I honestly thought I would like this book more than I did. Four major things bothered me about it. First of all, the writing style. For the first third of the book especially, it really distracted and annoyed me. It just read so "flighty" and uninvested. The more I read though, the more I got interested in each character's personal stories - the ones that were actually told. That's not to say that I liked the personal stories though! What an odd family.
Secondly, Abby. I did NOT predict her storyline to end the way it did. What an odd plot twist. Everything came across as just so unemotional. Abby wanted goodbyes. She wanted the chance to say her goodbyes. She wanted for her and Red to die at the same time - like on a plane that was going down so that they would have a chance to trade last words. For someone who loved her husband, dogs, children so much - for someone who adopted a child who needed a home - for someone who brought other needy people into her home - her demise did not do her justice.
Thirdly, Denny drove me crazy. I tried really hard to understand him and accept him as the black sheep of the family. He really just came across as self-centered. He seemed to have an ulterior motive for everything, so he could not be trusted. I was impressed that he cooked, cleaned and sewed though, so there is that. We know next to nothing about him - even at the end when he apparently gets back together with Allie. Who the heck is Allie? Did I miss something?? And then, the real kicker is when the young boy sitting next to Denny on the bus is sobbing (at the end), and after acknowleding to himself that the boy might be asking for help, he pretends not to notice. Ugh. Double ugh.
Finally, Junior and Linnie Mae. Good grief. What kind of marriage is that?? Junior didn't even like Linnie Mae, much less love her. What a pitiful life for both of them. Reading their story honestly just disturbed me.
So, the spool of blue thread. I guess this is in reference to the blue thread that Denny uses to repair the dashiki that Red wore to his wedding to Abby - and her funeral. They were married for 48 years, so their marriage was significant - and their love for each other was real. So was this the "thread" that held this family together? Not sure if this title represents anything more than Red's love for Abby. I am open to hear thoughts on this though!
Wendy's Rating: ***
Sunday, October 2, 2016
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
This book is Paul Kalanithi's memoir. It's a tragedy that someone so brilliant, a neurosurgeon who had an avid interest in neuroscience and also wanted to be writer, could die from cancer at such a young age. I keep thinking about all of the lives he could have saved had he lived and how much research on the brain he could have accomplished. Who knows what discoveries he could have made. Yet, when someone asked him if he ever thought "why me?", his response was "why not me?".
Specialists, like neurosurgeons, can often be arrogant - and some definitely have minimal "bedside manner" skills. Paul wrote about some of his early arrogance and lack of emotional investment when dealing with patients and their families. What I loved about Paul is how early in his career he understood the importance of taking time with patients and their families to explain the choices and the potential consequences of each choice as they made their decisions about the viability of brain surgery. Sometimes the negative consequences definitely outweigh the possible positive results, especially depending on what part of the brain is being operated on. He was also able to converge science with faith. He found the central values of Christianity, sacrifice, redemption and forgiveness, compelling. He believed the main message of Jesus is that mercy trumps justice every time. Reading about how he, a man of science, could also return to his faith during his residency certainly made me respect him as a man and a doctor all the more.
Another comment he made really impacted me. He was asked if it would be more painful to die knowing that he would be leaving a child behind, along with his wife, rather than just his wife. Paul's response was that he hoped so. His focus always seemed to be on the positive. Having a child would be so wonderful that it didn't matter to him that it would be more difficult to leave a child behind - a child so young that she will never know her father.
Another thing that was astounding to me is how he went back to surgery when he was in so much pain. He just persevered as long as he possibly could. I would guess the majority of people would not return to work at all, or check things off their "bucket list", but Paul decides to go back to work and finish up his residency.
I really liked this book - and although Paul didn't get to finish it, I think the book feels complete. It's nice that his wife wrote the epilogue. Their daughter, Cady, should be very proud of her father and all he brought to others during his too-short time on earth.
Wendy's Rating: *****
Specialists, like neurosurgeons, can often be arrogant - and some definitely have minimal "bedside manner" skills. Paul wrote about some of his early arrogance and lack of emotional investment when dealing with patients and their families. What I loved about Paul is how early in his career he understood the importance of taking time with patients and their families to explain the choices and the potential consequences of each choice as they made their decisions about the viability of brain surgery. Sometimes the negative consequences definitely outweigh the possible positive results, especially depending on what part of the brain is being operated on. He was also able to converge science with faith. He found the central values of Christianity, sacrifice, redemption and forgiveness, compelling. He believed the main message of Jesus is that mercy trumps justice every time. Reading about how he, a man of science, could also return to his faith during his residency certainly made me respect him as a man and a doctor all the more.
Another comment he made really impacted me. He was asked if it would be more painful to die knowing that he would be leaving a child behind, along with his wife, rather than just his wife. Paul's response was that he hoped so. His focus always seemed to be on the positive. Having a child would be so wonderful that it didn't matter to him that it would be more difficult to leave a child behind - a child so young that she will never know her father.
Another thing that was astounding to me is how he went back to surgery when he was in so much pain. He just persevered as long as he possibly could. I would guess the majority of people would not return to work at all, or check things off their "bucket list", but Paul decides to go back to work and finish up his residency.
I really liked this book - and although Paul didn't get to finish it, I think the book feels complete. It's nice that his wife wrote the epilogue. Their daughter, Cady, should be very proud of her father and all he brought to others during his too-short time on earth.
Wendy's Rating: *****
Thursday, August 18, 2016
The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
Robert Galbraith, aka JK Rowling, adds a literary element to her mysteries. I like how she includes a quote at the beginning of each chapter that ties in with the chapter itself. It's an obscure clue about what's happening next. Her characters are extremely intelligent and knowledgeable.
I continue to love Strike and Robin. They are not perfect people by any means. Strike is overweight, eats a lot of McDonald's when on the road, and pines after a woman who is certainly not good enough for him! He focuses on her outer beauty rather than her inner ugliness. You would think that after 16 years he could let her go! I was thrilled that he didn't cave to her texts to him on her wedding day. Good riddance. And Robin, she didn't cave either! How awesome that she stood her ground with Matthew. She could have continued to sneak around and tell half-truths or lie through omission, but she just layed it on the table. I admit that Matthew surprised me by trying to accept Robin and her passion for detective work, rather than giving her an ultimatum of "it's me or your job". All three made progress in this book from The Cuckoo's Calling!
Strike spent most of the novel in pain, both physically and emotionally. He seems to be the better for it though. As for the murder of Quine, everything about it was complex. Solving the mystery of who killed Quine was more about delving into these unique characters and how they related to Quine, rather than an "ah-ha" moment. Strike had his "ah-ha" moment, but the reader doesn't share it. We just have to wait until the story unfolds. I thought it was interesting that Strike tells Robin to watch Michael Fancourt's interview until she figures out what was weird about it. Then when she does figure it out, we never get to hear about it from her. We don't know until Strike mentions it to Fancourt himself.
Other than Strike and Robin, the characters aren't that "likeable". Everyone has an edge to them - or something incredibly quirky or selfish - or sometimes they are just moody. I love joining Strike and Robin on their "journey" with these unique individuals. To me, it wasn't the solving of the mystery that was ultimately satisfying, it was watching Strike and Robin follow their instincts as they figured it all out.
I will continue to read whatever RG/JKR puts out. I just hope it's soon!
Wendy's Rating: *****
I continue to love Strike and Robin. They are not perfect people by any means. Strike is overweight, eats a lot of McDonald's when on the road, and pines after a woman who is certainly not good enough for him! He focuses on her outer beauty rather than her inner ugliness. You would think that after 16 years he could let her go! I was thrilled that he didn't cave to her texts to him on her wedding day. Good riddance. And Robin, she didn't cave either! How awesome that she stood her ground with Matthew. She could have continued to sneak around and tell half-truths or lie through omission, but she just layed it on the table. I admit that Matthew surprised me by trying to accept Robin and her passion for detective work, rather than giving her an ultimatum of "it's me or your job". All three made progress in this book from The Cuckoo's Calling!
Strike spent most of the novel in pain, both physically and emotionally. He seems to be the better for it though. As for the murder of Quine, everything about it was complex. Solving the mystery of who killed Quine was more about delving into these unique characters and how they related to Quine, rather than an "ah-ha" moment. Strike had his "ah-ha" moment, but the reader doesn't share it. We just have to wait until the story unfolds. I thought it was interesting that Strike tells Robin to watch Michael Fancourt's interview until she figures out what was weird about it. Then when she does figure it out, we never get to hear about it from her. We don't know until Strike mentions it to Fancourt himself.
Other than Strike and Robin, the characters aren't that "likeable". Everyone has an edge to them - or something incredibly quirky or selfish - or sometimes they are just moody. I love joining Strike and Robin on their "journey" with these unique individuals. To me, it wasn't the solving of the mystery that was ultimately satisfying, it was watching Strike and Robin follow their instincts as they figured it all out.
I will continue to read whatever RG/JKR puts out. I just hope it's soon!
Wendy's Rating: *****
Sunday, August 7, 2016
The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom
I am definitely on a roll. I have read a string (no pun intended!) of really good books, and this is certainly one of them. In some respects, this book reminded me of Forrest Gump. Frankie traveled through life, making a significant impact on other's lives - some of them famous/infamous for their talent. Forrest "ran" and Frankie "played", but they both influenced others' lives.
The story is narrated by Music. Frankie was born a musical genius with enormous talent. He is given a guitar that he carries with him for most of his life. The 6 strings of his guitar appear to have some mysterious magical power. The strings never break until after one turns blue, and then it snaps and needs to be replaced. The string turns blue when Frankie's actions affect someone else, usually in a life or death situation. What I loved about this is that, yes, there does seem to be something magical in nature when the strings turn blue, but at the end, the reader discovers that it isn't something purely magical. Things happen for a reason. Frankie's life is saved over and over, not because of magic, but because someone has pledged their life to keep him safe. I loved the ending of this story - not only because we get to understand how & why everything happened the way it did, but also because Frankie finally finds out who his parents were. (I just wish El Maestro knew who his son was!)
El Maestro was obviously an excellent teacher for Frankie. I loved how he kept Frankie on track. My favorite comment he said to Frankie though was, "The secret is not to make your music louder, but to make the world quieter." I think that is excellent advice! Although Frankie made his music too loud at the worst times in his life, he returned to his roots, both musically and literally, at the end.
Another favorite quote from this story was made by Music: "But then, had many of you left places even one day earlier, the landscape of your lives would be rearranged. You cannot unplay your notes. Time, like music, is indelible that way." I often think about how one decision - one turn - one minute of hesitation or impulsiveness can change the path of your life. Frankie made lots of decisions, some of them impulsively, some heavily influenced by drugs, some thought out and some that caused him great sadness - which made his life veer off into some negative experiences, but in the end, he was able to find his "center" again by returning to his music.
I have always thought that the most talented, the most genius, the most artistic people in our world are often the ones who struggle with mental illness and chemical dependency issues. I really loved how Music addressed that. Music lamented the fact that the most musically talented people often think their creativity or "genius" lays at the bottom of a bottle or in the midst of a drug-induced haze (I am paraphrasing here!) and that these people need to understand that it is their natural talent (gifted by Music) that they need to trust in.
I really loved this book! I have never read Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, which is the bestselling memoir of all time. I think it's about time I read it!
Wendy's Rating: *****
The story is narrated by Music. Frankie was born a musical genius with enormous talent. He is given a guitar that he carries with him for most of his life. The 6 strings of his guitar appear to have some mysterious magical power. The strings never break until after one turns blue, and then it snaps and needs to be replaced. The string turns blue when Frankie's actions affect someone else, usually in a life or death situation. What I loved about this is that, yes, there does seem to be something magical in nature when the strings turn blue, but at the end, the reader discovers that it isn't something purely magical. Things happen for a reason. Frankie's life is saved over and over, not because of magic, but because someone has pledged their life to keep him safe. I loved the ending of this story - not only because we get to understand how & why everything happened the way it did, but also because Frankie finally finds out who his parents were. (I just wish El Maestro knew who his son was!)
El Maestro was obviously an excellent teacher for Frankie. I loved how he kept Frankie on track. My favorite comment he said to Frankie though was, "The secret is not to make your music louder, but to make the world quieter." I think that is excellent advice! Although Frankie made his music too loud at the worst times in his life, he returned to his roots, both musically and literally, at the end.
Another favorite quote from this story was made by Music: "But then, had many of you left places even one day earlier, the landscape of your lives would be rearranged. You cannot unplay your notes. Time, like music, is indelible that way." I often think about how one decision - one turn - one minute of hesitation or impulsiveness can change the path of your life. Frankie made lots of decisions, some of them impulsively, some heavily influenced by drugs, some thought out and some that caused him great sadness - which made his life veer off into some negative experiences, but in the end, he was able to find his "center" again by returning to his music.
I have always thought that the most talented, the most genius, the most artistic people in our world are often the ones who struggle with mental illness and chemical dependency issues. I really loved how Music addressed that. Music lamented the fact that the most musically talented people often think their creativity or "genius" lays at the bottom of a bottle or in the midst of a drug-induced haze (I am paraphrasing here!) and that these people need to understand that it is their natural talent (gifted by Music) that they need to trust in.
I really loved this book! I have never read Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, which is the bestselling memoir of all time. I think it's about time I read it!
Wendy's Rating: *****
Sunday, July 31, 2016
The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz
David Lagercrantz continues Stieg Larsson's series and certainly does it justice. I very much enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced and stayed true to the characters as written by Stieg Larsson. In fact, it may have been even more enjoyable because SL had a tendency to give a little too many details about things at times!
Lisbeth and Mikael spend very little time together in this book, although they help each other a lot from a distance. Their relationship works well this way. I am still waiting for Mikael & Erika's relationship to run its course and settle into friendship only. It drives me crazy that he still sleeps with her, while her husband waits for her at home. Ugh. For some reason, I didn't remember that Lisbeth had a sister. Seems like something I should have remembered! I guess it's been too long since I read the original trilogy. I would love for Lisbeth to get the better of her. I guess we will have to wait for a future book for that. It's makes sense that Camilla would be difficult to catch/track down, considering how intelligent Lisbeth is, but Camilla is certainly an "evil twin".
I just don't understand why women stay with men who beat them up on a regular basis! I understand that Lisbeth's mother's situation would have been tough to get out of, considering who she was dealing with - a Russian gangster basically, but why on earth did Hanna stay with such a brute?? Westman was an jerk, and abused both her and her son, whom she seemed to love, so why?? How do you go from someone like Frans to someone like Westman? I really loved how Lisbeth treated August. I was disappointed when Lisbeth brought August back to Hanna, but when I realized Lisbeth was sending them both away, I was reminded how much I love Lisbeth's affinity to helping the helpless and abused.
I was intrigued by the example of the savant losing his focused intellect/talent once he learned to talk - or one he started talking. On one hand it makes sense because something is usually sacrificed when something else is introduced that needs focus. But what a choice! August was an amazing artist and mathematician. Maybe talking simply wasn't important to him, so why try to get him to talk? Should someone else be allowed to make that choice for him?
I guess I haven't even mentioned the main focus of the story: artificial intelligence. Yikes. Computers being able to think for themselves? That sounds downright scary. I was sad that Frans had to die for his incredible research/work - but happy that he had the forethought and insight to destroy everything on his computer before he was killed. I can hardly believe (still!) that Zander was also sacrificed in this story. Unbelievable. Did that really have to happen?? I think not.
I can't wait for the next book!
Wendy's Rating: *****
Lisbeth and Mikael spend very little time together in this book, although they help each other a lot from a distance. Their relationship works well this way. I am still waiting for Mikael & Erika's relationship to run its course and settle into friendship only. It drives me crazy that he still sleeps with her, while her husband waits for her at home. Ugh. For some reason, I didn't remember that Lisbeth had a sister. Seems like something I should have remembered! I guess it's been too long since I read the original trilogy. I would love for Lisbeth to get the better of her. I guess we will have to wait for a future book for that. It's makes sense that Camilla would be difficult to catch/track down, considering how intelligent Lisbeth is, but Camilla is certainly an "evil twin".
I just don't understand why women stay with men who beat them up on a regular basis! I understand that Lisbeth's mother's situation would have been tough to get out of, considering who she was dealing with - a Russian gangster basically, but why on earth did Hanna stay with such a brute?? Westman was an jerk, and abused both her and her son, whom she seemed to love, so why?? How do you go from someone like Frans to someone like Westman? I really loved how Lisbeth treated August. I was disappointed when Lisbeth brought August back to Hanna, but when I realized Lisbeth was sending them both away, I was reminded how much I love Lisbeth's affinity to helping the helpless and abused.
I was intrigued by the example of the savant losing his focused intellect/talent once he learned to talk - or one he started talking. On one hand it makes sense because something is usually sacrificed when something else is introduced that needs focus. But what a choice! August was an amazing artist and mathematician. Maybe talking simply wasn't important to him, so why try to get him to talk? Should someone else be allowed to make that choice for him?
I guess I haven't even mentioned the main focus of the story: artificial intelligence. Yikes. Computers being able to think for themselves? That sounds downright scary. I was sad that Frans had to die for his incredible research/work - but happy that he had the forethought and insight to destroy everything on his computer before he was killed. I can hardly believe (still!) that Zander was also sacrificed in this story. Unbelievable. Did that really have to happen?? I think not.
I can't wait for the next book!
Wendy's Rating: *****
Saturday, July 23, 2016
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Hands down, this is a wonderful book! I adore Ove, for starters. He is the kindest curmudgeon you could ever have the pleasure to know. He and his neighbors are such an eclectic bunch, and they accept everyone for who they are. I love that. It doesn't matter what age, nationality, gender, sexual preference, fit/unfit, smart, clumsy they are, they help each other out. The only thing that does matter to Ove is the car they drive. ;) Ove even softens a bit on that too, becoming a tad more accepting of other's vehicle choices by the end of the book! It's awesome that his best "bud" is a cat. :) When the cat is found frozen in the snow and cat-allergic Jimmy warms him up on his bare skin(flab) without a second thought - that's when I really started loving all of these characters.
This book reads very smoothly, even though it jumps around in time. The story unfolds a little at a time. You really don't know what happened to Ove's wife until it's slowly relayed over time. I love how Ove talks to his wife - and how he makes decisions based on what her thoughts would have been on the subject. I love how Ove is even sensitive to the cat's feelings and safety when he repeatedly contemplates how he is going to die on a particular day. Most of all, I love how much Ove loved his wife of nearly 40 years!
The routine-driven and safety-conscious Ove appears to be on the autism spectrum. This is the second book I have read recently where an author "normalizes" autism, making Ove simply human rather than "disabled". People are not their disabilities. People are people. Ove could not get through a day without helping someone. His deeds gave him purpose. How wonderful that his neighbors gave him purpose again after his wife died. Parvaneh, Patrick and their daughters became Ove's family. I love that the girls called him "Granddad".
There is nothing I don't love about this book! I laughed, and I certainly cried. This is a must-read.
Wendy's Rating: *****
This book reads very smoothly, even though it jumps around in time. The story unfolds a little at a time. You really don't know what happened to Ove's wife until it's slowly relayed over time. I love how Ove talks to his wife - and how he makes decisions based on what her thoughts would have been on the subject. I love how Ove is even sensitive to the cat's feelings and safety when he repeatedly contemplates how he is going to die on a particular day. Most of all, I love how much Ove loved his wife of nearly 40 years!
The routine-driven and safety-conscious Ove appears to be on the autism spectrum. This is the second book I have read recently where an author "normalizes" autism, making Ove simply human rather than "disabled". People are not their disabilities. People are people. Ove could not get through a day without helping someone. His deeds gave him purpose. How wonderful that his neighbors gave him purpose again after his wife died. Parvaneh, Patrick and their daughters became Ove's family. I love that the girls called him "Granddad".
There is nothing I don't love about this book! I laughed, and I certainly cried. This is a must-read.
Wendy's Rating: *****
Thursday, July 7, 2016
The Silver Falcon by Katia Fox
I really love this trilogy! I thought I might have a hard time adjusting to William being the main character in this second book, moving away from his mother Ellenweore's story in book one, The Copper Sign. But, I loved Ellenweore's story and I loved William's story. This trilogy reminds me of a much shorter Game of Thrones, with a lot less characters and no fantasy element, but definitely engaging from beginning to end.
I will admit that there were a couple of times I had to "take a break" for a few minutes because it was hard to read about the evil things people did to each other - or I was too afraid to read what was coming up because I thought something really bad was going to happen. As with Game of Thrones, some really wonderful people died - and it took a long time for certain people to be brought to some sort of justice - and that was difficult too. Another thing that was hard for me to read about was some falcon-related things: sealing their eyes shut; killing small birds to use as their food; the descriptions of the falcons taking down their prey. I am not a big fan of hunting (that's an understatement!), so that's never my favorite thing to read about in any detail. I enjoyed reading about William training the falcons and Robert's love of the dogs though.
William & Robert were wonderful - devoted and loyal friends - and I rooted for them throughout. I was really grateful for Marguerite for forcing them back together - and for Marshal, who gave William some good, non-judgmental advice. William could definitely be a bit of a hot head! And honestly, his jealousy of Robert & Marguerite just because Odon put the idea in his head?? Ridiculous! I absolutely despised Odon, which is what the author intended of course. She did a really nice job of portraying an evil man with a softness for only two people: Clara and Adam. Not that his love for Clara and Adam made up for one iota of all the evil things he did - or allowed. Enid's death was horrible - and so unnecessary (except to move the story along of course). ;)
By the time Marguerite meets William, I had already forgotten that her mother, Alix, was only 17 at the time of her birth and married to Richard. I think I was so distracted by William's story that I forgot about the connection between Alix and John. It was also hard to follow the fight for the throne - who was who, who supported who, who fought for who, who died and how a death affected the throne. But this didn't detract from the story for me. The reader doesn't have to understand all the details of 12th century England's succession to the throne to get wrapped up in the main story.
I was happy that William went home a couple of times to visit his mother & Isaac, because I missed them from the first book. When I finished The Silver Falcon I pulled The Golden Throne (third book) off my bookshelf to see who was the main character. I was hoping it was still William, but no. At first I was disappointed - until I realized that it focuses on Marshal. He is called by a different name in the book though so that the reader doesn't get confused by the two Williams, father and son. I am really looking forward to finishing this trilogy. Hopefully it ends well.
Wendy's Rating: *****
I will admit that there were a couple of times I had to "take a break" for a few minutes because it was hard to read about the evil things people did to each other - or I was too afraid to read what was coming up because I thought something really bad was going to happen. As with Game of Thrones, some really wonderful people died - and it took a long time for certain people to be brought to some sort of justice - and that was difficult too. Another thing that was hard for me to read about was some falcon-related things: sealing their eyes shut; killing small birds to use as their food; the descriptions of the falcons taking down their prey. I am not a big fan of hunting (that's an understatement!), so that's never my favorite thing to read about in any detail. I enjoyed reading about William training the falcons and Robert's love of the dogs though.
William & Robert were wonderful - devoted and loyal friends - and I rooted for them throughout. I was really grateful for Marguerite for forcing them back together - and for Marshal, who gave William some good, non-judgmental advice. William could definitely be a bit of a hot head! And honestly, his jealousy of Robert & Marguerite just because Odon put the idea in his head?? Ridiculous! I absolutely despised Odon, which is what the author intended of course. She did a really nice job of portraying an evil man with a softness for only two people: Clara and Adam. Not that his love for Clara and Adam made up for one iota of all the evil things he did - or allowed. Enid's death was horrible - and so unnecessary (except to move the story along of course). ;)
By the time Marguerite meets William, I had already forgotten that her mother, Alix, was only 17 at the time of her birth and married to Richard. I think I was so distracted by William's story that I forgot about the connection between Alix and John. It was also hard to follow the fight for the throne - who was who, who supported who, who fought for who, who died and how a death affected the throne. But this didn't detract from the story for me. The reader doesn't have to understand all the details of 12th century England's succession to the throne to get wrapped up in the main story.
I was happy that William went home a couple of times to visit his mother & Isaac, because I missed them from the first book. When I finished The Silver Falcon I pulled The Golden Throne (third book) off my bookshelf to see who was the main character. I was hoping it was still William, but no. At first I was disappointed - until I realized that it focuses on Marshal. He is called by a different name in the book though so that the reader doesn't get confused by the two Williams, father and son. I am really looking forward to finishing this trilogy. Hopefully it ends well.
Wendy's Rating: *****
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