Another slew of mini-reviews coming your way! Today is the adult edition of books that have been sitting on my bookshelf for too long and I've finally read them last year as part of the Off the Shelve Reading Challenge. Today I will be reviewing: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, The Coast of Chicago by Stuart Dybek, and Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger.


Description: Told in a series of vignettes stunning for their eloquence, this vignette is Sandra Cisneros's greatly admired story of a young girl's growing up in the Latino section of Chicago.

Review: The House on Mango Street was chosen for the One Book, One Chicago program a couple of years ago. It is also used in two English classes at my high school. For these reasons alone, I purchased a copy but never actually sat down to read it. The book is very short and consists entirely of vignettes from the author's childhood in a poor section of Chicago. The writing is beautiful and spare. In just a short of space, no vignette is longer that 2 or 3 pages, we get a vivid image of her family, her neighborhood, and her neighbors. We also get a chance to see our world through a different type of racial lens. It really reminded me of my younger years living in a Chicago high rise apartment. The author carefully picks and chooses her words that are potent and evocative rather than exhaustively descriptive. Would high schoolers appreciate the book's message? It's hard to tell if they would appreciate the nostalgia of childhood, but I think they would definitely could relate to Esperanza's, the narrator of the story, desire to seek freedom and explore the outside world. 


Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some allusions to sex, drug use, and violence in the book that happen off the page. For this reason, I think it is suitable for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Carmelo by Sandra Cisneros or How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent by Julia Alvarez


Description: A closer look at the bizarre mysteries of everyday life in Chicago's gritty ethnic enclaves during the 1960s and 1970s.

Review: The Coast of Chicago is another book used in my high school's English curriculum that I have not read before. I liked how this book was told from different parts of Chicago with a colorful cast of characters from different ethnicity, age, and gender. The book is composed of alternating long and short stories as the author recalls his old ethnic neighborhood, his early romances, and recounts a freaky urban legend about a young woman's body frozen in a block of ice. Each character stands on their own and you can feel the various emotions that they are going through. I actually preferred the short chapters that goes straight to the punch rather than the meandering longer stories which can be a bit much. Regardless, you can still pick out the important messages and themes in all of them.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language, crude humor, and allusions to sex in the book. Recommended for Grades 10 and up.

If you like this book try: Chicago: City on the Make by Nelson Algren, Never  A City So Real: A Walk in Chicago by Alex Kotlowitz


Description: Since the publication of The Catcher in the Rye in 1951, the works of J.D. Salinger have been acclaimed for their humor, intensity, and their lack of phoniness. A collection of short fiction, Nine Stories contains works with those qualities that make Salinger such a well-loved author.

Review: The Catcher in the Rye had a huge impact on my life and it's a book that I never get tired of re-reading. I was afraid that I picked up another book from Salinger, it would diminish my love for Holden Caufield but I'm glad that I was wrong. Nine Stories was a mixed bag for me. I didn't love all of the stories and some of them just went over my head to be honest. The stories are varied ranging from a soldier struggling with post traumatic stress disorder after returning to war in the amazing, haunting, and gut wrenching "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" to the remarkable thought process of a child genius whom everyone thinks is sick in "Teddy". What I remember most of Salinger's writing is his uncanny ability to creating characters who mirror our problems and frustrations in trying to find a resolution.


Rating: 3.5 stars


Words of Caution: There is some language, some strong description of war violence, and other mature adult topics. Recommended for Grades 10 and up.


If you like this book try: What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver, Self Help by Loorie Moore

  The rest of the week will be mini-reviews from the books I've read last year. Though mini-reviews are brief, I think they boil down my thoughts a bit better than my normal reviews. Today, I have a small batch of children/MG reads that are fairly popular but have taken me this long to actually get them off my shelf and read them.


Description (from inside book panel): Stargirl. From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of "Stargirl, Stargirl." She captures Leo Borlock's heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. At first.
   Then they turn on her. Stargirl is suddenly shunned for everything that makes her different, and Leo, panicked and desperate with love, urges her to become the very thing that can destroy her: normal. In this celebration of nonconformity, Newbery Medalist Jerry Spinelli weaves a tense, emotional tale about the perils of popularity and the thrill and inspiration of first love.


Review: I must be the last person to read this book. Stargirl was a really quick read that I finished in a day. I had a lot of mixed emotions while reading the book. It reminds me of all the fickleness of high school popularity, our strong desire to 'fit in' and the knee-jerk repulsion to something that is different than what we deem as 'normal'. It also highlights our obsession in finding categories for things that refuse to be defined/labeled. Stargirl is a wonderful character who is quirky and for the most part comfortable with the way she is. Leo Borlock is our narrator and reflects on his junior year in a New Mexico high school when he meets and starts with a relationship with Stargirl. The pressure to conform is the main theme of this book as Leo struggles between choosing his connection to his peers and to Stargirl, the essential question boils down to one offered to him by a sage adult friend: "Whose affection do you value more, hers or the others'?" Spinelli poses searching questions about loyalty to one's friends and oneself and leaves readers to form their own answers. Though there is a companion book to Stargirl called Love, Stargirl, I don't plan on reading it because for me it lessens Stargirl's powerful and realistic ending.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: None. Given the book's setting and context, I think it would be more relevant to those in middle school and up. Recommended for Grades 6 and up.

If you like this book try: Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, The Schwa was Here by Neal Shusterman


Description (from Goodreads): In her strongest work to date, Lois Lowry once again creates a mysterious but plausible future world. It is a society ruled by savagery and deceit that shuns and discards the weak. Left orphaned and physically flawed, young Kira faces a frightening, uncertain future. Blessed with an almost magical talent that keeps her alive, she struggles with ever broadening responsibilities in her quest for truth, discovering things that will change her life forever.
  As she did in The Giver, Lowry challenges readers to imagine what our world could become, and what will be considered valuable. Every reader will be taken by Kira's plight and will long ponder her haunting world and the hope for the future.


Review: Though I liked The Giver, I thought its ending was too abrupt and ended way too quickly. I liked Gathering Blue a bit more, but I'm not really fond with how Lowry ends her book in this series? world? Since the book is set in the same brutal and cold world, it is not a direct sequel, but a companion novel. I found it fascinating to read a world without any technology and where many of hte large and important events happen off screen yet their residue linger in the atmosphere. In Kira's community, people's cotts, or homes, are burned after an illness. People with deformities are abandoned at birth. I liked Kira and the other characters in this book, each had their own distinct personality, talent, and heavy responsibilities on their shoulders. While the story is quite grim, there is also lots of drama, suspense, and even snippets of humor to counterbalance the somber tone. I thought the ending wasn't as abrupt and gave the reader a bit for clues as to what will happen next. Readers won't forget these memorable characters or their struggles in an inhospitable world.


Rating: 4 stars


Words of Caution: Must of the violence mentioned in the book take place off the page and are alluded to in the story. Recommended for Grades 5 and up. 

If you like this book try: The Messenger by Lois Lowry, The Diary of Pelly D. by L.J. Adlington, The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann



Description: After Gen's bragging lands him in the king's prison, the chances of escape look slim. Then the king's scholar, the magus, needs the thief's skill for a seemingly impossible task - to steal a hidden treasure from another land. To the magus, Gen is just a tool. But Gen is a trickster and a survivor with a plan of his own.


Review: What a really fun book! The Thief is the first book in the The Queen's Thief series. A wonderful mixture of wit, adventure, mythology, and philosophy. Gen is an awesome character and not what he seems. His lack of discipline, his hum-ho view of heroism, and need for sleep and food make him approachable. His wicked sense of humor made him charming. He had me chuckling in quite a few places. Turner does a phenomenal job of creating real people in her story. No one is entirely good or evil but very shades of grey. The magus makes the transition from smug, superior scholar to decent guy in a believable fashion. Turner also does a neat job of puncturing lots of little prejudices that work well with the story and isn't just something added. There are many hidden lessons in this story if you dig deeper into the story. I found myself absorbed into the different myths recounted in the story, but I have to say that the surprise ending was terrific. Though it is foreshadowed throughout, it is not obvious and caught me a little unaware. Definitely a good pick for those readers who love adventure and fantasy. I'll definitely pick up the rest of the series.


Rating: 4 stars


Words of Caution: There is some PG language and violence. Recommended for Grades 6 and up.


If you like this book try: The rest of the The Queen's Theif series (The Queen of Attolia, The King of Attolia, The Conspiracy of Kings), The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke, or Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud

The Off the Shelf Challenge was by far my most difficult reading challenge but I felt very good in completing it. I initally signed up to read 50 books off my shelf but quickly realized that was unrealistic so I made it a much more manageable 30 books. I ended up reading 38 books off my book shelves, which helped a lot in weeding out my collection and make space for new books.

 For my last book in the Southeast Asian Reading Challenge, I finished The Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpah Lahiri. This is Lahiri second collection of short stories and in my opinion a much strongely written and diverse enteries than her Pultizer Prize winning collection in Interpreter of the Maladies.

Description: Eight stories that take the reader from Cambridge and Seattle to India and Thailand as they enter and uncover the lives of sisters and brothers, fathers and mothers, daughters and sons, friends and lovers.

Review: My main complaint about short stories is one of its trademarks: brevity. By the time I get comfortable with the plot and warm up to its characters, the story is over and I feel cheated. Perhaps, I'm reading them wrong and should not approach them in the same way as I normally do with any fiction book. Writing a short story must be very hard and it takes a rare and particular talent to write captivating short stories. The author must perfectly craft every word, every sentence, in order to develop character, plot and intrigue in a limited space.
 Lahiri's eight stories featured in Unaccustomed Earth are much lengthier than most short stories I've read, but I welcomed them. I felt they gave her much needed room to explore not only the different themes, but also a showcasing the various relationships throughout her stories. Lahiri's stories always feature characters of Bengali descent who reside in America but they are far from formulaic. In the title and personally my favorite story, Unaccustomed Earth, Brooklyn-to-Seattle transplant Ruma frets about a presumed obligation to bring her widower father into her home, a stressful decision taken out of her hands by his unexpected independence. In another, the alcoholism of Rahul is described by his elder sister, Sudha, who struggles with her own disappointment, guilt, bewilderment and sense of duty. And in the loosely linked trio of stories closing the collection, the lives of Hema and Kaushik intersect over the years, first in 1974 when she is six and he is nine; then a few years later when, at 13, she swoons at the now-handsome 16-year-old teen's reappearance; and again in Italy, when she is a 37-year-old academic about to enter an arranged marriage, and he is a 40-year-old photojournalist. Lahiri's stories are surprising, aesthetically marvelous and shaped by a sure and provocative sense of inevitability. Her skill of storytelling is enchanting and I look forward to whatever she publishes next.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong languge, underage drinking, and semi-explicit sex scenes in a few stories. Recommended for teen readers interested in multicultural fiction and adults only.

If you like this book try: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhmpah Lahiri, Bittersweet by Roopa Farooki

  After reading a few lackluster titles, I wanted to read something funny that had depth. When I first read a book by David Sedaris (who's incredibly hilarious by the way), many people recommended that I should pick up Bill Bryson. I bought his book, A Walk in the Woods, at a book sale and then it sat on my shelf for many months until now. It definitely fulfilled my void and it was highly entertaining.

Description: Bryson share his experiences hiking the Appalachian Trail with a childhood friend. The two encounter eccentric characters, a blizzard, getting lost, and rude yuppies along the way.

Review: A Walk in the Woods is a smart, funny travel book that also manages to tackle some important issues without ever being heavy or didactic. Bryson, who was born in Iowa, moved to England and gained most of his hiking experience along that country's friendly trails from village to village and pub to pub. He is an experienced travel writer and he decided to tackle the 2200-mile trail from Georgia to Maine with his overweight, ex-alcoholic hiking partner Stephen Katz. Bryson suddenly realizes that his British hiking experiences are completely different from his American one. The book comprises of the hiker's poignant observations and their experiences along the Appalachian Trail (AT). I laughed several times while reading this book, particularly when the two men yelled at cursed at each other and themselves for taking on a ridiculous endeavor, much like myself when I start my workout, hating every minute and counting down the time when I can stop.
  Similarly, Bryson and Katz struggle along a part of the southern trail and then abandon the whole idea when they admitted they could under no circumstances complete the journey just by hiking. Bryson drives down and samples parts of the remaining AT, such as the Pennsylvania coal country, and finally he and Katz decide to give it another chance and set out into the 100-mile wilderness of Maine. Their constant badgering about food (i.e. what the did/didn't pack, who ate all of it, what are they going to do when it runs out, etc) had me in stitches and me realize that I'm not well equipped on going camping at all. Their journey is shaky to say the least and coupled by some bizarre people they meet along the way including a rude yuppies and an airhead American twenty year old who has absolutely no clue how stupid she sounds when she speaks.
  The book's biggest strength is its humor, but Bryson also manages to intersperse his observations on the environmental damage along selected portions of the trail, which us pause to think how much we take advantage of the environment around us. He also includes some really interesting history on both of the trail itself and the areas of the eastern mountains through which it winds. I didn't think these discussion chapters were abrupt, but rather added an additional depth to the story along with drinking problem that Katz struggles with. I would definitely recommend this book to people who enjoy humorous novels but also want depth. I also think this would be a great book to listen to on a road trip where you can commiserate along with our incompetent traveling heroes. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language and crude humor. Marketed toward adults but I think it's suitable for teens in high school.

If you like this book try: Walking to Vermont by Christopher Wren, French Lessons by Peter Mayle

  You may have noticed that I have been reading a lot of children/middle grade and YA books a lot more than I usually do. It's because I'm frantically trying to complete my Off the Shelf challenge, where I read books that have been sitting on my shelf unread. I'm realizing now that my goal of fifty was a bit too ambitious. Luckily, I am about halfway and have Winter Break from the high school which will help boost my reading speed. Today I bring you two mini-reviews of children/middle grade historical fiction that I thought were very inspiring and great reads: Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse and Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan.

Description: In a series of poems, fifteen-year-old Billie Jo relates the hardships of living on her family's wheat farm in Oklahoma during the dust bowl years of the Depression.

Review: Billie Jo's life is defined by physical and emotional plight. She can't  forgive her father for causing the accident that killed her mother. She fights a daily battle to survive during the worst days of the Oklahoma dust storms. She strives to heal her body and her soul when severe burns leave her disfigured and unable to play the music she loves. Hesse's novel in verse set during the time of the Great Depression and written in free verse, is deceptive. Though it it is written in simplicity and straightforwardness manner, the story it unfolds is powerful and moving. The verses easily captures every shade of Billie Jo's emotions, from heart-wrenching sadness at the death of her mother to the anger and desire to rebuild a relationship with her father. You can also feel the strong winds, walk the dry fields just by reading. My only complaint with this otherwise perfect book is that the resolution comes a bit too fast. Teachers looking for a book that helps but the Dust Bowl and Great Depression into context would love this book. Though Billie Jo may have lived in another time period, her desires and emotions still resonate today.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Curriculum Connection: Social Studies

Words of Caution: There is a death scene that may be a bit too much for younger readers though it is not graphic in description. Recommended for Grades 5 and up.

If you like this book try: Tennyson by Judy Blume, Lizzy's Storm by Sally Fitz-Gibbon, Treasures of the Dust by Tracey Porter



Description: A fictionalized account of Charley (Charlotte) Parkhurst who ran away from an orphanage, posed as a boy, moved to California, and fooled everyone by her appearance.


Review: I never heard of Charley (Charlotte) Parkhurst before, but now I'm glad that I did. She was the first woman to vote in the state of California, and maybe in the whole United States. She is feisty, head strong, remarkable, and fascinating. Raised in an orphanage where she is the only girl, she is prevented from being adopted by the staff. Charlotte is kept aside to replace the cook in the kitchen as she gets older. Her desire is to be with the horses and to help Vern, the elderly man who cares for them. Vern's tales of escaping slavery is complimented to Charlotte's own desperate bid for freedom after her only other friend is adopted. She realizes that she can't accomplish anything if she's a woman, so Charlotte disguises herself as a boy named Charley. Her knack with horses soon enables the disguised Charley to pursue her dream of driving a stagecoach, earn a livelihood in California, and vote. Many trials arise and threaten Charlotte's dreams but with hard work and persistent, she succeeds and becomes a role model especially young girls who are told they can't do anything because of their gender. Brian Selznick's (author and illustrator of The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck) full-page, black-and-white pencil drawings are well done and enhance the book's prose.

Rating: 4 stars


Curriculum Connection: Social Studies

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 3-6


If you like this book try: Prairie School by Avi, Hattie the Big Sky by Kirby Larson

  The first book I read by Thomas Hardy was Tess of the d'Urbervilles back in sophomore year in high school when I was on my classic kick. I remembered loving the book and crying my eyes out. It was definitely an emotional read. I wanted to go back and read more of Hardy's books but didn't have the opportunity to do so until now with this years Victorian Reading Challenge. I picked up Jude the Obscure and thought it was another tragic romance story but quickly found out it was nothing what I expected at all.

Description (from Amazon): Jude Fawley, poor and working-class, longs to study at the University of Christminster, but his ambitions to go to university are thwarted by class prejudice and his entrapment in a loveless marriage. He falls in love with his unconventional cousin, Sue Bridehead, and their refusal to marry when free to do so confirms their rejection of and by the world around them. The shocking fate that overtakes them is an indictment of a rigid and uncaring society.

Review: Jude the Obscure was first published in 1895. It was a critical failure and scandalous to many. In fact its critical reception was so negative that Hardy decided to never to write another novel and turned his focus to poetry as a way to proper express himself. Now in the 21st century, I found Jude the Obscure shocking, gutsy, dark, extremely tragic, and so ahead of its time. While reading, I couldn't help but wonder if the book was a critical examination of his own life.
  The story of Jude the Obscure attacked the three biggest institutions Victorian England held the most dear: higher education, social class, and marriage. The characters demand to reexamine and redefine marriage laws and challenge the commonly held beliefs about marriage and divorce in society. In addition, it also proposes a new Victorian woman: the intellectual, outspoken feminist. 
    Hardy is famous for his tragic heroes and heroines and the somber, socially critical tone of his narratives. Jude the Obscure focuses on the life of a country stonemason, Jude, and his tumultuous love for his cousin Sue, a schoolteacher. Ripped from what seems like a tragic Greek play, Jude knows that marriage is a disaster that has plagued his family for years and he believes that his love for Sue curses him doubly, because they are both members of a cursed clan.
   While some may declare Jude the Obscure to be a tragic love story, I would argue that it is not a love story at all but rather a harsh criticism of the institution of marriage which is seen as an invisible jail that traps people forever. Jude and Sue are unhappily married to other people not by choice but rather coerced in different ways. Jude is tricked by his fiance who declares she is pregnant and in order to save her virtue he agrees to marry her though he doubts that he loves her. Sue makes a promise that she will marry her boss when she gets financially settled. Of course you can argue that these characters dug themselves a hole and now have to live with their choices, which is exactly how fatalistic as it sounds, but if you look at it from their historical context did they really have a choice? What is interesting is that both Jude and Sue have to the same conclusion that marriage has become a ball and chain for them and they long freedom to actually find what they are looking for. It is this inevitable bond that pulls them together. While they try to do the right thing in finding out a way to be together, their relationship is not accepted/declared legitimate by society and therefore beset by tragedy. There were moments that made my jaw drop both in shock and in heartache as Jude and Sue try to sort out the hot mess they find themselves in. They are essentially damned in which ever way they go.
    In the end my feelings for this book was all over the place. I loved the fiery, smart, and highly spirited Sue who refuses to put on the act of the stereotypical silent Victorian woman. I hated how she was forced to abandon her true nature and play the role that she despises because after dealing with tragedy after tragedy, she admits that is the only way she can make things 'right'. I wanted to smack Jude upside the head for being hypocritical in acting what like a husband when he felt like it. I felt sad for him when he failed to try to achieve his dream leaving him to always be the dreamer who had no solid feet on the ground, but he did have his lucid moments that shined. I absolutely hated Annabell and felt incredibly sorry for Richard Phillotson. After reading Jude the Obscure, I was left in a daze with my mind spinning in different directions as I read to make sense of the story, which for me, is always a tell tale sign that I read a great book. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Adult themes and allusions to sex. I don't see any harm in giving this to a teen reader, but I think the slow pace and melodrama might turn them off.

If you like this book try: Adam Bede by George Eliot, Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

  I realized that I haven't posted any children/middle grade book reviews in a while. I also have a back log of reviews to write, which tends to happen when I realize I only have this month to wrap up all of my reading challenges. Yikes! Below are my reviews of Heart of a Shepherd by Roseanne Parry, Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris, and Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis.

Description: Ignatius "Brother" Alderman, nearly twelve, promises to help his grandparents keep the family's Oregon ranch the same while his brothers are away and his father is deployed to Iraq, but as he comes to accept the inevitability of change, he also sees the man he is meant to be.

Review: Parry's first novel, is a boy's emotional and spiritual coming-of-age. It's heartfelt and often heartwarming, but her characters come out too perfect. The spiritual tone comes out a bit too preachy at times and heavy handed. The first person narrative falters a bit when Brother muses internally. She does a great job, however, of acquainting readers with the realities of modern ranching life and the impact a distant war has on the families who are left at home to cope.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is a mild swear word in the book and some disturbing images. Recommended for mature Grade 4 readers and up.

 After reading the phenomenal Wonderstruck, I wanted to go back and read From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg, which inspired Brian Selznick. Though I've heard of the book, I never really sat down and read it. The book was originally published in 1967 and won the Newbery Medal in 1968.

Description (from the backcover): When suburban Claudia Kincaid decides to run away, she knows she doesn’t just want to run from somewhere, she wants to run to somewhere — to a place that is comfortable, beautiful, and, preferably, elegant. She chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Knowing her younger brother Jamie has money and thus can help her with a serious cash-flow problem, she invites him along.
    Once settled into the museum, Claudia and Jamie find themselves caught up in the mystery of an angel statue that the museum purchased at auction for a bargain price of $225. The statue is possibly an early work of the Renaissance master, Michelangelo, and therefore worth millions. Is it? Or isn’t it?
Claudia is determined to find out. Her quest leads her to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the remarkable old woman who sold the statue, and to some equally remarkable discoveries about herself.

Review: I have no idea how I missed this book when I was younger. I think the third grader in me would have enjoyed this book filled with humor, suspense, and intrigue. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is narrated with a dry sense of humor by a wealthy old lady named Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Mrs. Frankweiler’s purportedly true story tells of how she encountered two young children named James and Claudia Kincaid. The book begins with Claudia who is fed up with being unfairly treated in the Kincaid household in Greenwich, Connecticut. She is tired of her monotonous routine and yearns to have an adventure of her own. With her prized adventure in mind, she decides to teach her parents to learn how to value her by running away from home. Considering her very low tolerance for discomfort, she chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City as her hideaway, and considering her very low supply of money, she persuades her penny-pinching younger brother, Jamie, to join her.
 With the snazzy and awe inspiring art museum as their home/playground, sister and brother make the most out of their new freedom. Claudia and Jamie come up with a plan to remain hidden and spend their money wisely. They hide in the bathrooms at opening and closing time to evade the museum personnel, sleep in ancient canopy beds while pretending to be 16th-century monarchs, bathe in the restaurant fountain while picking up wish coins to add to their dwindling funds, and mingle with visitors for their daily dose of art history. While the plot isn't plausible at all, I still enjoyed reading about their adventure which brought out the childlike innocence and hope in me. The events at the museum aren't small plot conveniences so much as the developing relationship between Claudia and Jamie as well as highlighting each of the character’s individual strengths: Claudia at planning while Jaime being conservative about money.
 I loved Jamie and Claudia. Though they constantly bicker, they reminded me a lot of my younger brother and myself developing schemes of our own. You can tell that they love each other very much and that this relationship will last a long time. Jamie had me laughing at loud with his grammar slip-ups. I can vividly picture these two characters wandering the halls of the museum.
  Along with great humor, warmth, and intrigue when an unidentified statue is discovered, there is also an important lesson learned: that you only have to look inside to find what makes a person different and beautiful inside. In other words, you yourself become the living work of art. I'm really glad I read this one off my bookshelf and I hope that you read it too.

Rating: 4 stars


Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 3 to 6. I also think it would work great as a read aloud book choice too.

If you like this book try: Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet

  Bram Stoker's masterpiece, Dracula, has captured the imaginations of many and have spawned an endless fascination of vampires in our pop culture. I really don't think you can call yourself a vampire lover without reading the book. I read Dracula for the first time this year during Halloween and really enjoyed it.

Description: When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase a London house, he makes horrifying discoveries about his client and his castle. Soon afterwards, disturbing incidents unfold in England: an unmanned ship is wrecked at Whitby; strange puncture marks appear on a young woman's neck; and a lunatic asylum inmate raves about the imminent arrival of his 'Master'. A battle of wits between the sinister Count and a determined group of adversaries ensues with the safety of England is at risk.

Review: I only knew a few things about the original story of Dracula, mainly the names of the characters involved and a good sense of the book's plot. What I didn't know, however, is that the book is solely composed of journals, letters, telegraphs, newsletter clippings, etc from a variety of characters' points of view. I found the structure of Dracula to be absolutely fascinating more so than the book's plot.  
   Dracula as a narrative is deeply embedded in the cultural consciousness. The main male characters have larger sections of the book that details interesting tidbits about the setting and specifically trying to understand the human psychology. With the minor exception (but not all that much) of Mina Murray, the other women in the book are one dimensional either portraying the overly sexed female or the virtuous Victorian female who is easily seduced by the dark side. Though Dracula is the title character of this masterpiece, he doesn't appear very often in the book. We aren't really given any background information about him at all, which would usually annoy me but it works for this book. Dracula becomes more than a character. He is an allegory of all what the Victorians feared: sexuality (specifically women's sexuality), paganism, and the paranoia of the "other". Often times it is hard to distinguish the character's personalities from the Count himself, creating the doppelganger of the character's evil/dark side.
  Gothic and darkly atmospheric, Stoker plays with his audience, manipulating the multiple perspectives of the characters in his novel to play the reader's knowledge and recognition of danger against the character's obliviousness. The different narrative voices are for the most part distinctive from one character to the next and the telling of the story through primarily diary entries as well as letters and newspaper articles is used to its benefit. After reading Dracula, I can now understand why certain vampire characteristics are so commonly used by writers today.  Dracula could be read as a Gothic pulp thriller or an examination of the phobias of the Victorian time period, regardless of how you read it you can't deny its everlasting impact on our culture today.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some disturbing scenes in the book. Sex is indirectly mentioned by the use of euphemisms and other literary devices. Recommended for mature teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova, Dracula, My Love by Syrie James, Dracula in Love by Karen Essex, Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

  I feel like one of the last readers who haven't read Harper Lee's masterpiece To Kill a Mockingbird. I was never required to read for school. I had originally planned to read it for last years Banned Books Week but didn't have enough time. After finishing the book, I can see why it has remained so popular and given the marks of a classic novel.

Description: A young girl growing up in an Alabama town in the 1930s learns of injustice and violence when her father, a widowed lawyer, defends a black man falsely accused of rape.

Review: To Kill a Mockingbird is a complex novel that seamlessly weaves a coming of age story along with a critical look at the injustice and prejudice of a small southern town. Scout, our main narrator, is an unconventional girl in her society. She is a precocious child who is eager to learn, has plenty of self confidence, well aware of her surroundings, and has a pretty good moral compass thanks to her mild mannered father, Atticus Finch. I loved how Scout isn't forced to live within the confines of her social identity, but continues to act freely by wearing whatever clothes she likes, plays with boys, and openly addresses her father by his first name. She doesn't care of what people think of her nor what other girls her age are doing. She is comfortable in her own skin. It is through Scout's eyes that we slowly see the world we once thought was so simply divided into right and wrong become muddled, unfair, and even evil.
  Like many readers I'm sure, Atticus Finch was my favorite character. He is a role model and the epitome of a hero. He is intelligent, calm, and always well mannered. Atticus is respected by everyone, including the very poor. He functions as the moral backbone of Maycomb, a counselor whom others seek advice from when they are in times of doubt and trouble. It's ironic that his conscience that makes him so admirable ultimately causes him to be a social outcast as he agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white man's daughter. Though Atticus’s action makes him the object of scorn in Maycomb, he also seems to retain his dignity and respect after the trial as before. What I love most about Atticus is that he practices the ethic of sympathy and understanding that he preaches to his children and never holds a grudge against the people of Maycomb. As a reader I had a hard time overlooking their racial intolerance but Atticus sees the goodness of the people. He recognizes that people have both good and bad qualities, and he is determined to admire the good while understanding and forgiving.
  It is obvious why To Kill a Mockingbird is controversial as it brings out the dark side of the American society, however, in less than 300 pages it manages to teach us many important lessons such as to place ourselves in other people's shoes before we make a rash decision, to not take advantage of those who are helpless than us, and that yes, sometimes life is really unfair. I'm amazed that Harper Lee wrote an edgy book 50 years ago and it still remains to challenge us to this day. 

Rating: 4.5 stars

Why it was challenged/banned: To Kill a Mockingbird has been one of the most popular classics that have been challenged/banned. Challenged in Eden Valley, Minn. (1977) and temporarily banned due to words "damn" and "whore lady" used in the novel. Challenged in the Vernon Verona Sherill, N.Y School District (1980) as a "filthy, trashy novel:" Challenged at the Warren, Ind.Township schools (1981) because the book does "psychological damage to the positive integration process " and "represents institutionalized racism under the guise of good literature:" After unsuccessfully banning Lee's novel, three black parents resigned from the township human relations advisory council. Challenged in the Waukegan, III. School District (1984) because the novel uses the n word. Challenged in the Kansas City, Mo. junior high schools (1985). Challenged at the Park Hill, Mo. Junior High School (1985) because the novel "contains profanity and racial slurs:" Retained on a supplemental eighth grade reading list in the Casa Grande, Ariz. Elementary School District (1985), despite the protests by black parents and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People who charged the book was unfit for junior high use. Challenged at the Santa Cruz, Calif. Schools (1995) because of its racial themes. Removed from the Southwood High School Library in Caddo Parish, La. (1995) because the book's language and content were objectionable. Challenged at the Moss Point, Miss. School District (1996) because the novel contains a racial epithet. Banned from the Lindale,Tex. advanced placement English reading list (1996) because the book "conflicted with the values of the community." Challenged by a Glynn County, Ga. (2001) school board member because of profanity. The novel was retained. Returned to the freshman reading list at Muskogee, Okla. High School (2001) despite complaints over the years from black students and parents about racial slurs in the text. Challenged in the Normal, ILL Community High Schools sophomore literature class (2003) as being degrading to African Americans. Challenged at the Stanford Middle School in Durham, N.C. (2004) because the 1961 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel uses the n word. The challenges continue today.  Source: ALA.

Words of Caution: The n word is prominent in the book and it is used by all age levels in the book. The book is a reflection of how people felt and thought during the 1930s which is the time setting of this novel. It further emphasizes the racial prejudices in this town. I'm not sure where how the book promotes prejudice and racism, but rather, advocates people to take a stand and not tolerate these injustices.

If you like this book try: The Family Tree by Barbara Delinsky, The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi Durrow, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, I am Scout by Charles Shields

  When the Twilight phenomenon was just starting, many librarians on the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) listserve began discussing their favorite vampire stories. Many had listed The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klause (who also wrote the book Blood and Chocolate) as their favorite for YA. I bought a copy of the book in a used library book sale for about fifty cents and figured I'd give it a try.

Description: Zoe is 16 and going through an extremely rough time. Her mother is dying of cancer, and her father seems to be excluding her from her mother's hospital bedside. No one dares speak to Zoe about the family tragedy. She is isolated by grief, anger and fear. When Zoe meets the alluring, enigmatic, and frightening Simon, she is surprised yet comforted that he has an uncanny ability to recognize her feelings because he too lost his mother and wants to avenge his mother's death.

Review: I'm not sure why this book is often listed in Twilight readalikes. Yes, both contain protagonists who are teens and feature vampires, but that's the extent of the similarities. The Silver Kiss is much darker in its ambiance, tone, and plot. Readers going in and expecting a romance like Twilight, as I did, will be disappointed in the book.
   Zoe is a character that I sympathized right from the start. Her mother is dying from cancer and any day could be her last. Zoe's father has grown more distant towards his daughter and spending all his time at the hospital. None of Zoe's friends want to talk about her mother either which results in Zoe keeping her grief and anger to herself. Klause does a good job in exploring the multilayer emotions that are battling inside of Zoe, which comes across as genuine.
  Unlike Zoe, I had a difficult time liking Simon. I didn't find him interesting at all. He sulks around for the most time and is probably the most passive aggressive vampire I have met so far. Like most of the vampires, I've met in books, Simon was changed against his will. He succumbs to his vampire state once he realizes that he can either die or use his new found powers to seek the one who has murdered his mother several years ago. He reminded me very much of a younger version of Louis from The Vampire Chronicles, who is also very broody and unhappy with what he is. I think the difference, for me at least, between Simon and Louis is that Simon knows what he needs to do yet is incapable of doing it. He knows and has followed the murderer for several years yet still has done nothing about it until he meets Zoe.
  There are several themes and genres that Klause plays around in The Silver Kiss, which makes the suspense uneven, the so-called love story pretty much nonexistent. There is a resolution to the book, though it does seem a bit rushed and too conveniently solved. I did love how she used the vampire figure to exorcise Zoe's complex feelings but I needed something else to balance the off kilter story.

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and a  few gory scenes in the book, kinda like in the Vampire Diaries Tv series. Suitable for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try:  Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice or Companions of the Night by Vivian Vande Velde

  Looking back on my high school required reading list, I only seem to have read just one book about slavery and racism which was Huck Finn by Mark Twain. I hope to read To Kill a Mockingbird later this year and recently finished John Howard Griffins amazing personal account of racism in his modern classic nonfiction novel, Black Like Me.

Description: Before the Civil Rights Movement occurred, journalist John Howard Griffin pondered what is was like to be black in the Deep South. If he only changed the color of his skin, how different would his life be? Black Like Me is a personal account on how humans reacted in the response to something is essentially really trivial, the color of ones skin. 

Review: Griffin spent a little over a month, some of November and December of 1959 with his skin artificially darkened by medication. He wanted to do a sociological experiment in how people reacted to race in America's South. Going into this project, he realized that it wasn't going to be easy and sought out help and support from various people. During those months, he traveled through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, finding out at first hand what it is like to be treated as a second-class citizen. While we all have read several stories of injustices, the lynchings, the civil rights cases before, Griffin's experiences are raw and thrust in front of faces. We both participate as both the observer and the participant of these daily injustices such as the rudeness of the clerk when he tried to pay for a train ticket with a big bill; the difficulty he had in finding someone who would cash a traveler's check for a Negro; the bus-driver who wouldn't let any blacks off the bus to use the restrooms; the white man who followed him at night and threatened to mug him.
   In attempts to not generalize, Griffin provides both from both races who helped him regardless of his race at the time. As you can imagine, this report created a lot of stir when it was officially released. Many of the people who replied to Griffin's story wrote that they too feel guiltily and ashamed about how the minority have been treated but are afraid to stand up because of the strong back lash they would feel if they had let their opinions be known and heard. While some may argue that Black Like Me is "the white experience of racism", I would actually argue that this book forces everyone regardless of their race to think about racism and stereotypes we project upon each other.
 Black Like Me is a powerful, unflinching, influential, and gripping story. Though it is nonfiction, it does not read like a textbook but rather as a nonfiction narrative with many similar characteristics of an adventure story. Like Griffin, I was always scared that someone would find out the truth. His interior monologue how he himself is transformed by simply darkening his skin is utterly fascinating. Just the simple act of writing his wife a letter explaining that he is okay seems like a crime. Though Griffin only spends a month with dark skin, his revelations of how we treat each other is still relevant today. Black Like Me is a must read and I now understand why it has been on a required reading list for many schools.

Rating: 5 stars

Curriculum Connection: English, Social Studies

Words of Caution: There is some strong language in the book. Recommended for high school students and up.

If you like this book try: White Like Me by Tim Wise or "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?" by Beverly Daniel Tatum

  When you hear Charlotte Bronte, you immediately think of Jane Eyre, one of the most and well loved novel of all time. While Jane Eyre is Charlotte Bronte's most popular book, she did write many other books such as The Professor, Shirley, and Villette.  For the Victorian Literature Reading Challenge, I had hoped to read the other novels of the Bronte sisters. I recently finished Villette, which is herald by many authors such as George Eliot and Virginia Wolff as Charlotte Bronte's most critically acclaim novel or masterpiece.

Description (from Amazon): With neither friends nor family, Lucy Snowe sets sail from England to find employment in a girls’ boarding school in the small town of Villette. There she struggles to retain her self-possession in the face of unruly pupils, an initially suspicious headmaster, and her own complex feelings, first for the school’s English doctor and then for the dictatorial professor, Paul Emmanuel. 

Review: Readers hoping to get another story like romantic suspense story of Jane Eyre will be disappointed in Villette. The atmosphere and even the heroines of the two novels are completely different in many ways despite that share the occupation of being a governess. There is not much plot in Villette and it does tend to be cyclical. The characters meet again and again, but during time periods. It is almost as if everything was a coincidence.
   Villette is a character driven novel. It is very dense and slow moving, which is why it took me a while to finish the book. I would read about five chapters a day yet I couldn't help but be drawn to the book. Bronte does a wonderful job in examining the gender roles and the constraints of Victorian England. Readers knowing the Bronte's personal history can pick up many of the same similarities to Lucy's struggle. Some critics have gone on to say that Villette is probably Charlotte Bronte's most autobiographical novel.
  Lucy Snowe is a unique heroine and narrator that I ever met. She is passive and so quiet that you probably wouldn't notice her if  you were in a room with her. She is very observant of her surroundings and independent. She seems to be more comfortable in being in the background like many women of her time, yet she struggles within herself because she wants to express her emotions, thoughts, and opinions yet uses her logic or reason to suppress this and internalizes everything. Throughout the novel, I wasn't sure if Lucy is a victim of her own society, however, as we watch the other women in Lucy's life have their own experiences of living, I can't help but think that Lucy willingly placed herself in situations that don't all her to grow and explore. We do see a flicker of change and progress when Lucy admits her feelings to the arrogant and pompous Paul Emmanuel but we can't help but be skeptical of their happiness not because their feelings aren't genuine but rather because Lucy's reason doesn't allow her to have it.
  Readers wanting to dig deeper into character's psyche and become an observer like Lucy will really enjoy the complex layers of Villette. Just don't expect to be riveted by the basic plot. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for strong teen readers and up.

If you like this book try: Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid, Charlotte and Emily by Jude Morgan, A Portrait of a Lady by Henry James.

  The Taj Mahal, located in Agra, India, is considered one of the seven wonders of the world. It was built during the reign of Shah Jahan when the Mughal Empire ruled India. Shah Jahan was grief stricken when his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during child birth. Legend has it that his wife requested her husband to build her a memorial after she died.  The main mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later. For romantics, the Taj Mahal is a symbol of an eternal love story. For cynics, it is just simply a tomb and another indication of one's hubris and selfishness. Personally, I love the love story behind the Taj Mahal, though I can see the opposing viewpoint as well. Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors brings the legend of the Taj Mahal to the forefront of his story.

Description: Princess Jahanara is torn between living life for herself and fulfilling her duties as a member of Hindustan's royal family, a daughter, sister, and mother. When her mother dies and promises her father to create a memorial in her memory, Jahanara tries to help her father, Shah Jahan, in his quest while also working to save the empire from civil war, and falling in love.

Review: I grew up with the legend of the Taj Mahal. In fact one of my favorite Bollywood movies is Taj Mahal from 1963 that stars Pradeep Kumar and Bina Rai. The movie perfectly captures the romance and court intrigue of the Mughal time period. Beneath a Marble Sky does the same for an audience who are not aware of this time period. 
  The novel is told from the perspective of Jahanara, who recounts her life to her two granddaughters. The granddaughters are unaware of their true lineage to the throne. Now a grandmother, Jahanara goes backward in time to explain why the girls were kept in the dark about their imperial connections. Though Jahanara is royalty, we also get a glimpse of what life is like outside the palace halls where women had influence on political decisions and the constant struggle between keeping peace and tolerance in a nation of multiple religions.
  Beneath a Marble Sky is most certainly a plot driven novel, where the time period and court intrigue takes center stage rather than a critical look at the empire. Though the novel is subtitled a love story, the love story of Jahanara is a subdued one. Keeping up Indian traditions, the individual's desire takes a second priority to family obligations. Thus the love in 'love story' is mainly a familial love as Jahanara tries to become the perfect daughter and sister. 
  Jahanara is an interesting character that appealed to both my traditional and modern viewpoints. She was active when she needed to be and pretending to be passive when it was necessary. I connected to her struggle to fulfill her family duties as well as putting herself second. Jahanara was encouraged by her savvy mother to learn the arts of influence and political strategy. Thus the young woman is able to pick up where her savvy mother left off and from behind the court scenes able to protect the throne. Jahanara becomes the emperor's main adviser instead of her dreamy and idealistic brother, Dara, who is the rightful heir to the throne. She is also a key player in the construction of the Taj Mahal, where she gets involved with a forbidden romance. I was really impressed on how Shors, a man with no personal connection to India, was able to capture the voice of a believable Mughal Princess. He provides enough rich, historical details to transport the reader back in time.
  Though the secondary characters are kind of one dimensional, I couldn't help but be caught up in the romantic tale of the Taj Mahal. The book reads quickly with plenty of situations where loyalty, family, and passion are called into question. Though not a bodice ripper nor filled with historical inaccuracies like The Other Boleyn Girl, it has plenty of melodrama and romance to keep the reader busy.  I think this book will appeal to a wide audience and does give a good sense of what it was like to live during the Mughal Empire.



Rating: 4 stars


Words of Caution: There is some language and lots of war violence. Rape and physical abuse are also alluded in the story. There is also a few sex scenes though they are not very explicit. Recommended to high school students who are interested in learning about India's history and to adults.

If you like this book try: The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan

  The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf by Mohja Kahf was recommended to me by my dad or more accurately-one of my dad's student had recommended it to him, but since my dad doesn't read "novels", he passed it on to me. I wasn't in the mood to read a preachy book and thus had the title sitting on my shelf for about five years until I put in my list of top 10 books I resolved to read in 2011. I'm glad that I can finally pull it off from my bookshelf, but I can't seem to shake off my frustration with the title.

Description: Khadra Shamy recalls what it was like growing up as a Syrian Muslim American during the 1970s in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her devout parents raise Khadra and her older brother, Eyad, to be observant of Islamic customs. As Khadra grows older, she reaches a cultural crossroad that forces her to question what it means to be "Muslim", "Syrian" or "American."

Review: The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf is a very ambitious novel that seems to tackle all the important complex issues tied to identity: religion, race, and politics. For Muslim Americans (such as me), the book forces them to see the rising problems in the Islamic community that are still relevant today. For those who are not familiar with Islam, the book is an eye opening experience of looking at America from a "foreigner's" point of view. Regardless from what perspective you are reading the book, it is undeniable that the issues it brings up is important, timely, and much needed, however; I can't honestly recommend it without some reservations.
 I had a really hard time reading this book. It's not that the language or themes were beyond my comprehension, but rather I found the writing and editing to be so poorly done. The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf has no plot, at least in the way we traditionally think of plot (beginning, middle, end or events leading to a climax and a resolution- depending on how you define plot). The prologue establishes our protagonist, Khadra, on a trip back home to Indianapolis, Indiana for a project she has to do for work. She has some trepidations in coming back home. The book immediately goes back in time to her childhood through adulthood with abrupt transitions to the present. There are large plot holes in the novel, particularly with the books timeline. In fact by the last few chapters of the story, I completely forgot Khadra was on a trip at all because I didn't know what she was doing in the present.
  In addition to the plot holes, there is an inconsistency with the translations of important Arabic phrases that are used throughout the book. While I have background knowledge of Islam, I did not have a problem understanding the terms, however, those who are not familiar with the Islamic faith could easily get confused and miss out its significance. I don't consider myself a lazy reader who is not willing to look up information in order to understand a book nor do I feel that an author needs to spoon feed me the information in order to enjoy his/her novel, but I do strongly believe there needs to be some context in which phrases are used. The author doesn't give any context clues nor a glossary, but only a haphazardly thrown bibliography of books that influenced her writing.
  Along with the book's disorganization, I did not feel there was any character growth for the characters. Kahf throws in characters right and left as if she's a chef preparing a complex dish. Characters disappear without leaving any impression on the reader. I didn't like Khadra at all. For the first half of the book, I found her to be insulting and condescending. She sees religion in its most puritanical form and those who don't follow her rules are deemed as unobservant and are "going to hell". While the book is a coming of age novel and most novels in this genre show the protagonist question authority and go on a quest to find their own identity, Khadra does neither for the first 300 pages. She follows the beliefs that her parents taught her blindly and absolutely. It is not until her trip to a politically charged Syria, does she reconsider her beliefs and only then her epiphany is only about 5 pages, which I found very hard to digest and believe.
 While the book addresses important issues such as gender equality, how one interprets religion, and tolerance, it superficially addresses them. One can argue that the book isn't really a novel with a message, but rather an expository piece that shows how fractured the Muslim community is in terms of what constitutes a Muslim identity and what is the correct way to interpret Islam in the 21st century. In that case, I can't help but think the book succeeds in this aspect only by the stereotypes it presents to the reader. 
 I appreciate the author's attempt in exploring the identity of a Muslim American, which has been routinely questioned by those who are first generation Muslim Americans (including myself). For most of us, our parents have raised us to follow Islam and the Islamic code the way they have been taught by their elders, however, things get murky when you live in a secular society like America (and that's not always a bad thing). Books like The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf that explores the identity crisis of Muslim Americans are desperately needed and I think book is in the right direction. Some readers may think the book is poignant and a great choice for book discussions, but it's definitely not for me.


Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language in the book including racial slurs. There is also allusions to rape and murder. Recommended to mature teens and adults only. For those readers who are unfamiliar with Islam, I would highly suggest you read some introductory materials to gain some background knowledge first before reading this book.

If you like this book try: The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

  As you all are probably aware, Chicago was hit with a blizzard. I currently have about 2.5 feet of snow at home. I can't tell you where my driveway ends and where the road begins, but I'm very thankful to have electricity, a warm house, and my family close at home. Now that I had today as a snow day and one tomorrow too, I hope to catch up with my reading. Today I finished Silas Marner by George Eliot for my first book of the Victorian Literature Challenge. I first stumbled upon George Eliot during sophomore year in high school where I picked up her The Mill on a Floss for independent reading. I remember loving the story and wanting to read another book by the author, but never had the chance until now.

Description: The people of Raveloe always thought there was something strange about Silas Marner. With his bent back, strange eyes, and his tendency to have cataleptic fits, Silas was always in the background until he is wrongly accused of a heinous theft. Shattered and shaken by this incident, he exiles himself from the world until he finds redemption through his love for an abandoned child who mysteriously appears one day at his isolated cottage. When the child's parentage is revealed, will Silas lose his only comfort from life once again?

Review: Silas Marner is probably the shortest, most straight-forward Victorian novel that I've read so far. Right from its very first page, readers are transported to the pastoral English countryside of the early 19th century. Raveloe, the setting of the novel, is far away from the large towns and roads. It is an isolated community that seems to be unaware of the advancement of the Industrial Revolution. It represents what England has lost since the revolution. 
  Despite his miser appearance, Silas Marner is actually a very sweet, simple, and honest man. Since he is a weaver by profession and has a working knowledge of medicinal herbs that causes him to have fits (and claimed by many town folks to have supernatural powers), he has always been on the fringe of his society which allows Eliot to use him to explore the themes of community, religion, and family which are important themes in all of her novels. Due to his innocent nature, we are outraged when Silas is falsely accused of theft. We demand justice and are sickened when it is not given to him. Like Silas, our very own faith is shattered and we long to seek comfort in something. For Silas, it is monetary money which he counts every night.
  Unfortunately for Silas, his world is once again shaken one wintry night when his money disappears. Though he is distraught about his wealth gone, it only seems temporary when he finds a lonely baby girl who has been left on his door step. He quickly becomes attached to the girl, who he names Eppie, and she becomes his world. Silas' love for Eppie is genuine and unselfish. He finds redemption and his faith is restored by her; however, Eppie's love for Silas is tested when she finds out who her real parents are and are given the opportunity to live in comfort. The relationship between Silas and Eppie is what makes this novel a truly sweet and sad story.
  Unlike many novels that I've read so far this year, the main characters in the novel are quite passive. The only active character seems to be destiny, who judges and serves punishment or reward as they seem fit. Like many Victorian novelists, morality and order are very important in society. We are reminded that who we are determines not only what we do, but also what is done to us.
  If you are thinking about reading a Victorian novel or even a novel by George Eliot, I would highly recommend Silas Marner. It's clear, medium paced plot, numerous themes and symbolism, would make it a great selection for a book club or even a sneak peak into Victorian society.


Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: Eppie's biological mother was an opium addict. There are also some alcohol references in the book. Recommended for high school and adults.

If you like this book try:

 It's Tuesday and time for another list for the weekly Top Ten Tuesday meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! The purpose of this weekly meme is to share our lists with people who love to read and to engage with fellow bloggers. Today's topic is books that I resolve to read in 2011. I always have good intentions of reading a book, especially when it has been constantly brought up in discussion. A lot of the books that I listed below have been on my shelves for several years. For some, I wasn't in the right mood to read them and for others, I really don't have an excuse. I hope to finally read them and use them for my Off the Shelve Reading Challenge this year. 

The Time Travler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger- I can not tell you how many times I have heard my girlfriends gush and talk about this book. I know that it's a love story featuring a time traveling librarian and it is set in Chicago. All of the reasons why I would love this book. The only reason why I have been hesitant to read it is because almost all of my girlfriends cried a lot while reading it. I am going to get a box of tissues just in case I'll get emotional and finally read it.   

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides- I have read glowing reviews for this book and it has been recommended to me several times when I was in high school and in college. Again, I purchased this from a used public library book sale and it has sat on my shelve since then. I have no excuse why I didn't read this one.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens- I was an English major in college and I'm ashamed to say that I haven't read a full Charles Dickens novel yet. I've tried Great Expectations several times and have failed to pass page 10 without falling asleep at the exact same paragraph. I'm hoping that the setting of the French Revolution will keep me awake this time and finish one book by Dickens for my Victorian Literature Reading Challenge.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee- I have no idea why I haven't read this book yet. Surprisingly, I never had to read it for middle school, high school, or college. I had intended to read it for Banned Books Week last year, but ran out of time. I'm determined to read it this year. 

The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper-  This series was constantly checked out at the elementary school where I student taught 2 years ago. The series has been critically acclaimed and on several people's favorites for children's fantasy books. I happened to find and bought all of the books at a used public library book sale last fall.

Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti- This book has been recommended to me repeatedly, especially after I finished any book by Sarah Dessen. I bought this title at a while ago and it has sat on my shelve for several years.

 
The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf by Mohja Kahf- My dad recommended this title to me and borrowed his colleague's copy for me to read. Since then, it has been sitting on my shelve. My dad and I don't see eye to eye on books. He is more of the scholarly, philosophy mind set where as I tend to drift towards "novels" (i.e. books that have a story, characters, etc) as he calls them. I've been afraid that this was one would go right over my head, but the more I read it I realize that it actually isn't bad. I'll be reading this for my Middle Eastern Reading Challenge for this year.

Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead- I've been wanting to read this series for quite some time. I patiently waited until this series was complete (yes, I know there is a spin off series), because I was tired of keeping track of yet another series. Now, I'll finally get to know a girl named Rose, the mysterious Dimitri, and everything else in between.

Midnighters series by Scott Westerfeld- I loved Westerfeld's other books, the Uglies series and his steampunk novel, and I'm not sure why I haven't picked this series up. Once again, I purchased them at a book fair. Is it just me or am I seeing a trend of buying books and then having them sit on my shelves for no good reason?

Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut- My best friend from college and I discovered the brilliance of Kurt Vonnegut in of our English classes. We both read and loved Slaughter House Five and Cat's Cradle. Her favorite Vonnegut book is Mother Night, which I haven't read but wanted to do so for a really long time. Hopefully, this will be the year when I read it.