Early Summer Reads

Well I've been a bit absent lately, but sometimes I think that's a good thing. I know it isn't like this for everyone, but when I spend too much time on the internet I start to feel like my brain is melting and my soul is being sucked out into cyberspace. So once in awhile I put down the phone, put away the laptop, and try to connect with the world around me rather than the one in front of my face; doing so for the past few weeks has made me feel a bit like I'm on vacation. 

This month, I've been doing a lot of scrapbooking, which is something I never thought I would say. Ever.
However, I decided that for the sake of my girls I should create a space where all of their NICU pictures and memories are collected, so one day they can go back and see what the first few months of their lives were like for them (and for us!) Also, it gives me somewhere to put all of the NICU photos without including them in my regular family/baby photo albums... I still feel a lot of trauma from that experience and I'd prefer to trap those memories somewhere I will never stumble upon them by accident. I'm not going to lie, it's been pretty emotional printing and documenting all the captured moments and my feelings at the time, but I'm glad I've finally gotten around to it. In some ways, despite the discomfort, I think processing the experience rather than burying it in a box in my head is helping me heal. 

Speaking of which, this month I've started planning my girls' first birthday party, which is such a crazy feeling. I feel like the party isn't just for Scarlett and Olivia but also for Shawn and I, as the day of their birth was the start of such an overwhelming rollercoaster for us; needless to say, we're both very emotional about it, and are excited yet nervous too for the day to come. That being said, we're both really shitty party throwers/decorators, and we're planning on picking up food trays from the grocery store, so it won't be too fancy, but fancy parties aren't really "us" anyways. I always love looking at birthday parties on Pinterest, but for us making memories and celebrating with those we love is much more important than what colour napkins or balloons we buy, so ultimately that's where our focus goes.

Despite all this, I've still managed to keep up with my reading, of course, so I thought I'd pump out a few reviews and show you all a few books you should DEFINITELY add to your summer reading list if you've got a little time on your hands. 
Check them out, I promise you won't regret it!
Hope you're all enjoying your June... it won't be long now before summer is really upon us!
xx 

Effigy by Alissa York

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

The Orenda by Joseph Boyden

On The Farm by Stevie Cameron

Icy Sparks by Gwyn Hyman Rubio

Book Review: The Orenda

RATING:

5 cookies out of 5 cookies!

What's it about?

The Orenda follows the story of 3 characters, Bird, a Huron warrior, Snow Falls, his adopted Iroquois daughter, and Christophe, a Jesuit missionary as they interact and weave together a complicated masterpiece about Canada’s early formative years.  

Favourite Quotes:

Too many! This book is such a piece of literary brilliancy that every line could find a place in my favourite quotes. Its poetic pose was an absolute joy to read.

Who would enjoy it?

Anyone with a brain and a passion for literature. Anyone who enjoys reading, period.

What I liked:

I liked everything about this novel. I’ve said this already, but it is truly a masterpiece. Now, when I say that, let me be clear: it’s not a comfortable read. It’s not easy, or pleasant, and it won’t inspire good dreams. It is troubling and haunting and left me shaky long after I’d closed it. But it is an absolutely necessary read. The world the author creates is infallibly real, and so are the characters, and despite the fact that the chapters jump between them, Joseph Boyden somehow manages to make them all equally captivating and seductive which shows his immense skill. The journey they embark on together is complex and bittersweet, an epic odyssey that grows and changes over a period of many years, and we have the pleasure of experiencing it with them through each startlingly unique perspective.

As well, the history relayed here between Canadian settlers and the First Nations tribes they mingle with is disturbingly uncomfortable and made me question not only the actions of my own ancestors, but the beliefs I have about my society and my life. It is terribly sad to see the devastating affect European colonialism had on the First Nations, and the ugliness within the story is only digestible because it is counteracted with incredible beauty and love. Be prepared to laugh, cry, sweat with anxiety, and nearly vomit with horror. The writing is MASTERFUL, and The Orenda is destined to become a Canadian, if not international classic for the ages. There is no forgetting this novel once you have picked it up, and pick it up you MUST! There is a very good reason it won the 2014 CBC Canada Reads competition.

Overall:
If you do one thing this summer, if you choose to read just ONE book, let it be The Orenda. You will not regret it, though you may lose sleep over the haunting images and ideas it leaves behind. 

Book Review: Icy Sparks

RATING:

2.75 cookies out of 5

What's it about?

Icy Sparks is a rather short coming-of-age novel about a young girl growing up in the mountains of eastern Kentucky in the 1950’s with her grandparents, and, undiagnosed Tourette’s Syndrome. This leads to outbursts, “croaks”, eye-popping, and other strange behaviours that isolate the girl from her teachers and classmates and ultimately from the world around her.

Favourite Quotes:

“The world’s my church, not some mess of people crowded together on itty bitty wooden pews.”

Who would enjoy it?

I think this book can appeal to a wide range of readers who enjoy the naivetés and fears of childhood and youth. It has moments of real hilarity, as well as heartbreaking sadness, and you can’t help but root for Icy to find herself amongst all the anxiety and confusion.   

What I liked:

What I enjoyed most of all was ultimately the writing. It was passionate, descriptive, and striking, and inspired much thought. Icy is an intelligent and stubborn girl who the author quickly makes you love, and I really liked following her throughout the story. It reminded me (in a good way) of other books I’ve read about the struggle outcast’s face in society, and I found this particularly endearing. It also had great, authentic southern/1950’s dialogue and style which added depth that kept me moving through the slower parts.

What I didn’t like:

To be honest, while this is clearly a wonderful, intelligent, deservedly-award winning novel, I didn’t much enjoy the last half of it. While Icy is painted throughout the entire story as a very intelligent character trying to overcome her personal demons, in the end (SPOILER ALERT!) she has a “come-to-God” moment at a Pentecostal church and finds solace in religion. The book seems to send out the message that ultimately if you accept Jesus’ love, you will no longer be an outcast, and this felt to me like an incredibly lazy way to end the story. Rather than show Icy learning to get over her insecurities by really facing them, and find a non-religious place of acceptance, the author cops out and turns a smart, agnostic character into a bible-thumping one and I really didn’t enjoy that. While it seems to bring Icy some peace, it sure didn't bring me any.  

Overall:
Despite my displeasure with Icy Sparks, I do believe that it is a book many will enjoy, especially those feel out of place, are searching for spirituality or who themselves have found peace within God’s embrace. It is a hopeful novel with a happy ending, that successfully brings adults back to the world of childhood, and because of this I think it would be a great addition to many summer reading lists. 

Book Review: On The Farm

RATING:

3 cookies out of 5

What's it about?

On the Farm by Stevie Cameron is a true crime novel about the Robert “Willie” Pickton murder case, investigation, and trial. It covers his childhood, youth, adulthood, and murder spree, as well as his family life, the actions of those close to him, personal accounts from friends and neighbours, and, now that the publication ban has been lifted, every detail you could ever want about the investigation.

Who would enjoy it?

Probably anyone who lives in Canada and followed the case of Robert Pickton. Even those who didn’t would still find it a worthy read. It is disturbing, frightening, and highlights the enormous flaws that existed in the Vancouver Police Department at the time, as well as the perspective British Columbians have towards prostitutes.

What I liked:

What I liked about this book was how thorough it was. I didn’t read it with any hope for lovely prose or great quotes, but rather to gain a better understanding of what took place to close to my home, and it provided that abundantly. The novel didn’t focus as much on making Pickton famous as it did the victims, and it bravely pointed out the enormous and frequent terrible errors the VPD made for years as women were disappearing. This book did the case and the murdered women justice, and shows how in many ways the law did not, and I found that to be one of the most compelling and upsetting parts of the novel.

What I didn’t like:

Obviously as someone who really appreciates beautiful writing, I didn’t find this novel very inspiring or stimulating, but of course it’s not meant to be. Inevitably though I struggled with the sometimes almost juvenile way the book was written, errors that should have been corrected in editing, and unnecessary repetitions that came along as though the author didn’t have a very organized grasp on what had been told already and what hadn’t. Reading it sort-of made me feel like I was watching something on television, and I had to alternate this book with another one in order to feel like I was actually working out my brain.

Overall:
In my opinion, a must-read for almost every Canadian. Good prose or bad, it is a page-turner, and the interviews with Pickton, as well as what the police found during the investigation of his farm are unfortunately as fascinating as they are upsetting. It is a necessary read so we all are able to understand why and how a tragedy this epic was able to take place, and prevent it from ever happening again.  

Book Review: State of Wonder

RATING:

4 cookies out of 5

What's it about?

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett is a story about Dr. Marina Singh, a former OB/GYN who, after a grave mistake during an emergency c-section, changes her career and becomes a pharmaceutical drug researcher. When one of her colleagues dies in the amazon, where a fertility drug her company is funding is being developed, Marina goes to the jungle lab to find out exactly what happened to him. Inevitably, it becomes a journey of self-discovery as she begins to understand herself and her actions along the way.  

Favourite quote(s):

“The question is whether or not you choose to disturb the world around you, or if you choose to let it go on as if you had never arrived. That is how one respects indigenous people. If you pay any attention at all you’ll realize that you could never convert them to your way of life anyway. They are an intractable race. Any progress you advance to them will be undone before your back is turned. You might as well come down here to unbend the river. The point, then, is to observe the life they themselves have put in place and learn from it.” 

“It is said the siesta is one of the only gifts the Europeans brought to South America, but I imagine the Brazilians could have figured out how to sleep in the afternoon without having to endure centuries of murder and enslavement.”

“Hope is a horrible thing, you know. I don't know who decided to package hope as a virtue because it's not. It's a plague. Hope is like walking around with a fishhook in your mouth and somebody just keeps pulling it and pulling it.” 

Who would enjoy it?

Anyone who enjoys medical terminology, adventure, scientific discovery, new, exciting environments, and stories with a strong female lead.

What I liked:

I really loved this book. It was incredibly intelligent, and I found myself re-reading many of the passages simply because the scientific and philosophical points being made were fascinating.  Marina is a relatable character who braves her fears with the same uncertainty many would, and watching her adapt to life in the amazon (no western clothes, unshaved legs) is very liberating. The dialogue was also incredibly riveting, as are the adventures she encounters (such as a particularly intense battle with a boa constrictor) and I felt that there was a great ebb and flow between exciting scenes and thoughtful ones. And the way the novel concluded was, while possibly predictable, still successful at bringing me to tears.

What I didn’t like:

Marina’s time in the amazon was easily the best part of the novel, but it felt like it took an unnecessarily long time for her to get there. She spends far too much time in a small town outside of the jungle, battling bugs and illness and anti-malaria drug nightmares, but not really going anywhere, which was irritating. You do wonder if there’s a point to it all, but ultimately there isn’t; it feels that the author is just giving more meat to the story in order to extend its length. Despite the beautiful prose, that was a downfall.

Overall:
A great summer read! Thrilling, and informative and emotional and wonderfully descriptive. I don’t re-read books too often (except for Harry Potter, of course) but this is one I am certain I will return to. 

Book Review: Effigy

RATING:

3.75 cookies out of 5

What's it about?

This novel by Alissa York focuses on the inner-workings of a 19^th century polygamist family living in Utah. It narrows in on the different experiences of each of the wives, as well as their lives before becoming members of the family, and the complicated way they all interact. There is a lot of FLDS history here, as well as the Mountain Meadows Massacre which trickles through the entire story.

Who would enjoy it?

Anyone who finds novels about complicated families interesting, as well as anyone who, like me, finds polygamy fascinating in the same way as they might find a train wreck. If you’ve ever watched the TLC show “Sister Wives” and been so confused yet intrigued by how 3 women could possibly share one man, this is the book for you. It also has tons of American history which is always a good read.

What I liked:

I really enjoyed watching the family dynamic play out in a way that seems entirely unavoidable, given the polygamist lifestyle. The first wife rules with an iron fist and resents her husband, the second wife is the baby maker, the third wife is the one the husband took based on physical desire (and the jealous one who explodes at him if he sleeps with the others) and the fourth wife was married for her skills and not for love or companionship. Learning about these complicated women and their personal histories, as well as their individual relationships with the husband was brilliant. I also loved the way the author delved into another issue with polygamy, which is the relationship between older male children and the younger wives. What also won me over was that while at first the book seemed to jump around a fair bit, at the end the author pulled all the strings together and tied it up so neatly and so brilliantly, that I finished it with a feeling of elation and awe.

What I didn’t like:

At the beginning of the novel there was a lot of graphic cruelty towards animals, which I had a tough time reading. I found myself skipping passages to avoid giving the book up entirely. While ultimately these scenes proved necessary for the characters’ development and the novel’s, I really couldn’t stomach them. Maybe it’s a mom thing! Effigy also gives us too many flashbacks and fragments, as while they are very interesting, they break up the flow of the novel and make it take longer to read.

Overall:
A brilliant, haunting novel that is full of loss and memory, family and deliverance. Effigy builds the most effective dread towards the conclusion that I’ve read in a long time. Stunningly written, with a deep, multi-layered plot that forces you to keep turning the pages and find out where it’s all going, it is certainly one I’d recommend.