, fuku.

Oscar Wao is not the quickest read; Diaz includes lots of historical footnotes and there's a decent amount of Spanish in it, which slowed me down a little (kept translating in my head). But I found the characters and the world they inhabited fascinating.

Erin's Book #49: Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen

This is a tough book. Beautifully written, but tough subject matter. Frances Benedetto, fed up with being battered by her cop husband Bobby, takes her young son Robert and disappears, leaving behind her Brooklyn home and starting a new life as Beth Crenshaw in a small Florida town. She uses a program akin to Witness Protection, but specializing in abused wives. As Beth and Robert adjust to their new lives, they live in fear that Bobby will find them.

Beth is a strong woman, stronger than Frances. After being beaten for years, she finally leaves for her son's sake. But Bobby's shadow hangs over every page. Even as Robert makes friends and takes up sports, and Beth starts a new relationship and job, you just sense that Bobby is out there looking for her, wanting his revenge.

I won't spoil the ending, but I will say it was somewhat shocking to me. I'm curious to read more by Quindlen, and I have a feeling this one won't leave me very easily.

Blythe's Book 50: The Girl Who Stopped Swimming

Here we are, the end of the year, and the end of the "project." Or experiment, challenge, whatever. I started out strong, but towards the end I really wasn't sure that I'd manage to finish fifty books. Nate told me I needed to-- that I'd made a commitment, and I think that was the push I needed. It now seems appropriate that I finished this project, my fiftieth book, on the same day we started our newest project-- raising a child. Cora was born at 11:30 a.m. on December 27th and was kind enough to doze in my arms on Dec. 28th as I finished the last forty pages of book #50. I hope that starting her first full day in the world with her face in a book bodes well for her and that she comes to love reading as much as all of us do. I really think books have been one of the greatest joys and comforts in my life, and I wish that for her as well.

I don't have a ton to say about The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, which is unfair to the author, because it actually is a pretty good book. The storyline follows the life of a woman named Laurel who enlists her crazy sister, Thalia, to help her discover how her preteen daughter's friend died. That sounds a little confusing, but it makes perfect sense in the book (and I'm working off of pretty much no sleep here, so bear with me). Laurel has chosen a life of comfort and quiet in a gated neighborhood near Pensacola; her sister, Thalia, is an actress who runs an experimental theater and despises the cozy, boring life Laurel has chosen for herself. Both sisters cannot come to terms with the life the other leads. Laurel thinks Thalia's life is a farce; Thalia thinks Laurel is hiding her head in the sand. I like that, even when the sisters are united in a cause, they still don't quite understand one another. Rather than tidying everything up in the end, there's still a level of difference between the two that suggests that, no matter how much they may love one another, they will always believe in different things and want different things-- there's a lesson in that, I'm sure; we can't judge what others are doing, or where their happiness comes from-- we may not understand it, but we can still respect it and allow everyone their bit of joy.

So now I'm off to revel in my new bit of joy, who is currently sitting under a lamp trying to get "unjaundiced." When they said she'd have to stay at the hospital for another day and that we wouldn't be able to hold her much while she's under the lamp, I was crushed. But now I'm feeling a bit better about it; she's getting her first suntan (no small feat with this nasty weather we've been having!) and I get to devote a few minutes to finishing this up properly. I'm so glad we all embarked on this together, and that I was given an excuse to do what I do best-- loafing around and reading, reading, reading. I've been exposed to new authors, new thoughts, and now have a list of about fifty MORE books I'd like to read, thanks to Pam, Erin, and Vanessa's posts... hmm, that sounds like a challenge for the new year :)

Happy reading,
Blythe

Blythe's Book 49: Star Island

At one time, I was a Carl Hiaasen fanatic. Once I discovered him, I read every piece of fiction he'd written and some of his nonfiction before taking a break... and then I realized that the only problem with Carl Hiaasen is that, in big doses, his work all kind of runs together. In fact, there've been two or three times I've started one of his novels only to get halfway through and realize, "Wait; this isn't a similar plot to [insert title here]...I've read this before!" However, Hiaasen never said readers should go on a frenzy and consume all of his work at once-- and you really shouldn't. His novels are best in small doses where you can appreciate the bizarre turns of events, the ridiculousness that is South Florida, and his idiosyncratic characters. And that is exactly what Star Island, Hiaasen's latest novel, delivers. I'm so glad I've taken a few years off from Hiaasen, because it allowed me to enjoy Star Island to the fullest extent. My favorite recurring character, Clinton Tyree, the former governor of FL, has a starring role in this novel and he's every bit as entertaining and eccentric as usual. There's a mutilated bodyguard complete with a prosthetic weedwhacker for an arm, a drugged-out, sex-crazed teen starlet, and several other memorable characters who fit perfectly into the South Beach scene Hiaasen depicts. I don't think this is necessarily Carl Hiaasen's best piece of fiction, but it was entertaining, familiar, and served to remind me of what had drawn me to his novels in the first place: Hiaasen knows Florida, and loves it in spite of all the drama and flash trying to overtake the natural. Through his characters, he can bitch and moan about the rich snowbirds, the pretentious starlets, the obscene real estate going-ons, but he still manages to show Florida as a place where there's hope for the wilderness and the people who fiercely want to protect it. He paints a picture of a land untamed and untameable, and in the end of his novels(here's one Hiaasen formula I like), sanity always wins out.

Erin's Book #48: The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg

After discovering Berg through We Are All Welcome Here, I was eager to read more of her work. I couldn't pass up this one's cover. It was enjoyable, though it can't compare to Welcome.

The Last Time I Saw You features an array of characters, all preparing for their fortieth high school reunion. Some are hoping to reconnect with old crushes, some have something to prove, and one just wants his wife back. I had some trouble keeping all the characters straight and found myself flipping back to earlier chapters to remember who was who.

This was an enjoyable read, but it felt very lightweight, despite many characters wrestling with very real and serious issues. Because it dealt with so many characters (and it's only about 240 pages), I didn't even have time to make up my mind about who I liked and was rooting for. I liked it, but I won't remember it a month from now.

Erin's Book #47: Love Walked In by Marisa de los Santos

I snatched this book up after reading Belong to Me, which was the sequel. Oops. Turns out that, aside from knowing who the main character ends up with, it didn't really matter that I read the sequel first. In fact, I think I'm glad I did, as I liked this one much better.

The protagonist is Cornelia Brown, a young, single, smart but directionless woman looking for some answers. She thinks she finds them in the form of a handsome, wealthy older man. Through him, she meets Clare, a 12-year-old girl trying to keep her family together. The relationship between Cornelia and Clare is sweet and touching, and the heart of the novel.

Cornelia is a huge fan of old movies, particularly anything starring Cary Grant. The book is peppered with references to classic films, which was a fun touch. I felt this was a great opportunity to learn so much more about a character I liked, but didn't feel like I knew tons about. I read this entire book on a plane and it was a great choice for the flight - it was very easy to not put down.

Blythe's Book 48: Washington Square by Henry James

When I first decided I wanted to read 50 books this year, it was mostly with the intention of giving myself a reason to read the classics. Look over my past 47 posts and you'll see how that went. Miserable, epic fail. BUT... here we are, nearing the end of the year, and I have finally read ONE classic: Washington Square by Henry James. There were so many times in grad school when someone would say something to the effect of, "Oh (blah blah blah) is sooo Jamesian," and I would sit there, nodding sagely, having no idea what the hell a Jamesian sentence would look or sound like. Well, now I've read James, so there. I thought the plotline of Washington Square was pretty similar to some of Jane Austen's domestic novels: girl is raised by widower father who is to leave her a fortune; fortune-hunter comes, woos her, and father refuses to allow them to marry; busybody aunt tries to push the two together, and a bit of emotional chaos ensues. This is somewhat similar to the beginning of Persuasion, one of my favorite Austen novels. However, here's the problem: the heroine of Persuasion, Anne Elliott, eventually goes from a meek, self-sacrificing daughter to a woman who knows she must put her own happiness before others, and acts accordingly. She is rewarded for both her initial obedience and her eventual self-actualization and backbone. Catherine Sloper, the heroine of Washington Square , isn't as perceptive, wise, or generous as Anne. She is an obedient daughter, then a consistent lover, and eventually an admired spinster... but while it's easy to be sympathetic towards her, she isn't someone I really admired or connected to. Catherine is a pawn; her father dismisses her as a dull child only there to be amusing to him; her lover, Morris, is only after her fortune; and her live-in aunt, Mrs. Penniman, uses Catherine's complex love affair as an excuse to entertain herself, regardless of the fact that her involvement only causes Catherine more pain. In the end, Catherine is the only one we can still admire, or even respect-- but she is also alone and it just seems so sad and wrong. I'm glad I read Washington Square, but it certainly didn't leave me smiling.

Blythe's Book 47: Room by Emma Donoghue

Room is a really compelling read. Both the narrative voice and the storyline are so original and I highly recommend this book-- even though it isn't exactly cheerful or light. Room is told from the perspective of five year-old Jack and centers on the highly restricted life he and his mother, only known as Ma, live. Jack was born in an eleven-by-eleven room, which he has never left. His mother was kidnapped by a rapist at the age of nineteen, and since then she has lived in a shed that was converted into, as Jack calls it, "room." Impregnated by her captor, she and her son now live in this tiny room, and make the best of it that they can. While this sounds horrifying, Jack has never known any different, and to him, this is simply his life. Told in his idiosycratic voice, Jack details their daily schedule, his emotions towards Ma and "Old Nick"-- his mother's captor-- and lets you into his world. The aspect of this story that really kept me involved is Ma's love for Jack-- the activities she dreams up, the ways she protects him, the lengths she goes to to make sure his life is as good as it possibly can be-- it is heartwrenchingly amazing. Somehow, even when you're busy feeling sorry for Ma and Jack, you're also completely envious of their imaginative, selfless world. Room is a world where love is enough. It made me realize how very little everything else matters.

Blythe's Book 46: Mathilda Savitch

Mathilda Savitch is entertaining-- both as a main character and as a novel. Mathilda is a young teenager (we can assume) who is trying to deal with the year-old violent death of her older and much admired sister. Mathilda is obviously grieving, and voices this, but her parents seem utterly paralyzed by their grief and, because of that, are unable to provide Mathilda with the love and comfort she needs. Mathilda decides the only way to make them snap out of their zombie-like state is to be truly bad; she wants to shock them into waking up. She hacks into her sister's email account and sends their mother emails from Helene; she stalks Helene's old boyfriends, trying to piece together the life her sister left behind; she pinches her faithful dog, seeing if he's willing to abandon her as well. However, while Mathilda desires to be "bad," what she REALLY wants is to get her family back.

This novel wasn't always an easy one to read; Mathilda is prickly, and at times even a little creepy... her interactions with her best friend and the boy next door both made me uncomfortable sometimes, even though her emotions and actions obviously stemmed from grief and loneliness. She;s aggressive, frustrated, and angry. However, she is also irresistible because she loves so fiercely and will do anything to get her family back.

Erin's Book #46: The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

I discovered Kate Morton's The House at Riverton several years ago through a book club. It remains one of my favorites. Her novels have a very specific style - a present-day (or at least modern) character has some connection to the past and the books alternate between two time periods, as the modern characters slowly discover the truth about the past. Her settings are incredibly lush and vivid; she's a genius at transporting you to another time period, filled with wealth and elegance.

In The Distant Hours, a 30-year-old woman named Edie works as a publisher in 1992 in London. She discovers that her mother was an evacuee during the war and stayed for several months in a castle called Milderhurst, where the author of Edie's favorite childhood novel lived. Edie stumbles upon the castle one day when she gets lost and finds the three Blythe sisters, now all quite old, still living there. What follows is a mesmerizing mystery of love and heartbreak, madness and guilt. What connection does Edie's mom have to the sisters? What happened to the youngest sister's fiance? And what does any of it have to do with the origin of Raymond Blythe's beloved children's story?

I had more difficulty getting absorbed in this one than Morton's other two, but once I did, I literally couldn't put it down. It's a tragic tale, but a gratifying one, as all of the pieces slowly fit together. A beautiful romantic mystery that I highly recommend.

Erin's Book #45: Belong To Me by Marisa de los Santos

I have once again unknowingly bought the sequel to a book without reading the first one. Though in this case, I think it's less a continuation of the same story, and more just a different phase of a character's life. (Though I did just pick up the first book, Love Walked In, so I'll find out if that's really true).

From what I could tell, it really didn't matter if I read the other book first. Belong to Me follows three main characters in a suburban town - Cornelia, who recently gave up her city life for a quieter life with her gorgeous husband Teo; Piper, a frigid, snobby mother of two dealing with the impending death of her terminally ill best friend, as well as her own failing marriage; and Dev, the brilliant young son of single mom Lake, who has moved him from the east coast to, by Dev's best guess, find the father he's never met. Over the course of the story, these three characters' lives intertwine in unforgettable ways.

Although this wasn't a book that I couldn't put down, I did really enjoy it. I like de los Santos's style and I really enjoyed the characters, who are all more than meets the eye. There was a bit of mystery to it, and the cancer story hit me hard, as I lost a close mentor to cancer just before I started this book, and then my young upstairs neighbor died of it while I was reading it. Though the tragedy is just one aspect of it, and it serves to ultimately liberate Piper from the life she thought she needed. Belong to Me is full of heartbreak, victory, love, loss, and life.

Blythe's Book 45: Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Admission offered an interesting look at the admissions process to an Ivy League university like Princeton, where the story is set. Portia Nathan is an admissions officer who buries herself in the personalities, frustrations and dreams of the seventeen-year old applicants whose files she peruses for the better part of each year. There is a secret Portia is drowning under, which is alluded to throughout the book, but since it doesn't get unveiled 'til the end of the book, I won't go further into that. However, this secret greatly impacts Portia's long-term relationship, friendships, and creates a kind of personal inertia that she seems incapable of escaping... until she meets one special applicant and his exceptional (read: potential romantic interest) teacher, John Halsey.

I liked this book, although it's not one of my personal favorites, because it was informative and Korelitz is a strong writer. However, by the end, I was a little bored by the factual tidbits re: admissions and the personal rants Korelitz made about how misunderstood the admissions process and the officers are. It's clear this is a topic dear to her heart-- Korelitz is married to a Princeton professor and was, for several years, a part-time reader of admissions packets, so she knows what she's talking about-- but it seems like she was so eager to get in as much information on the admissions process as she could-- and sometimes at the detriment of the story.