Book Log: November 2017

My youngest sister has been doing an annual post of books completed, and I always enjoy looking through it. I do keep a log of my finished books, so I thought cataloging my completed books at the close of every month would be a good way to dust off this blog and encourage me to jot down a few lines -- or a few paragraphs -- with my impressions (a compiled list will appear at the close of the year). I don't like spoilers, so while I put some initial thoughts after each title, when possible I'm purposely vague regarding plot specifics so as not to dissuade any of you from reading them. This is my second year doing this; here is a page containing the 2016 posts (or here is a list of all 2016 books, without the commentary on each one).

The included Amazon links are affiliate links; many of these titles I check out from the library or already own, but should you be inclined to purchase one, these links only mean Amazon will give me a small percentage of the cost, at no additional expense to you.

70) 11/1: Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Like I mentioned last month, once I learned a fourth book had been published in The Giver series, I wanted to reread the first three before concluding the quartet.

If The Giver shows us a future society where technology is supreme, Gathering Blue reveals when we have minimal development. Kira has a crippled leg, which would typically have condemned a child to be left to die. However, due to her father's sway in the community, her mother is able to save her life.

Kira is gifted at embroidery, so she is given protection and shelter when she is later orphaned. She begins to find fault with the way things are done in their society, how people decide who does or does not have worth, and is wrestling with what her role is to improve her world even as she struggles to make sense of her gift.

71) 11/5: Messenger by Lois Lowry

It's not until Messenger that you truly get to see how the books tie together. I wasn't aware -- until this title -- that the books are all occurring at nearly simultaneous points; previously, I felt that there could be generations between the titles.

You see previous characters immediately come into play. This was poignant to listen to at this time in our political climate, if only because I could draw parallels as I read of a community's desire to close itself off and stop refusing shelter to strangers seeking new, better lives, even as their community began as a place where rejected, imperfect people could start over.



72) 11/8: Son by Lois Lowry

This was substantially longer than the previous three books (it was 400 pages, when the previous titles range from 200-250 pages). It introduces us to Claire, a character that grew up in the same community Jonas from The Giver did. We learn the reason for her escape is the desire to find and be reunited with her a son (not Jonas, as they're nearly the same age).

There is closure to the series, although I admit that it seemed too easy. Without giving anything away, there's a looming danger, but the resolution required some suspension of disbelief from me, although I don't at all regret having read this title.

It made me think of my time student teaching; the school I was in spent some time discussing The Hero's Journey, a framework for understanding many books and movies. The familiar trope of being called to adventure, facing challenges, hitting rock bottom but rising to conquer and return can be a natural lens to view stories. However, the reason it came to mind is that I couldn't naturally figure out who our hero was - the one we spend the most time with isn't present when we see the ultimate "battle," and so if we view it through the lens of the character who is present at that moment, I backtrack and see gaps where I don't feel that they were appropriately developed to be ready to face this moment.

Even with that criticism, though, I enjoyed my time with this series. The Giver was a fascinating book when I first read it, so getting to revisit the titles was nostalgic for me as I remembered where I was in my life when I encountered the different books in the series.

73) 11/19: My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry by Fredrik Backman

Here was an audiobook listen, picked up after my youngest sister's recommendation. We follow Elsa, a young girl who is especially close to her grandmother but has to learn to live without her. There are messages she has to deliver, which give her insight into the other residents in the building as well as how they were interconnected with her grandmother.

Elsa relished the stories her grandmother told about the Land-of-Almost-Awake, but as she undertakes the mission entrusted to her, we learn those stories may not have been as imaginary as originally believed.




74) 11/26: White Teeth by Zadie Smith

This was the November book club selection. Few of us enjoyed it, but that led to great discussion, as is often the case.

In White Teeth, we meet a series of interconnected individuals who are all trying to assimilate, both literally and figuratively. However, as they go through life, most end up on extremes in their marriages, religion, and so on.

I found I had to push myself to stick with it, but towards the end, the pace picks up and I was more engaged, wondering how the culminating event would transpire.