Beastmomma

I am very slow with completing books this semester SUMMER , so I thought that it would be fun to have a progress report of my reading. This is an online reading group where all the participants set aside time to read every Sunday and blog about the experience.

This morning, I continued reading Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi which I started when I returned to Seattle on Thursday night. I was having trouble sleeping and decided to start this novel which is the selection for the Inside Cover.  It is my first graphic novel and I really like the format.  The story is told from the perspective of a young girl who is learning the purpose of the revolution in Iran.  I am not a graphic novel expert, but I am enjoying the style of drawings and the ease with which I am reading.  The author captures people's facial expressions and the non-verbals add an additional tool to the story telling.

In addition to reading Persepolis for an online book club discussion, I am also reading the book for the Orbis Teeravm Challenge

This week, I also finished reading White Oleander by Janet Finch. I had talked about it on last week's Sunday Salon. I will write a full review shortly.

Inspired by Booksplease

Whether you usually read off of your own book pile or from the library shelves NOW, chances are you started off with trips to the library. (There’s no way my parents could otherwise have kept up with my book habit when I was 10.) So … What is your earliest memory of a library? Who took you? Do you have you any funny/odd memories of the library?

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When I was in elementary school, my class walked over to the public library and we took a tour of the facilities.  It was so much; I remember that the librarian recommended Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Cricket in Times Square.   The things I remember most about the library is how my mother would take my brother, me, and any of our friends who wanted to go every Saturday morning.  We could pick me up as many books as we liked for the week.  I would often ask the librarians for recommendations.  I really believed them when they said that we could ask them for help at any time.  Sometimes, the librarians would be surprised when I would want to check out an entire series.  I just read so quickly and always wanted to know what happened next or how the series ended RIGHT AWAY!

Now, I do not spend much time at the library.  However, I really appreciate that my mother took the time to help me develop my love and passion for reading by bringing me to buildings surrounded by books where people would help me find something that I would enjoy reading.

I am very slow with completing books this semester SUMMER , so I thought that it would be fun to have a progress report of my reading. This is an online reading group where all the participants set aside time to read every Sunday and blog about the experience

This morning, I read another chapter of White Oleander by Janet Finch. (I do not know why the font color changed).  Of all the things I heard about the book, I only remember that the language was beautiful.  So far, I am enjoying the language and imagery.  Most of all, I appreciate the voice of the narrator. The story is told from the perspective of Astrid.    *Spoiler ahead* Her mother goes to prison for killing her lover and (so far) she has been to two foster homes and gotten herself into a bit of trouble in a quest to figure out how she will survive and who she will become.

I am reading this book for two challenges:

Chunkster Challenge

 What is in a Name Challenge.

Reading this book was a bit like a roller coaster ride for me.  At first I loved the imagery, but did not think the story was anything spectacular.  As I got to the middle of the book, I really started to enjoy it.  The magical realism helped to bring the plot to life.  I really loved the character of  Fermina and could sympathize with Florentino.   Even when you believe the love in your heart is timeliness, life moves on and age steps into the picture.  However, I felt like I hit a wall when Florentino seduced and began sleeping with a young woman who reminded him of Fermina at a young age.  My inner voice kept screaming, "You are a sick old man! She is a child!"

The book is loved by so many and I was hoping that I could become a member of the fan club.  Fortunately by the end of the book, I really liked it.  As Fermina and Florentino were getting to know each other again, I came to really like Fermina and to appreciate everything Florentino went through for the chance to be with her.   In order to appreciate the book, I think you have to let yourself be swept away with it.  As someone commented earlier, this is not a book that is meant to be taken literally.

My favorite encounter involving this book happened on a flight to Durham.  I was sitting next to a guy who was reading the Economist which had a story about water shortage.  He was chatty and began telling me about the article. I said that I was reading about water too; as in, how water can kill you.  I then explained how Cholera is a water based disease.  Throughout the flight, we were comparing notes on what we were learning about water.  It made the journey go faster!

Love in the time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez was certainly an engaging reading experience. I have written about it in two previous posts.

Recommend to a friend: YES

I read this book for two challenges:

The Neustadt Challenge

Orbis Teeravm Challenge

I am very slow with completing books this semester SUMMER , so I thought that it would be fun to have a progress report of my reading. This is an online reading group where all the participants set aside time to read every Sunday and blog about the experience

This morning I read a bit more of Love in the time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.  While the book started off slow, then captured my heart towards the middle, I now find myself irriated with the male lead.  I find him to be a bit of a stalker and a pedophile.  I was especially disturbed by how he seduced a young relative because she reminded him of Fermina at a younger age.  He then brushes the young woman aside once Fermina becomes a widow because he is sure that they will marry.  I continue to appreciate the beautiful imagery and the grandness of love; however, I am a bit disturbed that this is an idolized love story.   One of the messages it sends is that if you wait long enough and pass the time by sleeping with lots of people, eventually you will get your woman.

This novel is very well loved and I am hoping that I will feel better about the book by the time I finish.