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Book Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry

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I wasn't a big reader as a child. I barely read school assignments, I tended to pass based on my ability to BS a book report. I went to a small Christian school, so the books that I did have access to were so incredibly dull. Pilgrim's Progress, anyone? No, thank you!

I think that's why I love kids books so much, I never read them as a child myself. The Giver is a book that I've heard mentioned over and over again. I started reading on a flight from Tampa to Baltimore one night around 6pm and finished the next afternoon. I would have finished sooner had there not been the need for food or sleep.

I adore dystopia novels. The Giver takes place in a small, commune-style community in an undisclosed location. We are led to believe that this is one community amongst several. Households are consist of: a mother, a father, a sister and a brother. Children are applied for and assigned to a couple, as opposed to being born into a couple. Sex does not occur. Mother and Father are more like buds than spouses. The children are brought up through levels of development which, for the most part, coincide with their age (Ones, Twos, Threes, up to Twelves).

Our protagonist is Jonas who is an Eleven, going on Twelve. Twelve being the stage in which jobs are assigned. In the Twelve ceremony, Jonas is assigned the job of "The Receiver", a position of great honor in the community. Jonas meets with the current Receiver who from this point on is referred to as "The Giver". The Giver explains that the job of The Receiver is to hold the memories of the community. Memories are transferred from the The Giver to The Receiver by touch, which brings a fantastical aspect to an otherwise plausible story. Jonas must bear the weight and pain of the history of his world, which is known only to himself and The Giver. 

I thoroughly enjoyed The Giver. It was lovely, heartwarming, and at times heart-wrenching. I could not pull myself away from this story. The ending is ambiguous which is something that I tend to find displeasing, however, I know in my heart how it ended. 

The Giver is similar in bits to The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (one of my favorites - side note, did you know that Claire Danes narrates The Handmaid's Tale for Audible --- i know, right?) and I also felt a similarity to This Perfect Day by Ira Levin. 

This is my first experience with Lois Lowry, but not my last, I will spend a bit of time on her backlist.

My favorite quote ... "Memories are forever."

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Book Review Quickie: The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

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As a new project for iamjanesheart.com, I have decided to write (at least a short blurb) about every book I read in 2013. I tend to keep my posts to books sent to me for review or for books that I have a passionate response to; generally, I leave out mediocre books, re-reads and simply bad books (if you can't say something nice, yadda yadda yadda).

Anywho, The Snowman is not the type of book that I would normally review. Its fine. Really. It's a decent crime novel, which gets extra points for being a Scandinavian novel.

This was my introduction to Inspector Harry Hole - I believe this is the seventh novel in his story arc - Harry is a recovering alchololic who recently lost his partner(s) (both his professional partner and his romantic partner). He is fixated on serial killers, to the extent that no one seems to believe him when he says that the recent disappearances and murders of women throughout Oslo are linked and committed by a serial murderer. We follow some crazy leads and various assumptions until we find the true offender. 

Nesbo threw me off the scent of the killer about half-way through the novel. Some of the foreshadowing was misleading, I knew that we were being told something for a resone but the reason did not show itself until the last quarter of the book in a rapid vomit of motives. 

This reminds me a lot of the Dexter novels, strike that, it totally reminds me of Law and Order more. I know the story isn't great, I have a general idea of how it will end, but its an easy, entertaining read. 

So if your mind needs to take a break, I suggest The Snowman by Jo Nesbo. 

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Book Review: Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version

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Aptly timed for the 200th Anniversary of the first edition of the Grimm's Brothers Tales, Philip Pullman (author of His Dark Materials!!) has pull together fifty stories from these tales into a collection. Some of these stories are more popular, such as: "Cinderella", "The Frog Prince", and "Briar Rose". However, the majority of the stories are lesser known. Pullman acknowledges that fairy tales have changed throughout the years. Specifically, the Grimm's tales have suffered a castration during the many editions that have been released. 

In these tales, Pullman has brought together the best parts of all iterations of the tales. At the end of each story, he acknowledges any changes that may have been made as well as listing the ways in which the Grimm's brothers came to know the tale. 

I would love to pretend to that I knew these tales from my serious, scholarly fairy tale reading, but in reality I knew them from a fantastic show on Nickelodeon in the early 90's called "Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics". This collection was filled with nostalgic moments for me. 

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This was such a pleasurable read for a fairy-tale-junkie like myself. I suggest that this book should be enjoyed slowly, just a nibble or two before bed. 

Favorite quote … "He ordered three iron bands to put around his heart to stop it bursting with grief."

Fairy Tales From the Brother's Grimm is currently available at your local bookstore. 

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Book Review: The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis

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Nina leads a seemingly ordinary life as a nurse in Denmark. In addition to being an nurse, Nina is honestly a good person. A person who cares much more than she should. When Nina receives a distress call from her old friend Karin, of course she runs to help. 

Karin needs a favor, from someone just like Nina, someone much stronger than Karin who will not turn a blind eye. Karin's request leads Nina to a train station locker room. She was told to retrieve a suitcase. Nina half-drags the suitcase back to her car and discovers a small boy. Naked, drugged, but alive.

In Lithuania, Sigita wakes in a hospital bed with a broken arm. She is told that she had alcohol poisoning. Sigita has no idea how she has gotten to the hospital and she has no idea who has her son. Sigita goes to the police but they do not believe her, assuming her to be a drunk. She is soon made aware that children who are stolen with no obvious cause, are rarely returned. 

The perspectives of the novel cycle throughout the main characters. This allows exposition to occur, without it seeming too unnatural. 

Ninety percent of this book is great. However, once you understand how everything is connected the novel ends quickly thereafter. Specifically, we see no legal repercussions. No character follow-up for many of the main characters. 

The Boy in the Suitcase is currently available from Soho Press. 

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Book Review Quickie: Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer

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Sunny Mann is a perfect housewife, or at least she has made it her goal in life to seem to be the perfect housewife. She is married to Maxon Mann, a robotics scientist currently in a rocket en route to colonize the moon. Sunny is heavily pregnant with her second child. Her first child, Bubber, is very similar to his father, which can be good or bad. Netzer never labels Maxon. I would feel safe to assume that he has Asperger's or Autism. Maxon has more in common with his robots than with the human race. He has equations and formulas to understand how to act in day-to-day life.  

Sunny’s perfect façade begins to crumble, and once the cracks in her sleepy suburban life start to shake the foundation she begins to wake up and realize what is truly important.

The meat of this story is a love story; it’s the wonderfully ordinary story of a boy and girl who fall in love enveloped in extraordinary circumstances.  

My only qualm with this novel is the ending. There is no clean finale, which really drives me crazy especially after feeling so connected with these characters.

Intersted in more on Lydia Netzer? Click Here​

Book Review: Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig

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Miriam Black is trying to be good, no really; she has spent the past year – off the road – with Louis, her trucker manfriend. Miriam has a job as a checkout girl at a local grocery store and at night she comes home to her trailer, which she shares with Louis – though, Louis is gone most of the time.  All is horribly normal until Miriam is fired from her job – as it turns out, she’s really not that great with people – and decides to check out of her normal life all together. 

Miriam packs her bag and head’s back on the road. Her first attempt at hitchhiking lands her right back into the cab of Louis’ truck. She expects Louis to try to convince her to stay; instead he extends a job offer to her. A friend of his, a teacher at a school for troubled girls (the Caldecott School) is a hypochondriac, the job is go to visit this teacher and tell her how she dies. Miriam accepts, without hesitation, to Louis’ dismay. He so wanted her to pick him over adventure.

The job is supposed to be easy, touch the teacher, tell her future, and get $500 bucks. But of course, the easy way is NOT the Miriam Black way. Miriam creeps out the teacher, lies to her about her future, then hangs around the school getting drunk and dying her hair in the girl’s bathroom.  She ends up in the Principal’s office and meets a snotty little girl named, Wren. Complete shithead … like a mini-Miriam. Miriam foresees a horribly violent death destined for Wren. After being kick off campus for her drunken salon session, Miriam must decide if she wants to once again turn against fate to save a young girl.

I hate to harp on this, but at the beginning of the first book, I really hated Miriam Black. I began enjoying Miriam prior to the middle of the first book. It still floors me how attached I became to this character, by the middle of this book I was concerned for her. Like, oh god, I hope she gets out of this one. It’s such a fun feeling to be connected to a character like Miriam. The end of this book hinted at a third, which I am eagerly awaiting.

I would highly recommend this book … to folks who can laugh at vulgar language and who can withstand some pretty violent scenes. Also, those who can appreciate an author with a sense of humor, who doesn’t mind dragging his character through the ringer; Miriam was almost killed in the last book and unlike some leading ladies who have near misses with death, Miriam has the scars to prove it.

Favorite quote, “She gets on her tippy-toes and kisses him. Long, slow, deep. The kind of kiss where you can feel little pieces of your soul trading places as mouths open and breath mingles. “

Mockingbird was released on August 28th by Angry Robot, please buy at your local independent bookseller.

Find out more about Chuck Wendig at terribleminds.

Coming up next week … Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon.

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Book Review: Blackbirds by Chuck Wendig

Miriam Black has a “gift.” One touch, skin to skin, allows her to see how a person will die.  Specifically, she can see the exact date, time, and cause of death. Miriam was not born with this talent, it surfaced through a tragic incident in her life. We learn about her past through a series of interviews, which cut through the main story. 

Eight years ago, when Miriam became aware of her ability, she ran away and has lived on the road ever since. When she comes in contact with folks who will soon die, she waits out their death and steals from their corpses, just enough to get by until she finds the next source of income.   

Miriam is not a “good” person.

This novel begins with Miriam being “rescued” by Louis, a truck driver. After a short time in the truck together, she decides that she likes him and shakes his hand.  Miriam sees a flash of Louis’ gruesome murder, his death is weeks away, and it is his association with Miriam that causes his demise. She immediately parts ways with Louis, she may be a hard-ass, but she does not want to see this kind man to die due to her.  

Miriam is plagued by visions of Louis, the dead Louis, begging for her help.  She knows, from experience, that you cannot change fate. Her attempts to change the fate of others in the past, ended tragically.  Miriam runs from Louis, right into the bed of Ashley Gaynes, a con man, who has been tracking her for a several months. Ashley threatens to turn Miriam in to the police if she doesn’t agree to work with him. As Ashley points out, Miriam knows how to steal a wallet, but not how to open a safe.  He forces Miriam to contact Louis, to stay close enough to him so that they can take his money upon his demise.  Ashley’s cons have gone too far, placing Miriam, and Louis, in the sights of deadly enemies. 

When I began reading this book, I would have said that there was no way that I would have enjoyed it as much as I have. Miriam really is an awful person; yet, at some point in the first half of the book, I converted to Team Miriam. She is a reluctant hero, but a hero none-the-less. Miriam fights for Louis, with full expectations of failure.  She stands up – or flips off – Fate, in order to save a good man. 

I would recommend this book to … folks that enjoy Christopher Moore and do not quiver in fear at excessive violence. There were a few parts of this book that really made me uncomfortable, and to those who know me… that’s quite a feat.

Favorite quote:

“’Goddamn, you love to hear yourself talk, don’t you?’

‘I do.’ She does.”

Favorite Chapter Title (ever): “The Sun Can Go Fuck Itself”

 Find out more about Chuck Wendig at Terrible Minds.

Book Review: The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner

Our flawed heroine in this Weiner novel is Ruth Sanders, a 28 year old wannabe TV writer.

Ruth was orphaned by a car accident when she was young, left with very noticeable scars and a loving grandmother, who leaves her sleepy, Floridian retirement to - in essence - become a parent again. Shortly after the accident, it was decided that Ruth would spend a summer in the hospital having reconstructive surgeries. She and her Grandmother wiled away the hours reading, writing and watching The Golden Girls. 

We see a few glimpses of Ruth as an adolescent, she believes from an early age that she will never be pretty due to the large scar on her face. She forgoes boys, and joins the school newspaper, both the formal paper and the underground gossip mag.

Upon completion of college, Ruth asks her Grandmother to move to Hollywood with her in order to give her dream a shot. A year is all, then they will come back. However, Nana will not agree to these terms, she will agree to go with Ruth to take all of the time she needs in order to succeed. When we meet Ruth at the beginning of the novel, she has spent almost a decade chasing her dream and is finally waiting for the approval of the pilot for her show "The Next Best Thing". The show is a semi-autobiographical portrayal of her and her grandmother's own journey to LA. 

We follow Ruth as she is tested to see how far she is willing to compromise in order to have her writing brought to life. Now, of course, as this is technically "chick lit" there is a bit of a love story that plays in the background but, as is true in most Weiner tales, the focus is on the battle with the self.  

I truly enjoyed this novel. At various times, I found myself so completely engrossed in the tale that hours would pass without me realizing. Ruth is a well formed character, flaws and all. Which is what I love about Weiner, Ruth is an average girl, and as an average girl, I want this girl to win! Once when explaining why I loved Weiner's heroines I exclaimed, "because they're cute, chubby, quirky girls like me!"

I would recommend this book ... to folks who love a fun, light read. 

My two favorite quotes from the book ... 

"She looks like P-P-Paris Hilton! And I hate Paris Hilton! She has dead lizard eyes!" 

"And, by the way, I would have done this for free pizza and a bag of Skittles."