The Glass Castle

Happy 2013 all!  I once again have set a goal to read 24 books (or more) this year and started it off with The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.

The Glass Castle is a memoir about Jeannette Walls childhood.  She grows up with her non-conformist parents and three siblings in various locations in the U.S.  It focuses mainly on her younger years (0-17) but also shows us a bit of her young adulthood as well.

I came across this book last year and thought it sounded interesting (we all know I love a good memoir) but when my sister-in-law said it was on her to-read list as well, I went ahead and took the plunge.  It is a wonderful memoir that shows how people can overcome an unpleasant childhood.  From her artistic mother to her drunken father, Walls had plenty that could have held her back but she manages to get out and tell us the story of a past that help make her who she is today.

I highly recommend reading this memoir.  It's an interesting study of characters, priorities and how life choices not only effect you but those around you.

The Devil in Silver

For my second read in December I read, The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle.  The book tells the story of Pepper, a man living in New York City who is mistakenly committed to a mental institution.  While there he meets quite the cast of characters, including one they call "the devil".  Much of Pepper's efforts while in the hospital are spent on escape attempts and figuring out if the devil really exists.

I don't remember how I stumbled across this book.  Likely I was reading a best of 2012 list and got linked to it somehow.  Anyway, I'm glad I did since it was quite an enjoyable read.

At 400+ pages, it has some moments where it gets a little wordy and has some portions I didn't think were super important to the story but I'm letting that slide in this review since I really enjoyed LaValle's writing style.  He is telling you the story at hand, but also talks directly to the reader sometimes (in quotes) and incorporates elements I wasn't expecting.  Like he bring Van Gogh into things.  I'll let you read how, but I was impressed how LaValle pulled things together.  His characters are also very well written.  Complex surely, but relatable despite the fact that they are institutionalized.

Blurbs on the back book jacket talk about how this "literary horror" is "profoundly terrifying" and that LaValle "wants to scare the living &#^$% out of the reader".  I'd like to clarify that by this (I think) they mean with his portrayal of the truly awful conditions of the mental hospital in the book.  Despite the word "devil" in the title, it's the poor conditions of mental heath care system that scared me.  Not only because they are described in a way which is frightening but because I'm afraid that a lot of what happens in the book happens in the REAL mental health care system here in the U.S.. 

Overall, I would recommend reading this book.  I'm also proud to say that I achieved my goal of reading 24 books this year (26 actually!) and I'm very thankful to those who have been reading our blog.  Here's to reading a lot of books next year as well!  I hope you'll keep coming back to read some reviews, find out which books are worth checking out and share your reading adventures/recommendations with us too.  Happy Holidays!

Why Have Kids?: A New Mom Explores the Truth About Parenting and Happiness

For my first read in December I read, Why Have Kids?:  A New Mom Explores the Truth About Parenting and Happiness by Jessica Valenti.  It is a non-fiction book that asks the question "Why have kids?" and gives us some insight to how looking at the truths about parenting could make one happier than going into it ill prepared and being disappointed.

I don't have any kids.  I would like some one day but currently I don't have any.  I have always wondered why people have kids though.  To make their family "complete"?  To bring joy to their lives?  To have more hands to help out around the house?  The media and people we interact with often talk about the happiness only parenting can bring but I don't have any illusions about the fact that being a parent will be hard.

Many people however, don't want to tell you this.  They say that being a parent will make you happy or that your family isn't complete without children.  What I enjoyed about this book is that Valenti addresses this issue (along with many others) and drops a truth bomb on you, parenting does not automatically equal happiness.  For some, parenting might be the the thing that makes them feel complete and purposeful, but that's not how it is for everyone and that is OK.

I recommend reading this book whether you are a parent or not, it's just an interesting read.  It covers all the "mommy war" topics (breastfeeding, stay-at-home vs working moms, maternal instinct, etc) and gives you a real look at what to expect from parenting.  Parenting is unpredictable and different for everyone, but it seems if you go into it knowing that it will be challenging and won't automatically make you feel whole, you'll be able to find a lot more happiness in your new role.

The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence

For my second read in November I read, The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence by Gavin De Becker.  This is a non-fiction book written by an expert on predicting violent behavior.  The Gift of Fear discusses many real life examples of violence in our culture and how being able to listen to your own intuition can help you recognize when you or someone you know are in real danger.

I'm not sure how I stumbled upon this book, but I did enjoy reading it.  Much like The Sociopath Next Door, it had thorough research, statistics and case studies (my favorite part!).  De Becker is apparently very well known and has worked with many high profile clients over the years, so his real life examples were really intriguing.

You might be thinking you aren't worried about learning "survival signals", however I bet you will find some of the information in this book to be very useful.  It discusses how to recognize people/situations that would pose a real threat to you, but what I really gained from it was how to understand my own intuition.  If you have "just had a feeling about someone" or had something frighten you but you "didn't know why", after reading this book you'll realize if you look back a little harder, the signs for why you felt that way were there. 

I would definitely recommend reading this book.  It is interesting, informative and I believe can help you better understand some of your own feelings of fear, worry and anxiety.  The only thing I didn't care for was the author is a little self promoting (since like I mentioned he is a well known expert and he currently has a firm who advises people on possible violent threats) but it can be overlooked since his book is well worth reading.

The House of the Scorpion

For my first read in November I read, The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer.  The story is about Matteo Alcatran, a boy who is the clone of a powerful drug lord called El Patron.  As Matt grows up, he learns about his origins and what his purpose is in life, both from El Patron's perspective and his own.

A facebook friend recommended this book and it was quite an interesting read.  The characters are well developed and the overall plot is interesting.  I have always found the topic of cloning to be an intriguing one and I enjoyed reading about it.  You really get to see how the different characters react to Matt and who/what he is, really getting a sense of how people's moral compasses can be so different.  At various points in the book you feel angry, frustrated and happy for Matt so clearly the author writes in a way that brings out emotions.

I did feel the book was a little long, it starts from his birth and moves fairly quickly through time until he is about 14 but there were some portions that I didn't think really brought much to the story or things that were repeated but could have been left out.  I also think that Matt was written a bit more naively than a real boy would be in his teen years, but I still enjoyed the book.  Also should note it is a "youth fiction novel" and I wouldn't recommend it for readers under age 12.  Overall, I would recommend it to readers though.

Await Your Reply

For my second read in October I read, Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon.  The story is about three different characters: Ryan is a young college kid who gets some surprising news and changes his life in a drastic way.  Lucy is a recent high school graduate who takes off with her former teacher boyfriend.  Miles is a man who has spent the majority of his adult life searching for his twin brother.  The three of them are interconnected in unexpected ways and some of these connections have dire consequences.

It took me quite a while to work my way through this book.  (Thus me barely finishing it by the end of the month!).  It had multiple perspectives, which I normally love, but in this case not so much.  It goes back and forth between characters each chapter, but some of the characters are more interesting than others, which left me wishing for certain chapters to go by faster.  It also goes back and forth in time, but not in a smooth way.  It goes back and forth in time nearly every chapter, sometimes multiple times.  The bouncing back and forth got frustrating and made sections of reading feel choppy.  A lot of the trips back in time were for back story, but honestly I would have enjoyed less back story and more time spent with what the characters were up to now.

I don't think I would recommend this book.  It was a slow read for me and I just didn't really enjoy it.

Dark Places

For my first read in October I read, Dark Places by Gillian Flynn.  I really enjoyed reading Gone Girl a few months back, so I found one of Flynn's earlier books to check out.

Again, Flynn writes in a way that captures your attention and keeps it throughout.  The beginning is slower moving as it sets the stage, but I appreciated it's character development.

The book is about a family who are the victims of a horrific crime.  The story follows Libby Day, the lone survivor of a murder spree that killed her mother and two sisters.  Her brother, Ben, was convicted of the crime and put in jail thanks to Libby's testimony when she was just a child.

The story goes back and forth in time (present day and day of the murders) and also person to person (Libby, Ben and Patty, their mom).  I loved seeing the events of that day from various perspectives.  It was a very engaging read to try to deduce who the murderer was and to try to put the pieces together as each chapter uncovered new information.  I definitely recommend reading this book!