Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

Man, where to start with this book.

First of all, this book was nothing like what I thought it was going to be. Absolutely nothing.

It starts out with the main character, Lara, going to the funeral of her Great Aunt Sadie. While at this funeral, Sadie appears to Lara as a ghost, demanding for her necklace. So, Lara goes on the quest to find Sadie’s necklace so that she can rest in peace.

Now, maybe it’s only because I didn’t realize Sadie was going to be an actual “ghost” or maybe it’s just because I think writing about a ghost is absolutely ridiculous, but either way, I wasn’t a fan.

Sadie was an absolutely obnoxious character that I couldn’t stand. From what I heard, that’s what Kinsella was going for, but still. I mean, it pained me to read page after page where she was talking. Secondly, the events that transpire during this novel are absolutely 100% ridiculous. Now, I love my fiction novels (especially chick lit) just as much as the next girl, but really. Do you honestly expect me to believe that this Lara girl just walked into some random office and sat down in the middle of a meeting to ask some guy out. And that he said yes and then followed through it? Or that she wore all 20’s style clothing to the date just for Sadie? Or that one the date he spilled his entire life story about his ex-wife? And then Sadie got mad when Lara and this fellow actually wanted to start dating. It was all just way too far fetched and really lame. It really wasn’t even funny. And I hate to say that. Because I really enjoy most of Sophie Kinsella’s books, but seriously? This book was lame.

In the Woods

A 12 year old girl is brutally murdered and two detectives are working the case. One of those detectives, Detective Ryan, was involved in another missing persons case when he was in the same woods twenty years ago (also at age 12) where his two best friends disappeared.

I really enjoyed the actual murder story in this book, but hated everything else about it, especially the "love story" between the two detectives. Abomination. I didn't like the main character, Detective Ryan. And it wasn't the "love to hate" relationship either. It was pure dislike. He was a complete jerk and I felt no sympathy for him whatsoever, even though I can tell French wanted the reader to feel some.

When I first finished this book, I was mad at the ending but semi okay with it. Three hours later, I am fuming over the way it ended. And I can't really say much more than that without giving it away. Which is really disappointing! If anyone else has actually read it, I'd love to debate it with you and see what you think as well! 

I've heard that The Likeness is much better from some, and I've also heard that it's just as disappointing as In the Woods.

I break the golden rule of reading.

I always judge a book by its cover. 

Cutting for Stone

I have discovered that I am becoming an adrenaline junkie when it comes to books. Quite frankly anything that doesn’t have a car chase or murder mystery scene is becoming boring. Which is kind of sad. It’s probably also reflecting on the fact that my life is boring right now, so I don’t want to read a boring book. :)

Anyways, on to Cutting for Stone.

This was a very interesting book. It did hit me hard in a lot of places, due to the sensitive nature.

This story chronicles the complete life of a pair of twins – Marion and Shiva Praise Stone from the moment they were in the womb until death. Part one of the book chronicles the life that their biological mother, Sister Mary Joseph Praise led – how she came to the country and Missing Hospital, how she loved Thomas Stone, and how she eventually gave birth to the twins. The birth scene is heart wrenching. Part Two is most about how Ghosh and Hema’s relationship evolved through taking care of the children. Part three is the chronicle of how the boys grew up with Ghosh and Hema, their caretakers and parents. It’s very interesting to read about Ghosh and Hema’s work as a surgeon and gynecologist respectively – how they deal with having the incorrect tools to do their work and no money. The country is in the midst of a war and it comes directly to their front door. The family is bullied and Marion makes a very bold move. Shiva eventually becomes a playboy and breaks Marion’s heart. After that, their relationship is never the same. In Part Four Marion eventually moves to America and becomes a surgeon at a small hospital. Through this hospital he eventually ends up meeting his father, Thomas Stone.

In the end, Marion gets what he always wanted, but in true story fashion, it ended up meaning nothing to him and actually almost kills him. Shiva makes one of the only sacrifices he makes in his entire life – but it’s a huge one.

This books does provide a lot of insight into doctors, such as

“I grew up and I found my purpose and it was to become a physician. My intent wasn’t to save the world as much as to heal myself. Few doctors will admit this, certainly not young ones, but subconsciously, in entering the profession, we must believe that ministering to others will heal our woundedness. And it can. But it can also deepen the wound.” p.7

It’s also a book of great encouragement.

          ‘ “Because, Marion, you are instrument of God. Don’t leave the instrument unexplored. Why settle for “Three Blind Mice” when you can play the ‘Gloria’?” ‘ p. 7

And even a little bit of humor every now and again.

          ‘ “Flatus, Fluid, Feces, Foreign Body, and Fetus feel better out than in.” ‘

The one aspect of life that this novel made me understand is that we are completely and utterly blessed to live in a place where we do not experience the hardships of a country in the middle of a war- either internally or externally. Even though our country is in the midst of a war, we NEVER have to even worry about either a rebel or an enemy walking up to our front door and pulling a gun. It’s just something that I do not think we as Americans can even fathom at this point in time. But, this book made it hit a little bit closer to home.

I absolutely love the fact that this was an ENTIRE story, from beginning to end. I did feel like the book was a bit slow in parts and extremely long. Much longer than I thought it was. It ended up taking me just over a week to finish it. Which is quite a while for me.

If you are looking for action and a quick read, I wouldn’t recommend this book. However, I think if you are looking for an encouraging and in depth novel, this is the perfect one for you.

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag

Another Flavia de Luce story.

In this episode, Flavia gets tangled up with a travelling puppet show. During one of the shows, the puppetmaster is electrocuted. Flavia automatically figures out that it was murder and is off on the quest to find the murderer again. Aunt Felicity comes to stay and is fairly harsh, but she leaves Flavia with an excellent piece of advice:

“If you remember nothing else, remember this: Inspiration from outside one’s self is like the heat in an oven. It makes passable Bath buns. But inspiration from within is like a volcano: It changes the face of the world.” 

I still love Flavia throughout this story and the book was still very well written, but I do have to say that this book was a bit boring. There wasn’t the sense of adventure that The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie had. I was a bit disappointed. It took a lot longer to get to the actual murder in this book and then she seemed to really dally with Aunt Felicity. I was looking forward to the more adventurous Flavia (getting kidnapped and breaking into a library for information), when Flavia really just had conversations with people and figured the murder out on her own. I think I would have liked this book more if The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie hadn’t come before it. I just had really high expectations. And it’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy this book. I did. Just not as much as the previous one.

I can definitely tell though that Flavia is a character that the author has no control over. She has her own mind and will not be forced. She is a character that just slips right out of the author’s pen. It's really funny to read his interviews on her, particularly this one about halfway down the page: An Essay by Alan Bradley

I’ve heard mixed reviews on the third book, A Red Herring Without Mustard, so I’ll have to try and read it without any preconceived notions. I think that The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is just a very hard act to follow. 

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the PIe

So, it’s taking me a lot longer than expected to finish up Cutting for Stone, as it’s longer than it looks (around 650 pages), so I’m back tracking a little bit to include some books that I’ve previously read.

First of all, I love the name of the book. So cute, and also makes complete sense when you get to the end of the book. Second of all, can I just say that I absolutely love the fact that this novel is from a first time author who is in his SEVENTIES! And I can’t believe he didn’t start writing before now. I’m terrified he’s going to die before he finishes up these books. Which, I have to say are amazing.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is the first novel in an ongoing series about Flavia de Luce, an eleven year old girl who is intrigued by chemistry, poisons, and mystery. Flavia finds a dead bird on the porch and then a day later, a dead man. She then goes on the quest to discover who murdered this man. She wants to be in on the investigation with the police, but they will not let her. Instead, she discovers who the murderer is on her own.

I never thought that I would sincerely enjoy a novel about an 11 year old girl who loves chemistry and solving murders, but I have to say that I do. I absolutely love it. And you ask, how does a man in his 70’s accurately portray an 11 year old girl? Well, I have absolutely no idea. But he definitely pulled it off. Even down to Flavia’s squabbles with her two older sisters constantly telling her she was adopted naming her bicycle Gladys.

This book reads like you’re watching a movie. And the type of music that I was hearing in my head throughout was quite honestly a combination of: 

  

and

In all, this book has a huge heart. And I definitely recommend you read this book.

PS. The REALLY crazy thing is that if you listen carefully to the music in the first video, you can hear remnants of the music in the second. But if I'm completely honest, I heard more of the second (a lot slower and creepier than in the video) than the first.

The Help

I had heard a ton of excellent things about The Help, by Kathryn Stockett, but I was hesitant to read the book. So often, books that are popular I don’t actually like. But, when I found a paperback copy in the book store that I work for that was written in English, but from Italy, I couldn’t resist buying it. That’s just way too cool. I had several friends tell me, “You have to read this book.” So, I broke down and did. Finished it in two days. It’s amazing.

The Help is a novel about racism, friendship, and what it was like to be living life in the 1960’s in Jackson, Mississippi. The book flips back and forth between narrators – from Aibileen, a black maid for a white family who is wise, to Minny, another black maid who has a temper and can’t keep her mouth shut, to Miss Skeeter, a white lady in her 20’s who grew up with black maids and finally realizes the horrible way that the blacks are treated.

All three women have very different outlooks on life, but one thing in common – they understand that the way blacks were treated was wrong. They decide to write a book chronicling the black maids’ lives in Jacksonville – everything about raising white children, cleaning, having separate bathrooms, and even having family members beaten and blinded because of a misunderstanding. This book even hit upon the horrible practices that doctors (both black and white) did during this time, not understanding what they were doing.

One moment you’ll be laughing out loud about something Minny said and the next minute you’ll be crying your eyes out. The characters are something special – ones that you want to be your friends, and you all even have a common enemy – the evil Hilly. As I was reading the ending, I felt like my friendships with the characters were ending. This is the type of book that grabs somewhere deep inside you and holds on real tight.

I definitely side among the popular crowd with this book. You have to read this book.

Next up: Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese