In the challenging year that was 2010, I clung to the written word and there I found rest and relief from my worries and sorrows. This is only one of the beautiful gifts of a book. Though not by design, I mostly read the work of female authors, some recommended and some stumbled upon. Given that I am always looking for a good book recommendation, I am assuming that there are others of you out there that might want them too. I thought I would provide you with a brief review of a few of the books I read this year. And by all means, if you think you have something I’d enjoy, let me know. A new year has begun and I need to build myself a list.
Fabulous True Stories
Mennonite In a Little Black Dress was hysterical. In her telling of the years she spent recuperating from a divorce and a car accident, Rhoda Janzen humorously writes about what it was like to return to the Mennonite roots and family she left behind to pursue a career in academia. Maybe you need to have a knowledge of Mennonite culture to appreciate it, but I have a gut feeling that this story could hold its own with an atheist.
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls is unlike anything I’ve ever read. Walls recounts the days of her early childhood and teen years being raised by two exceptionally neglectful parents. (Though she does not say so, it seems clear to me that one parent is type 1 manic-depressive and the other has a severe form of narcissistic personality disorder.) Not only is the memoir so raw that you can feel the sting in your own body, but it is written so gorgeously, so lovingly that it is possible to walk beside her on her journey without the fear that you will fall into her memories with her.
Julia Child is more fascinating that any of her cooking programs were ever able to show. My Life In France is Julia Child’s last book and memoir of her years in France with her husband Paul and the beginning of her cooking career. I loved this book filled to the brim with witty and lively recollections, first hand accounts of the ugliness of the McCarthy era, and amazing descriptions of her favorite meals. I worried before I opened it for the first time that it might be dry, but I will assure you that is definitely something you can sink your teeth into.
Teen/Young Adult Fantasy ChickLit
When I’m depressed, I want ChickLit! And boy did I find it in abundance. Thanks to the Twilight phenomenon there is a handsome selection of Teen/YA Fantasy just waiting to be scooped up by the armful, taken home and devoured with a cup of tea and a stack of chocolate bars. Of those I read, there were a few that stood out. First, though not the best, is Firelight, about a teenaged draki whose mother forces her to leave their secluded world and to hide out in the world of everyday humans. What Firelight has going for it is the invention of this new mythical figure, the draki, which is descended from dragons and can toggle between its human and dragon forms. Sophie Jordan, the author, does a decent job of establishing a hidden community in our modern world. She elaborates on the various kind of draki and their abilities. What she doesn’t do is end it well. I have a sense that she wrote a complete book and the publisher saw serial potential and cut it in half, so the book just stops as the action kicks up. The good news is that the author announced that there will be a sequel called Vanish. No idea when that will be.
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater is an interesting new take on the werewolf idea. The book is written from the point of view of both the werewolf boy and the girl who loves him. This takes some getting used to as you have to be highly attentive to the chapter headings in order to see who’s telling the story. Each chapter is conspicuously labeled with temperature as well. This is annoying at first, but it does eventually make sense. I thought the author did a good job with addressing the details of this phenomenon. Unlike in the Twilight books where you just have to accept the stupidity and flatness of the characters to enjoy the plot, these characters have pretty realistic discussions about the realities of their crazy lives. I appreciated that. The first book is well-written, but a tad light on plot. Still I liked it well enough to be put the second book, Linger, on hold at the library. The third book in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series is called Forever, which will be available in July 2011.
Saving the best for last! My favorite new series is called The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. This is a guaranteed movie franchise. Much like J.K. Rowling, Clare builds a complex world hidden in plain sight and overflowing with warlocks, demons, werewolves, vampires, fairies and…dun dun dun…the Shadowhunters! Shadowhunters, otherwise known as Nephilim, are a race of humans whose blood has been mixed with an angel’s. Their only purpose is to keep all souled creatures safe from demons who are always invading our world. Clare’s main character, Clary, discovers that she has the ability to see into this world which “mundane” humans cannot. Because we get to uncover the secrets and nuances of this world right alongside Clary, it is very easy to get immersed and invested. There is a good deal of violence, some magical, some not, especially in the third book, but I found it bearable. The first book is The City of Bones, followed by The City of Ashes and The City of Glass. A fourth is slated to come out in mid-2011. A total of six books have been planned for the series. Additionally, she has a prequel series called The Infernal Devices of which the first book, Clockwork Angel, has been published. Dive in and enjoy, but make sure you don’t have anything else going on in your life when you do. You won’t want to come up for air.
If you manage to get through all of those, I’ve found some mediocre novels to help pass the time. Blood & Chocolate is another paranormal romance involving werewolves and Juliet is a modern mystery built around the history of the real Romeo and Juliet. If you like books like The DaVinci Code, you will probably enjoy Juliet. Happy Reading!
