The second book we discussed, at our second book club meeting, was The Lovely Bones: a Novel, by Alice Sebold.
I absolutely loved this book. And it created such wonderful discussion at our meeting!
Like I mentioned previously, this book is about a little girl who is murdered. She tells her story, looking down from heaven; of her murder, of her life after death, and of her family and how they cope. It's a beautifully emotional tale.
Some of the book club members did not like this book. They thought that the characters were two-dimensional, and that some of the concepts were just too far fetched. Which, some of them were, I agree (I just didn't mind - I let myself go there, because I loved the emotions and the characters so much, that although my logic rejected these concepts, my emotions said, "shut up logic," and put that to rest!).
I particularily loved Sebold's description/concept of life after death. It reminded me of the movie What Dreams May Come.
Basically, Susie (the murdered girl) looks down on the real world from her version of heaven. In her heaven are all the things that comfort her, and she is free to watch what her family is doing without her. Other people come in and out of her heaven as they please. Heaven is what you want it to be. Through her descriptions, the reader learns about the struggles her Mother, Father, Grandmother, brother and sister go through after her murder. We also learn of Suzie's own struggles to let go of her family and loved ones.
I highly recommend this book. Even though it may not be perfect (as some of the book club members pointed out) in it's narrative, it was still a beautiful book, and one of the best I've come across in awhile!
Showing posts with label Book Club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Club. Show all posts
Monday, March 5, 2007
Book Club Books
So, after much ado, here is the complete list of books we are going to be reading (including those we have already read):
1. The Accidental, by Ali Smith
2. Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
3. The Golden Spruce, by John Vaillant
4. Thirty-Three Swoons, by Martha Cooley
5. The Coffee Trader, by David Liss
I will post reviews for these, as we read them.
1. The Accidental, by Ali Smith
2. Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
3. The Golden Spruce, by John Vaillant
4. Thirty-Three Swoons, by Martha Cooley
5. The Coffee Trader, by David Liss
I will post reviews for these, as we read them.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Accidental Book Review
OK, so I didn't post that much on Thursday....oops. I ran out of time, what can I say??
Anyways, to add to the last post, here is my review of the first book on our list:
1. Accidental, by Allie Smith
This was the first book that we discussed at our first book club meeting. It was a really great book. Although the plot line was not that original, the narrative jumps from person to person in a very creative way, making this book a great read.
It was a little difficult to get into at first, but once you get through the first few chapters, it's hard to put down!
The book is about a family, somewhat dysfunctional. The mother, Eve, who is re-married to Michael, and two children (from Eve's first marriage), 17-year old Magnus, and 12-year old Astrid. They are on vacation at a summer house in Norfolk (England), a boring little town. In walks Amber, a complete stranger. Without actually lying to anyone, she ends up a house guest with the family for the summer. Eve assumes she is one of Michael's girlfriends (he has many affairs with his post-graduate students at the University where he teaches, and she knows it), and Michael assumes she is one of Eve's fans (she is an acclaimed novelist). In her own, somewhat psychotic way, Amber helps the family to let go of some issues, and to start to see things as they are (instead of in some deluded way). In many ways I loved Amber's character, because she simply tells things like they are. No crap what so ever. However, I hated her character more, because she was manipulative and conceited.
Most of the people in the book club really enjoyed the book. I was one of them. However, a few people found it too confusing to follow, with all the different narratives.
For a full (more thorough) review, please see Amazon.ca: http://tinyurl.com/2mlnqa
2. The next book on our list is The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold. Rob (my lovely fiancee) has already started reading it, and is having a hard time putting it down. He likes it far better than Accidental, and says that it is a very emotionally driven book so far.
It is about a little girl who is dead. She was murdered, and the narrative is from her point of view, looking down from heaven. It follows her family and how they cope with her murder, and how she copes with it too. Either than that, I can't say anymore, cause I haven't read it yet (I'm in the middle of The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde).
Gotta go!
Anyways, to add to the last post, here is my review of the first book on our list:
1. Accidental, by Allie Smith
This was the first book that we discussed at our first book club meeting. It was a really great book. Although the plot line was not that original, the narrative jumps from person to person in a very creative way, making this book a great read.
It was a little difficult to get into at first, but once you get through the first few chapters, it's hard to put down!
The book is about a family, somewhat dysfunctional. The mother, Eve, who is re-married to Michael, and two children (from Eve's first marriage), 17-year old Magnus, and 12-year old Astrid. They are on vacation at a summer house in Norfolk (England), a boring little town. In walks Amber, a complete stranger. Without actually lying to anyone, she ends up a house guest with the family for the summer. Eve assumes she is one of Michael's girlfriends (he has many affairs with his post-graduate students at the University where he teaches, and she knows it), and Michael assumes she is one of Eve's fans (she is an acclaimed novelist). In her own, somewhat psychotic way, Amber helps the family to let go of some issues, and to start to see things as they are (instead of in some deluded way). In many ways I loved Amber's character, because she simply tells things like they are. No crap what so ever. However, I hated her character more, because she was manipulative and conceited.
Most of the people in the book club really enjoyed the book. I was one of them. However, a few people found it too confusing to follow, with all the different narratives.
For a full (more thorough) review, please see Amazon.ca: http://tinyurl.com/2mlnqa
2. The next book on our list is The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold. Rob (my lovely fiancee) has already started reading it, and is having a hard time putting it down. He likes it far better than Accidental, and says that it is a very emotionally driven book so far.
It is about a little girl who is dead. She was murdered, and the narrative is from her point of view, looking down from heaven. It follows her family and how they cope with her murder, and how she copes with it too. Either than that, I can't say anymore, cause I haven't read it yet (I'm in the middle of The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde).
Gotta go!
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Book Club
It's been awhile since I had a chance to post anything, but ideas have been abounding in my little brain. So, there might be quite a few posts happening today, now that I finally have some time!
Item number one on my list is the Book Club Rob & I just joined. My friend Courtney (see the blog, Reading is Sexy) came up with the idea, and organized the club. We had our first official meeting last Saturday, and it went really well. There were eight of us, and the meeting was hosted by Andrew and Courtney. We each picked two books we'd like to read. Then we drew them out of a hat, and in that order, decided that those are the books we will read over the coming months. Then, whom ever suggested the book for that month will host the meeting! Cool, huh? If you're a book nerd I suppose...
Anyways, I will be posting my reviews of the books we read, and I'll also let you know what the rest of the group read. Again, exciting, if you're a book nerd!
Item number one on my list is the Book Club Rob & I just joined. My friend Courtney (see the blog, Reading is Sexy) came up with the idea, and organized the club. We had our first official meeting last Saturday, and it went really well. There were eight of us, and the meeting was hosted by Andrew and Courtney. We each picked two books we'd like to read. Then we drew them out of a hat, and in that order, decided that those are the books we will read over the coming months. Then, whom ever suggested the book for that month will host the meeting! Cool, huh? If you're a book nerd I suppose...
Anyways, I will be posting my reviews of the books we read, and I'll also let you know what the rest of the group read. Again, exciting, if you're a book nerd!
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