The Gargoyle

The Gargoyle

Author: Andrew Davidson
Source: My fellow book club member, Danielle

Days to Read: 10 days 

I wanted to branch out and read something a bit different than what I am used to. This actually didn’t turn out to be very different but I did really enjoy it. The Gargoyle is about an unnamed porn-star drug addict who gets in a car accident and is severely burned. While in the burn ward he meets an eccentric and schizophrenic patient, Marianne, who claims to know him.

Throughout his recovery the woman tells him tragic love stories from long ago all the while claiming to know him.  When it comes time for the narrator to leave the rehabilitation centre, Marianne insists that he come and live with her. Marianne explains that she has enough money to cover all his medical expenses. She is a stone carver that makes gargoyle figures that are then sold through her agent.

Marianne and the narrator develop a relationship and Marianne continues to tell him stories from the past. Throughout the book you are wondering whether the stories are about the two of them in their past lives. The book was really good and I liked how you could draw your own conclusions from the stories told by Marianne and the “real life” story of Marianne and the burn victim.

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Rooftops of Tehran

Rooftops of Tehran

Author: Mahbod Seraji

Source: My mom

Days to Read: 5

This was among several books that my mom had read and thought I might like. With almost every trip home, my mom and I exchange books and I am always excited to see what she has picked out for me. When starting a new book I am open to what it has to offer. I try not to really think about if I like it or not and just keep reading. This tactic comes in handy when I know I am beginning to get bored or am struggling to understand what is happening. I push those thoughts away and trek on. Some books, like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, require a good 100+ pages before the reader has a grasp on the characters and what is going on. I owe it to whichever book I'm reading, to give it an honest to goodness attempt to enjoy it!

Now you may be thinking given what I have just explained, that I did not enjoy the Rooftops of Tehran. But this is not the case! I absolutely LOVED this book and found myself wanting to continue reading after I had turned the final page.

The story is set in Iran and told by the main character Pasha. Pasha is a young boy with a passion for reading growing up in a small alley community. More than anything, it is a love story between Pasha and his neighbour Zari whom he falls in love with. Zari is an enchanting, intelligent, beauty who has been promised to marry Doctor. Pasha and Doctor develop a special friendship in which they discuss books and politics and their views on their country's judicial system. Pasha also spends countless evenings on his rooftop discussing everything under the stars with his best friend Ahmed. Life is sweet and beautiful for Pasha, Zari, Ahemd and Faheemah (Ahmed’s love) until their friend Doctor is taken by the SADAK, the secret police organization in Iran. From then on, the four friends are forced to grow up and deal with issues far beyond their years. But their love for one another bonds them together.

I wish Mahod Seraji had other books that I could read! I truly enjoyed Rooftops of Tehran.

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The Story of Beautiful Girl

The Story of Beautiful Girl

Author: Rachel Simon

Source: Birthday present from my friend Jenna

Days to Read: 5

My friend Jenna bought me this book for my birthday and I read it shortly thereafter.

The novel takes place in the late 60's. Two people escape from the School for the Incurable and Feebleminded and stumble upon the home of a widowed, retired schoolteacher.  At first the woman, Martha, is hesitant to let the strangers into her home, a petite white woman with a developmental disability and a deaf African American man. Martha quickly sees the distress in their eyes and takes them in, clothes and feeds them. Shortly after, the guards from the school are at her door looking for the two escapees. Before she can assess the situation the guards are removing the young woman and the young man, Homan, has disappeared.  As she struggles against the guards, Lynnie, the young woman, tells Martha to “Hide her” Martha is frozen and doesn’t know what to do but agrees. She then hears a cry and finds a newborn baby in a basket in the attic.

The journey of Martha and the baby girl, Julia, takes them all over the country. The story follows Martha, Lynnie and Homan through their separate lives and always their constant thoughts of one another.

This was a pretty good book and kept me interested. However nothing about it stood out to me nor was remarkable.

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The Hunger Games Trilogy

The Hunger Games Trilogy

Author: Suzanne Collins

Source: Everyone!

Days to Read: 2 weeks

I am typically very resistant to jumping on the band-wagon and reading books that are so extremely popular! However, I was persuaded to give the Hunger Games trilogy a try after I was ASSURED they were far better than the Twilight books (which I think are poorly written and super cheesy).

The first book, I admit, I loved. It was an easy read and the story line was straightforward. Right from the first few pages the reader is hooked and it continues to be a page-turner right until the end. I’m sure everyone knows what these books are about but on the off chance you do not, here is a very concise run-down of the first book.

Katniss, the main character, lives in Panem which is a dystopic society. There are 12 districts which each produce a different commodity for the Capitol. The Capitol is where the super rich and super modern people live. Years ago there were uprisings in the districts and as a result the Capitol hosts the annual hunger games where each district must send one male and one female to the games. The games are a fight to the death with only one person left standing.

The first book is all about the hunger games in which Katniss is the female representative of district 13 (I told you it would be concise!).

I won’t say much more because if you already know about the books you won’t care to read my summary and if you haven’t, you should read them for yourself!

Now keeping in mind these books are geared towards young adults, some of the “scenes” were a little cheesy. But you do get a good grasp of the characters and their personalities although instead of inferring most of their characteristics, the reader is straight up told. Again I attribute this to the fact that the novel is for younger people.

I do recommend these books as they are entertaining, fast paced and there are a lot of underlying themes that are good for young people to be exposed to. Some of these themes include poverty, the role of government, violence, standing up for what you believes in, and the list goes on.

If you don’t want to read the books, just go see the movie – it is a relatively accurate portrayal of the Hunger Games. 

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Half Blood Blues

Half Blood Blues

Author: Esi Edugyan
Source: TTC Subway
Days to Read: 2 weeks

Our first book club meeting was a success! Albeit only half of the members were able to make it and of that half, only another half had finished the book! It turns out my pick was not well received which was very frustrating because I enjoy practically every book that I read and I had high expectations for this book.

I thought that this book just fell flat. The characters and their relationships with one another were not developed enough to really make you feel anything about them. I also felt the language in this book was difficult and unlike in The Grapes of Wrath, the narration was also written in the vernacular which meant constant concentration on the getting into the groove. Also, some people found the jumping from different times confusing and not effective.  

Perhaps my expectations were too high but I just did not enjoy this book. I realized half way through that I had read another novel by Esi Edugyan, The Second Life of Samuel Tyne. I did not really enjoy that book either for similar reasons. There is no emotional connection to the characters and I can not relate to them, their situations or their relationships with others.

Despite all the rave reviews this was not my cup of tea. 

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The Grapes of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath

Author: John SteinbeckSource: My dadDays to Read: 2 weeks

A classic novel that I had never read before! My dad had just finished reading this book and thought I might enjoy it so passed it on to me. The edition was from 1939 and had an old library card in the back. It also had a great old book smell!

The story follows a family of sharecroppers during the great depression who are thrown off of their land by the big bad bank. Like thousands of other families, the Joad family travels from Oklahoma to California where they have been led to believe there are jobs in the orchards. 

At first I found the language a bit difficult but eventually found my groove. There are plenty of themes in this book and I can see why it is read in many high school English classes. The novel vividly illustrates the struggle of a family to make ends meet during the depression and the strength of the family that allows them to pull through. 

I didn't LOVE the book but definitely enjoyed it.

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World Without End

World Without End

Author: Ken FollettSource: Charlie from workDays to Read: 3 weeks

Ah these books are so good! There are so many characters and story lines all intertwined. Although this book and Pillars of the Earth are pretty long, (1000+ pages) you never want to put the book down. I know lots of people are intimidated by really long books, but think about how you feel when you are watching a great movie? You just don't want it to end! That is why I LOVE a good long book, it just keeps going and going and going...

Although this is the sequel to Pillars of the Earth, the only connection to the first book is the fact that the story centres around the town of Kingsbridge.  It doesn't matter which book you read first. All the characters in World Without End are new as it takes place over 100 years later.  

In World Without End, one of the main characters, Caris, is a strong and feisty female living in a man's world.  I love her ability to speak out and be bold. She is smart and driven and the "good" presence in the book.  There is a clear feeling of good vs evil throughout the book. There were many times when I became so frustrated because the "bad guys" were getting away with everything and you just wanted to see some justice! Ken Follett develops his characters so well that you feel invested in them and want things to work out.

There is too much that happens in this book to summarize it in a short post but I highly recommend this book if you like "period novels" as my friend Lauren and I call them. Old England, adventure, romance, violence, and architecture! 

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Three Day Road

Three Day Road

Author: Joseph Boyden

Source: My Parents

Days to Read: 11

I really enjoyed Through Black Spruce so when Three Day Road was recommended to me I jumped at the chance to read it. I enjoyed this book even more than Through Black Spruce.

Joseph Boyden is a wonderful writer and creates characters that you feel you know very well.  Three Day Road follows the life of two Cree best friends, Xavier and Elijia.  The two boys grow up together and travel to Europe to fight in World War I. 

The story is narrated by Niska, Xavier's aunt, an old medicine woman.  The reader learns of Niska's life as a child with her people and how drastically life has changed since the fur traders arrived  on their lands.  One day Niska receives word that Elijah, her nephew Xavier's best friend, has made it home from the war. She travels from deep in the wilderness of Northern Ontario to the town to bring him home. She discovers that it is not Elijah but Xavier that has survived. While travelling back into the wilderness with his Aunt, suffering from a Morphine addiction and the loss of his leg, Xavier relives the horrors he experienced fighting for Canada in the war. He remembers how his friend Elijah changed into a mad killer who thrived in the combat environment. Niska knows she must cleanse her nephew of the evil or he will be lost forever. 

The experiences of Xavier and Elijah while in Europe are horrific and tough to read but ring true; Boyden draws from experiences of his own family during the war. As Elijah begins to sink deeper into his own morphine addiction and madness, he is balanced by Xavier's realistic outlook and the strong bond he feels for his home and his Aunt. 

Although this book is definitely heavy at times, it is a great novel and a wonderful story of Canada's contributions and sacrifices during the war. 

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Cane River

Cane River

Author: Lalita Tademy

Source: My parents

Days to Read: 10

Cane River was another novel that my parents passed on to me over the holidays. The story follows four generations of women born into slavery and living in Louisiana. Each woman’s story is unique and each woman strives to create a better life for her children.  The novel begins with Elisabeth telling her story of working on the plantation as a cook and raising a family. At a young age, a white man rapes her daughter, Suzette.  Suzette soon becomes pregnant and over the years as the white man’s source of pleasure, has several children.  Philomene, her daughter, is a headstrong girl and from an early age knows she wants more for her family.  Philomene has children with a white businessman. Property and inheritance are only passed down to legitimate white children. Knowing this, Philomene uses her influence over her man to save money and educate her children. One of her daughters, Emily, falls in love with a successful white man who is friends with her father.  After the many generations of women partnering with white males, the family line has been significantly bleached and as a result, Emily and her siblings have a better start at life from the get go.

I enjoyed how each chapter in the book was the next generation and the story was then told from that woman’s perspective. It was also interesting to see how life changes with the passage of time for these women and their families.  For some reason I was never fully invested in any of the characters. I have thought about what it was that was missing and cannot put my finger on it! Regardless, the book is a good one but I did not love it.

I am thinking that I need to develop some type of rating system to give each book.  I will think on this and come up with something to implement with my next review! Happy reading :)

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My Book Club

I am so excited that my goal of starting a book club is finally happening and with plenty of interest to boot! Next week, 10 of my closest girl friends will get together for the inaugural meeting of our book club. There is much to be discussed; frequency of meetings, schedules of hostesses, whether we should take turns supplying wine and appetizers (I am confident this motion will be approved!) and the general format of how we want to structure our meetings.

Anyone that knows me is aware that I like to plan. This book club has presented a wonderful opportunity to do just that. I am trying not to go too over the top demanding a minute book, designated secretary and chairman of each meeting and set agenda with discussion questions.  I can just as easily go with the flow and general consensus, I think! However I will insist that some structure is incorporated to keep us focused and allow us to stand the test of time. I cannot wait to look back 10 years from now when we are all settled, married, possibly have kids but still manage to get together every few months to catch up and discuss a passion we all share, books.

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Firefly Lane

Firefly Lane

Author: Kristin Hannah

Source: Recommended by my friend Lauren, bought it while I was in Pennsylvania with Lauren and Ali to see Zac Brown Band!

Days to Read: 7

When I started reading this book I thought it would be a typical, easy read about two friends who grow up to lead very different lives then one betrays the other and the friendship is put to the test. However, I was pleased to discover that what I thought was going to happen, didn’t. Throughout the book I had this nagging feeling that Tully (the vivacious and sociable girl) would betray her best friend Kate (the responsible and conventional girl) by seducing and sleeping with her husband. I really liked both of the characters and with each hint dropped and every paged turned I kept expecting to be disappointed in both Tully and Johnny, Kate’s husband. I will say that I was never disappointed in these characters… to the degree that a scandal such as an affair would have caused.  

The story is entertaining and although the characters seem relatively simple, their bond to one another is endearing. It made me think of all the best friends that I have had over the years and the qualities that I cherish in my friends now. Tully and Kate grow up together. Tully is abandoned by her mother and lives with her grandmother on Firefly Lane. She meets plain old Kate and they become inseparable. Tully is drawn to Kate's tight knit family and the stability it offers. Kate envies Tully's ability to make friends with everyone around her and go after what she wants. Through the ups and downs of growing up, the two girls remain close, living and working together.  When Kate is diagnosed with breast cancer, the true bond of their friendship is tested.

Be warned that this book may cause you to tear up but I would definitely recommend it. A great book for a summer read at the cottage!

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Even Silence Has An End: My Six Years in Captivity in the Colombian Jungle

Even Silence Has an End: My Six Years in Captivity in the Colombian Jungle

Author: Ingrid Betancourt

Source: My friend Ali B

Days to Read: 10

Ali and I frequently exchange books and I am always excited to read a book that has been recommended by a fellow reader. When I began reading Even Silence Has an End, I was immediately interested. The book is a true story of a woman's experience as a hostage of the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia in Colombia. Prior to her kidnapping and six and a half years spent in captivity, Ingrid Betancourt was a Colombian presidential candidate. Knowing practically nothing of politics in Colombia the initial back story of Ingrid's life was easy to follow. Her description of life in the jungle is chilling. The conditions of how she lived and how she was treated are appalling. However there were instances throughout the book when a small kindness was shown to her by a fellow hostage or she was able to establish a human connection with one of the guards, and these infrequent happenings resonated loudly against the many pages of depressing details.

However after about half way through the book, I became frustrated with the circle of events; prepare for escape, talk about escape, escape, get captured, repeat. I am sure Ms. Betancourt wanted to include everything that she went through and to really drive home how awful being a hostage was but I feel that the point was clearly made and then dragged on and as a result, lost its impact.

Overall I give this book a 6.

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Pro Archia Poeta (In Defense of Aulus Licinius Archias the poet)

My dad drew my attention to this speech and in particular an excerpt that, as an avid reader, I relate to. The opinion of Cicero in 62 B.C., I'm sure, still strikes a chord with many. I just love this quote!

"And yet let us leave aside for a moment any practical advantage that literary studies may bring. For even if their aim were pure enjoyment and nothing else, you would still, I am sure, feel obliged to agree that no other activity of the mind could possibly have such a broadening and enlightening effect. For there is no other occupation upon earth which is so appropriate to every time and every age and every place. Reading stimulates the young and diverts the old, increases one's satisfaction when things are going well, and when they are going badly provides refuge and solace. It is a delight in the home; it can be fitted in with public life; throughout the night, on journeys, in the country, it is a companion which never lets me down."

On to the next book!

Stay tuned for my reviews of Even Silence Has An End by Ingrid Betancourt and Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

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The Pillars of the Earth

The Pillars of the Earth

Author: Ken Follett

Source: My friend Charlie from work

Days to Read: 9

Before reading this book I had mixed feelings. I had heard from someone that it was difficult to get into and that there was a lot of description so certain passages could be quite boring. However, Charlie assured me that it was a great book and that I should give it a try. I am very glad that I did because it is just my cup of tea!

My favourite genre to read are historical novels. One of my all-time favourite books is The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George. Like The Memoirs of Cleopatra, The Pillars of the Earth has everything you could want in a book; love, history, adventure, and action.

The basic premise of the book details the building of a cathedral and all the lives of the people involved. A master builder and his family pass through village after village looking for work. The father’s dream is to build a cathedral bigger and more beautiful than any other in England. They settle in Kingsbridge, England and the priory that eventually hires the master builder, Tom, is struggling against the more powerful Prior and Nobleman of the area. It is a constant battle between good and evil, every man wanting more for themselves and manipulating their way to the top.

Another prominent character, the daughter of the ousted Earl of Shiring, Aliena, is a strong female character that you grow to love and respect. Aliena’s perseverance as not only a lady who has fallen to peasantry, but also as a business woman in a world dominated by men, is empowering.

There are many characters in the book with different story lines that intertwine with one another. All the story lines keep the book interesting and they work together quite well in following the main story line.

I have returned the book to Charlie and two days later received the sequel, World Without End. This is now on my stack of books to read and I only hope it is as good as The Pillars of the Earth!

* One thing to note however is there are some graphic scenes that I was not expecting and thus took me by surprise at their vulgarity.

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Nomad

Nomad

Author: Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Source: Loved her first book, Infidel

Days to Read: 10

You know that feeling when you start a book and just know that it is going to be good? That was my initial thought when I started reading Nomad. I believe I sent a message to my friend, who had also read Infidel, that she should pick up the book.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali writes Nomad in the form of an essay. The introduction provides the reader with some background information on her life for those who have not read her first book as well as outlining the course of the book and the points she is going to argue.  Infidel is a story of Ayaan’s life and Nomad is a reflection on her life’s journey thus far.  I preferred Nomad as it raised a lot of questions and provided information and insight into the life and culture of a Muslim woman. I felt so strongly about this book that I wrote an email to Ayaan. That very day there was an article in the paper about a father, son and mother being accused of killing their 3 daughters and the husband’s former wife. It came as a shock to me after reading the book and hearing many stories of violence against Muslim woman the sheer lack of any action being taken. Furthermore this type of violence was happening in Canada, a place where we respect one another and look after each other.

I urge everyone to read this book, to make yourself aware of the violence and mistreatment of women occurring all over the world. Visit Ayaan’s foundation for more information at http://theahafoundation.org/.



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