Cuckoo's Calling

                                        

    

I will come right out and admit that the only reason that I read Cuckoo's Calling is because it is by J.K. Rowling. She wrote is under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, and I didn't give the book a second glance until it came out that she wrote it. That being said, I had no doubt that I would enjoy it, as I have enjoyed all of her other books.

I am not typically drawn to the mystery genre for books, but there is something enjoyable about the concept of a private investigator. In University, I went through a CSI phase, which was easier to fall back into than I expected. I found myself drawn into the twists and turns of the storyline.

The book follows a private detective named Cormoran Strike. He is struggling both personally, and professionally. He is asked by family to investigate the apparent suicide of a popular celebrity.  I enjoyed how the reader learned of the Cormoran's back-story as it came out to his new, temporary, secretary/assistant. This made the mystery aspect of the book almost twofold. The reader both delved into the mystery of the death, but also the mystery of Cormoran Strike.

Unlike many readers who enjoy this genre, I don't find myself thinking ahead, and trying to solve the mystery. I simply sit back and let the story unfold. It seems that by doing this, I may be denying myself an added layer to the reading experience which others may enjoy, but I have never been one to pause and reflect on what I am reading, while I am reading it.

All in all, it was a good book. I have started the second book in the series, and the third is on my shelf waiting for me. I'm sure that I will continue to read the series as each book comes out.

The Book of Life

     The Book of Life, by Deborah Harkness, is the third, and final installment of the All souls trilogy. These books combine history, science, myth, and magic to create a story with many, MANY, layers. Unlike some books of this type, the author is able weave the story so that all of the pieces make sense even when you don't yet see the whole picture.
     While this series is science fiction/fantasy, it has elements of historical fiction as well. The use of modern and historical science and knowledge was excellent in my mind. The combination genetic research, and ancient alchemy is fascinating, and brings about the real life issues of racial purity and segregation.
      The importance of family lines, yet the acceptance of adoption into vampire families, even in ancient times, is key in this book. I quite enjoyed the fact that once a person was claimed as family, it was simply accepted in vampire families.
      It seems standard for me recently to read trilogies, and to rank the second as my least favourite, the third as the middle, and the first as my favourite. This series is no different, although I think that I simply don't like the fact that there are not any more coming out.

The Magician's Land

     The Magician's Land, by Lev Grossman, is the third and final part of the Magician's trilogy. By the time that I started to read this trilogy, the first two were already out. I quite enjoyed the wait, and having a book to look forward to. Magician's land continues the story of Quentin Coldwater, Brakebills school, underground magic, and the land of Fillory. I found that it brought a satisfying conclusion, although throughout the book I thought that the readers would be left hanging.
     In the previous book, Quentin was banished from the land of Fillory which had been his home for many years. After a short-lived stent teaching a Brakebills, his old school of magic, Quentin, joins up with some underground magician thieves. Through a series of events unknowingly started in world war two, and recorded in Quentin's favourite childhood books (Narnia reference), Quentin is challenged with the task of saving a failing Fillory.
     While I enjoyed the first book in this series the most, this is definitely second. I found that there were a lot of new characters, but in the end, the old favourites were still the key characters. I was concerned for the first part of this book, not for the characters, but for the plot. Somehow it all worked, but the ragtag group of magical thieves seemed like a very different book than I was expecting. Lev Grossman managed to make it all make sense, and looking back on the book, it all works.

Schuyler's Monster

Schuyler's Monster is written by Robert Rummel-Hudson, a man who's blog (www.schuylersmonsterblog.com). I have been following it for about 8 (wow, that shocked me) years. Both the blog, and the book, are centered around the author's journey with his daughter.

This book is Robert telling the story of his daughter, and their journey with Bilateral Perisylvian Polymicrogyria, a neurological disorder which leaves her among other things, unable to speak. it chronicles journey to diagnosis, and learning to deal with various difficulties with peer judgement, schools, and school systems. It also talks about the impact that technology has had for Schuyler, and how she is gaining more independence as technology improves.

When I started nursing school, I wanted to work in the NICU. I looked up a bunch of blogs written by parents of children who had been, or were currently in, the NICU. This lead me into the world of childhood disability. I don't specifically remember how or when I came across this blog, but I decided that if I stuck with the blog for this many years, I should invest in the book.

I enjoyed reading the book, mostly because it gave some back story to his blog posts. I found that it was written much like a blog. He mostly speaks in past tense, and in the first person. I found that this made it easy to read. Most of the books I read are fiction, or at least part-fiction. They are written so that the story plays out in front of the reader. The reader is immersed in the story. This book is written as if the writer was sitting there, telling you a story.

 This book gave me some added understanding toward the journey that a family takes when a member receives a diagnosis which isn't necessarily a death sentence, but will last for their entire life. I would recommend this to anyone. While Schuyler doesn't have Autism, in many ways she appears to from the outside. She has an invisible disability, and through this book, the reader may find that they have just a little more patience and understanding. If nothing else, more patience with the families. I would also suggest following Robert's blog, as it continues the story. Schuyler is now a teenager, and finding different new obsticles, and solutions.

Divergent Trilogy

 
Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant are a trilogy of young adult books written by Veronica Roth. It would be quite difficult to write about the second and third books without giving away the entire plot, so I will tackle them all mostly as one. The story takes place in a sort of post-apocalyptic, dystopian city in which the people are sorted into five factions based on strengths, weaknesses, values, and personality.
  
Abnegation, for the selfless
Amity, for the peaceful
Candor, for the honest
Dauntless, for the brave
Erudite, for the intellectual.

The people from each group coexist, but don't seem to interact regularly, especially after the age of 16 when they choose their faction. There is a sense of underlying tension between the factions in the beginning, which comes more into light as the series progresses. The various factions use their own means to gain or keep power. This all comes to a head just as our main character Tris comes of age, and begins to learn the inner workings of the city.

Divergent begins with the lead up to Beatrice (Tris) Prior's choosing ceremony where she must decide which faction to be in for the rest of her life. She doesn't feel that she completely fits into any of the factions.This idea of fitting into more than one faction is in fact key in the whole series.

I can see how this concept of choosing one's life path speaks so much to the book's young adult audience. When one is 16, sometimes even the act of picking the right seat in the classroom, or hanging out with the right people can seem like it will make or break one's life. This book manages to both validate the impact of these decisions, and show that there are bigger things in life. 

As with most books in the YA genre, romance does play a large role in this series, although the author does keep the romance from taking over the plot. Tris does have a love interest, and while the series does chronicle their ups and downs, the books never stray far from the action packed revolution.

Another of the main themes throughout Divergent is the questioning of authority. The idea that adults, and especially government officials, are not always trustworthy, is prevalent in the YA genre. Tris has to question all levels of authority including her parents, teachers, faction, government, and all those beyond her known city. Tris has to uncover who is lying, and more importantly, their reasons for lying. Basically everyone in the series seems to be a traitor against someone or something.

Conversely, loyalty and sacrifice are also a strong theme. Not only do characters sacrifice themselves for each other, or the greater good, but the books also bring up deeper moral questions surrounding asking and requiring sacrifice. Asking another person to sacrifice them self for others. Picking someone to be sacrificed. These questions don't have right answers, and the books do not particularly lead the reader to lean one way or another on any of these issues. The series simply brings them up, and creates a way for the reader to ponder these dilemmas.

I recently heard an interesting point of view on a podcast. One of the hosts talked about how many of us who grew up in the years around 2000 became attached to the Harry Potter series, which is about keeping a world which is good from becoming evil. Those children/teens who grew up/are growing up in the more recent years, tend toward the books which center around rebuilding society. Changing the world from bad to good. This makes sense when you think about the situations going on around the world at the time.

The 90s were pretty good, but there were rumblings of crisis, which broke out in the early/mid 2000s. It makes sense that people growing up at this time would be able to connect with stories in which people are fighting to keep the world good. In the last decade or so, there has been all out war, increased crime, harsh economies, and an increased coverage of government wrong- doings. It makes sense that kids/teen growing up at this time would gravitate towards books which focus on wiping the slate clean, and creating a good society (ie, Hunger Games and Divergent). This makes me wonder what themes will be popular ten years from now. Still crisis? Rebuilding?

The History of Us

                                      

     

The History of Us by Leah Stewart was an interesting read. I ended up enjoying the idea of the story, more than the actual book. The story starts with successful career woman, Eloise, navigating through the pain of her sister's death, and the sudden responsibility of caring for her three young nieces and nephews. 

This was only about one or two chapters, but I would have been happy if the entire book was this. I would have enjoyed a book showing her learning how to balance the children and work. Learning how to continue her life as a university professor while grieving and raising three grieving children, each of whom have different levels of understanding based on their ages. Alas, this is not what the book is about. 

It took me quite a while to get through the next few chapters. The book leaps seventeen years into the future. The kids are moving, or moved out. Eloise wants to sell the house that she grew up in, and in which she raised her nieces and nephew. The catch is that the house belongs to Eloise's mother (who had moved away a significant number of years before). Eloise had been promised that if she stayed, and took care of the children and the house, her mother would sign over the house to her. Eloise's mother decided that instead, she would create a competition. The first person (out of Eloise and the three grown kids) to get married, would become the owner of the house.

That is the moment where I completely lost interest. The characters all begin to reflect on their lives, their current relationships, and what they would do with the house if it was theirs. Secrets come out, relationships are started for the wrong reasons, and drama ensues. Family togetherness is reached. 

I could tell that the writer put a lot of research into this book, and I appreciate that. Unfortunately, I  found it difficult to relate to the characters. I actually found that through writing this, I thought of more relatable parts than I ever did while reading. I remember that it took quite a while to keep the characters straight in my head. I found the quick introduction to the characters, followed by a large break in time difficult to read.

Memoirs of an Imaginary Freind

                                    
                                     

    

I loved reading Memoirs of an imaginary friend by Mattew Dicks while at campmeeting this summer. It is a creative take on childhood imagination. I had certainly never thought of imaginary friends this way. I was surprised with all of the twists and turns that the story took, and found it a much more addictive read than I expected.

Max is different than the other kids, so Bodo (the imaginary friend) is different than the other friends. Imaginary friends only exist while their children believe in them and need them. Max still needs him, so Bodo lives as one of few remaining imaginary friends left at school. 

Max has autism. He needs Bodo more than other kids. This book follows Bodo as he tries to help his Max through everything from social interactions, to bullying and kidnapping. Bodo eventually must also face his own mortality. If Bodo does his job well Max will no longer need him, and this would mean his end.