by Agatha Christie
Scott County Library audiobook 2 CDs
"Full Cast Dramatization"
genre: murder mystery, M. Poirot, detective
This was a quick little story that had Poirot trying to save the dead woman's lodger from hanging for a crime he didn't commit. In trying to find out who *had* killed Mrs. McGinty, Poirot uses his interviewing skills, powers of observations, and his "little gray cells" to find the real killer.
The vocal cast was decent, but I actually disliked John Moffatt as the "great Belgian detective" . . . which is ironic, since his name is featured.
I prefer unabridged versions of stories. And I prefer reading them in a book. But audiobooks help pass the time as I drive!
Saturday, May 30, 2020
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Murder on the Orient Express
by Agatha Christie
Scott County Library audiobook 6 CDs
read by Dan Stevens
genre: Detective Mystery (Hercule Poirot)
Although I've read this book before (and seen the 1974 film), I like having an audiobook in my car and this one fit my mood. I love Agatha Christie, though I prefer Miss Marple to Hercule Poirot.
I had forgotten the details about the murdered man - Samuel Ratchett - but I remembered the conclusion. Still, it was fun to listen as the story unwound and the clues cropped up.
I've requested the "old" movie from the library. After I've watched it, I'll get the "new" one. I've not seen it yet and the cast looks pretty incredible.
Stevens vocal work was quite good.
Oh! I wanted to make note of this: The Daisy Armstrong kidnapping and murder, though fictional, made me think of the Lindbergh baby. I had to check. Charles Lindbergh, Jr. was kidnapped and murdered in 1932. Agatha Christie wrote this book in 1933 (published in January 1934 . . . ). It seems too coincidental, but I'm not going to research if she is on record as crediting that awful real-life tragedy for the storyline in this book.
<Above published on 5.19.20. Below added 3.27.24.>
I listened to a 2010 BBC full cast version. It was okay. The Poirot guy didn't sound like him to my ears! It was only two hours long and was the dramatized version, complete with train whistles, etc. A much abbreviated version, but kept the key points. I prefer an unabridged version, though.
Monday, May 18, 2020
Smoke Screen
by Terri Blackstock
Scott County Library paperback 333 pages
genre: contemporary Christian action romance
Nate Beckett is a firefighter who left town as an 18-year-old whose dad had just been arrested for murder. Brenna is a single mom fighting for custody of her kids.
There is plenty of action in the book and a sweet touch of romance. There was enough mystery to keep it interesting. We'll discuss it tonight at book club.
Page 36 - "'I was naive then, Nate,' I said. 'Nothing bad had ever happened to me at that point. I had the perfect life. It was easy to be spiritual.'" This isn't especially profound, but it made me think of how God uses the tough times in life to build us (if we let him) into people of stronger faith.
Page 48 - "Don't ever say that, Nate. I chose him for my husband, and right or wrong, blessed or cursed, I've chosen to live with that decision. You don't break vows just because things don't turn out like you want." I wish more people felt that way about their vows! Not just marriage vows, but let your yes be yes and your no mean no!
Page 73 - "Boxing my arms on the sales counter, I dropped my head on them and prayed with all my heart to the God I still believed in, the one I'd strayed from but not forgotten, to protect my children while they were away from me." Crying out to God is the *best* thing to do when you feel lost. He is faithful!
Page 151 - I'm not going to type it all here, but Brenna talks about Nate's mom's deep faith. She ends with "I wish I had that kind of faith." I love that Nate's mom was so consistently relying on the Lord. Brenna wasn't the only one who noticed.
Every time Brenna chose alcohol over better ways to handle her emotions, I was disappointed. It seems to be a very realistic portrayal of how people can become addicted, but it just wasn't fun to read. "No!" I'd think, "Don't do it!"
Page 274 - "I would breathe all the way home, I thought, and I would breathe through the night. And Tuesday I would breathe throughout court." I liked this idea of simply focusing on breathing and making it through one thing at a time.
Page 280 - I liked when Nate's dad shared that he had said Jeremiah 29:11 every single day of the fourteen years he was in prison. If you dwell in God's word, you will be fed!
Page 285 - "In my own heart, I pled for forgiveness for my attitude toward him." That's a prayer I've had to pray! Sometimes when I'm really upset with someone, I realize that the problem is in my own heart and attitude. It makes me think of the song, "It's not my sister, not my brother, but it's me Oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer . . . "
Page 331 - It was so sweet when Nate finally got his dad's approval. It's interesting how sometimes we can be like small children, wanting to get that approval. It can be heartbreaking when it doesn't come.
Page 336 (Her acknowledgements) - "And finally, I'm overflowing with thanks for my husband, Ken Blackstock, who has been my rock in helping me raise our grandson and has given me so much acceptance, grace, and support that it moves me to tears. He models God's love to me every day and is a great example to me. He's the answer to prayers I prayed many years ago." That's a wonderful way to feel about your spouse!
Scott County Library paperback 333 pages
genre: contemporary Christian action romance
Nate Beckett is a firefighter who left town as an 18-year-old whose dad had just been arrested for murder. Brenna is a single mom fighting for custody of her kids.
There is plenty of action in the book and a sweet touch of romance. There was enough mystery to keep it interesting. We'll discuss it tonight at book club.
Page 36 - "'I was naive then, Nate,' I said. 'Nothing bad had ever happened to me at that point. I had the perfect life. It was easy to be spiritual.'" This isn't especially profound, but it made me think of how God uses the tough times in life to build us (if we let him) into people of stronger faith.
Page 48 - "Don't ever say that, Nate. I chose him for my husband, and right or wrong, blessed or cursed, I've chosen to live with that decision. You don't break vows just because things don't turn out like you want." I wish more people felt that way about their vows! Not just marriage vows, but let your yes be yes and your no mean no!
Page 73 - "Boxing my arms on the sales counter, I dropped my head on them and prayed with all my heart to the God I still believed in, the one I'd strayed from but not forgotten, to protect my children while they were away from me." Crying out to God is the *best* thing to do when you feel lost. He is faithful!
Page 151 - I'm not going to type it all here, but Brenna talks about Nate's mom's deep faith. She ends with "I wish I had that kind of faith." I love that Nate's mom was so consistently relying on the Lord. Brenna wasn't the only one who noticed.
Every time Brenna chose alcohol over better ways to handle her emotions, I was disappointed. It seems to be a very realistic portrayal of how people can become addicted, but it just wasn't fun to read. "No!" I'd think, "Don't do it!"
Page 274 - "I would breathe all the way home, I thought, and I would breathe through the night. And Tuesday I would breathe throughout court." I liked this idea of simply focusing on breathing and making it through one thing at a time.
Page 280 - I liked when Nate's dad shared that he had said Jeremiah 29:11 every single day of the fourteen years he was in prison. If you dwell in God's word, you will be fed!
Page 285 - "In my own heart, I pled for forgiveness for my attitude toward him." That's a prayer I've had to pray! Sometimes when I'm really upset with someone, I realize that the problem is in my own heart and attitude. It makes me think of the song, "It's not my sister, not my brother, but it's me Oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer . . . "
Page 331 - It was so sweet when Nate finally got his dad's approval. It's interesting how sometimes we can be like small children, wanting to get that approval. It can be heartbreaking when it doesn't come.
Page 336 (Her acknowledgements) - "And finally, I'm overflowing with thanks for my husband, Ken Blackstock, who has been my rock in helping me raise our grandson and has given me so much acceptance, grace, and support that it moves me to tears. He models God's love to me every day and is a great example to me. He's the answer to prayers I prayed many years ago." That's a wonderful way to feel about your spouse!
Sunday, May 17, 2020
Rebecca
Scott County Library audiobook
read by
genre
Warning: This is very stream-of-consciousness style . . . with the added disruptions of chunks of time. Due to Covid-19, I'm in my car less often. After I drive and listen, I make notes and blog. Choppy, but it's an experiment. We'll see how it turns out . . .
It's so odd! I've heard references to this book for much of my life and now that I'm finally reading it, it's not at all like I thought it would be.
The narrator is a young woman, but not Rebecca. Rebecca is dead. She was Max deWinter's first wife. Manderly, the family estate, is like a character. Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper, is sinister.
Mrs. Van Hopper is painfully rude and insensitive.In a way, she was comic relief. But she's out of the story after the first handful of chapters.
I have a scrap of paper that says, "The education of an indifferent pupil taught at a second rate school." I'm not sure if Mrs. Van Hopper said that about our narrator or if the narrator referenced herself that way in comparing her hand writing to Rebecca's.
Our narrator is young and clumsy. She spends a lot of time daydreaming and imagining different scenarios. She needs to get out of her head and live her life! Her insecurity makes it too easy for Mrs. Danvers to intimidate her.
Symbolism abounds! The bitter tangerine. Rebecca's handwriting, especially the oversize R that dwarfs the other letters. When the narrator cuts out the page from the poetry book (Max, from Rebecca), then tears it up into little pieces, then burns it . . . but it is still imprinted on her memory. Wow!
Words to describe parts of this book: ominous, foreboding, mysterious, danger . . .
Rebecca's presence - the oversize R, the morning room, people's attitude toward her . . . palpable. What really happened?
The second time our narrator encounters the dim-witted Ben at the cottage . . . she is so clueless! Of course he's referring to Rebecca! Who else? The mystery grows more deep.
Our narrator is too much in her own head! She overthinks things and imagines what others are thinking. I almost laughed when she imagined what Max was thinking and then when she asked him point blank, he replied he was thinking about sports teams. It made me think of a story I read once about a woman tormenting herself about her husband's silence . . . and he's actually just thinking about his motorcycle.Meanwhile, our narrator is certain he's thinking of the china Cupid that was given as a wedding gift to him and Rebecca.
The more I hear about Rebecca and the kind of person she really was, the more I dislike her. Mrs. Danvers is absolute poison! I cannot believe that our narrator actually listens to her!
The blackface / monkey comment (in preparation for the masked ball) really startled me. Rebecca was written in 1938, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. But it was jarring to hear it.
Commentary on men's minds and women's thoughts . . . again, from a different era. Yet aren't we having some of those same issues and conversations now? I believe men and women do think differently.
She actually took Mrs. Danver's advice about the white dress. . . how could she possibly not suspect her of having cruel motives? Even before the dress ball, I was shouting at her. "Don't trust Mrs. Danvers!" This book is crazy-making.
"Nothing to do with me." "Not my affair." She's getting tedious! Get over yourself and your insecurities! Stand up for yourself! BE stronger! Just do it!
Maxim's confession. Oh! I'm glad he finally shared his truth. Rebecca "made" Manderly. A lot happened in 24 hours. She (our narrator) can be so useless! She's so bad about conversations. What a dud! Then she has a real conversation with Frith . . . Comfort your husband! Punch Favel. Kick him out! He is so rude and so awful. They just take it!
Comparisons of characters to dogs and being petted on the head. Weird.
Newspapers / sensationalism / skewed perspective / Bea and Giles.
Suspense . . . I want to know what happens!
Dr. Baker visit. I was expecting pregnancy! (Max's baby or Favel's?) But it was an inoperable tumor. Rebecca had a malformed uterus and no chance of pregnancy. That was unexpected! I was sure she'd either had an abortion or Max had killed his heir along with his wife. Favel asking if cancer is contagious. What an idiot!
"The End." What?!?!?! Manderly is on fire. Did the other servants get out? Does Mrs. Danvers get caught? What the heck kind of an ending is this for a book?!
At least now I'll have a better understanding when I hear allusions to Rebecca. I'm not a fan.
They Both Die at the End
by Adam Silvera
Scott County Library hardcover 368 pages
genre: YA dystopian
I saw a student at NPMS reading this and made note of it. I don't read as much YA (Young Adolescent) lit as I used to . . . but this one was distressing. The premise is that an entity (DeathCast) knows what day people will die and they receive a call informing them of their death day. There's an entire industry that caters to the "Deckers" who have less than 24 hours to live.
Though this premise is never really explained, the focus on one's last day and how to spend it was really sad to me. Obviously, they conclude that relationships are more important than the things we spend most of our lives doing and thinking about. But I still thought the characters' journey made this a depressing and empty book.
The jacket blurb calls it "Uplifting and devastating, charming and haunting," but I think it's bleak and awful. I don't think I could recommend it to any teen readers I know and care about. I may need to go back and read my review of Daniel Ehrenhaft's 10 Things to Do Before I Die . . . because it had a similar premise (without the omnipotent entity that actually told you your death day) and I have a more positive memory of that book.
Scott County Library hardcover 368 pages
genre: YA dystopian
I saw a student at NPMS reading this and made note of it. I don't read as much YA (Young Adolescent) lit as I used to . . . but this one was distressing. The premise is that an entity (DeathCast) knows what day people will die and they receive a call informing them of their death day. There's an entire industry that caters to the "Deckers" who have less than 24 hours to live.
Though this premise is never really explained, the focus on one's last day and how to spend it was really sad to me. Obviously, they conclude that relationships are more important than the things we spend most of our lives doing and thinking about. But I still thought the characters' journey made this a depressing and empty book.
The jacket blurb calls it "Uplifting and devastating, charming and haunting," but I think it's bleak and awful. I don't think I could recommend it to any teen readers I know and care about. I may need to go back and read my review of Daniel Ehrenhaft's 10 Things to Do Before I Die . . . because it had a similar premise (without the omnipotent entity that actually told you your death day) and I have a more positive memory of that book.
One More River to Cross
by Jane Kirkpatrick
Scott County Library paperback 330 pages, plus author's notes
genre: Christian historical fiction
Kirkpatrick does an amazing job of researching an historical event and writing a fascinating story around its players. In this one, a group of California-bound pioneers try crossing the Sierra Nevada and encounter difficulties galore. This group made the attempt the year before the doomed Donner Party. (In fact, some of the Donners used a cabin built by the Stephens-Murphy-Townsend company.)
I hadn't read the book before book club, so didn't have much to add to the conversation. Below are the plethora of pages I tagged with some thoughts and observations. Overall, this was a very engaging read. There are a LOT of different characters. Right when I started it and saw the listing of names, relationships, etc. I realized it would be a challenge to keep everyone straight. She did an excellent job of differentiating, but I generally prefer stories where I identify strongly with characters and don't have to work as hard to remember who's who! The text below may contain *SPOILERS* and / or be boring to those who've not read the book. :-)
Flyleaf - She has this quote from Mary Anne Radmacher: "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is that little voice that at the end of the day says 'I'll try again tomorrow.'"I love this!
Page 35 - "It was at the evening camp and Capt took out his journal from his saddlebages. He always reread what he'd written." This isn't especially profound, but I am a huge fan of journaling! I don't write as often as I used to, but it is wonderful to read the thoughts and feelings one experienced in a different point in life. Some of the most amazing "stories" throughout history have been recorded by someone and now we can appreciate them. This made me wonder if we would get to read some of Capt's journal later in the story.
Page 49 - "'I'm the mother of five. Fun isn't necessarily in my basket of essentials.'" - This reply by Ailbe to the comment that "She needs a little fun" made me laugh! Mothers can be so very down-to-earth.
Page 63 - "We should have joined them. She shook her head. What's done is done. Sometimes she thought of her life as a thin, scratchy book held between the bookends of fear and regret and fear. She needed to rewrite that book, make it sturdier. And find new bookends for sure." Mary Sullivan is a strong and determined young woman. The language in this description of her life (or her perception of her life) doesn't match with how I imagined her, but I liked it just the same.
Page 79 - "She hated it that he only seemed to pay attention to what she was feeling when she lost control and cried. Crying made her weak in his eyes so he could 'lift her up' rather than speak to her as another adult to come to some grown-up resolution." Sarah did get on my nerves at times, but her newlywed husband Allen was a total jerk.
Page 89 - "'Something haunts your brother,' Beth said. 'He carries anger, swallows it, licks his lips without knowing he is eating himself. He is in need of laughter. He doesn't know what wealth lies within it. Be patient with him.'" Beth is one of the most lovely and loving characters. The relationship between Ellen and her brother Daniel is one that develops throughout the story. I appreciate it!
Page 92 -"She nodded, acceptance settling like a threadbare cloak over her shoulders: it offered comfort but without the warmth. The real treasure was this moment when she felt loved and cared for more than she had since the day they'd married. She guessed it would be her anniversary gift." I really liked that first sentence. Again, Allen is not a very impressive husband. Poor Sarah!
Page 98 - I love when Mary grabs the ox and just goes! Capt wants her brother John to lead, but she's ready to GO. I can relate. I see a lot of myself in Mary.
Page 116 - When the women are sharing their stories, Mary has a new perspective. "Maybe carrying on despite grief was a hidden gift." Sometimes our perception of "gifts" misses some things out of the ordinary.
Page 139 - "It was the least she could do to honor the being that gave them nourishment." This made me think of Mari's mom Rita and her prayers over meals.
Page 140 - "Don't tell me what I've done or not correctly." This made me laugh! Husbands should handle pregnant wives with kid gloves! I was as contrary as can be when I was pregnant.
Page 165 - "He'd gotten crankier on this journey, while Mr. Hitchcock - in his late sixties - had gotten more jovial. Maybe it didn't matter how many years you had but how well you carried them." Such truth in this! When my dad was so negative and complained about everything, I made myself think about the choices I was making in terms of my attitude and communication. I want to carry my years well . . .
Page 172 - "If not, I trust God is with us whatever choice we make. . . . . Truth is, I'd rather be happy than right." I love Ailbe! She has a good attitude and recognizes that God is in control.
Page 181 - When Ellen talks to Daniel about how the fire in the mercantile got started, I was a bit taken aback . . . She saw cowardice in herself; I see complicity.
Page 192-3 - I love how Daniel and Ellen come to understand one another better and develop a much stronger and healthier brother / sister relationship. This was one of my favorite aspects of the story. The "Horseback Party" was a smaller group and had a more engaging storyline.
Page 205 - When Capt sweet talks Dr. Townsend into pushing on . . . pure genius. It does highlight Townsend's ego,t hough.
Page 218 - "Land is free in Oregon. We just take it from the Indians." Ugh. It's a fictionalized version of a real person saying this (Allen talking to his wife Sarah.) . . . but knowing that it represents some people's true opinions AND actions historically . . . just makes me mad / sad.
Page 220 - "We're having to remake ourselves." Sarah says this to Mary as they talk about taking apart a wool sweater to re-knit it and how it's like they are remaking themselves due to the hardships they're experiencing. It's wonderful that we can transform and don't have to get into a rut.
Page 241 - "It must be made American, taken for Americans, held by Americans." Sutter is trying to convince the men to ride to war instead of going back to rescue the rest of their party. Historically, there were battles to "hold" the West . . . but this reminded me of current-day "America First" rhetoric. I prefer to look at humanity more globally.
Page 260 - "Guess when you find success in something, all the pain getting there gets washed away." This is often true. Hardship mellows (if not goes away completely) when you've achieved your goal.
Page 290 - "Com once meant 'the exchange of burdens.' And union means 'together.' I guess when we are joined together in a gathering, we share our troubles. Or should." I love that definition for communion! And Sarah and Mary also talk about it in terms of marriage. The exchange of burdens together.
Page 296 - "Why was it that the food of goodness was often seasoned with guilt?" It's an interesting metaphor. I like words that make me think.
Page 332 - In the author's notes, she included this line that surprised me. "The decision by the men to become conscripted before sending rescue continues to baffle historians and others, including me. I'm hopeful that my explanation rings true." It was one of those odd moments while reading the book - why on earth would the men be persuaded to ride to war instead of rescuing their wives and children??? But as an author, she was being true to the history! That's what they did.
Page 337 - Also author notes - "A room in the Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum in Sunnyvale, California, is devoted to the Murphy family." Cool! I need to visit museums more. I love this stuff!
Page 339 - "Their feats are overshadowed by the Donner Party disaster. It's my hope that this story might celebrate the honor of self-sacrifice, the wisdom of working together, and the power of persevering through community and faith." This is one of the big reasons I appreciate Jean Kirkpatrick. I've heard of the Donner party and their cannibalism. I'd never before heard of this group that made the same trip successfully the year before them.
Scott County Library paperback 330 pages, plus author's notes
genre: Christian historical fiction
Kirkpatrick does an amazing job of researching an historical event and writing a fascinating story around its players. In this one, a group of California-bound pioneers try crossing the Sierra Nevada and encounter difficulties galore. This group made the attempt the year before the doomed Donner Party. (In fact, some of the Donners used a cabin built by the Stephens-Murphy-Townsend company.)
I hadn't read the book before book club, so didn't have much to add to the conversation. Below are the plethora of pages I tagged with some thoughts and observations. Overall, this was a very engaging read. There are a LOT of different characters. Right when I started it and saw the listing of names, relationships, etc. I realized it would be a challenge to keep everyone straight. She did an excellent job of differentiating, but I generally prefer stories where I identify strongly with characters and don't have to work as hard to remember who's who! The text below may contain *SPOILERS* and / or be boring to those who've not read the book. :-)
Flyleaf - She has this quote from Mary Anne Radmacher: "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is that little voice that at the end of the day says 'I'll try again tomorrow.'"I love this!
Page 35 - "It was at the evening camp and Capt took out his journal from his saddlebages. He always reread what he'd written." This isn't especially profound, but I am a huge fan of journaling! I don't write as often as I used to, but it is wonderful to read the thoughts and feelings one experienced in a different point in life. Some of the most amazing "stories" throughout history have been recorded by someone and now we can appreciate them. This made me wonder if we would get to read some of Capt's journal later in the story.
Page 49 - "'I'm the mother of five. Fun isn't necessarily in my basket of essentials.'" - This reply by Ailbe to the comment that "She needs a little fun" made me laugh! Mothers can be so very down-to-earth.
Page 63 - "We should have joined them. She shook her head. What's done is done. Sometimes she thought of her life as a thin, scratchy book held between the bookends of fear and regret and fear. She needed to rewrite that book, make it sturdier. And find new bookends for sure." Mary Sullivan is a strong and determined young woman. The language in this description of her life (or her perception of her life) doesn't match with how I imagined her, but I liked it just the same.
Page 79 - "She hated it that he only seemed to pay attention to what she was feeling when she lost control and cried. Crying made her weak in his eyes so he could 'lift her up' rather than speak to her as another adult to come to some grown-up resolution." Sarah did get on my nerves at times, but her newlywed husband Allen was a total jerk.
Page 89 - "'Something haunts your brother,' Beth said. 'He carries anger, swallows it, licks his lips without knowing he is eating himself. He is in need of laughter. He doesn't know what wealth lies within it. Be patient with him.'" Beth is one of the most lovely and loving characters. The relationship between Ellen and her brother Daniel is one that develops throughout the story. I appreciate it!
Page 92 -"She nodded, acceptance settling like a threadbare cloak over her shoulders: it offered comfort but without the warmth. The real treasure was this moment when she felt loved and cared for more than she had since the day they'd married. She guessed it would be her anniversary gift." I really liked that first sentence. Again, Allen is not a very impressive husband. Poor Sarah!
Page 98 - I love when Mary grabs the ox and just goes! Capt wants her brother John to lead, but she's ready to GO. I can relate. I see a lot of myself in Mary.
Page 116 - When the women are sharing their stories, Mary has a new perspective. "Maybe carrying on despite grief was a hidden gift." Sometimes our perception of "gifts" misses some things out of the ordinary.
Page 139 - "It was the least she could do to honor the being that gave them nourishment." This made me think of Mari's mom Rita and her prayers over meals.
Page 140 - "Don't tell me what I've done or not correctly." This made me laugh! Husbands should handle pregnant wives with kid gloves! I was as contrary as can be when I was pregnant.
Page 165 - "He'd gotten crankier on this journey, while Mr. Hitchcock - in his late sixties - had gotten more jovial. Maybe it didn't matter how many years you had but how well you carried them." Such truth in this! When my dad was so negative and complained about everything, I made myself think about the choices I was making in terms of my attitude and communication. I want to carry my years well . . .
Page 172 - "If not, I trust God is with us whatever choice we make. . . . . Truth is, I'd rather be happy than right." I love Ailbe! She has a good attitude and recognizes that God is in control.
Page 181 - When Ellen talks to Daniel about how the fire in the mercantile got started, I was a bit taken aback . . . She saw cowardice in herself; I see complicity.
Page 192-3 - I love how Daniel and Ellen come to understand one another better and develop a much stronger and healthier brother / sister relationship. This was one of my favorite aspects of the story. The "Horseback Party" was a smaller group and had a more engaging storyline.
Page 205 - When Capt sweet talks Dr. Townsend into pushing on . . . pure genius. It does highlight Townsend's ego,t hough.
Page 218 - "Land is free in Oregon. We just take it from the Indians." Ugh. It's a fictionalized version of a real person saying this (Allen talking to his wife Sarah.) . . . but knowing that it represents some people's true opinions AND actions historically . . . just makes me mad / sad.
Page 220 - "We're having to remake ourselves." Sarah says this to Mary as they talk about taking apart a wool sweater to re-knit it and how it's like they are remaking themselves due to the hardships they're experiencing. It's wonderful that we can transform and don't have to get into a rut.
Page 241 - "It must be made American, taken for Americans, held by Americans." Sutter is trying to convince the men to ride to war instead of going back to rescue the rest of their party. Historically, there were battles to "hold" the West . . . but this reminded me of current-day "America First" rhetoric. I prefer to look at humanity more globally.
Page 260 - "Guess when you find success in something, all the pain getting there gets washed away." This is often true. Hardship mellows (if not goes away completely) when you've achieved your goal.
Page 290 - "Com once meant 'the exchange of burdens.' And union means 'together.' I guess when we are joined together in a gathering, we share our troubles. Or should." I love that definition for communion! And Sarah and Mary also talk about it in terms of marriage. The exchange of burdens together.
Page 296 - "Why was it that the food of goodness was often seasoned with guilt?" It's an interesting metaphor. I like words that make me think.
Page 332 - In the author's notes, she included this line that surprised me. "The decision by the men to become conscripted before sending rescue continues to baffle historians and others, including me. I'm hopeful that my explanation rings true." It was one of those odd moments while reading the book - why on earth would the men be persuaded to ride to war instead of rescuing their wives and children??? But as an author, she was being true to the history! That's what they did.
Page 337 - Also author notes - "A room in the Sunnyvale Heritage Park Museum in Sunnyvale, California, is devoted to the Murphy family." Cool! I need to visit museums more. I love this stuff!
Page 339 - "Their feats are overshadowed by the Donner Party disaster. It's my hope that this story might celebrate the honor of self-sacrifice, the wisdom of working together, and the power of persevering through community and faith." This is one of the big reasons I appreciate Jean Kirkpatrick. I've heard of the Donner party and their cannibalism. I'd never before heard of this group that made the same trip successfully the year before them.
Friday, May 01, 2020
The Toll
by Neal Shusterman
Hennepin County Library hardcover 625 pages
genre: YA dystopian
(Book 3 of the Scythe series)
I should have blogged this promptly after reading it . . . but life is strange right now.
Shusterman crafts incredible stories and this is no exception. I had to wait a while to get it and really wanted to know what happened after Endura sank. I found out!
One interesting aspect of this story was the inclusion of a gender fluid character. On page 28 the character explains:
"I feel like a woman beneath the sun and the stars. I feel like a man under the cover of clouds," Jericho had explained to the crew when assuming command. "A simple glance at the skies will let you know how to address me at any given time."
On page 286, Anastasia is talking with Jeri about her identity.
"I've often wondered what it would have been like to have been born in the Madagascan region . . . Not that I'm really interested in being a man - but I wonder what it would have been like to explore both sides when I was too young to know the difference."
There was quite a bit more exposition about this topic and it came up several more times in the book.
I wonder why this was so important to Shusterman to include and emphasize. It almost seems . . . like a cause.
I'm not sure why I put a post-it note in this spot, but perhaps because it also seems to be a sign of our times:
Page 301 - "Anastasia supposed it was because there was very little private about Tenkamenin. He lived his life like he were in a window display."
A lot of people do seem to live their lives very, very publicly nowadays.
This book also had a lot of religious overtones, mostly to do with the Toll.
On page 361, "As for Astrid, she had her work cut out for her keeping them all on the proper spiritual path. She stayed with the Toll because deep down, she believed that Greyson Tolliver was the real thing. That he was divinely moved by the Tone, and that his humility about it was understandable. A humble nature was, after all, the hallmark of a true holy man. It made perfect sense that he would refuse to believe he was part of the Holy Triad, but just because he didn't believe it himself, didn't make it any less true."
And at the end of a chapter on page 417 - "Because, as it would turn out, he'd need to lead them into darkness before he could lead them into light."
There was also a lot about forgiveness, awe, reverence, godlike qualities, etc.
There were definite twists and turns in the story! I was almost yelling when the harbormaster used the tracking beacon and contacted Goddard.
On page 587, I was surprised to find sympathy for Sykora who had been such a detestable character to me . . . "Allow me to be useful, Loriana. Please." His humility was surprising and timely. (But I was a tiny bit suspicious, too . . . I was honestly not sure how this would end.)
Overall, I enjoyed this entire series. It's pretty violent, though, and has some complex themes. I would have loved doing this with my eighth grade book club! (Back when I HAD a student book club.)
Hennepin County Library hardcover 625 pages
genre: YA dystopian
(Book 3 of the Scythe series)
I should have blogged this promptly after reading it . . . but life is strange right now.
Shusterman crafts incredible stories and this is no exception. I had to wait a while to get it and really wanted to know what happened after Endura sank. I found out!
One interesting aspect of this story was the inclusion of a gender fluid character. On page 28 the character explains:
"I feel like a woman beneath the sun and the stars. I feel like a man under the cover of clouds," Jericho had explained to the crew when assuming command. "A simple glance at the skies will let you know how to address me at any given time."
On page 286, Anastasia is talking with Jeri about her identity.
"I've often wondered what it would have been like to have been born in the Madagascan region . . . Not that I'm really interested in being a man - but I wonder what it would have been like to explore both sides when I was too young to know the difference."
There was quite a bit more exposition about this topic and it came up several more times in the book.
I wonder why this was so important to Shusterman to include and emphasize. It almost seems . . . like a cause.
I'm not sure why I put a post-it note in this spot, but perhaps because it also seems to be a sign of our times:
Page 301 - "Anastasia supposed it was because there was very little private about Tenkamenin. He lived his life like he were in a window display."
A lot of people do seem to live their lives very, very publicly nowadays.
This book also had a lot of religious overtones, mostly to do with the Toll.
On page 361, "As for Astrid, she had her work cut out for her keeping them all on the proper spiritual path. She stayed with the Toll because deep down, she believed that Greyson Tolliver was the real thing. That he was divinely moved by the Tone, and that his humility about it was understandable. A humble nature was, after all, the hallmark of a true holy man. It made perfect sense that he would refuse to believe he was part of the Holy Triad, but just because he didn't believe it himself, didn't make it any less true."
And at the end of a chapter on page 417 - "Because, as it would turn out, he'd need to lead them into darkness before he could lead them into light."
There was also a lot about forgiveness, awe, reverence, godlike qualities, etc.
There were definite twists and turns in the story! I was almost yelling when the harbormaster used the tracking beacon and contacted Goddard.
On page 587, I was surprised to find sympathy for Sykora who had been such a detestable character to me . . . "Allow me to be useful, Loriana. Please." His humility was surprising and timely. (But I was a tiny bit suspicious, too . . . I was honestly not sure how this would end.)
Overall, I enjoyed this entire series. It's pretty violent, though, and has some complex themes. I would have loved doing this with my eighth grade book club! (Back when I HAD a student book club.)
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