Book Review Musings: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

Goodreads description:

The extraordinary debut novel that became a modern classic

Born mute, speaking only in sign, Edgar Sawtelle leads an idyllic life with his parents on their farm in remote northern Wisconsin. For generations, the Sawtelles have raised and trained a fictional breed of dog whose remarkable gift for companionship is epitomized by Almondine, Edgar's lifelong friend and ally. Edgar seems poised to carry on his family's traditions, but when catastrophe strikes, he finds his once-peaceful home engulfed in turmoil.

Forced to flee into the vast wilderness lying beyond the Sawtelle farm, Edgar comes of age in the wild, fighting for his survival and that of the three yearling dogs who accompany him, until the day he is forced to choose between leaving forever or returning home to confront the mysteries he has left unsolved.

Filled with breathtaking scenes—the elemental north woods, the sweep of seasons, an iconic American barn, a fateful vision rendered in the falling rain—The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is a meditation on the limits of language and what lies beyond, a brilliantly inventive retelling of an ancient story, and an epic tale of devotion, betrayal, and courage in the American heartland.

My Review:
I really enjoyed this novel. It was fairly slow moving and deliberate but in a good way. I just reveled in the language, how well-written it was. The story was crafted so well and I loved how David Wroblewski put his words on a page. He took the time to set up the people and places of the novel in a quiet, restrained way which I loved. The pace was a nice change - slow, meandering, and beautiful. But, never boring in any way.

If you like to read - if words are wonderful and you enjoy...more I really enjoyed this novel. It was fairly slow moving and deliberate but in a good way. I just reveled in the language, how well-written it was. The story was crafted so well and I loved how David Wroblewski put his words on a page. He took the time to set up the people and places of the novel in a quiet, restrained way which I loved. The pace was a nice change - slow, meandering, and beautiful. But, never boring in any way.

If you like to read - if words are wonderful and you enjoy excellent writing, then you will love this one.

Edgar Sawtelle is one of those unforgettable characters - one that stays with you and gives you a feeling of knowing that is impossible as he is fictional. I loved reading about his journey. All of the characters are complexly drawn, three-dimensional and the story itself is highly emotional and inspiring.

I can't recommend this one enough ...


My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Book Review Musings: Candor by Pam Bachorz

Goodreads description: 

Oscar Banks has everything under control. In a town
where his father brainwashes everyone, he's found a way
to secretly fight the subliminal Messages. He's got them
all fooled: Oscar's the top student and the best-behaved
teen in town. Nobody knows he's made his own Messages
to deprogram his brain. Oscar has even found a way to
get rich. For a hefty price, he helps new kids escape
Candor, Florida before they're transformed into
cookie-cutter teens. But then Nia Silva moves to Candor,
and Oscar's carefully-controlled world crumbles. 

My Review:

Although I think the premise of this book was incredible and had so much potential, I wasn't WOW'd  by the execution. I liked it. It was very readable but it could have been so much more. Which, as a reader, I found very frustrating! The whole brainwashing/messaging element of the book was very interesting and thought-provoking. The idea of what takes place in the book is very creepy and frightening. My primary issue with the book was the character development. Although Oscar was very well written, in many ways he was the only character that I ever felt that I completely 'got' during the novel. The others were fairly weak and let me wanting more. For example, Nia is a critical person in the novel but I never really felt like she was given the substance that a critical character requires.  The relationship between Oscar and Nia felt very contrived to me and I never really felt the relationship was fleshed out properly. Which made me feel on a number of occasions that I must have missed a page or two. I wish I could have given this 3 1/2 stars but I don't feel like it deserved 4. I enjoyed the novel and would recommend it but it didn't blow me away as I'd hoped.

My rating - 3 out of 5 stars

Review Musings: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Goodreads description:

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. He has no recollection of his parents, his home, or how he got where he is. His memory is black. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade, a large expanse enclosed by stone walls.
Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning, for as long as they could remember, the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night, they’ve closed tight. Every thirty days a new boy is delivered in the lift. And no one wants to be stuck in the maze after dark.
The Gladers were expecting Thomas’s arrival. But the next day, a girl springs up—the first girl ever to arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. The Gladers have always been convinced that if they can solve the maze that surrounds the Glade, they might be able to find their way home . . . wherever that may be. But it’s looking more and more as if the maze is unsolvable.
And something about the girl’s arrival is starting to make Thomas feel different. Something is telling him that he just might have some answers—if he can only find a way to retrieve the dark secrets locked within his own mind.

My review:

I really liked the premise of this novel ... the execution, not as much. The story had a great deal of potential but it didn't quite live up to that potential, in my opinion. I enjoyed the process of reading the novel - it kept me interested, it went fairly quickly. But, there was something missing that I couldn't quite put my finger on as I read.

As I've given it some thought, I think there were two things that got into the way of my fully enjoying this book. One, the character development was lacking. I just never felt like I really cared about them or who they were or what they were going through. They were almost a secondary consideration to the conceptual pieces of the book which were intriguing. I never really became engaged with ANY of the characters. They were very flat and not particularly engaging. It's strange - I didn't dislike them but I didn't really care either way what happened to them. Which is not a good feeling when reading a book that I think in many ways centers around your rooting FOR the very characters that just aren't leaping off the page. Secondly, the 'slang' from the world that Dashner created was very distracting to me for some reason. It just didn't seem to blend well with the narrative. It felt almost like a JOLT every time that I came across yet another slang word in the dialog which took me out of the story.

Perhaps my feelings about this book were colored by the fact that I've recently read some really great YA dystopic novels - The Hunger Games for instance. Maybe if I'd had more distance, I'd have appreciated this one a bit more.

I struggled with the rating on this one - I'd really have liked to have given 3 1/2 stars but I ultimately went with 3 stars since it really had some flaws that detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.

I understand that this is the first in a series of books about this world. I am planning to give the 2nd Maze Runner book a read ... the world Dashner creates is very intriguing so I'd like to revisit it but I do hope that some of the flaws in this one are resolved for the second in the series.



My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Review Musings: The Lost City of Z by David Grann

Goodreads Description:

After stumbling upon a hidden trove of diaries, acclaimed New Yorker writer David Grann set out to solve "the greatest exploration mystery of the twentieth century": what happened to the British explorer Percy Fawcett and his quest for the Lost City of Z?

In 1925, Fawcett ventured into the Amazon to find an ancient civilization, hoping to make one of the most important discoveries in history. For centuries, Europeans believed the world’s largest jungle concealed the glittering kingdom of El Dorado. Thousands had died looking for it, leaving many scientists convinced that the Amazon was truly inimical to humankind. But Fawcett, whose daring expeditions helped inspire Conan Doyle’s The Lost World, had spent years building his scientific case. Captivating the imagination of millions around the globe, Fawcett embarked with his twenty-one-year-old son, determined to prove that this ancient civilization—which he dubbed “Z”—existed. Then he and his expedition vanished.

Fawcett’s fate—and the tantalizing clues he left behind about “Z”—became an obsession for hundreds who followed him into the uncharted wilderness. For decades, scientists and adventurers have searched for evidence of Fawcett’s party and the lost City of Z. Countless have perished, been captured by tribes, or gone mad. As David Grann delved ever deeper into the mystery surrounding Fawcett’s quest, and the greater mystery of what lies within the Amazon, he found himself, like the generations who preceded him, being irresistibly drawn into the jungle’s “green hell.” His quest for the truth and his stunning discoveries about Fawcett’s fate and “Z” form the heart of this complex, enthralling narrative.

My review: 


I rarely read non-fiction because it always leaves me frustrated. I get halfway through the book and am bored to death. But, I figured I'd give this book a chance since almost all of the reviews I'd read were great. And, WOW, what a ride this book was! It gripped me from page one and didn't let go until the final word. It was a wonderful book, well written, engaging and truly interesting. I'm not much of an adventure/travel type reader so I am still a bit surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I didn't know a lot about the Amazon or the El Dorado legend. In fact, I wasn't particularly interested in either of them. However, this book made that region come alive in a way that made me feel as if I was there. 

There was an excellent mix of geography, anthropology, culture, exploration and discovery. I love how David Grann was able to weave together the present day with the story of Percy Fawcett. I didn't want to put it down ... such a gripping read. Finally ... a non-fiction book that I can wholeheartedly recommend!

My review:  5 out of 5 stars!

Book Review Musings: House of Stairs by William Sleator

 Synopsis from Goodreads:

 One by one, five sixteen-year-old orphans are brought to a strange building. It is not a prison, not a hospital; it has no walls, no ceiling, no floor. Nothing but endless flights of stairs leading nowhere -- except back to a strange red machine. The five must learn to love the machine and let it rule their lives. But will they let it kill their souls? This chilling, suspenseful indictment of mind control is a classic of science fiction and will haunt readers long after the last page is turned.

My review:

I read this book for the two Young Adult Dystopia Reading Challenges that I'm participating in for the next few months. Ann Kingman from Books on the Nightstand talked about this book during the podcast where she introduced the challenge and I thought it sounded intriguing. It sounded vaguely familiar but I had not read it when I was younger. 

This was a very quick read and it is written in a very simplistic style. But, the content is incredibly creepy and disturbing. As I read the book, I sometimes felt a bit claustrophobic, imagining a world of stairs all around me. Very creepy.In addition to the creepy factor, I loved how it also intertwined a very clear message without feeling didactic. I remember being a pre-teen/teenager and being amazed at how cruel the other kids could be to each other and how difficult it can be to rise above that with the pressure there is to 'go with the crowd'.

The idea of a house of stairs with a small machine conditioning kids to behave in a certain way is rather creative and an interesting world to be involved in during the read. I enjoyed the psychological aspects of the novel and how the author introduces them to the young adult reader throughout the novel.

I'd definitely recommend this to young adults because it has a very interesting story that is both compelling and educational. I also think this might be a good book to give a reluctant reader as its very simplistic and might draw in those who aren't as compelled to read on their own.

Book Review Musings: The Blue Notebook by James A. Levine

Goodreads Description of The Blue Notebook:
A haunting yet astonishingly hopeful story of a young Indian prostitute who uses writing and imagination to transcend her reality.

An unforgettable, deeply affecting tribute to the powers of imagination and the resilience of childhood, The Blue Notebook tells the story of Batuk, a precocious 15-year-old girl from rural India who was sold into sexual slavery by her father when she was nine. As she navigates the grim realities of the Common Street—a street of prostitution in Mumbai where children are kept in cages as they wait for customers to pay for sex—Batuk manages to put pen to paper, recording her private thoughts and stories in a diary. The novel is powerfully told in Batuk’s voice, through the words she writes in her journal, where she finds hope and beauty in the bleakest circumstances.

Beautifully crafted and deeply human, The Blue Notebook explores how people, in the most difficult of situations, can use storytelling to make sense of and give meaning to their lives. All of the U.S. proceeds from this novel will be donated to the International and National Centers for Missing and Exploited Children (http://www.icmec.org).

My Review:
This may be one of the most difficult books I've read in a long time. It certainly took me back to my days working with sexual assault victims all day. Heartbreaking, poignant, beautiful, compelling, and riviting. I finished it 2 days ago and wasn't really able to review it until now because the images from the novel have stuck with me and given me so much to think about.

This is certainly not a pleasurable read but it is definitely one that will open your eyes to the issue of violen...more This may be one of the most difficult books I've read in a long time. It certainly took me back to my days working with sexual assault victims all day. Heartbreaking, poignant, beautiful, compelling, and riviting. I finished it 2 days ago and wasn't really able to review it until now because the images from the novel have stuck with me and given me so much to think about.

This is certainly not a pleasurable read but it is definitely one that will open your eyes to the issue of violence against children. I feel fairly educated on the topic given my years of work in the field, but I got a great deal out of this book. The beautiful way that this story is written makes Batuk and her experiences come alive. There were moments that I felt I was there with her, in part because of how well the author was able to describe each moment with simplicity and brilliance. I don't tend to cry as I read. I tend to be emotional, yes, but not to the point of tears. This book was an exception. There were moments that I just had to lay the book down and cry for this girl and all of the other girls like her in the world. There were other moments where I was sick to my stomach to see what this girl went through - how powerless she was to control her body, her life, her future. It was truly heartbreaking. But, I am so glad that I read this story and got to know this amazing (fictional) girl.

I don't think this is a book for everyone - if you are uncomfortable reading about brutal, uncomfortable situations then you may want to avoid it. Ultimately, this is a book about child prostitution, sexual abuse, physical abuse and violence in general. It is not a happy book. It is not an uplifting book. It is, however, a wonderful story that gives you insight into the day to day life of a girl who (like many, many other girls throughout the world) is essentially a slave to the wants, needs and desires of the people around her. She finds what little control she can in the world around her through writing.As difficult as it is to read, I think its important for us to all see the raw ugliness that is not unusual in our world. And to think about what WE can do to try to help eliminate this kind of violence against children.

In addition, 100% of the American proceeds of the book will go to the International and National Centers for Missing and Exploited Children.

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

Review Musings: South of Broad by Pat Conroy

Goodreads Description:

The one and only Pat Conroy returns, with a big, sprawling novel that is at once a love letter to Charleston and to lifelong friendship.

Against the sumptuous backdrop of Charleston, South Carolina, South of Broad gathers a unique cast of sinners and saints. Leopold Bloom King, our narrator, is the son of an amiable, loving father who teaches science at the local high school. His mother, an ex-nun, is the high school principal and a well-known Joyce scholar. After Leo's older brother commits suicide at the age of thirteen, the family struggles with the shattering effects of his death, and Leo, lonely and isolated, searches for something to sustain him. Eventually, he finds his answer when he becomes part of a tightly knit group of high school seniors that includes friends Sheba and Trevor Poe, glamorous twins with an alcoholic mother and a prison-escapee father; hardscrabble mountain runaways Niles and Starla Whitehead; socialite Molly Huger and her boyfriend, Chadworth Rutledge X; and an ever-widening circle whose liaisons will ripple across two decades-from 1960s counterculture through the dawn of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s.

The ties among them endure for years, surviving marriages happy and troubled, unrequited loves and unspoken longings, hard-won successes and devastating breakdowns, and Charleston's dark legacy of racism and class divisions. But the final test of friendship that brings them to San Francisco is something no one is prepared for. South of Broad is Pat Conroy at his finest; a long-awaited work from a great American writer whose passion for life and language knows no bounds.

My review:

I should start by saying that Pat Conroy is one of my all time favorite writers. And his previous novel, Beach Music, is one of my all time favorite books. Hands down, Pat Conroy's prose speaks to me. I feel it physically and emotionally. And, I think he's one of the most amazing Southern writers.

And onto South of Broad ... I really tried to not compare this novel to Beach Music because I was concerned that it could never live up to my feeling for that book. And, ultimately, it did...more I should start by saying that Pat Conroy is one of my all time favorite writers. And his previous novel, Beach Music, is one of my all time favorite books. Hands down, Pat Conroy's prose speaks to me. I feel it physically and emotionally. And, I think he's one of the most amazing Southern writers ever born.

And onto South of Broad ... I really tried to not compare this novel to Beach Music because I was concerned that it could never live up to my feeling for that book. And, ultimately, it did not. However, it came fairly close which I was a bit surprised at, to be honest. The first few chapters were not as tight as they could have been which made me feel initially that the book certainly couldn't live up to Beach Music. So, if you are reading it and not sure about the first section, please keep going. It's worth it. I promise. It smooths itself out in time.

Conroy's Charleston, SC just jumped off the page ... I have never been to Charleston but I now feel like I have. His descriptions were so fantastic, so amazing that I felt like I was there ... experiencing it all. Again, this is tied to Conroy's ability to truly paint a picture with this words. Amazing. That's all I can say ...

The unfolding of the plot and the characters in this novel is breathtaking. The layering of the experiences within the prose is difficult to explain but pure heaven while reading it.

The characters are what I cannot stop thinking about ... I felt connected to each and every one of them. As if I were a member of their group of friends. I love that Pat Conroy's men and women are always real - good, bad and the ugly - and true to life. They are not predictable, they shock you with the words they say, they make you cry at the things that they do. They are simply wonderful to read about.

In terms of dialogue, I've heard a lot of people criticize Pat Conroy (for this and other books) in terms of the way people in his novels talk to one another. There seems to be some who dislike the very cleverness that I adore. I love reading the dialogue among these characters ... the things that they say are yet another way that you come to love them all as if they are in your own life. For me, no one does this quite as well as Pat Conroy! And I revel in each and every word!

All in all, South of Broad gives the reader an impressive group of characters to learn about and come to care about. The numerous story lines come together in themes of prejudice, privilege, friendship and love. It moves from Charleston to San Francisco and makes you FEEL both places.

I truly believe that Conroy is a master of American fiction and this novel is yet another example of his impressive skill! I love his books and will be purchasing this one for my ongoing collection of Conroy novels that I love to return to over and over again!