Friday, October 25, 2013
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Many of us grew up knowing the phrase "Love means never having to say you're sorry" from the book Love Story. Most of us knew this was not true, but John Green's novel clarifies a major truth of life: we all will have to say we are sorry over and over again especially to those we love. Green's poignant story of first love, The Fault in Our Stars, beautifully explains what we all know to be true. We all will experience pain and suffering in this world. How we choose to deal with the trials of our lives is what is most important. Green's main characters, Augustus and Hazel Grace, are two teenagers who are dealing with the fact that cancer is a side effect of dying. Both have lived through the treatment of their cancer, but because of their experience they know that life is not a given. They know that people do not live forever and that young people do not have any special privilege that allows them to live long happy lives. When we meet Hazel she has come to terms with the fact that she is dying and she has chosen to limit the damage her death will cause by removing herself from most people. She describes herself as a grenade that will blow everyone apart when she dies and she just sees no point in spreading the damage to too many people. Unlike Hazel, Augustus is determined to meet and enjoy as many people as possible in his life because he wants his life to mean something. He wants to leave a mark on the universe. And so through these wonderfully written characters this star crossed lovers' story reveals to us truths about life and death. We celebrate the charming and clever Gus. We applaud the brave and strong Hazel. We cheer for their ability to see the gift that they have been given and we cry when we realize that "time is a slut that screws everybody" and that "there is no honor is dying of". In the end Gus got it right. He knew he was lucky to have loved Hazel. And she was right when she tells us she was so grateful for "their little infinity of love." John Green's novel was written as a young adult book, but his voice touched all of us. This is a two thumbs up book that we all recommend.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Master Butcher's Singing Club by Louise Erdrich
September 2013 -- Master Butcher's Singing Club by Louise Erdrich
This character driven novel was filled with really rich characters. Unfortunately, we all felt that it took quite a while to get into the story because we had so many characters to meet and at the beginning they seemed to be so separate and distinct. It was not immediately clear how their stories connected, but once the connections began the design of their lives became so intertwined we were amazed. Erdrich's story was unique and deep. Each character was likable and yet completely unlikable as the story progressed. Eva was the only one we all felt was good throughout. She loved her family and she protected them at all costs. She reached out to Delphine when she saw her need for family and this connection proved to be the saving grace for all. The themes of love's complications, of human nature's shortcomings and of even the best people's unfailing ability to betray and "butcher" were played out in so many ways in the novel through WWI and WWII, through the story lines of a small North Dakota town, and even through the intimate lives of the men and women in the story. Fidelis loved Eva and yet he was a butcher in the form or a sniper in the war. Cyprian loved Delphine and yet he was gay and not able to give her the kind of love she craved. Franz loved Clarisse and yet he was not able to see past her poor family when he deserted her when she needed him most. Roy loved Step and a Half and yet he could not overcome his alcohol addiction or his small minded feelings of being slighted by others and his desire for revenge. In the end it was Step and a Half (who watched from the side lines) who really recognized the black heart of of humans that kept people from truly finding peace and happiness. The ending really made this book worth reading. It was a wonderful revelation of purpose by Erdrich. It left us with a big "Wow!" at the end.
This character driven novel was filled with really rich characters. Unfortunately, we all felt that it took quite a while to get into the story because we had so many characters to meet and at the beginning they seemed to be so separate and distinct. It was not immediately clear how their stories connected, but once the connections began the design of their lives became so intertwined we were amazed. Erdrich's story was unique and deep. Each character was likable and yet completely unlikable as the story progressed. Eva was the only one we all felt was good throughout. She loved her family and she protected them at all costs. She reached out to Delphine when she saw her need for family and this connection proved to be the saving grace for all. The themes of love's complications, of human nature's shortcomings and of even the best people's unfailing ability to betray and "butcher" were played out in so many ways in the novel through WWI and WWII, through the story lines of a small North Dakota town, and even through the intimate lives of the men and women in the story. Fidelis loved Eva and yet he was a butcher in the form or a sniper in the war. Cyprian loved Delphine and yet he was gay and not able to give her the kind of love she craved. Franz loved Clarisse and yet he was not able to see past her poor family when he deserted her when she needed him most. Roy loved Step and a Half and yet he could not overcome his alcohol addiction or his small minded feelings of being slighted by others and his desire for revenge. In the end it was Step and a Half (who watched from the side lines) who really recognized the black heart of of humans that kept people from truly finding peace and happiness. The ending really made this book worth reading. It was a wonderful revelation of purpose by Erdrich. It left us with a big "Wow!" at the end.
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