Title: When the Emperor was Divine
Author: Julie Otsuka
Publication: October 14, 2003
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Paperback or Hardback: Paperback
Acquired: Bought used from Second and Charles
Pages: 144
Rating: 5 stars
Summary:
On a sunny day in Berkeley, California, in 1942, a woman sees a sign in a post office window, returns to her home, and matter-of-factly begins to pack her family's possessions. Like thousands of other Japanese Americans they have been reclassified, virtually overnight, as enemy aliens and are about to be uprooted from their home and sent to a dusty internment camp in the Utah desert.
In this lean and devastatingly evocative first novel, Julie Otsuka tells their story from five flawlessly realized points of view and conveys the exact emotional texture of their experience: the thin-walled barracks and barbed-wire fences, the omnipresent fear and loneliness, the unheralded feats of heroism. When the Emperor Was Divine is a work of enormous power that makes a shameful episode of our history as immediate as today's headlines.
Review:
When the Emperor was Divine is the companion novel to The Buddha in the Attic which was written first and is her debut novel. I decided to be informed on the back story before I read her first book and I stand by this decision.
I have not read any books in the fiction genre that deal with the existence of the internment camps for Japanese Americans so this novel immediately peaked my interest. I was not sure what to expect but I was certainly not disappointed. The most gripping thing about this novel is that the main characters do not have names and all the other minor characters have an identity and are acknowledged by the main characters. This goes along with the theme of the story in which the people who were put in these camps by the U.S. government were stripped of their identity. In order to "prove" that they were not spies they were forced to strip down their heritage and denounce all ties to their family back in Japan.
I loved all of the characters and we get to see a little bit from the point of view of the mother, the sister, the brother, and the father. The father was already in a camp at the beginning of the story so we don't really hear from his point of view for a while except through the letters that he sends to his family. The rest of the family is packing up their house in anticipation of being sent to a different internment camp in the middle of the desert. The two children in the beginning are able to keep up their morale and handle things with that sense of childlike wonder and innocence. They understand that they have to go away from home but they do not understand the full significance of what is going on in the world and in the United States. Overall the book does a great job depicting the fear and hopelessness that the people in these camps felt while they were there. I liked that the story continued on after their release and showed the struggles that the main characters faced when they returned home. People were still not very accepting of them because of their heritage which only added to their sadness and loss of identity. The author also focuses on the family unit which is an element that I love to be included in books. I won't say a whole lot on that subject because I do not want to spoil the book for you.
Overall I absolutely adored this book and I read all of it in one sitting so I know that it was good. I highly recommend this book and I hope to read more by this author and more books on this subject.
Happy Reading!
Title: The Humans
Author: Matt Haig
Publication: July 3, 2013
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Paperback or Hardback: Hardback
Acquired: Bought used from Second & Charles
Pages: 285
Rating: 5 stars
Summary:
Body-snatching has never been so heartwarming . . .
The Humans is a funny, compulsively readable novel about alien abduction, mathematics, and that most interesting subject of all: ourselves. Combine Douglas Adams’s irreverent take on life, the universe, and everything with a genuinely moving love story, and you have some idea of the humor, originality, and poignancy of Matt Haig’s latest novel.
Our hero, Professor Andrew Martin, is dead before the book even begins. As it turns out, though, he wasn’t a very nice man--as the alien imposter who now occupies his body discovers. Sent to Earth to destroy evidence that Andrew had solved a major mathematical problem, the alien soon finds himself learning more about the professor, his family, and “the humans” than he ever expected. When he begins to fall for his own wife and son--who have no idea he’s not the real Andrew--the alien must choose between completing his mission and returning home or finding a new home right here on Earth.
Review:
Overall I thought this book was very well done and it definitely had more than a few heart-warming moments. I was recommended this book by one of my friends who warned me that it was a tear-jerker and to be prepared... I did not really see it this way. Yes, there were some touching moments and the character development was top notch, but it did not bring me to tears.
The only problem that I really had with this book was the writing style. It was done in a play on stream of consciousness that I felt did not really work with this book. There are some books where it works and when done right can be very powerful. That was not the case here in my opinion. However, having an engaging storyline and characters that gripped you saved this book from being a flop.
The story pulls you in from the very beginning and continues on a fairly steady pace. I was happy to see that at no point during the story did the plot-line reach a plateau and the author sink into pages of absolute nothing. That is the kiss of death for a book. The character development that are main protagonist undergoes is extraordinary. He really seems to capture what it means to be human, flaws and all. He also learns what it means to love and be loved. I feel that it this aspect of him learning how to be human and what all that entails that gave the book the heart-warming moments. You see the alien become a better human than the man that he was impersonating and you also get to see the effects that this transformation has on his family members.
Without this type of character development the story would have flat and one-dimensional. This was a necessity for this book. I rated The Humans five stars because I did enjoy the plot-line and I loved the characters, even if I did have a hard time with the writing style. This was a great read and I do highly recommend this book.
Happy Reading!
Title: The Secret History
Author: Donna Tartt
Published: April 13, 2015
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Hardback or Paperback: Paperback
Acquired: Bought new from Books a Million
Pages: 559
Rating: 5 stars
Summary:
Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality they slip gradually from obsession to corruption and betrayal, and at last - inexorably - into evil.
Review:
I found out about this book from Choncey Boddington who has a YouTube channel when she just raved about how much she loved this book. Since we have similar taste in books her opinion was one that I trusted and I knew that I needed to check this book out. I would just like to say that the synopsis on the back is amazing, how could you not want to read this book?
The story starts out confessing the crime that the group of students committed and then jumps back in time to give the events that lead up to the fateful night. By the time that the actual crime happens the reader is fully engrossed in the character's state of mind and can feel the waves of emotion coming off the page. The author did an amazing job with her characterization, even some of the more minor characters just have such addicting personalities that the reader can't help but feel for all of them. While at first the amount of drinking and drugs seems a bit excessive and over exaggerated when I got to thinking about it I could bring to mind a few friends from college who were big partiers. By the end of the book I felt like the characters had always been apart of my life and I could feel my own emotions intertwining with theirs.
In addition to the amazing characterization is a glimpse into the multiple codes of moral conduct that are called into question and the different ways that people deal with grief. The book touches on a variety of topics including murder, incest, addiction, and abuse which are handled differently by each character. Some of them slip into a deeper depression and turn to other evils to help alleviate their pain while other characters are disturbingly awakened by the evil that they commit. While this is disturbing and slightly unnerving it is still believable. That is what makes this book so haunting is that the characters are so well done that they could be people in your everyday life. It calls into question just how well you actually know someone and what lengths they might go to in order to protect themselves and their own interests.
I highly recommend this book and I want to pick up more by this author.
Happy Reading!
Title: Emma
Author: Jane Austen
Published: Sometime in 1815
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Hardback or Paperback: Paperback
Acquired: Bought used from a thrift store
Pages: 474
Rating: 5 stars
Summary:
I never have been in love; it is not my way, or my nature; and I do not think I ever shall.'
Beautiful, clever, rich - and single - Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage. Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr. Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protegee Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected. With its imperfect but charming heroine and its witty and subtle exploration of relationships, Emma is often seen as Jane Austen's most flawless work.
Review:
I will be very upfront and honest when I say that the writing style took a while to get used to. When I read the first 50 pages it felt like I was just drowning in a sea of words, however it became easier as I progressed. I feel that writers like Dickens, Shakespeare, Austen, Bronte, etc. are people that you either adore and cannot stand. There is not a lot of middle ground with these writers. Are they wordy? yes! Does their signature style take a minute to adjust to? yes! That is because you do not talk like that in modern day language. No one would stick around to hear someone lament for a long period of time over how pretty the sunset is or take a full paragraph to say what could be condensed into one sentence. That is the beauty of these types of writers though is that they do say things in a way that deviates from the norm of everyday speech. I am not saying that you have to pretend this style of writing if you really do not care for it but I still feel like classics are worth reading because they are considered a classic for a reason. I for one want to find out what I can learn from them.
I went into this book knowing that Emma was meant to be a satire. A young women who defies social norms by making it known that she never intends to marry but has no problem meddling in the love affairs of others, particularly her good friend Harriet Smith. Emma is rich, slightly spoiled, highly judgmental, and also particularly good hearted. It is this good nature that truly just wants to see her friend happy and that cares for others who are not on her level of social status. As for some of her views on the world one must remember that this book was written and published in the 1800's when social status and wealth were of the upmost importance. If one was in good social standing by birth the options were limitless but if they were not in good status by birth then you had better make some friends in high places. That is the social undertone in the book that I feel can often be missed if you get bogged down in the shallow nature of our main character. However, back then that is what was expected of women. They should get married, have children, and take care of the estate. One must remember to judge the book based on the social context of when it was written. I am pretty sure that Jane Austen would have burned at the stake if she had taken too much liberty with her characters.
Personally I absolutely loved the book! The character growth that is achieved by Emma is slightly astounding. In the beginning she is blind to her own feelings about certain people but through the course of the book she begins to change her perception of herself and of the people who surround her. I think that the fact that the character has some flaws and that she is made acutely aware of them is a breath of fresh air. Often in novels a character has a flaw but everyone around them as well as themselves are either blind to them or just simply overlook them. The fact that Mr. Knightley continually calls her out when her flaws show and eventually makes her see that her actions do in fact have consequences just made my heart smile.
Though the writing style was tough I definitely see the merit of this book and hope to pick up more by Austen and others with the same style of writing. Let me know if you are fan of wordy novels or if you cannot stand them.
Happy Reading!
This is just a post where I share all of the books that I have read over the course of the month because some do not make it to the blog to be reviewed:
3 stars:
1) The Magicians by Lev Grossman
4 stars:
2) The Selection by Kierra Cass
3) The Elite by Kierra Cass
4) Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi
4.5 stars:
5) The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
6) Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
7) Emma by Jane Austen
5 stars
8) A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (read the full review here)
9) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time by Mark Haddon
10) Cress by Marissa Meyer
11) The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
12) Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
13) Things Fall Apart by Chinau Achebe (read the full review here)
I will be reviewing the books that are part of a series as a whole because I just feel that is the best way to do things. I feel that I will more to say on the subject matter of whether I liked the book if I can compare it to how the story progresses and whether or not the character development is up to my standards.
In June I will try to finish some series that I currently own but I do not like to make a TBR for the month because I just read what and when I feel like it.
Happy Reading!
Title: A Monster Calls
Author: Patrick Ness
Published: March 12, 2013
Series or Standalone: Standalone
Hardback or Paperback: Paperback
Acquired: Bought used with my own money
Pages: 206
Rating: 5 stars
Summary:
An unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor.
At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting-- he's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It's ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd-- whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself-- Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined.
Review:
I absolutely adored the book! It is one of the few books that has actually reduced me to a puddle of tears while simultaneously ripping my heart out to tear it into a thousand pieces. Only put it back together at the very end of the story. I thought about this book for so long after I read it and it still can bring tears to my eyes when I think about certain parts. I am not usually a very emotional person so this kind of reaction was not exactly expected.
The story just grips you from the very beginning and never lets you go. It is one of the most beautiful and compelling storylines that I have ever encountered and I am just mad that I put off reading the book for so long. It has been sitting on my shelves just waiting for me to get to it for over a year now. I read the entire book in one sitting and had trouble putting it down to perform basic functions such as breathing and eating. I did have to stop at one part though and come back to it later (my roommates came home and I did not want to have to explain why I was sobbing like a baby over a book).
The characters were easy to relate to, which is something that I have found is extremely important to me when reading a book. I could definitely root for the home team so to speak and all I wanted was for both the mom and son to finally be healed by whichever method the author saw fit. I loved the character development that takes place with Conner, our main character. He starts off feeling angry and alone because his entire world has been turned upside down by his mom's illness. It is easy to feel sorry for him and to understand where his anger and frustration come from. Throughout the book we see him come to terms with the gravity of the situation and search for the ultimate healing source: acceptance and forgiveness.
This book does deal with some very difficult subjects like cancer, grief, bullying, and forgiveness. Cancer is a subject that always hits close to home for me and I am sure a lot of people can relate. We have all known someone who has been affected by cancer which is a disease that leaves devastation in its wake for both the patient and the family members. Grief is also a subject that many people can relate to because everyone has dealt with things in their life that have caused them immense pain and you know that those wounds do not heal easily. Perhaps the most difficult subject touched upon is the concept of forgiveness. I know that we all struggle with the ability to forgive people who have hurt us and situations that are out of our control. I know that there are things in my life which I have had to consciously say that I am no longer going to carry their weight around with me and I need to let this pain go. That is the main thing that Conner is struggling with because he has carried the weight of the pain that his parent's splitting up and his mother's illness have caused him for so long that he has forgotten what it feels like to be free.
I highly recommend this book because not only is the writing absolute perfection but the illustrations that accompany it are breathtaking. In short this is perhaps the best book that I have read this year!
Happy Reading!
Title: Things Fall Apart
Author: Chinau Achebe
Published: Anchor Canada 4/21/2009
Series or Standalone: Series (first in the series)
Hardback or paperback: Paperback
Acquired: Bought used with my own money
Pages: 209
Rating: 5 stars
Summary Via Goodreads
Things Fall Apart tells two intertwining stories, both centering on Okonkwo, a “strong man” of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first, a powerful fable of the immemorial conflict between the individual and society, traces Okonkwo's fall from grace with the tribal world. The second, as modern as the first is ancient, concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo's world with the arrival of aggressive European missionaries. These perfectly harmonized twin dramas are informed by an awareness capable of encompassing at once the life of nature, human history, and the mysterious compulsions of the soul.
Review
I found out about this book when I was doing my thesis for a course that I needed to take in order to graduate with my bachelor's degree. The entire premise for my paper was that the concept of the existence of magic was in integral part of the lives of the people who live in New Guinea. These ancient beliefs, practices, customs, and traditions dictate how they live their daily lives and also how they interact with other natives and with foreign entities. I did research the tribes in Africa but the information was much to vast to be able to dwindle it down for just one single paper. I have always been obsessed with magic (I was a witch for practically every Halloween ever!) so any book that can integrate magic into is a winner in my book. I am not really particular about whether the magic is in fiction form or more of a non-fiction story. I will definitely be reading more about the subject after reading this book.
As for the actual content of the book, please know that it is quite graphic at times and if this bothers you then you might want to turn away: The writing style was phenomenal and I felt that the plotline really drew me in and kept me engaged throughout the book. While some of the words were certainly new and required me to look up the correct pronunciation I had enough background knowledge on the rituals that took place to be able to get past this minor inconvenience. However, without the native language thrown into the story the entire book would have lost it's sustenance and meaning. For me I enjoyed seeing the multiple similarities in the rituals from what I knew about New Guinea and Africa and being able to compare and contrast the two.
As far as the characters themselves go I had a hard time finding someone to root for. I did not really care for the main character, Okonkwo, though I appreciated having his back story. From his past you can at least understand why he behaves the way that he does and what is influencing his decisions. I think deep down he really does care for his family but he starts out the story a very important man in the village and is therefore bound by certain expectations and rituals. I never condone human sacrifice, cutting off people's heads to then use the skull as a means to drink out of, beating your wife (or wives in this case- polygamy is a natural thing in some cultures) or children however I can at least understand how in his case not doing so would be a sign of weakness due to the culture that he has been raised in. This brings up a whole new slew of questions and ponderings that makes me want to write another paper on that tangent just for fun (I am weird, I know, no need to point it out to me).
The fall from grace of Okonkwo (though undeserved in my very humble opinion) was a necessary part of the book. It kept the main character from being put up on a pedestal by the author to the point that none of their actions have any consequences and they can do no wrong in the eyes of the supporting characters. This is a pet peeve of mine in novels. This also helped to lead into some of the rituals and celebrations that the tribe observes and added a layer of depth to the novel.
Overall, I felt that the author did a really great job with the novel. My only concern was that it was not long enough. I don't often say that but I could have read a couple hundred more pages on the subject matter. More background story, more information about the rituals (though I did like the mystery to them, as they are mysterious and very few know what actually happens at these ceremonies), in general I just want more.
Now for the business of whether or not I would recommend this book. That is a really tough question. I gave the book 5 stars and I think that it is one of the best books that I have ever read however it is a tough read. There is a lot of flipping to the back of the book to look up the meaning of words in the appendix and I can see where it would be a little bit of a culture shock. If you enjoy novels where you get a first hand look at a different culture and set of ideals then go for it, if not then this may not be the book for you. Also if you are squeamish I would just walk away now, trust me on this one.
Excuse me while I run out and go buy the other two books in the series. I think I just found my newest obsession.
Happy Reading!
