Far Horizons (The Emigrants Trilogy), By Kate Hewitt

Hewitt, K. (2013). Far horizons: The emigrants trilogy. Kate Hewitt Ltd.

Kindle $0.99 (Only Kindle version available), 262 pages

Author’s Website and Interviews:

http://www.kate-hewitt.com/

http://katehewitt.blogspot.com/

Online Reviews:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13631044-far-horizons

(I was unable to retrieve any other reviews for this particular book)

Annotation: They felt worlds apart from each other and Allan knew that he should have set her free but promises aren’t meant to be broken.

Summary: Set in Scotland in 1819, Harriet Campbell and Allan MacDougall have been close since they were small children. Now on the night before he is to set sail to America with his family, Allan confesses his love for Harriett and must leave her behind due to her father not allowing her hand in marriage. He asks her to promise that she will wait for him until he is able to make a name for himself and has the means to bring her to America. Harriett is torn by her desire to join Allan in America and her duty to her father and younger siblings. Weeks pass before she receives any word from Allan and then his letters stop coming. She assumes that he has moved on and so she decides to move on with her life despite the fact that she still loves him. She learns that her family farm is in severe debt and will most likely go under now that her father is bed ridden and unable to work the farm. She is approached one day by James Riddle, a prominent man who owns most of the Island of Mull, and is asked to tutor his niece on the pianoforte in exchange for something she wants. Harriett realizes that Mr. Riddle had intercepted a letter from Allan to use as leverage for her help. She begins tutoring his niece and meets his nephew Andrew who soon develops strong feelings for her. She is conflicted by her love for Allan yet her desire to move on and start fresh. One day Harriett is on her way to town to sell off some of the family land to help pay down debts but her younger brother Ian insists he go in her place since he is now the man of the family. He meets Mr. Riddle along the way who offers to buy the parcels of land and presents him with a contract to sign. Ian is so memorized by the money that he fails to read the contract and doesn’t know he has sold the entire family farm to Riddle. Harriet learns of his mistake and is aided by Andrew in her attempt to gain enough money to buy it back. Andrew offers her a solution of marriage stating that if they are married his uncle would ensure that she would keep the farm. She accepts his marriage proposal and writes to Allan telling him that she has regrettably moved on and is the only way to save her family’s farm. Allan devastated by Harriett’s broken promise, sets out in pursuit of his own dreams away from the oppressing demands of his father and family obligation.

Evaluation: The book started out rather slow but eventually picked up pace once Allan and his family left for Canada. I thought the author did a great job with character development and the writing was very beautiful and captured the longing between Allan and Harriet. However, I did feel the story jumped around quite a lot and it was often hard to follow what was going on. The storyline did feel a bit dry at times as if it weren’t progressing but then the next page would thrust the story forward again. I appreciated that Harriet was written as such a strong female character especially given the time period and I feel that her character complimented Allan’s very well. The writing for her character was strong and it allowed the reader to develop a bond with her and you felt like her plights were your own. I found myself cheering Allan and Harriet on and was devastated when she agreed to marry Andrew who I felt was not the proper choice for her. The storyline hooked me and I became vested in these two individuals. The writing was extremely descriptive and for a few brief moments I felt like I had been transported to 19^th century Scotland.

Genre: Historical Fiction (Romance)

Appeal Factors: Beautifully written, strong character development, strong female characters, adventure, romance, and betrayal. It is a rather quick read and the pace picks up quickly as the book progresses. The storyline is rich and well developed.

Read-alike Titles and Authors:

A Second Chance (Promises to Keep) by Shayne Parkinson

Far Away Home by Susan Denning

Out of Time by Deborah Truscott

Love in Disguise by Carol Cox

Awards:

This book has not won any awards.

Booktalk Ideas:

•  Empathetic response: Ask reader questions that would put them in Harriet’s or Allan’s shoes. Discuss the theme of the book and ask questions to help evoke an emotional response. How does it feel to be separated from the one you love? How would you feel if your father had not allowed you to marry the man you love? How does it feel to be a young woman in 19^th century Scotland with limited power and prospects?
•  If/then scenarios: Let the reader or audience come up with other possibilities for key parts of the book. If Allan had told Harriet that he loved her soon, then she would have sailed to America and started a new life. If Harriet had received all of Alan’s letters, then she would not have felt forced to marry Andrew.
•  Connect the relevancy of events in the book to that of the reader’s life. Get readers to relate, find common ground and connection with the plight of the characters. Have you ever been in a similar situation? Have you ever had to sacrifice love for family? Have you ever had to walk away from someone you love? Have you ever had to make a difficult decision?

Book Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think Allan should have told Harriet sooner about his feelings for her? Would it have changed the outcome of his leaving? Do you feel his decision to tell her was dishonorable? If so, why?

2. Why does James Riddle intercept one of Allan’s letters to Harriet?

3. Did you find Andrew’s actions admirable despite his stealing Allan’s letters? Do you think he really loved Harriet?

4.  Why do you think Harriet’s character is written in such a strong female voice given the time period it was written for? What does this say about the role of women during this time?

5. Is Allan’s father disillusioned by preconceived notions of life in America? Why does he struggle so much to acclimate to his new life?

6. Were you shocked to learn that Harriett’s character was twenty three? Why do you think her character hadn’t married Allan sooner when the average age for women to marry and have children was much younger? Do you think this had an impact on their relationship and her willingness to marry Andrew so hastily?

I haven’t read much historical fiction but loved the fact that this particular book mixed historical fiction with romance. I had never heard of the author before coming across her name on Amazon. I read a few reviews on Amazon and Good Reads about Far Horizons and it sounded like it would be a heart wrenching love story which I am a sucker for. I also loved the time period it was set in and love any books that are set in Scotland. After reading an excerpt from the book I had to know how Harriet’s and Allan’s story ended. Did they end up together? Did she make it to America? Did they marry other people? Once I started asking myself these questions, I knew I had to read it to find out.

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, By Alison Bechdel

Bechdel, A. (2006). Fun home: A family tragicomic. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Paperback $14.95, Kindle $8.00, 232 pages

ISBN: 978-0618871711

Author’s Website and Interviews:

http://dykestowatchoutfor.com/

http://dykestowatchoutfor.com/blog

Interview: http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/11/we-just-sat-and-held-each-other-how-it-feels-to-watch-your-life-story-onstage/281369/

Interview: http://www.progressive.org/alison-bechdel-interview

Online Reviews:

The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/18/books/review/18wilsey.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Los Angeles Times: http://articles.latimes.com/2013/oct/22/entertainment/la-et-cm-fun-home-review

Annotation: Her father’s need for perfection shrouded a double life that kept him and his family prisoner.

Summary (Warning Spoilers): Alison Bechdel, author and narrator, recounts the story of her childhood and her often strained relationship with her father. The novel begins with Alison telling of her father’s obsession with renovating their family home which was an old Victorian. She believes her father’s obsession with perfection is a means of masking the internal chaos he has.  She compares the fixing up of their old house to that seen in the movie It’s A Wondeful Life but that is where the comparison ends as she reveals her father’s temper is not a one time thing like Jimmy Stewart’s, but rather a daily occurrence. The story then recounts the death of her father which she believes to have been a suicide not an accident. Her father had been carrying lawn clipping across the street and was hit by a Sunbeam Bread truck. Her mother had asked for a divorce two weeks prior and Alison had also disclosed her own sexuality which she believes factored into her father’s death. Four months before her father’s death Alison had come out to her parents via a letter she types and the news was not well received. Her mother blurts out that her father had slept with men and young boys, downplaying the importance of Alison’s self-revalation. The story then charts Alison’s realization that she is a lesbian which began at age thirteen. Through books and meetings with the “Gay Union” Alison begins to discover who she truly is and meets her girlfriend Joan who is a poet. She then begins recounting memories of vacations with her father and her babysitter Roy who she later discovers was having an affair with her father.  Her father later reveals to her one night on their way to a movie, his own sexual history with men and his desire to have been a girl, a revelation that help forge an unspoken bond and acceptance between father and daughter.

Evaluation: I thoroughly enjoyed this graphic novel and felt that the comic strip format really aided in the darkly humorous nature of the story.  The author gives the reader a deeply personal look at not only her own struggle with coming to terms with her sexuality but the struggle of her father as well. I found her writing to be honest, powerful, and shocking at times. Each picture provided a glimpse of her life from childhood to adulthood, capturing the bizarre dysfunction that helped shape her. Her writing, along with the artwork, portrayed both the differences and similarities between Alison and her father. In the beginning of the book she almost sets herself up as his opposite but as the novel progresses similarities begin to emerge and it is clear that this is a source of conflict for her. Although the book sheds her father in not a very positive light it reveals his humanness, his weaknesses, and attempts to explain, make sense, and justify an obviously conflicted and tortured soul. I don’t think the book would have been as powerful had it not been done in the style of a graphic novel. I think the pictures really added to the story and brought her words to life. It was as if I was actually there witnessing her childhood and the characters were brought to life through each black and white drawing. I believe that the author employs the use of writing through the allusive lens of literary novels as a  means of defining and coming to terms with family relationships. Each story used to mirror her family attempts to make them more real to her. In reality there was a complete disconnect from  her father but as she recounts part of her childhood through the lens of a Greek myth, it adds a layer of connection not attainable in real life. Overall I found the novel to been extremely well written, complex, layered, and darkly humorous which made the story simultaneously beautiful and tragic.

Genre: Graphic Novel, (Memoir)

Appeal Factors: Hilarious, raw, and revealing writing. The black and white pictures add to the text making the writing more accessible and easier to follow storyline. Character driven and reflective.

Read-alike Titles and Authors:

Stitches by David Small

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf

Awards:

Named Best Comic Book of 2006 by The New York Times, Amazon.com, The Times of London, New York Magazine, and Publishers Weekly

2007 GLAAD Media Award Winner for Outstanding Comic Book

Stonewall Book Award for non-fiction

Booktalk Ideas:

• Present the audience with an if/then type scenario. If Alison’s dad hadn’t left the highlighted passages in his books about death and suicide, then would Alison still have believed her coming out triggered his suicide?
• Use audience questions to evoke an emotional response/connection to the book or to a specific character. Put them in the shoes of Alison or her father. Discuss book themes such as sexual angst, shame,  acceptance, and forgiveness to help create emotional connections.
• Make connections between what happens in the book and what is happening in the news in terms of equality, gay rights, etc. Had the book been set in present day do you think her father would have still struggled with coming to terms with his own sexuality? Provide examples of how the themes of this book connects to issues today.

Book Discussion Questions:

1. How is Bruce Bechdel’s (the father) need to obsessively restore the family’s Victorian home connected to the emotional coldness and distance he has with his family?Is this directly connected to his being a closeted homosexual? What does the house represent for Alison?

2. How does sexuality free Alison yet force her father to hide his true self? Is Bruce’s world of perfection a cover or an escape from his true sexuality? Why can’t he be as free as his daughter?

3. Do you think Alison’s father resents the fact that her sexuality has freed her yet he remains hidden? Why or why not?

4. Do you think Alison’s father committed suicide or was it really just an accident? Please refer to specific passages.

5. Do you think her father’s copy of Camus’ Happy Death serves as a suicide note? What do you make of the margin notation left in another one of her father’s books? Do you think he had been planning his suicide for awhile?

6. Does Bruce’s confession about his own sexuality help to heal the relationship with Alison? Do you think Alison coming out as Lesbian aided in her father’s death?

7. What do you make of her mother’s matter of fact tone about her father’s homosexuality? Her mother knew about his affair with me, yet she remained married to him? Why do you think she chose to stay in what appears to be a loveless marriage?

I first came across this graphic novel as an undergraduate student and loved it so much I decided to read it again. I love that the comic is presented in a more traditional style through black and white pictures reminiscent of newspaper comic strips. I also was drawn to it because it is also a memoir which recounts the author’s often dysfunctional yet comical upbringing. I haven’t read very many graphic novels and this one received excellent reviews on Amazon and Good Reads which aided in my decision to read it. I was interested to see what made it a “tragicomic” and how the author would weave gothic imagery and twists into her life story in a humorous way.

World War Z, By Max Brooks

Brooks, M. (2006). World war z: An oral history of the zombie war. New York: Crown.

Paperback $14.95, Kindle $9.83, 342 pages

ISBN: 9780307346612

Author’s Website and Interviews:

http://maxbrooks.com/

Online Reviews:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/magazine/max-brooks-is-not-kidding-about-the-zombie-apocalypse.html?_r=0

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zaki-hasan/zakis-review-iworld-war-z_b_3518078.html

http://www.sfsite.com/12a/ww237.htm

Annotation: It has been a decade since the zombie war almost decimated mankind now tales of survival serve as warnings for future generations.

Summary: The stories narrator, a United Nations Postwar Commissions agent, recounts interviews from war survivors from around the world. The identity of patient zero is revealed to have been a young Chinese boy whose infection spread rapidly due to an illegal organ trade. This is the first documented case and creates public exposure. As the disease rapidly spread globally, it ushers in the onset of what is called the “Great Panic.” After numerous attempts at defeating the zombies fail, Paul Redeker, an intelligence consultant, comes up with the idea to create various sanctuaries which house survivors in order to lure the zombies to them which leaves the rest of the area free to reorganize and strategize ways to eradicate them. This becomes a global plan. With a renewed sense of survival and success, the U.S. government organizes their forces in the Rockies with newer high tech weaponry designed to kill zombies more effectively.

Evaluation: I had a really hard time getting through this book. Although the writing was extremely descriptive I found it rather dry. The interviews from individuals around the world were very similar and I felt like I was reading the same thing over and over. I think I couldn’t connect to the book because their was no protagonist to relate to or champion for. There were no climactic events as the overall plot of the storyline is outlined within the first few pages. It is a mere retelling of events from the zombie war and serves as more of a warning text for future generations. On a positive note, I thought the writing style itself was good, extremely descriptive and left a chilling picture of the aftermath of the war. I generally tend to shy away from books that depict scenes in a graphic and gory nature but I found it was necessary for this book to understand the gravity of the war. Although Brooks does a great job of detailing how the war impacted government and the military, the story did not have enough excitement to hold my interest and I found myself only able to read a few pages at a time.

Genre: Horror (Apocalyptic)

Appeal Factors: Very descriptive writing which creates a very realistic tone for the book. The book presents a human factor which makes the war seem plausible and the stories of loss more devastating. Plot-driven, fast-paced, and graphic.

Read-alike Titles and Authors:

The Zombie Autopsies by Steven Schlozman

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

Beyond Exile by J. L. Bourne

Dying to Live by Kim Paffenroth

Thunder and Ashes by Z. A. Recht

Awards:

New York Times Bestseller

Booktalk Ideas:

• Gore and horror: Focus on a passage that depicts the war in graphic detail. This will help get the reader’s imagination going and instill a little fear in them.
• If/then scenario: If the United Nations Postwar Commission has taken steps to ensure that this type of war/outbreak doesn’t happen again, then shouldn’t the world be able to rest easily knowing the problem has been eradicated. Is there fear it could happen again? If you were a Siberian solider whose comrade had just been bitten and infected, then you would have to make the difficult choice of pulling the trigger? Could you do it?

Book Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think Max Brooks decided to tell the story from a more global point of view? What does this say about the global politics?

2. Do you notice any differences between the stories the men tell versus the stories of survival the women tell? Do you think gender factors heavily into the storyline?

3. Does the use of multiple character perspectives about one event complicate the story or make it easier to understand since you are getting a global perspective of what happened?

4. Did Brook’s writing style convince you that a zombie apocalypse was plausible? Provide examples.

5. Do you think the various government agencies referenced in the book did enough for the war effort? Did it vary from country to country?

6. How did the war impact religion around the world?

I have always been a fan of books about zombies, vampires, and other supernatural creatures. After seeing the movie version of this book, I felt like I had to read it in order to compare how closely the movie mirrored the book. I was initially drawn to the book because it recounts survival stories from around the world so I thought it would give me a more comprehensive picture of the war’s devastation and the aftermath that followed. I love a good scare and was interested to see how much gore and horror I could handle. With the inundation of television shows and movies about zombies and zombie apocalypses, this book was just another way to get my zombie fill and help fill in any mission pieces the movie didn’t include.

The Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother’s Hidden Life, By Jazmin Darznik

Darznik, J. (2011). The good daughter: A memoir of my mother’s hidden life. New York: Grand Central Publishing.

Hardcover $24.99, Paperback $14.99, Kindle $9.99, 336 pages

ISBN: 978-0446534987

Author’s Website and Interviews:

http://jasmindarznik.com/

http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/books/interview-jasmin-darznik-iranian-author-1-1494476

Online Reviews:

http://www.cleveland.com/books/index.ssf/2011/01/in_the_good_daughter_jasmin_da.html

http://www.readingonarainyday.com/2011/03/good-daughter-by-jasmin-darznik-wow.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/09/opinion/09darznik.html?_r=0

Annotation: The secret of the past resided in the photograph as her mother, too young to be a bride, stared blankly ahead aware of her fate.

Summary: Five weeks after the death of her father, Jasmin discovers an old photograph of her mother Lili when she was thirteen years old. The photo holds shocking secrets about her mother’s past as a child bride in Iran.  After confronting her mother about the photograph she begins to receive cassette tapes from her mother, each telling the story of her life in Iran starting with the story of Kobra and Sohrab, Lili’s mother and father. She recounts the mistreatment her mother Kobra suffered at the hands of her father and how due to Iranian law which granted mother’s no maternal rights, her mother was powerless to stop Lili’s arranged marriage at age thirteen to man in his thirties. This cycle of abuse continues into in Lili’s marriage to Kazem and she is forced to choose between her daughter Sara and obtaining a divorce which would ensure her freedom. She makes the difficult choice to leave her daughter in the care of her husband’s family and moves to Germany to pursue a career in medicine. While at school, she meets her husband Johan, Jasmin’s father, and moves the new family back to Iran. When Jasmin is three years old the family moves to America due to the Islamic Revolution. Lili’s tapes recount the couples struggle to acclimate to American culture and the divide caused by Jasmin’s desire to become an “American Girl,” a drastic departure from her “good” and dutiful daughter she left in Iran. After Johan’s death, Jasmin and her mother are reunited after a year long absence from each other lives and begin to heal their relationship through a mutual understanding of each other as women. Through the tapes, Lili gives  a part of herself to her daughter and is able to begin her own healing process concerning her past and her current relationship with Sara.

Evaluation: Darznik pens a powerful retelling of her mother’s story which brings to life the plight of Iranian women at that time. I really liked that the book begins by detailing the story of Lili’s mother Kobra as it shows how domestic violence and negative attitudes towards women was a cultural norm passed down from one generation to the next. The book details a history of abuse, sacrifice, and the women’s courage to fight back in the name of freedom. The book is told from both an American and Iranian cultural lens which helps to better understand the central themes from varying points of view. Darznik’s writing is extremely descriptive and captures Iranian culture in a way that makes the reader feel that they are back in 1940’s Iran watching Lili struggle to break free from cultural oppression. My only issue with this book is that there is no closure provided concerning what happened to Sara and the current state of her relationship with her mother and half-sister. That chapter of the mother’s life is shrouded in mystery.

Genre: Non Fiction (Memoir)

Appeal Factors: The writing and storytelling is authentic, honest, and raw. The mother’s plight and courage allow for a deeper connection with the reader. It is a beautifully crafted memoir that captures a dark family truth in a compelling and heart wrenching way.

Read-alike Titles and Authors:

Things I’ve Been Silent About by Azar Nafisi

Borrowed Finery by Paula Fox

The Dress Maker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

Memoir of the Sunday Brunch by Julia Pandl

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Awards:

New York Times Bestseller

Finalist for the Reader’s Choice Award from the Library of Virginia

Short-listed for the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing

Booktalk Ideas:

• Dialogue technique: Take a passage from the book where the mother is speaking about having to abandon her first child in order to escape her life as a child bride.
• Empathy: Ask the questions that put the audience in Lili’s shoes. Helps put the audience inside the story. Makes them take on a more active role as reader.
• Address a secret but do not give it away. Keep the audience hanging on and wanting to know more. Could use the secret of Lili’s old life in Iran and the fact that she had been married when she was only 13. A secret her daughter doesn’t discover until she is a grown woman herself.

Book Discussion Questions:

1. Why did Lili choose to narrate her life story on cassette tapes rather than tell it directly to her daughter Jasmin? Does this have any cultural implications?

2. Why do you think the whereabouts of Lili’s first daughter Sara are never fully revealed? How does the abandonment of her first daughter shape the way that she raises Jasmin? Does this impact the expectations she places on her?

3. Who is the young child Jasmin plays with at the hair salon? Do you believe it is Sara? Why do her mother and grandmother not disclose the girl’s identity?

4. What does the mother’s story say about the attitudes surrounding domestic abuse in Iran at that time? Does Lili’s story mirror that of her mother Kobra’s? Does moving to America ensure that she has broken the cycle for her daughter Jasmin?

5. How are Lili and Jasmin alike? How are they different? How has hearing her mother’s story shaped the way Jasmin identifies herself as an Iranian American?

*Here is a link to more in-depth book discussion questions: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/_b2c/media/assets/titlesout/e66ecdd1-8ad0-4a07-ab1b-1ca65ebe98a8/ARG_9780446534987.pdf

I first heard about this book when I was an undergrad but never read more than  a few pages due to time constraints from other classes.  I decided to read this book because I remembered that it was a story of hope and defying the odds, a theme that is extremely relevant to my life at the moment. After reading numerous reviews on Good Reads, I decided to give it another chance and I am very glad I did. It is a very compelling story that gives great insight into the plight of Iranian women at that time. I also gravitated towards it because it was a factual retelling of Lili’s life as opposed to a novel based loosely on events. The fact that it was real made it more powerful and made it easier to connect with Lili and Jasmin.

Brothers and Bones, By James Hankins

Hankins, J. (2012). Brothers and Bones. Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Kindle $0.99, 365 pages

Author’s Website and Interviews:

http://jameshankinsbooks.com/

http://digitalbooktoday.com/2013/05/20/author-interview-182-brothers-and-bones-by-james-hankins/

Online Reviews:

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/james-hankins/brothers-and-bones/

Annotation: Jake’s disappearance has haunted Charlie for thirteen years and now staring down the barrel of gun he wants answers.

Summary (Warning SPOILERS): Charlie’s brother Jake has been missing for thirteen years and while waiting for that morning’s train he encounters a homeless man who not only looks like his brother but also calls him by the nickname “Wiley” a name known only by his brother Jake. It is revealed that the homeless man is Bonz, a former mob informant who was tortured by Siracuse a well known crime boss, and who knows the truth behind Jake’s disappearance. After Charlie is framed by Siracuse for the murder of his friend Angel, he joins forces with Bonz in an attempt to clear his name. Charlie learns that Siracuse is after a tape he believes is in Charlie’s possession a tape that connects him to a very prominent U.S. attorney. As Bonz and Charlie go on the run, Bonz reveals that he witnessed Jake’s torture at the hands of Siracuse’s men and attempted to take care of him after each torture session. Bonz tells Charlie that before Jake died he told him to give Charlie a message to “find refuge in the Lord’s prayer” a code that would reveal the whereabouts of the tape. Charlie becomes unsure of whom to trust as Bonz credibility is shaken when it is revealed that Bonz is actually the one who killed Jake. Bonz tells Charlie it was  a mercy killing due to the fact that Jake was already dying and was suffering. As Jake comes to terms with his brother’s death he is dealt another blow when he learns that his soon to be father in law, Lippincott has been working with Siracuse and is the one on the sought after tape. Lippincott recruited Siracuse to murder his severely autistic son because he was pushing the family into financial ruin and Charlie’s brother was the one who found the tape of their meeting. After Jessica, Charlie’s fiance is kidnapped by Siracuse, Charlie lies and says he and Bonz have the tape and are willing to make a deal. Siracuse soon learns that Charlie is bluffing when he fails to know one key piece, how much Lippincott paid him to knock off his son.

Evaluation: I was immediately drawn in and hooked within the first two pages. The writing is full of cliff hangers which leave you on the edge of your seat craving answers. The story moves at a really fast pace and each chapter is filled with action. There are so many twists and turns you don’t know who to believe. Hankins does a great job of developing two characters, Bonz and Charlie who couldn’t be more polar opposites but really complement each other. The characters are well-developed and although the story takes numerous twists and turns they work together to weave together a story that sheds light not only on Jake’s disappearance but on the heart of who Charlie truly is and how far he is willing to go for justice. The book does use pretty vulgar language but given the subject matter of the book I felt it gave it more of a realistic tone.

Genre: Action & Adventure (Thriller)

Appeal Factors:  Suspenseful, action packed with a shifting plot line. Strong character development and descriptive writing. It is fast paced yet provides enough detail to never leave the reader hanging for very long.

Read-alike Titles and Authors:

Ignite by R. J. Lewis

Girl Jacked by Christopher Greyson

Nameless by Joe Conlan

Awards:

Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2013

Booktalk Ideas:

• What if Bonz hadn’t been the one to kill Jake? Would it change the way you view his character? What if Charlie chose to believe Lippincott over Bonz when it is revealed that he killed Jake?
•  Read a passage that leaves the reader wanting more. Stop just before an important detail or truth is revealed. Let the reader guess what is going to happen next.
•  Ask questions that puts the reader on of the character’s shoes. Ask questions about Bonz and his role in Jake’s death? Would they have done the same thing? Does the reasons Dr. Fieldings give for his betrayal hold him less accountable? Do you understand why he betrayed Charlie?

Book Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think Jessica knew more about Siracuse’s dealings than she let Charlie believe?

2. Is Lippincott’s character portrayed as more of a monster than Siracuse? Why or why not?

3. Does Bonz’s killing of Jake make you more empathetic towards his character? Does his revelation make him more trustworthy?

4. Do you hold Dr. Fieldings accountable in his role of making Charlie believe he was crazy? Do you feel he knew more than he let on?

5. Bonz proves himself to be a worthy ally throughout the novel. Do you think his character is meant to represent Charlie’s brother Jake and his need for brotherly connection?

6. What did Siracuse mean when he told Charlie that “we all have warts…even your brother Jake?” Do you think Jake was involved with Siracuase? Why is Jake so adamant in not hearing what Siracuase has to say? Does this make you doubt Jake’s actions?

While browsing around Amazon I came across free books for my kindle. I hadn’t really dabbled much in action & adventure (thriller) books and found the cover to be really interesting. The title also helped to draw me in and I was curious as to what “Brother and Bones” referred to. I also read the brief synopsis provided by Amazon as well as some great reviews on Good Reads that gave this book a high rating. I was curious to know who the homeless man was and if it really was Charlie’s brother Jake. I knew the storyline had to be powerful when one word could render a character so distraught.

Sand Omnibus, By Hugh Howey

Howey, H. (2014). Sand omnibus. Broad Reach Publishing.

Paperback $17.95, Kindle $5.99, 336 pages

ISBN: 978-1494904487

Author’s Website and Interviews:

Homepage

Online Reviews:

http://www.adventuresinscifipublishing.com/2014/02/book-review-sand-by-hugh-howey/

Annotation: Palmer sat alone amongst the ruins of Danvar, hopelessly waiting for the traitor to return and rescue from him from the sand’s relentless grip.  

Summary (Warning Spoilers): Palmer, a young but skilled sand diver, sets out with his friend Hap to aid Brock and his men in the recovery of buried artifacts. The two men are recruited to dive to depths of over 300 feet, a depth no diver other than Palmer’s sister Vic has survived before. Both men descend into the sand, utilizing sand altering dive suits which allow them to manipulate the sand making it easier to dive. As they reach the legendary city of Danvar, both men are running low on air and seek refuge in one of the city’s sand scrapers. Hap suddenly turns on Palmer by locking him in a room and stealing his last remaining air tank. As Palmer tries to push his way out, Hap ensures him that he will return to rescue him, a lie which realizes his friend’s betrayal. It is clear to Palmer that Hap intends to claim the discovery of the lost city for himself and has no intention of returning. However, when Hap reaches the surface, Brock and his men are waiting with sinister intent. Brock steals Hap’s visor which stored all of the coordinates for the city’s location and pushes him back down the shaft, killing Hap in the process. While Palmer is trapped, he stumbles upon another survivor who had been trapped down there for weeks. This survivor however, had turned to cannibalism, living off the remains of his fallen dive partner. A struggle ensues and Palmer is forced to kill the man in self-defense. Although distraught at taking another life, he discovers the man had an air tank which is almost half empty. Palmer decides to take a chance on escaping and uses the air tank to return to the surface. As he begins to ascend he stumbles upon the body of Hap, mangled and mutilated, obvious signs that his death was no accident. Once he returns, he realizes that Brock and his men have moved camp and that he is no longer safe. He sets out to find home unaware that his sister Vic with the help of her brothers Conner and Rob are searching for him in hopes of saving him and the discovery of Danvar.

Evaluation: This book got off to a slow start for me but really picked up when Palmer and Hap descended into the sand in search of Danvar. I enjoyed the fact that this was a dystopian novel and focused on a futuristic city buried by sand and where the sand has become the oppressor. Howey’s writing is fantastic, descriptive, and the characters are well developed. After the first few chapters the story really picks up the pace and you are immediately introduced to Palmer’s brothers Connor and Rob, his sister Vic, and his mother Rose, a woman who has been forced to turn to prostitution in her husband’s absence. Although each character tells the story from their own point of view, they are interconnected and build upon one another. Howey is able to transport the reader to this futuristic world and take them on dives right along with Palmer and Vic. It was a rather quick read for me which left me with more questions than answers which is always a sign of a great thought provoking book. I will definitely be reading this one again in hopes of discovering more to Palmer’s father’s disappearance and the child who appeared out of No Man’s Land claiming to be his daughter.

Genre: Science Fiction (Dystopian)

Appeal Factors: A dystopian novel set in a futuristic city buried by sand. The novel is thought provoking and the writing is descriptive. Does not mince words and foul language is used throughout which I found added to the realness of the characters. Plot-driven and compelling.

Read-alike Titles and Authors:

The Atlantis Plague by A. G. Riddle

The Martian by Andy Weir

Cyber Storm by Matthew Mather

Awards:

This book has not won any awards.

Booktalk Ideas:

•  Read the scene where Hap locks Palmer in the room and steals his air tank. Leave the reader wanting more.
•  Ask questions that allow the audience to step into the shoes of Rose, Palmer, Hap, or Vic. Does this new perspective garner empathy, understanding, forgiveness?
•  Ask the audience question the morals and motives of the characters. What if Hap had survived? What is Palmer had pushed the door open a few seconds earlier and retrieved his air tank? What if Palmer’s dad had never left?

Book Discussion Questions:

1. Why did Palmer’s dad leave his family all those years ago? How did he end up in No Man’s Land without a way of escaping?

2. Is Violet really their half-sister? How was she able to escape and survive the journey out of No Man’s Land when no one else has ever survived? Why does Rose show such affection towards her after she is found and brought to the bar?

3. What is the significance of Connor and Rob taking the family tent out each year on the anniversary of their father’s disappearance?

4. Do you think Hap had any intention of returning to rescue Palmer before he was killed? Did you get the sense early on that this dive for Brock could be one of their last?

5. How would you compare Vic’s character to that of her mother’s? Do you think her mother was justified in her actions of abandoning the family and buying the bar? What reasoning does she give to her children?

6. Where did all of the sand come from and what happened to cities like Danvar? Do the use of bombs factor into this? What exactly is No Man’s Land and what do you think it says about mankind?

I was initially drawn the cover and the fact that it was a dystopian book. I have read a lot of YA dystopian fiction and was looking for one aimed at adults. I was immediately hooked after reading a brief synopsis on Amazon.com and had to know more about a city of sand that was humanity’s undoing. Also, I had heard great things about Wool by Hugh Howey and knew he was an author that I had to check out.

The Age of Miracles, By Karen Thompson Walker

Walker, K. T. (2013). The age of miracles: a novel. New York: Random House.

Paperback $15.00, Kindle $10.00, 304 pages

ISBN: 978-0812982947

Author’s Website and Interviews:

http://www.theageofmiraclesbook.com/author/

http://bookpage.com/interviews/8827-karen-thompson-walker

Online Reviews:

The New York Times-http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/19/books/the-age-of-miracles-by-karen-thompson-walker.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

The Guardian-http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/jul/13/age-of-miracles-karen-walker-review

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/karen-thompson-walkers-the-age-of-miracles-reviewed-by-ron-charles/2012/06/26/gJQAB0GB5V_story.html

Annotation:  Days and nights slowly melded into one and Julia and her parents watched helplessly as the slowing showed no signs of stopping.

Summary (SPOILER ALERT): Julie, an eleven year old girl and only child, wakes up to what appears to be another normal Saturday morning only to discover that the earth is experiencing a phenomenon called the slowing in which earth’s rotation slows down, causing the days to lengthen by minutes, hours, days, and eventually weeks. Julia’s mother is instantly sent into panic mode while Julia and her father remain level headed taking the slowing one day at a time. The slowing impacts Julia’s neighbors in various ways as some people adapt more easily to the change while others such as Julia’s grandpa believe it is a government conspiracy with others such as her friend Hanna believing it is due to God’s wrath. After weeks of disorder, the government steps in an announces the creation of “clock time” which will follow the traditional 24 hour day which most businesses, school, and government agencies adopt. However, there are people known as “real timers” who reject the government’s attempt at restoring order through clock time and instead decide to live according to when the sun rises and sets. The real timers face discrimination over their “alternate” lifestyle and Julia’s music teacher Sylvia is discovered to have adopted a real time lifestyle and faces persecution at the hands of neighbors who view her as a threat. As the days continue to slow, people begin randomly experiencing what is known as the syndrome, a form of gravity sickness that affects Julia’s mother causing her to hit and kill a pedestrian while driving. It also begins impairing people’s judgment, making people more impulsive and daring and also causes the crime rate to escalate. Julia’s world is turned upside down again after she catches her father lying to her mother about what really happened to the pedestrian she hit. He lies and tells her that he heard from the hospital that the man is doing well and expects a full recovery. However, Julia knows he is lying to appease her mother. After seeing how happy her mother is upon hearing the good news which seems to cause a slight improvement in her health, Julia decides not to expose her father. However, she catches him once again being untruthful after seeing him with Sylvia in what appears to be a romantic affair. In the midst of all the chaos, Julia develops an unlikely friendship with her crush Seth Moreno whose own mother is battling an illness. Seth learns of Julia’s father’s affair and advises her to confront her father which she does upon catching him helping Sylvia pack boxes into her car. It appears that Julia’s father and Sylvia were planning a quick get away. Julia’s grandpa also goes missing at this time and is discovered dead in his nuclear fall out shelter. This chain of events causes Julia’s father to reevaluate his life and attempt to salvage his relationship with his wife, severing ties with Sylvia. Seth suddenly comes down with an aggressive case of the syndrome and is taken to Mexico to help alleviate some of his symptoms. Julia receives one final e-mail from Seth who promises to keep in touch but then experiences a global 72 hour blackout which leaves her unable to contact him. Julia’s life is fast forwarded a few years and she discuses that the days now span weeks and that humanity faces almost certain extinction which causes the government to launch a spaceship called The Explorer which contains memories of life on earth.

Evaluation: I thought the initial premise of the book was fantastic and I thought the author’s writing did a great job of evoking emotions connected to the continued slowing and humanity’s ultimate demise. Although I really appreciated her writing style and felt she did a great job in writing Julia’s coming of age story, I didn’t feel the science fiction aspect of the slowing really added anything to the story. I almost felt that they were two separate story lines that could have existed on their own. I do see the parallels between the destruction of the slowing and Julia’s adolescence but I felt that there wasn’t enough said or explored in terms of the slowing. I felt the book tended to repeat things over and over concerning the slowing and all I really learned was that the days lengthened and that it caused some form of gravity sickness. I would have liked to see the author expand more about the slowing and focus more on the science fiction aspect of the story. I think if you look at the book as more of a coming of age tale, then I think she knocked the ball out of the park with this one as I could completely relate to Julia’s adolescent plight and her struggle to fit in and find her place in the world. Although I was fascinated by the concept of the slowing and its impact on humanity, I did find the writing a tad lackluster and felt it could have been explored more throughout the story more than just the recounting of dead birds and whales. Overall really great character development and I did enjoy Julia’s character and seeing her progress from a timid young girl to a confident young lady who is able to stand her ground and face her fears of adolescent life.

Genre: Science Fiction

Appeal Factors: Evokes an empathetic response for Julia and her struggle with adolescence. It is extremely well-written and the characters are well developed. First-person narrative, character driven and a coming of age story.

Read-alike Titles and Authors:

Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

Safekeeping by Karen Hesse

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller

The Brightest Start in the Sky by Marian Keyes

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood

Awards:

Named “Best Book of the Year” by Booklist, Publishers Weekly, O Magazine, and Kirkus Reviews

Booktalk Ideas:

•  Ask audience questions to put them in Julia, her mother, her father, Seth’s or Hanna’s shoes. Why does Hanna snub Julia when she returns from Utah? Is this merely her way of coping not only with adolescence but the slowing as well? Julia decides to confront her father about Sylvia. What does this say about her relationship with her father and does this signal a progression from timid young child to a more confident young lady?
• Present the audience or reader with “if/then” scenarios to get them thinking more deeply about the book and the characters. If Julia hadn’t met Seth and confided in him about her father’s supposed affair, then would she still have been able to confront him and stop him leaving? If Seth hadn’t gone away to Mexico then would that have changed Julia’s view of the world and view of growing up.

Book Discussion Questions:

1. How does the slowing mirror Julia’s adolescence? What impact does the slowing have on her growing up? Relationships with friends? Boys? Parents?

2. The “real timers” in the book face persecution from those who adhere to government mandated clock time. What does this say about society? Why do you think they are so insistent on keeping the old ways?

3. Why do you think Julia and Seth have such a strong bond? Why do you think they were drawn to one another?

4. Do you think Julia’s father’s affair with Sylvia was an escape from what was happening? Do you think his wife knew? How did this revelation change the way you viewed the father? viewed Sylvia and her relationship with Julia?

5. Why does the author create distance between Hanna and Julia? What does the slowing say about childhood relationships? Does Hanna and Julia have to separate in order for Julia to find herself?

6. Do you think the ending of the book provided enough closure? Does the fact that days towards the end of the book now span weeks say anything about the future of earth? Does the launch of The Explorer suggest that humanity faces certain extinction due to the slowing? Does the memoirs contained on the spaceship serve as a warning to others?

I had heard really good things about this book but never got a chance to actually read it until it was selected as a book for a class book discussion. I am a huge Sci-Fi fan and was really interested in reading this after learning that it was about a phenomenon called “the slowing.” I love apocalyptic books and this is a storyline that was new and different than anything I had previously read. The title was another factor that instantly drew me in. I wanted to know what “miracles” the book referred to and was intrigued enough by that factor alone to download the book on Kindle. Prior to reading the book, I read reviews on Amazon and Good Reads and was interested to see how well a story such as this would be carried when it is told from the perspective of a relatively young girl. The fact that it was a coming of age story set in an apocalyptic time made it that much more intriguing to me and I had to know how a young girl is able to survive and come into her own when she is faced with such insurmountable odds.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane, By Neil Gaiman

Gaiman, N. (2013). The ocean at the end of the lane. New York: William Morrow and Company.

Hardcover $25.99, Paperback $14.99, Kindle $7.99, 208 pages

ISBN: 978-0062255655

Author’s Website and Interviews:

http://www.neilgaiman.com/

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/

Online Reviews:

The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/30/books/review/neil-gaimans-ocean-at-the-end-of-the-lane.html?_r=0

NPR Books: http://www.npr.org/2013/06/17/191346480/a-deceptively-simple-tale-of-magic-and-peril-in-ocean

Annotation: She has been inside me and my thoughts are no longer my own; if I run she will know.

Summary (Warning Spoilers): After the death of an undisclosed relative, the narrator returns to his childhood home and finds himself back at the Hempstock Farm where Lettie, Mrs. Hempstock, and Old Mrs. Hempstock used to live. As he sits by the old duck pond, also known as Lettie’s ocean, his childhood memories come flooding back. When he was seven years old a man commits suicide in his father’s stolen Mini and is discovered at the farm at the end of the lane. He meets Lettie Hempstock, a strange yet welcoming young girl who invites him to stay with her family while police investigate the opal miner’s suicide. Lettie informs the narrator that this man’s death has caused a chain of events that have allowed supernatural entities to cross over into this world and cause havoc on the townspeople. The entity in question appears to give the townspeople what they desire most, money but with dire consequences. That same night the narrator awakes from a dream choking on what appears to be silver shilling. After telling Lettie, they set off together to bind the entity. Lettie instructs the narrator to not let go of her hand but an instinctual reaction causes him to let go and he simultaneously feels a stabbing pain in his foot. When he returns home he discovers a hole in his foot and a worm that appears to be hiding in it. He soon discovers that the worm he removed is his family’s new housekeeper Ursula Monkton, a seductive force that turns the  narrator’s family against him, leaving him isolated and afraid. With the help of Lettie and her family, they decide to send Ursula back to where she came from but Ursula resists and is killed by the varmints, creatures Lettie’s grandmother said are sent to clean up messes. When the varmints turn on the narrator, Lettie sacrifices herself and is gravely injured in the process. Her mother and grandmother place her body in her ocean to heal. The narrator has no recollection of what happened after that and the story returns to the present with him sitting near the pond talking to Old Mrs. Hemptstock. She tells him that he has visited the farm on a couple of occasions as an adult yet he doesn’t remember. She informs him this is Lettie’s way of checking up on him as she is still asleep and healing somewhere. As the narrator walks away from the farm, his childhood memories fade away and he tells Old Mrs. Hempstock to give Lettie his regards in Australia.

Evaluation: I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have read it at least three times. I find that I have a different reading experience every time I read it and that I discover new things about the plot or characters that weren’t there before. Gaiman’s writing is beautifully dark and descriptive. I feel like I am inside the narrator’s head living out his childhood memories with him. It has a suspenseful tone and is definitely a page turner. I do not normally like books that leave you with more questions than answers but I think that is the power of this book. It leaves the reader pondering the narrator’s motivations and whether or not his recollections are pure fantasy or reality. Although it is a rather quick read, it does not sacrifice well rounded character development or storyline. The story moves at a fast enough pace to keep you hooked yet it slows down at all the right instances to allow the reader time to absorb what has transpired. The book takes you on a twist and turn journey and you are left emotionally invested in the plight of the narrator and are quickly sucked into his reality, whether you choose to believe it is such or not.

Genre: Fantasy

Appeal Factors: Thought provoking, suspenseful, and mystical. Leaves you questioning what is fantasy and what is reality.  Extremely descriptive writing which puts you in the mind of the narrator.

Read-alike Titles and Authors:

Among Others by Jo Walton

Perfect by Rachel Joyce

The Light Between Oceans: A Novel, by M.L. Stedman

The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt

Life After Life: A Novel, by Kate Atkinson

Awards:

2013 Book of the Year in the British National Book Awards

Debuted as #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers list

UK Specsavers National Book Awards, 2013 Book of the Year

Booktalk Ideas:

•  Read a suspenseful scene from the book, could be the scene where the narrator’s father is about to drown him in the bathtub or when Lettie sacrifices herself to the Cleaners and then stop to let the audience process it before reading the big reveal.
•  Present the audience with what if scenarios about important scenes from the book. What if the narrator hadn’t removed the worm from his foot? What if the narrator hadn’t let go of Lettie’s hand?
•  Ask the audience questions about the narrator’s story as a way to spark interest and get them thinking. Do you believe Lettie and the ocean really exist or is this the narrator’s way of escaping his difficult reality?

Book Discussion Questions:t

1. What is Old Mrs. Hempstock talking about when she refers to the “old country”?

2. How do Lettie, her mom, and grandmother know about the opal miner’s suicide note? They appear to have known his thoughts before his death. What does this reveal about their characters?

3. Why is the narrator of the story never named?

4. Why are there no Hempstock men? What does Lettie’s mom mean when she says “There’s never any keeping them here when the call comes? What call? What if anything does this say about the male characters portrayed in the story (the narrator’s father, the coal miner, etc.)

5. Are Lettie and her mother figments of the narrator’s imagination? Is Old Mrs. Hempstock an embodiment of all three since she tells the narrator at the end that it has always been just her?

6. What does the ocean symbolize to Lettie, to the narrator, to the narrator’s father? Remember the conversation the  narrator has with his father about the difference between an ocean and a sea.

7. Lettie tells the narrator that the opal miner’s death “lit a touchpaper.” What does she mean by this?

I stumbled across this book while reading People magazine and it was listed as an editor’s pick. I read the brief description and was instantly hooked. I had to know more about Lettie and her ocean. I am a huge fantasy fiction fan anyways so I didn’t need much arm twisting to read this. I have heard people rave about Neil Gaiman’s work but had never read any of his books before this. The cover of the book also drew me in and left me wanting more. The book came across as haunting and dark and that intrigued me. I love books that take me on an emotional journey whether it be happy or sad, and I had a feeling this book would deliver.

The Sisters Brothers, By Patrick deWitt

deWitt, P. (2011). The Sisters Brothers. New York: Ecco.

Hardcover $24.99, Paperback $14.99, Kindle $1.99, 336 pages

ISBN: 978-0062041289

Author’s Website and Interviews:

http://patrickdewitt.net/

http://www.granta.com/New-Writing/Interview-Patrick-deWitt

Online Reviews:

The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/books/review/the-sisters-brothers-by-patrick-dewitt-book-review.html

The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/book-review-patrick-dewitts-the-sisters-brothers/2011/05/13/AF8TOeAH_story.html

The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/jul/15/sisters-brothers-patrick-dewitt-review

Annotation: Eli is killer with a conscience and his brother Charlie has killing in his blood.

Summary (Warning Spoilers): Set in 1851, the story follows the lives of Eli and Charlie Sisters; brothers traveling from Oregon to San Francisco in search of their target, Hermann Kermit Warm a man the Commodore has ordered to be killed. The brothers work as contract killers for the Commodore and have been hired to kill Hermann, a man the Commodore claims has stolen from him. Charlie Sisters, the Commodore’s right hand man, has been given the lead on this particular job which causes a rift between himself and his brother Eli, who is beginning to question his life and his desire to leave the family business once and for all. Along their journey to California, the brothers encounter numerous challenges which not only threaten the mission at hand but also their brotherly bond. After discovering a diary belonging to Henry Morris, the Commodore’s supposed scout and confidant, the brothers discover that he has betrayed the Commodore and is now friends with Hermann. Henry’s journal details how the friendship was formed and Hermann’s development of a chemical formula that when placed in rivers can reveal where the gold is hidden by illuminating it temporarily. Both Eli and Charlie hesitate about killing Hermann since he is described by Henry as an honest and good man. The mission takes a drastic turn when the brothers forgo their hit and decide instead to join forces with Hermann and Henry. They meet up with both men and they all begin work on a prospecting operation run by Hermann. Although the formula is successful in helping the men retrieve the gold more efficiently, it comes at a dangerous price, as the formula is extremely toxic, proving fatal for Henry and Hermann. As the brothers make their way back to Oregon, Charlie must come to terms with the loss of his shooting hand which he lost due to exposure from the formula. Both Eli and Charlie make the decision to get out of their current line of work, a decision that came as a relief to Eli whose conscience and sense of obligation were always pitted against one another. After losing all of their money, and with Herman and Henry dead, both men return to their mother’s house in order to regroup and decide how best to handle the Commodore. While Charlie is bathing, Eli sneaks out of the house and murders the Commodore in cold blood. Although he has committed murder, it is not done purely of out vengeance, but for freedom. Eli and Charlie are now free to live their lives outside the shadow of the deadly past and can begin to reconcile not only their consciences but their brotherhood as well.

Evaluation: I was initially skeptical about this book’s ability to grab my attention and keep me turning the pages. After only 10 pages, I was hooked and immediately drawn to and empathizing with the plight of Eli. He is such a complex character yet is portrayed in such a simplistic way. The use of humor really helps to keep the storyline from becoming stagnant and really helps the brothers overcome some rather precarious situations. This is not your traditional Western with its simplistic writing style and deep themes and character development. The book left me emotionally invested in two kill for hire psychos who are so comedic at times you can’t help but love them both. I like that his book breaks free from the typical stereotypes surrounding Westerns as there is almost no action other than the occasional shots being fired. I recommend this book to anyone who roots for the underdog, who loves dark comedy, and who wants to see the “bad” guys win. It is simplistic writing at its best and will draw you in from the first exchange between Eli and his horse Tub, a relationship that is both pathetic and heart warming.

Genre: Western

Appeal Factors: Empathy for Eli (killer with a conscience), riveting, dark, and humorous with a plot that is multi-layered. Atmospheric, reflective, character driven.

Read-alike Titles and Authors:

True Grit by Charles Portis

The Outcasts by Kathleen Kent

The Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye

Etta by Gerald Kolpan

Live by Night by Dennis Lehane

Awards:

2011 75th Govenor General’s Literary Awards winner

2012 Stephen Leacock Medal winner

2012 Walter Scott Prize winner

Booktalk Ideas:

• Present the moral dilemma Eli faces as he is forced to choose between his loyalty to his brother and his desire to abandon his life of crime.  Also could present the dilemma both brothers face as they are sent to kill a man they discover is honest and kindhearted?
•  You know Eli’s desire to kill the Commodore and escape his life of crime but Charlies does not. Skirt around the secret that Eli has killed the Commodore in cold blood.
•  Link the book to movies like True Grit

Book Discussion Questions:

1. Why is the “Weeping Man” weeping? We never discover the cause of his crying. Why do you think deWitt chose to include this character in the book?

2. What do you make of Eli’s connection to Tub? Is Eli’s compassion used to contrast with is brothers lack of empathy?

3. Do you believe Charlie respects and cares for Eli or is Eli merely a pawn in his brother’s game to overthrow the Commodore?

4. Eli states that he has a quick trigger that makes it easy to kill. Do you think Charlie exploits this? If so, why? Please provide examples.

5. The brother’s return home to their mother at the end of the book. What does this symbolize for Eli? for Charlie?

6. Why do you think Eli kills the Commodore without telling Charlie? Does his killing the Commodore make you less empathetic to him?

This book was selected by classmates for inclusion in a book discussion.  I was initially drawn to the book because it was something very out of my genre comfort zone. I have never read a Western book before and I will admit I had quite a few preconceived notions about it being dry, boring, and completely unrelatable. I wanted to be proven wrong! I had read that it was a dark comedy and I was very curious to see how deWitt could put a comedic spin on a traditional western in a modern way.

The Shack, By William Paul Young

Young, W.P. (2007). The Shack. Newbury Park, CA: Windblown Media.

Hardcover $25.00, Paperback $15.00, Kindle $8.00, 272 pages

ISBN: 978-0964729247

Author’s Website and Interviews:

http://www.wmpaulyoung.com/

http://www.theshackbook.com/willie.html

Online Reviews:

Boundless: http://www.boundless.org/faith/2008/the-shack-a-review

USA Today: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-05-28-the-shack_N.htm

CBN: http://www.cbn.com/entertainment/books/ElliottB_TheShack.aspx

Annotation: The note was from “Papa” but was this some cruel joke, a killer’s taunt, or really God himself?

Summary (Warning Spoilers): After receiving a strange note in his mailbox from “Papa,” the nickname his wife calls God, Mackenzie (Mack) Philips decides he must take a weekend long trip to the shack in hopes of gaining some answers as to what really happened to his daughter Missy four years earlier. The story begins with a retelling of the events that led up to Missy’s disappearance. Mack decides to take his three youngest children (Missy, Kate, and Josh) on a weekend camping trip to Wallowa Lake near Joseph Oregon for Labor Day weekend. On the day before they are due to head home, Josh and Kate nearly drown in a canoe accident. Mack unintentionally leaves Missy at the campsite while he rushes to the lake a few feet away to rescue his son who is tangled in the canoes ropes. When he returns to the campsite with Kate and Josh, Missy is nowhere to be found. With the help of newly befriended campers Mack searchers the campground but there is no sign of Missy. The police are called and it is determined that Missy has been abducted by a well-known serial called the “Little Ladykiller.” The only trace of the killer’s presence in the Philip’s campsite is a lady bug pin stuck between the pages of Missy’s coloring book, the last activity Mack saw his daughter doing before he ran off to rescue his other children. In their search for Missy, the police come across an abandoned and dilapidated shack that holds evidence to Missy’s abduction, her little red dress ripped and bloodied on the fireplace. This one event plunges Mack into a time he refers to as “The Great Sadness.” Back in present day, Mack discovers the note in his mailbox asking him to meet “Papa” at the shack and believes against all sanity that the note may actually be from God who he has not had a relationship with since his daughter’s disappearance. He does not tell his wife Nan about the note and sets out for the shack alone, armed with only a pistol given to him by his friend Willie in case the note turns out to have been written with a more sinister intent. As Mack approaches the shack, it looks the same as the day he identified his daughters clothing. Suddenly the shack is transformed and before him stands a welcoming cabin surround by beautiful gardens. Upon entering, Mack meets three individuals who refer to themselves as the Holy Trinity. An African American woman who calls herself both Elouisa and Papa is a manifestation of God, a Middle-Eastern carpenter is actually Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit is embodied by an ethereal Asian woman named Sarayu. The three engage in conversation and a series of events that transforms Mack’s faith and helps him to heal. With the help of God, he discovers his daughter’s remains in a marked grave, bringing closure to a four-year long period of sadness. As he leaves the shack renewed and restored by God’s love, he is involved in a drunk driving accident and is rushed to the hospital. Upon waking he learns that the crashed happened on a Friday, the day he left for the shack, leaving him and those around him questing whether his time at the shack was a mere hallucination or an actual conversation with God.

Evaluation: I thoroughly enjoyed this book and instantly connected to the plight of Mack’s character in his journey for truth and restoration of faith. I liked that the author provided back story not only into Mack’s life, but the relationship he has with Mack and his reasoning for writing this story. The story progresses in a way that facilitates an intimate connection with the characters and the language used is extremely descriptive which helps you feel as if you are there experiencing the pain and the joy right along with them. I thought the portrayal of Missy’s disappearance was descriptive yet allusive enough to keep you hanging on and wanting to know more. Each page I turned elevated my level of excitement and desperation to know what was going to happen. I do not have a lot of experience reading Christian Fiction other than the Left Behind series so I was unsure how I would feel about a book so deeply rooted in religion. There was a moment midway through the book during a conversation between Papa and Mack that left me slightly confused and disconnected from the storyline as it heavily referenced scripture that I was unfamiliar with. However, the author did attempt to frame it in a way where people from any faith could find commonality in his words and by the end of that section, I was right back to the same level of connection and dedication that I had when I read the opening sentence. The book progressed at a steady pace and took me the reader on an emotional roller coaster. I was left with many questions but questions that encouraged me to read the book again in search of answers that I know may never be answered fully. I highly recommend this book not only to those who enjoy Christian Fiction but anyone who loves mystery, suspense, and who yearns to becoming emotionally invested in the character’s lives, reliving their journey as if it were their own.

Genre: Christian Fiction

Appeal Factors: This book is a page turner, suspenseful, compelling, and has a beautifully crafted narrative. It is thought-provoking and inspirational.

Read-alike Titles and Authors:

David and Goliath by Bryan Hathaway

Paper Angels by Billy Coffey

Jesus on a Park Bench by Shari Broyer

Hike to Heaven by Gary Martin

The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty

Awards:

USA Today bestseller

2008-2010 New York Times Bestseller

2009 Diamond Award Recipient

Booktalk Ideas:

•  Ask questions that transport the audience into the life of Mack. The theme of the book is grief, loss, and loss of faith, so ask questions that play upon their emotional experience and connection.
• If you received the same note in your mailbox what would you do? Let the audience come up with various possibilities and outcomes.
•  In order to hook the audience, read an excerpt from an emotionally charged and/or mysterious passage and cut off right before a big reveal. Hook and bait your audience with a cliffhanger in order to make them want to find out what happens next.

Book Discussion Questions:

1. If God had the power to save Missy, why doesn’t he? Do you think God’s response to Mack is sufficient?

2. Do you think the meeting between Mack and his father aids in his ability to forgive? After knowing the father’s abusive history towards Mack and his mother, are you surprised that he is one of God’s children?

3. Is Mack’s weekend at the shack a dream, hallucination, or coping mechanism for grief after we discover his accident happened on his way to the shack? Does this detract from the validity of his story/experience with God, Jesus, and Sarayu?

4. Is Missy’s death foreshadowed by her love of insects and wanting to bring them on the camping trip after a lady bug pin from the killer is discovered in her coloring book?

5. Do you struggle with your own faith and belief that God is good in light of knowing that God “allowed” Missy to die? Does the justification for not intervening suffice?

6. What if any is the significance of God leaving a note for Mack in his mailbox and why was it signed Papa, a nickname Nan has for God?

After researching Christian Fiction books on Amazon, I stumbled across The Shack and was immediately intrigued by the brief synopsis which suggested this was a book about tragic loss and confronting one’s nightmares in search of answers. I immediately loved the premise of the book and had to know exactly what caused Mack’s “Great Sadness” and the circumstances surrounding his daughter’s disappearance. I can’t even image the grief a parent experiences when they lose a child, but I was curious to see how this father’s faith was shaken and if through the shack, it could be restored. The cover art also drew me in and created a very peaceful yet haunting portrait of a place that at once was both haven and hell.