Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

source: public library

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
audio version read by Rebecca Lowman and Sunil Malhotra

As I mentioned before, Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor and Park was recommended to me by my friend Nancy. I ended up listening the e-audio version of the novel simply because it was the version that I was able to get my hands on most quickly. It was a good decision, though, because the audiobook is extremely well-produced. The decision to have two narrators, each corresponding to one of the point-of-view characters, was a smart one.

Having two different actors bringing life to the two different narratives highlights just how deftly Rowell has managed the dual points of view. Throughout Eleanor and Park Rowell plays the protagonists' reactions against each other. She easily jumps back and forth between the two narratives and doesn't get bogged down in needing to stay with one of them for a certain amount of time before going back to the other. Occasionally she is with a character for only a sentence or two before switching back, but it is so well-done that it doesn't jar the reader. She also never stays with one character long enough for readers to get frustrated by their need to hear about the other.

I adored Eleanor and Park. I liked Park, I liked Eleanor, and I could relate to both of them. Their voices felt authentic as did the things each of them experienced over the course of the novel and particularly how each of them responded to those experiences. I came of age (and first fell in love) during this pre-cell phone, pre-email era so I can say with perfect certainty that Rowell knows of what she writes.

A beautiful, substantive love story tinged with nostalgia, Eleanor and Park is definitely one of the best books I've read so far this year.   It's going straight onto my favorites list and I will be buying myself a copy.

For what it's worth, I don't see Eleanor and Park as a young adult(-only) book.  I would classify it as general fiction and say that it was a good choice for teens.  I think Eleanor and Park is being marketed as a young adult novel because it's an easy sell with the protagonists being high school students experiencing their first real relationship.¹ The young adult classification is sometimes a turn off to adult readers, though, which is unfortunate because I almost think the most perfect audience for Eleanor and Park are readers like myself who are contemporaries (or near contemporaries) of the titular characters.  There's the nostalgia factor, of course, but I truly believe that Eleanor and Park is a novel that will resonate with adult readers. Park and Eleanor are dealing with coming-of-age issues, but they are also dealing with real-world issues, things that don't go away (or seem less horrific) once one grows up.

I know that today's young adults will be able to relate to Park and Eleanor and the things that they are going through. But I wonder if many of them, as connected as they are,² will be able to comprehend Park and Eleanor's extracurricular communication difficulties. I'm not sure that matters, though. Eleanor and Park is a must-read for them anyway.³

1. And YA continues to be hot, hot, hot.
2. As connected as we all are these days.
3. Niece #1 will be getting a copy when I see her in December and nephew #1 will probably get one in a year or two.

why you should enter my giveaway

Because of the fantastic prizes. If you win, you'll get something you've picked out for yourself (a book from your wishlist) as well as a book that I've handpicked for you.

My choice will definitely be a book that I've enjoyed myself. Here are some of the books that might be contenders (but my choice will be based on what I know of your reading tastes):

• 1984 by George Orwell
• All We Know of Love by Katie Schneider
• The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant
• The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera
• The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld
• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• The Storyteller by Mario Vargas Llosa
• Stravaganza: City of Masks by Mary Hoffman
• Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story by Leonie Swann
• Time's Arrow by Martin Amis
• The Witch's Boy by Michael Gruber
• Zahrah and the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu

You have until Wednesday, August 10 (11:59 pm, EDT) to enter. More information in this post.

comfort reading

As I mentioned in this post, I've been a bit overwhelmed lately. When I'm stressed I'm fond of pulling out old standbys. My current choice for comfort reading is Mary Hoffman's Stravaganza series, which I first posted about in 2008 (post).

Stravaganza:

• City of Masks
• City of Stars
• City of Flowers
• City of Secrets
• City of Ships
• City of Swords (forthcoming 2012)

So far I've reread the first two books in the series. I have books three and four on hand and have just realized that a fifth book flew under my radar. City of Ships is now on my to-buy list.

Persuasion

My online book club is discussing Persuasion this month. It was great to have an excuse to reread it.

Persuasion by Jane Austen

First of all I should say that I have read Persuasion before, but not for at least ten years. It was so nice to rediscover it because I’d forgotten how much I liked it. Other Austen novels like Pride & Prejudice and Emma pop up so much in popular culture that I feel like they are never far from my mind, Persuasion, though, was a dim memory.

My copy of Persuasion is in a box in the attic of my parents’ house so I listened to one of the versions available through Librivox (version 5, read by Madame Tusk), which I quite enjoyed.

Ok, let’s begin with Anne. I’m sure there is some inaccurate Facebook quiz that will determine which Austen heroine you are, but I think I can easily cast myself as Anne. I am often overlooked even (and especially) when I am the voice of reason. And like with Anne, those who do recognize my worth, appreciate my good judgment and abilities. I am often overpowered by my sister and her strong personality. I dislike (and am not particularly good at) confrontation and (especially at work) often find myself being the person tasked with calming the waves and keeping the place from falling apart when others can’t seem to get along with each other.

One of the discussion questions centered around the fact that Austen once described Anne Elliot as "almost too good for me." I don't find Anne to be too good to be true (of course I've just admitted that I relate to Anne). Yes, I think she is a good person, but she is by no means perfect in her goodness. While she is outwardly good to most everyone, her inner thoughts about certain people are not always charitable. She is at least a bit selfish and occasionally disgruntled about being overlooked and taken for granted. So, perfect she is not, though she may be more "good" than Austen's other heroines.

I was also taken by some of the questions regarding Captain Benwick and his role in Persuasion. Why is Benwick in the story? Well obviously Louisa needed someone to get her unstuck on Captain Wentworth. Even if I hadn't read Persuasion before I wouldn't have been expecting things to progress far with Benwick because Anne was so clearly destined for Captain Wentworth. I think Benwick and Anne were drawn together because of mutual sadness over love lost (and the commonality of being misunderstood by others). I suppose Anne's role was to draw Benwick out enough that he was able to make a connection with Louisa. It also didn't hurt for Wentworth to see Anne giving attention to and getting attention from another man. I think it is telling that Anne suggests to Benwick that he read more prose. Reading the kind of poetry Benwick is drawn to allows him to dwell in and nurture his melancholy rather than begin to get over the death his fiancée and get on with his life.

Of additional interest is Lady Russell and how she was able to persuade Anne to give up Wentworth. The fact that Lady Russell was able to influence Anne shows passivity on Anne's part. I'm not sure whether we can definitely say it was good judgment or not. At least Anne is persuaded by advice from someone worthy of her trust.

At the end of the novel, Anne says that despite the fact that Lady Russell's advice caused her to be separated from Wentworth, she (Anne) was right to have taken it. I'm not sure if Anne would have felt the same way with Wentworth had married someone else though. Hindsight through rose-colored glasses? Though there is also that whole argument against long engagements to help Anne in feeling like she made the right decision at the time.

This all gets to the central question of persuasion. Louisa obviously suffered from her inability to be dissuaded from recklessness so I can't say that anyone could hold her dedication as a model. Early in the novel persuadability seems to be a character flaw, but as it progresses it becomes something that is quite important in moderation.

comfort reading

We all have a few books that we hold dear to our hearts. Books that we make sure to keep close at hand, but are careful not to reread too often. Books that we want to share with others, but do so almost reluctantly because we'd be devastated if we learned that others hated them.

All We Know of Love by Katie Schneider is one of my books. For some reason it just speaks to me. I happened across it at a big box book store in 2003. It's cover design is calm and beautiful, the back-cover blurb made the story sound promising so I picked it up. I loved it. I gave away my paperback and when our discount book store had them briefly, I bought out all the copies they had so I'd have more copies to share. I procured a hardcover for myself.

The image I've included in the post is Giotto's Ognissanti Madonna, which is part of the Uffizi's collection and features prominently in the novel, which I've just reread because I wanted some comfort reading.

Stravaganza

The Stravaganza series by Mary Hoffman

I recently read the first three books in this superb series: City of Masks, City of Stars, and City of Flowers.

The series opener, City of Masks, is the story of fifteen-year-old Lucien Mulholland whose father gives him a beautiful journal to help him survive his chemotherapy treatments. When Lucien falls asleep holding the book, he travels to Bellezza, a Venice-like city located in a fantastical version 16th Century Italy. In Bellezza he becomes Luciano and learns that he is part of the brotherhood of the stravagante, wanderers between two worlds dedicated to protecting the separation of and balance between the worlds.

As Luciano explores Bellezza by night, Lucien's body becomes stronger. That physical change, however, is not why he was called to Bellezza. It is only when a plot to assassinate the Duchessa, Bellezza's beloved ruler, is uncovered, that Luciano begins to see what his true role will be.

City of Masks has it all - romance, intrigue, historical detail, subtle but strong magic, and a singular concept. Despite the fact that City of Masks stands alone and comes to a satisfying conclusion, you can't help but want to read more about Hoffman's fantastic world.

The Stravaganza books are written for teens, but they will also captivate adult readers (especially those who tend to like fantasy). The books are relatively quick reads, but they are meaty enough that you don't want to rush through them and that you feel satiated upon finishing them. Hoffman's Talia is an Italy like our own 16th Century Italy in many ways though there are unique differences, some obvious and others subtle.

The books will hold up to (and in many ways invite) multiple readings. I'm eagerly awaiting the fourth book in the series, City of Secrets, which will be published sometime this year.

Ten books you can't live without

Inspired by The Guardian's poll to mark World Book Day, Kailana set out to conduct her own poll to create a list of bloggers' essential books. She's asked bloggers to post about their ten essential books (read more about this here) and I'd encourage all of you to participate.
--To give credit where credit is due, I found out about this from Susan at WestofMars--

Personally, I had a hard time trying to narrow down to a list of ten. In the end, I decided to focus on rereadability (books I have read multiple times). So, here's my list of ten books (or sets of books) I don't think I could live without...

1. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
I just adore this book. I've read it so many times...

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
My favorite Austen, though many of her books bear rereading.

3. J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books
Yes, I'm one of those people who rereads all the Harry Potter books each time a new one debuts.

4. The Storyteller by Mario Vargas Llosa
I haven't reread this book in quite a while, but for some reason, I still count it as my favorite book.

5. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
Two words: magical realism.

6. 1984 by George Orwell
A wonderful, timely book.

7. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I first read this book in high school.

8. The Wump World by Bill Peet
This was one of my favorite books as a child. I have no idea how many times I've read it.

9. Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books
My mom read these aloud to my sister and me.

10. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
While I could never appreciate Lord of the Rings as others have (I given up every time I tried to read the massive trilogy), I have read Tolkien's earlier novel a number of times.

first review for Curled Up

A couple weeks ago I mentioned reading Zahrah and the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu and how much I loved it.

Here's my review posted on the Curled Up with A Good Book's sister site, Curled Up with a Good Kids Book.

As I write this post, my review is featured on the site's front page :D

zahrah and other reading

I finished the loveliest book yesterday, Zahrah the Windseeker.
I'll be working on a full review this weekend for Curled Up With a Good Book (my first review for them!).
Anyway, I thought it was fantastic. The book is targeted toward the 10-13 year-old age group, but is definitely appropriate for readers of all ages.

In other news... with the conference and everything else I'm really behind in my reading for this month. I've only completed 2 books. : o

I'm finishing up a review for FrontStreet as we speak (not really, but you know what I mean). For Sweet Magnolia by Norma Jarrett. It was good, but a little too Christian-fictiony for my taste.

Starting a book blog - my favs

I thought I'd start out by sharing
a few of my all-time favorite books...

The Storyteller by Mario Vargas Llosa

At a small gallery in Florence, a Peruvian writer happens upon a photograph of a tribal storyteller deep in the jungles of the Amazon. He is overcome with the eerie sense that he knows this man...that the storyteller is not an Indian at all but an old school friend, Saul Zuratas. As recollections of Zuratas flow through his mind, the writer begins to imagine Zuratas's transformation from a modern to a central member of the unacculturated Machiguenga tribe. Weaving the mysteries of identity, storytelling, and truth, Vargas Llosa has created a spellbinding tale of one man's journey from the modern world to our origins, abandoning one in order to find meaning in both.

I haven't read this one in a while, but I still consider it my favorite book.

The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera

Rich in its stories, characters, and imaginative range, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting is the novel that brought Milan Kundera his first big international success in the late 1970s. Like all his work, it is valuable for far more than its historical implications. In seven wonderfully integrated parts, different aspects of human existence are magnified and reduced, reordered and emphasized, newly examined, analyzed, and experienced.

Ok, I'm a bit of a Kundera junkie. I've read every book the man has written, but this one is my favorite (though Immortality is a close second... and his nonfiction books are superb!).

Some quotes from the novel.

All We Know of Love by Katie Schneider

Jo Shepherd grew up on a farm in the Pacific Northwest under the loving care of her grandfather, Frank. After spending months nursing him through his final painful illness, Jo receives a vision of the Virgin Mary, who sends her to Italy to live out her dream of becoming an artist. In doing so, Jo must leave behind her home and her best friend Jack, and risk losing him forever.

This is the debut novel from an unknown author.

I thought it was wonderful and I've read it at least three times. What can I say? This book just spoke to me on so many different levels.

I'm eagerly awaiting Schneider's next book, though I'm a little worried that I won't like it as much as this one.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood's dystopian, futuristic novel.

This is one of those books that people either love or they hate. I'm one of those who loves it. It's different than alot of Atwood's other books, but in the same vein as Oryx and Crake.

In an interview about The Handmaid's Tale, Atwood said: "I believe as the Victorian novelists did, that a novel isn't simply a vehicle for private expression, but that it also exists for social examination."

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

The story of the tragic decline of an Indian family whose members suffer the terrible consequences of forbidden love, The God of Small Things is set in the state of Kerala, on the southernmost tip of India.

A beautiful and brilliant book, richly deserving of the Booker Prize that it won in 1997.

I will say that I'm pretty disappointed that we haven't seen more fiction from Roy... I know she wants to do the politics thing, but she has such a talent for fiction that it seems a waste to push it aside.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowlings

The forth book of the Harry Potter series is my favorite so far.

Fourteen-year-old Harry Potter joins the Weasleys at the Quidditch World Cup, then enters his fourth year at Hogwarts Academy where he is mysteriously entered in an unusual contest that challenges his wizarding skills, friendships and character, amid signs that an old enemy is growing stronger.

If you like audio books, Jim Dale's narration of the books from this series is wonderful.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Jane Austen's perfect comedy of manners--one of the most popular novels of all time--features splendidly civilized sparring between the proud Mr. Darcy and the prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet as they play out their spirited courtship in a series of eighteenth-century drawing-room intrigues.

A classic that's not to be missed, but *PLEASE* steer clear of the latest printings, which include introductions by chick-lit authors... ugh!
See my friend Antheras' blog for more details.

The Big Book of Martyrs: Amazing but True Tales of Faith in the Face of Certain Death!, published by Factoid Books

by John Wagner and over 50 of the world's top comic book artists.

Taken directly from Church-sanctioned sources, these short bios retell the incredible lives of the saints.

This is really just one of the coolest books... the lives of various martyrs are told through comics. And, amazingly enough, the book is not irreverent.

Invitation to the Voyage: An illustrated poem, published by Bulfinch Press (bi-lingual edition)

Charles Baudelaire's masterpiece is brought to life with mood-laden 19th century photographs in this wonderful new presentation of a classic.

Another book that is just a wonderful experience to read.

The Thurday Next books by Jasper Fforde

Books in the series so far: The Eyre Affair, Lost in a Good Book, The Well of Lost Plots, and Something Rotten

This series is simply wonderful. I love Fforde's literary references (they make you want to read the classics all over again!), his fabulous sense of humor, and his awe-inspiring imagination.