Chapter 3c: A Trilogy

Allegiant, Veronica Roth

I did it! I finished this series! After forcing myself to get through the second installment, I was kind of dreading this one. Turns out, the finale was better.

Anyone who has read the series this far would be brain-dead to not suspect nefarious plots outside the fence. Fortunately, we aren't subjected to repeated shock-takes from our ragtag group of characters. They basically get the news, make their decisions, and act. No wishy-washy sparkly vampires here. And I gotta say, I really appreciate that Roth does not waste a lot of time rehashing what has already happened. A reader invested in a series does not need to spend chapter after chapter catching up on what they already know. But I have an admittedly spotty memory, so it took me a few passages to remember who a few of the newer operators were. No biggie. I can catch up.

So after suffering through the I-want-to-dies of Insurgent, we now have I-want-to-survive-and-kickass Tris. She's realizing that good and bad are not as black-and-white as the factions led her to believe. She's also realizing that she has her own moral compass and she plans to act on it. This is the hero that I enjoyed in the first book

The plot of the final story is fairly formulaic for this genre. Outsiders are doing evil things to unsuspecting victims. Experiments take place. Institutional racism prejudice, class warfare, government overreach, blah, blah, blah. Not new themes, but ones that clearly still are worthy of discussion. I'm not going to write off this series just because it doesn't bring anything new to the conversation. In fact, I value that it continues bringing these subjects up. Silence as consent and all that jazz.

Overall I liked reading Allegiant. It was fast, easy, and kept me focused. Tris is faced with a major decision and her choice is foreseeable, but also reasonable. Roth could have ended it in a variety of ways that may have left a more warm, fuzzy feeling, but this is the right ending for the story.

Now the nitpicking- As much as I hated being in Tris' mind for all of Insurgent, hopping between her and Tobias every chapter was annoying. I'm sure this was a difficult editorial decision given the actual plot, but I'm not sure it was the right one. I feel like a third person narrator could have done as well without the jarring transition from character to character. The addition of Tobias' voice is already incongruent with the previous books and it doesn't really add anything we couldn't get through other means. This is by far my biggest gripe with the book. Not bad for a wildly popular YA trilogy finale.

I've been coming around to the fact that a book doesn't have to be literary or highbrow or even wonderfully written to be valuable. If I can justify watching trashy television for the sake of entertainment, then I can apply the same to books. I'm going to make a pointed effort to be open to books I normally would ignore. If I get lost in a story for a few hours, it's worth it.

Happy reading, friends.

Chapter 9: A Book Based Entirely On Its Cover

The Book Of Bright Ideas, Sandra Kring

"Your dad looks like Elvis," Winnalee said when Daddy and me got back to the yard (not even bothering to whisper), but that wasn't so. He had black hair like Elvis, and eyes the color of a navy crayon, but not the same nose and mouth, just regular ones.

Before I can even get into discussing the writing, I have to talk about this cover. It's popped up on my online library page a few times and has always been a Maybe Read. It's obviously Chick Lit and looks like it's probably pretty funny. This sassy little girl appears to be up to something. I finally decided to find out what and I was not disappointed.

Bright Ideas is narrated by 9 year old Button. She tells story of one crazy summer as only a timid child can. Winnalee (the cover girl) and her sister Freeda blow in to small-town Wisconsin and set Button's world on end. By the time Labor Day rolls around, no one is the same. The characters are lovable, if somewhat one dimensional, and the story, while predictable, is entertaining in large part due to the narration.

Early in the book, I assumed it took place in the South. People say things like "Bless her heart." I don't remember people talking like this in the Midwest of my childhood, but the turn of phrase is very charming. As I neared the final pages, I began to tire of the expressions, but for most of the book, I enjoyed how Button describes emotions as physical attributes: twirling me until my belly got the giggles and Some sad was sitting in her eyes. These were more powerful than the incongruent dialect, so I could look past that.

Another confusing aspect was the weather. Daffodils are blooming, but school is out of session, but people still need sweaters. Now, I am well aware that the climate of the Midwest can be unpredictable, but these little details just don't make sense. Perhaps school let out much earlier in 1961, or this town is somehow above the Arctic Circle. Even still, Wisconsin has four seasons and the shift described is too abrupt. And I'm the girl who had several feet of snow fall down the back of my parka while on spring break in Chicago. I think it's the flower detail that sticks in my craw because daffodils will even come up through snow in the Midwest. Regardless, these details rubbed me the wrong way.

Looking beyond details, the story is formulaic and shallow. It's not groundbreaking or revealing of some under-analyzed part of the human experience. It doesn't need to be any of those things, though. It is tender entertainment told in the light of childhood magic. Kring does an excellent job of creating and maintaining a voice for each character. The way they speak reveals as much about their personalities as their actions do. At times the author gets carried away with exposition, like when Freeda goes off on Button's mom, but I probably prefer the efficiency of it to a clumsy attempt to show these truths over time.

Overall, this is a cute book for some light reading. I doubt I'll read the sequel, but I did enjoy this one. If you like chick lit, a little absurdity, and family drama, this book is for you.

Chapter 3b: A Trilogy

Insurgent, Veronica Roth
I should call this discussion No Surprises. So here's a list of the Things That Did Not Surprise Me about this book:

• The second book of the trilogy is not as interesting as the first.
• The language has become repetitive. Every single time Tris gets injured, her vision goes black around the edges.
• Some of the Bad Guys are kind of Good Guys.
• Some of the Good Guys are kind of Bad Guys.
• The twists. I find it hard to believe anyone with a functioning brain stem did not see these coming. There's a fence around Chicago and you don't think there are people living outside that fence? Come on.

What did surprise me? The first person narrative of Divergent that pushed that story forward, drags this one down. 384 pages of Tris not wanting to live, wanting to die, wanting to sacrifice herself. 384 pages! And then when she has the chance to do just that, she changes her mind. One of the qualities that makes her the hero is that she stubbornly does things, even when she doesn't want to, even if it means hurting someone she cares about, if it means saving the world. As a Divergent, she has flexibility of character, but this sudden and major change is more like Sybil.

Editorially, I think this story could have been whittled down a lot. It seems that what could have been a handful of scenes has been stretched out into a whole novel. The war is beginning. Book One was enough of a buildup to the big battle. Here, we have more buildup, but without the emotional pressure and anticipation, and then the fight itself is glossed over and anti-climactic.

Part of me wants to grab Allegiant and be done with this series. Part of me needs a break from Roth. Here's hoping the final installment is better than this one.

Chapter 8: A Memoir

Miracle in the Desert, Eric Milch

Ok, folks, this is going to be a bumpy ride. First, I'm going to tell you about some of the ways this book completely disrupted my expectations. Then I'll get to the actual book discussion and wind it up with my review and recommendations. Please make sure your tray is in the upright and locked position.

I mentioned before that I'm not sure all the books from the list exist. So I've just been reading and deciding which box to check once I've finished it. Within the first few pages of Miracle I just knew that I had found the elusive Book That Makes You Cry. I already knew the overall story, and those first paragraphs captured the panic a parent feels when their child disappears in a crowded, public place. This one was going to make me cry.

Except it didn't. It filled me with a lot of emotions, but never brought me to tears. So, a memoir it is.

Now usually I include a picture of the cover of whatever book I'm discussing. This is a self-published book, so there's not much to show. Plain text, green cover. But I've never really gotten into the self-publishing world. Of course there are tons of e-books available in this format, but an actual paper copy? New experience altogether. It appeals to me on many levels. I am a DIY'er, so the writers on lulu are kindred spirits. There's also a punk-style, zine-producing attitude that I love. And, for me, it tightens my relationship with the artist. One click on "Buy Now" sends a direct message that I want to hear what you have to say. It's definitely opened up an entire new reading source for me.

So, the book itself. Let me start by admitting that I already knew how this story would turn out. I get to spend one glorious week every other summer with these people. So I will also admit that I arrogantly assumed I knew everything. Well, not everything, but enough. Wrong! And while I do know more about the overall arc, Eric chose to just write about a very specific story-within-the-story. And it is beautiful.

Without spoiling too much of the story, I will tell you this. After his son did not return from an oversees trip with his ex-wife, Milch and his new bride went halfway around the world to find him. The odds were very much against them. It was a pint-sized needle in a half-million people haystack- if they were even in the right haystack. Milch relates the story exactly as he would talking to a friend. I heard his voice as I read the words. I heard Stephanie's voice. It's good storytelling, and you know how important that is to me.

I mentioned that I expected to cry but didn't. I was really surprised by this. The anguish of a missing child, the frustration when things don't happen according to plan - I certainly relate to these things. But mostly, I was filled with awe and hope and something I don't have a word for. I believe in miracles. I believe in, not just a generic Being, Energy, or Universe, but God. This story, if you are open to it, is one of people getting out of the way of that Power and impossible things happening. So while on the surface this is the tale of a father searching for his son, it's also one of a man finding things he wasn't looking for.

The book is a quick read. Less than 300 pages and very conversational. The plot moves quickly while still giving details that play a big role. It's a compelling story, hard to find a good stopping place because you want to know what happens next. Even knowing the outcome, I wanted to know exactly how it got to that point. I rarely share passages from what I'm reading, but I both posted a quote on facebook and read entire paragraphs to my husband as he tried to fall asleep. I couldn't hold it all in!

This book is not for true skeptics. There is much discussion of spiritual things that some would write off as a string of coincidences or good luck. But if you are open, just a tiny bit, to the idea that there is something bigger than what we know and understand, you should read it. Milch will take you on a journey that shows just what can happen when we step back and pay attention to what some greater power is trying to tell us. For all the chances that he took- in going to unusual places, trying different tactics, changing plans that were rock solid- you should take a chance on Miracle In the Desert.

Chapter 7: A Funny Book

Where'd You Go, Bernadette, Maria Semple

I love satire. I love comedies of error. I love Arrested Development. I love the first 2/3 of this book.

One of the things I never get tired of reading on the internet is comments on satire pieces. It will never stop being funny that people read outrageous articles about how one ER has started just handing out narcotics to anyone who asks and not only believe it, but react vehemently to it. "I know it's satire, but there are people who actually think that way!" always makes me giggle.

The main story is that an East Coast transplant finds inspiration for her ground-breaking (no pun intended) architecture in sunny, Los Angeles County. Her foolish pride is demolished and she flees to Seattle, the least sunny place on Earth. Here she spirals out. Unlike some other reviewers, I do not have trouble deciding how I feel about Bernadette. She's charming, unusual, and most likely suffering from mental illness. In short, she's a genius with a MacArthur Grant to prove it. I actually prefer my main characters to be at least a little disturbed, and Bernie certainly fits that bill.

So, the first 4 sections of Where'd You Go are like a scrapbook of emails, handwritten notes, magazine articles, et cetera, pieced together with short paragraphs of narration. It works well to keep the story moving without getting bogged down in repetitive or banalities. This is Semple's forte. She switches from one voice to another without confusion. I literally read different missives in different voices in my head. The bumbling Head of School, anxious to not offend anyone, reads so differently than the snooty Christian neighbor or the self-empowered divorcee.

Sections five and six, however, get smacked with an iceberg. The pace shifts to neutral with no warning and the format switches to chick-lit narrative......................... Sorry, I fell asleep just thinking about it. Not only does the format change, the story becomes unbelievable. Up to this point everything that has happened is outrageous and unlikely, but not beyond the realm of possibility. Now it's losing passengers from cruise ships and people stowing away to the South Pole. And yet, if Semple had kept with the epistolary, it would have worked. I would have fallen for it.

A few things I loved about this book- the humor isn't laugh-out-loud, but is quite amusing. The more obvious ironies are just as funny as the more subtle ones. The caricatures are well constructed. I particularly loved Soo-Lin, who attends Victims Against Victimhood meetings and is quick to TORCH her friends with what she has learned in her self-help group. Ollie O, the PR guy for Galer Street School is also a riot. Reading his emails took me back to the days of working for a man who insisted that every publication be full of ALL CAPS and bolds, italics, and underlines and sometimes ALL OF THE ABOVE!!! I also loved the relationship between Bernadette and her daughter. Bee is totally normal and lovable, which makes her strange. The two "share a fascination with what (they) call happy-angry people." And if I couldn't find enough reason to love Bee, her favorite movie is Xanadu, the 1980 Olivia Newton-John-and-Gene-Kelly-on-roller-skates masterpiece.

Besides the abrupt shift in format and pace there were a few places where the writing is clumsy. I had to read a few phrases more than once to find the right emphasis and flow. I only marked it twice, so it wasn't excessive, but it was enough to note. A book this simple should not require multiple passes to make sense. It's a minor complaint, but I'm here to tell you what I really think.

Overall, I liked Bernadette. The hilarity balances the tragedy enough that it is beachworthy. I would not go so far as to declare it uproarious or laugh-out-loud. I never even chuckled. But I can always pop in the Bluth family for that.

Chapter 6: A Book That Was Originally Written In a Different Language

The Seventh Day: A Novel, Yu Hua, translation by Allan H. Barr
I'm going to refrain from revealing much of the plot of this book because I want you to read it. Seriously. It's not long, and it is a really good book.

Yang Fei has died and realizes there is no one to mourn him or give him proper burial. He spends seven days looking over his life and the lives of those around him. He is left to wander a place for the unburied and sees worldly stories from a new perspective. It is a beautiful tale, given to us by a real storyteller.

I don't know much about Chinese culture (cultures? Can over a billion people really just form a singular culture?), so I found myself wondering if I was really grasping the story on a deeper level. Don't let that dissuade you. Yu, with the help of Barr's artful translation, brings outsiders into Yang Fei's world easily. The novel is both absurd and tragic, surreal and very human. It discusses the personal- family and romantic relationships- and broader topics like corruption and greed. In illustrating these things, I felt connected. No matter your politics, religion, or wealth, we are all human and we all die. That doesn't make this a dark, fatalistic tale, though.

My favorite relationships in the story are Yang Fei and his father; the policeman and criminal; and the couple next door. Each illustrates a different form of pure love, even when completely dysfunctional. Their souls are so entwined, yet each comes to a different resolution, and each is fitting. This might be what I enjoyed most- the idea that love is not a cookie-cutter concept. That perfect love for me is not perfect for someone else.

About the translation- Dr. Barr is a professor of Chinese at Pomona College, focusing on Chinese literature. I would love to sit in on one of his classes. The art of translation is not as simple as a one-to-one correspondence, especially when you throw in a completely different alphabet/vocabulary. Among romance languages, for example, an idiom may not translate exactly, but it's close enough to share an idea. Barr translates ideas as much as he translates words. The text flows smoothly and maintains beauty that could easily have been lost.

I'm happy to have a recommendation with no caveats. Happy reading!

Chapter 5: A Book Based on or Turned Into a TV Show

Pretty Little Liars, Sara Shepard

Confession time: PLL is one of my Netflix guilty pleasures. I won't even pretend to feel bad about it. It's a great show for many terrible reasons. But what about the books?

It's hard not to compare the page and screen versions. There's always discussion of time constraints and budgets and casting. So let's not bother. The show is popcorn worthy. If you want to know about the books, here's what I think.

I'd rather watch the show. The first book in the series is not a whole book. It's the beginning of a book. Unlike any other series I've ever read, there is no resolution at all. None. It's all a setup for the next book(s). I feel as ripped off by it as I did that extra season of Arrested Development. I invested my entertainment hours to a really long trailer for something else.

The writing? Not bad. The characters are pretty one-dimensional, which makes them great for a soap opera. There's nothing challenging or thought-provoking happening on the pages. Just chapter after chapter of teenage drama, mystery, and intrigue. It's easy to read, but if I didn't already watch the show, this first segment would not make me want to check out the next title. Still, I will probably read the rest of the series so I can do the aforementioned comparison.

Here's one thing, though. In this fictional elite suburb, the kids seem to be very worldly. Maybe I'm just not in touch with middle school these days (who am I kidding, I'm clearly not), but these kids are doing some pretty adult things. Not just the designer everything, but drinking, seducing older men. They seem to be exploring things at a much younger age than I remember. Maybe that's what makes them popular among the YA crowd- the escape from reality. Or maybe they are an indication of how times have changed. Either way, it doesn't always sit well with my prudish ideas. Most of the unsettling aspects have to do with men. So maybe it's my inner feminist cringing at all the exploitation of minors. I dunno. It won't stop me from reading or watching, but it does give me pause.

Anyway, that's about it. Not much material to think about, so not much to write about.