Saturday Review of Books Wrap Up

Every Saturday Sherry over at Semicolon provides a forum called the Saturday Review of Books for bloggers to post a link to their book reviews for the week. It is an opportunity for bloggers to see what others have been reading as well as perhaps garner some extra attention to one's own blog.

Sherry had the great idea of creating a challenge to encourage contributors on her blog to read some of the books that other bloggers had read and reviewed. Participants were to read six books from the year long list of books that had linked reviews on the site. The challenge was aptly called The Saturday Review of Books Challenge.

I did my best with this one and just could not pull through in the end. I managed to read four of the six books I planned to read.

My Saturday Review of Books Challenge List
1. Persuasion by Jane Austen
2. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (unread)
4. Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos
5. The Road by Cormac McCarthy (unread)
6. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

I enjoyed each of the books I read for this challenge quite a bit, but Broken For You by Stephanie Kallos wins first prize. I loved everything about the book: the writing, the story, the characters, and the setting.

I still plan to read the two on the list I did not get to, The Road and A Thousand Splendid Suns, but that will be for another day.

A special thanks to Sherry for hosting The Saturday Review of Books Challenge. I hope you will consider doing it again sometime!

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Harper Entertainment, 1977
Fiction (Children's); 191 pgs

Completed: 11/12/2007
Rating: (Very Good)

First Sentence: Ba-room, ba-room, ba-room, baripity, baripity, baripity, baripity—Good.

Reason for Reading: Kris' and Booklogged's reviews of this book spurred me on to finally pick this one up. My husband’s assurance that I would like it was the added encouragement I needed. This is my final selection for the Book to Movie Challenge, my second for the 2nds Challenge, and my fourth for the Saturday Review of Books Challenge.

Comments: It has been many years since I last cracked open a book by Katherine Paterson. Jacob, Have I Loved was one of my favorites growing up (I still have my copy sitting on the shelf today). I had heard of Bridge to Terabithia later in my life but never realized it was by the same author as that childhood favorite until recently.

Ten-year-old Jesse Aarons spent the summer before his 5th grade year practicing running. He is determined to be the fastest runner, not only in his class but of the entire lower grades. He wants to be known as more than just the boy who likes to draw, something most of the people in his life, including many of the grown ups do not take seriously. He comes from a somewhat poor family, one that struggles and survives as best they can. He is the only boy among many sisters and often feels that he carries the brunt of the household responsibilities as a result.

One day while he is out running, he meets the new girl in town, Leslie Burke. Her family moved to the country from the suburbs, seeking out a more simple life. The fact that Leslie’s family has money as well as Leslie’s manner and dress mark her as an instant outsider. The two inevitably become friends, each finding in the other something that they had been longing for. One fall day, the two friends venture into the woods and invent a magical kingdom they call Terabithia, letting their imaginations soar. It is a place where they can escape the real world and do just about anything they set their imaginations to.

When tragedy strikes, I could not stop the tears from falling. The story, while sad, still remains hopeful. It is a simple story, uncomplicated, and very much one for children. I can see why so many, young and old, love this book. It is a story of friendship and love, of imagination and stepping outside of oneself and taking risks. The magic of this book can be found in the hearts of the characters.

Favorite Parts: My favorite part was when Jess stood up to Gary the first day of the races. Although his intentions may not have been pure, his inclusion of Leslie was a shining moment, and the beginning of a friendship.

I was also very proud of Jess and the way he worked out his gift giving priorities that year for the Christmas holiday. He only had a dollar to spend, but his gift choices were perfect and he made two deserving girls very happy.

Swing by the author's website for more information about her and her books.

Broken For You by Stephanie Kallos

Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos
Grove Press, 2004
Fiction; 371 pgs

Completed: 09/10/2007
Rating: (Outstanding)


First Sentence: While the woman sleeps and dreams of all that breaks, come into the house of many rooms.

Reason for Reading: This is my 9th selection for the TBR Challenge, my third selection for the Saturday Review of Books Challenge (whose review by 3M encouraged me to read this one sooner than I might have otherwise), and 1st for the Unread Authors Challenge.

From the Publisher: Broken for You is the story of two women in self-imposed exile whose lives are transformed when their paths intersect. Stephanie Kallos' debut novel is a work of infinite charm, wit and heart. It is also a glorious homage to the beauty of broken things. When we meet septuagenarian Margaret Hughes, she is living alone in a mansion in Seattle with only a massive collection of valuable antiques for company. Enter Wanda Schultz, a young woman with a broken heart who has come west to search for her wayward boyfriend. Both women are guarding dark secrets and have spent many years building up protective armor against the outside world. As their tentative friendship evolves, the armor begins to fall away and Margaret opens her house to the younger woman. This launches a series of unanticipated events, leading Margaret to discover a way to redeem her cursed past, and Wanda to learn the true purpose of her cross-country journey. Both funny and heartbreaking, Broken for You is a testament to the saving graces of surrogate families and shows how far the tiniest repair jobs can go in righting the world's wrongs.

Comments: Settling in at the repair shop to wait for my husband’s car, I admit to not being too enthused about my choice of book for the day. I really was more in the mood for something with a quicker pace, perhaps something more edgy and suspenseful. And yet, from the very beginning, I was drawn into the novel, Broken for You, transported to Seattle, Washington and the home of the elderly Margaret Hughes and swept up in an unconventional and moving story about friendship, redemption, and love.

Stephanie Kallos has written a well-crafted novel that weaves multiple tales, bringing them together in the end in such a way as to make the story even more meaningful. Her cast of colorful characters is at the heart of the story. They are an unlikely bunch brought together by circumstance and chance, each one playing an important role in the life of the other. Margaret is an eccentric elderly woman who has isolated herself for years as a penance for her past. Margaret’s boarder, Wanda comes across as strong and capable and yet her emotional ups and downs reveal a more fragile side to her. Wanda is chasing her past in hopes of finding something that was lost to her so long ago.

Not only are readers introduced to Wanda and Margaret, but also to several other unforgettable characters. There is M.J. Striker, whose own trials mirror both Wanda’s and Margaret’s but in different ways. He has given up so much of actual living as a sort of penance for past sins as he seeks for the one thing that meant most to him all those years before. Then there is Troy who had once traveled a similar path as Wanda, only to find that sometimes the answers you seek are not the answers you most need to find. I cannot leave out Gus, the hotel valet at the Hotel Orléans, where Margaret had honeymooned many years before. His spirit and zest for life was a much-needed addition in Margaret’s life. There is also Susan, the registered nurse, and Bruce the chef, both of whom are healing from broken hearts. And then there is Irma Kosminsky who is perhaps my most favorite character next to Margaret herself. Irma is so full of life and hope. Despite all she’d suffered in her past, losing both her first husband and child during the Holocaust, she had been able to find happiness in the present and encouraged those around her to live life rather than stew in it and let it pass by.

Stephanie Kallos’ takes a risk in varying her narrative as she does, following both Wanda and Margaret and later M.J. Striker, and occasionally switching to the second person slightly reminiscent of Michael Faber’s The Crimson Petal and the White only with a different twist. She also adds in dream sequences, which I think enhanced the story, adding more dimension to the characters and the overall effect of the novel.

Broken for You is a work of art all in it’s own. The characters, each of them broken in some way, are brought together the way the pieces used to create mosaic art might be joined together, the result being something of beauty and meaning.

Questions: I would be lying if I said I did not have questions upon finishing the book. There were a couple of characters that were not as fleshed out as the rest, whose story interested me and left me wondering in the end—not so much about their fate, but about the choices they had made. Despite this, I still came away from the book feeling awed and very much satisfied.

Favorite Parts: There are so many! This book was full of wonderful moments. I think perhaps my most favorite scene is near the beginning of the book when Margaret goes to the café and has a conversation with the waitress, otherwise known as the Nose Ring Girl. The reader in me let out a silent cry of glee (I didn’t want to scare the poor guy behind the counter at the shop!). I’m not sure I can adequately explain why—sometimes the “voice” the author uses to tell his or her story resonates inside my mind—it’s a perfect fit, so to speak. It was like this for me with Broken for You, nearly every step of the way.

Another of the scenes that stands out for me was when Margaret coaxes Wanda outside to smash Margaret’s wedding dinner set. It was an insane moment, but one that proved to be what the two women most needed to do in that moment. It was a new beginning for both women.

Near the end of the book, readers are drawn into a dream sequence as Margaret and her Thanksgiving guests go for a hot air balloon ride. The way the scene played out, the richness of the moment and the step back into reality once the dream was over was a very moving and poignant moment in the book.

For more information about the author, check out her website.

Persuasion by Jane Austen

Persuasion (quoted directly from The Free Dictionary by Farlex):

1. The act of persuading or the state of being persuaded.
2. The ability or power to persuade.
3. A strongly held opinion; a conviction.
4. a. A body of religious beliefs
b. A party, faction, or group holding to a particular set of ideas or beliefs.



Persuasion by Jane Austen
Dover, 1997 (originally published in 1817)
Fiction; 188 pgs

Completed: 09/05/2007
Rating: (Very Good)


First Sentence: Sir Walter Elliot, of Kellynch Hall, in Somersetshire, was a man who, for his own amusement, never took up any book but the Baronetage, there he found occupation for an idle hour, and consolation in a distressed one; there his faculties were roused into admiration and respect, by contemplating the limited remnant of the earliest patents; there any unwelcome sensations, arising from domestic affairs, changed naturally into pity and contempt, as he turned over the almost endless creations of the last century—and there, if every other leaf were powerless, he cold read his own history with an interest to which never failed—this was the page at which the favourite volume always opened:

ELLIOT OF KELLYNCH HALL.

Reason for Reading: This is my 2nd selection for the Saturday Review of Books Challenge (recommended by Barbara H), my 2nd for the Classics Challenge, and my 1st for the Book to Movie Challenge. This is my third Jane Austen novel. I have also read Pride and Prejudice and Emma, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Comments: Jane Austen's novels are comfort reads for me, I'm discovering. I can see myself reading and rereading them time and time again. Heck, I've read Pride and Prejudice a couple of times--and rereading books for me is rare. I love the banter between the characters and Jane Austen's style of writing. Her stories are relatively simple on the surface and yet meaningful and complex upon closer examination. Persuasion proved true to form.

On the surface, Persuasion is a love story but digging a little deeper, it is a novel that touches on the classism and elitism of the times. The novel also captures the different definitions of persuasion and questions its importance and value in every day life.

Anne Elliot is one of three sisters, her father being Sir Walter Elliot of Kellynch Hall. Facing hard times, Sir Elliot and his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, agree that a move a smaller home in Bath would be the best solution, and so they make arrangements to let their family home in Somersetshire to the respectable Admiral Croft and his wife.

The eldest Elliot daughter is Elizabeth, who took on the role of the lady of the house upon her mother’s death during the sisters’ childhood. She and her father are very close, relying on each other’s confidence and advice. Elizabeth and Sir Elliot share many of the same prejudices and opinions of those they think are beneath them. Neither pays much attention or puts much stock in the usefulness of Anne herself. Mary, the youngest of the Elliot children, is married to Charles Musgrove, a person whom Elizabeth in particular feels is beneath their family. Mary proves to be a bit of a hypochondriac and is quick to find fault with her situation and those around her. This in part stems from her own insecurities no doubt.

Another major player in Anne’s life, the one with the most influence over her is the widow Lady Russell. It was Lady Russell’s opinion that in the end persuaded Anne against marrying Captain Wentworth when first Anne and he met and enjoyed a brief romance. Lady Russell as well as Sir Elliot and Elizabeth felt that Frederick Wentworth was below Anne, not worthy of her hand in marriage. He owned no land, had not enough money, seemed not to be well-connected and appeared to have little to offer. It was with great sadness and broken hearts on both sides that the two parted.

And yet they would meet again several years later when Admiral Croft, his wife, Sophia, and Sophia’s brother, Captain Wentworth, visit the Musgroves, where Anne is staying for a couple of months to be near her sister, Mary and her family. Frederick’s anger and frustration toward Anne is renewed, and Anne more fully realizes what a mistake she made in letting herself be persuaded out of marrying the only man she has ever loved. In typical Austen fashion, the story is not so simple as that. Both have won the affections of others and their own feelings may not ever be reconciled with the other.

Anne is often lauded as the best liked of the Austen heroines. Her gentle nature, intelligence, practical attitude and thoughtfulness quickly won me over. She lacks a bit of the spirit that Lizzy and Emma, two other of Jane Austen’s heroines, share, however, that is in no way a bad thing. For Anne is her own person and earns her place as a heroine to be admired on other accounts.

I very much enjoyed Persuasion and can see why it is a favorite among Jane Austen fans. As the last book ever written by Jane Austen, and published posthumously by her brother, Persuasion is a fine farewell for an author who has a true gift for storytelling and getting her message across.

Favorite Parts: There were many parts of this novel that I enjoyed, including the way Anne took over when Louisa Musgrove was hurt in Lyme, the discussion between Mary and her husband over which of the Musgrove sisters Frederick liked most, and the banter between Frederick and his sister as they argued over whether women belong on ships or not.

Anne by far was my favorite character. I could relate to her on many levels, sharing many of her values and ideals—and even some of her faults.

Miscellaneous: We went to see Rush Hour 3 this past Monday. It was a fun movie to watch, nothing special or memorable. It was a way to stay out of this humid and hot weather we’ve been having.

Now I am anxiously awaiting the movie version of Persuasion (the one starring Amanda Root) to arrive in the mail from Netflix. Hurry, hurry, hurry!

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Stardust by Neil Gaiman
Perennial, 1999
Fantasy; 250 pgs

Completed: 07/29/2007
Rating: (Very Good)

First Sentence: There was once a young man who wished to gain his Heart’s Desire.

Reason for Reading: For years I have been curious about Neil Gaiman’s Stardust but it took the coming of a movie to finally motivate me to read it. This is my first selection for the Saturday Review Challenge.

Comments: What a wonderful story! I had no idea what to expect when I first began reading Stardust other than what the back of the book had to offer (and the recent movie trailer for the upcoming film). I had heard that Neil Gaiman’s writing in this book was quite different from his others, and while I have only read one other book by Mr. Gaiman, I can at least say it was very different from American Gods, which I read earlier this year.

Different is not a mark of better or worse, however. Stardust was delightful and entertaining, while American Gods was darker and more thought provoking. I was reminded of William Goldman’s The Princess Bride in story and in style.

Tristran Thorn lives in the village of Wall at the turn of the Victorian era. Wall is situated next to the wall that separates the land of Faerie from Tristran’s home in the “real” world. Once every nine years, there is a magical fair in which visitors from all over venture past the wall, through a single gate, into the meadow that lies just beyond. At all other times, the gate is guarded to ensure that no one crosses the gate from Wall into the Faerie.

When a star falls from the sky, Tristran promises the lady he loves that he will retrieve it for her in exchange for whatever his heart desires, be it marriage or perhaps simply a kiss. He sets off for the other side of the wall where he will encounter people and creatures of myth and face challenges unlike any other. As it turns out, Tristran is not the only one looking for the star. There are others who seek it out for darker purposes.

Stardust is both a love story and a coming of age story. Uncomplicated in his prose, creating a quick and rather lighthearted story smattered with darkness here and there, Neil Gaiman has fashioned an unforgettable fairy tale that will no doubt remain one of my favorites.

Favorite Part: I liked the hairy little man quite a bit. The book doesn’t go into depth about the characters, which works well for the story and the style in which Gaiman wrote the story. Just the same, I would not have minded learning more about some of the mysterious creatures and beings Tristran encounters along the way.

Miscellaneous: Anjin and I are enjoying the second season of The Wire on DVD. The second season is just as good as the first. One of my favorite characters died in an episode we watched today. I knew it was coming, but it still made me sad.

We also saw the movie Hairspray this weekend, the new musical version, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but then, I am a big fan of musicals. It was very uplifting and definitely worth seeing in the theater.

Because I Am Not Only Rockin' But Crazy Too

Not too long after I began blogging, discovered Sherry's Saturday Review of Books. I've made a point of stopping by her blog every Saturday (and then some because she's got a great blog and always has something interesting to say) to see what other bloggers are reading. It has not only been a great way to network, but more importantly to get the latest scoop on the books others are reading. The people who post links to their reviews are a diverse crowd as are their reading tastes.

Sherry's Saturday Review of Books Challenge is quite simple. Participants are to read 6 of the books by December 31st that have been linked to reviews at the Saturday Review of Books in the past year, post their reviews on their own blogs (or in the comment section at Sherry's site for nonbloggers), and then post a link at the Saturday Review of Books, which is held each Saturday.

I have a good excuse for signing up for yet another challenge. Really. You see, there are several books I want to get to soon, books I have committed to read through various reading challenges and others because I am dying to read them. I intially was going to avoid Sherry's Saturday Review of Books Challenge but thought I would at least take a look and see if any of my "must reads" would qualify. Once I realized I had more than enough books on my "must read" list and taking into account my desire to read the books sooner than later, it seemed pointless not to join the challenge. I plan to read the books anyway, right?

For the record, the reviews posted in regards to my chosen books did inspire the "sooner rather than later" feeling I had for the books I have selected to read. It helps though that they are already among my TBR collection.

My Saturday Review of Books Challenge List
1. Persuasion by Jane Austen reviewed by Barbara H
2. Stardust by Neil Gaiman reviewed by Stephanie, Petunia, Elaine, Laura, and Framed
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini reviewed by Carol
4. Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos reviewed by 3M
5. The Road by Cormac McCarthy reviewed by Becky's Husband, Wendy, Stephen, Joy, Julie, and Amy (I also took into account Isabella's review,which presents the descenting viewpoint about the book.)
6. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson reviewed by Kris

Alternate List
7. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson reviewed by Laura at Musings
8. Peony In Love by Lisa See reviewed by Wendy
9. Eat the Document by Dana Spiotta reviewed by Wendy

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My friend Karina over at Candid Karina honored me with the Rockin' Girl Blogger Award at the beginning of the week (Thank you, Karina!). It's always nice to be recongized in such a positive way. The hard part comes in choosing who to pass the award along to. I make regular stops at so many terrific blogs. They all are rockin', both the girls and the boys. I made a random selection from my long list of favorites and hope you will enjoy visiting the listed blogs as much as I do.

- Nymeth at Things Mean A Lot has opened new doors into the fantasy genre for me. I really enjoy spending time at her blog. She has great taste in books, both in the fantasy genre and outside. She's such a nice person--someone I wouldn't mind talking about books over lunch with.

It's a guarantee that when I visit Nan at Letters a Hill Farm, I will be greeted by a beautiful photo. I'm partial to her garden and flower photos, which I find so soothing, but they are all wonderful. I keep meaning to ask her if I can come sit in her garden and read beside her. Think she'll mind?

Daphne over Tanzanite's Shelf and Stuff is a great source for historical fiction recommendations among other books. And you have to love someone whose blog's name is inspired by their furry companion.

I am not sure how I came across Nikki's blog (my memory isn't always so great), Keep This on the DL, but I do know that it is among my favorite places to visit each week. Nikki has great insight, and I enjoy reading her thoughts about her life and life in general. As an aside, her husband is an American soldier currently deployed in Afghanistan, and my prayers are with Nikki and her husband daily.

Historia's blog, BiblioHistoria, is a fairly new one, but she dove right into blogging like a fish to water. I enjoy reading her book reviews and reading about the books she reads. My wishlist grows just with the thought of visiting her blog every week!