books

The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez

~ SamanthaWho ~ 5 Comments

The Book of Unknown AmericansThe Book of Unknown American, written by Cristina Henriquez, focuses on the lives of immigrants from South and Central America living in the United States. I was drawn into this story because of the multiple perspectives that Henriquez writes from. Readers look through the eyes of children and adults, citizens and undocumented residents and learn of each of these character’s frustrations.

While the book contains narratives from many characters, the main story follows Maribel, a girl who has suffered a traumatic brain injury; which causes her family to move to the US in an attempt for a better life and a school with supportive programs. She meets a boy living in the same apartment complex and when she seems to be improving after spending time with him, they find an unexpected connection between them.

To be honest, the ending of this book disappointed me. While I felt that the story was interesting, I felt like the final scenes strayed from that main topic and became unfocused. I wish Henriquez had gone further with her characters because I would have liked to learn more about them.

On the whole, I enjoyed this book for the perspectives of multiple immigrants living in the U.S. and for the insights into the hardships experienced while looking for a better life.

Beloved Book Settings: Scotland

~ SamanthaWho ~ 19 Comments

Edinburgh CastleOne reason why fictional stories are so powerful is because they transport the reader to another place or time. I have found myself drawn to books set in certain locations over and over again, the settings coming alive in my head. One of my very favorite fictional book settings is Scotland.

Some of the books that have brought the countryside of Scotland alive for me have been:

  • The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
  • At The Water’s Edge by Sara Gruen
  • The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

The wild greenery and the rolling hills of the countryside hold a certain draw for me. Maybe it’s the sense of adventure that comes with wide-open spaces, like a scene in Harry Potter or Lord of The Rings. Maybe it’s the rocky coastal beaches and windswept seashores that pull me in. It could also be the Scottish characters. A lively bunch the scots are, a proud and generous people. I also really enjoy reading the phrases of Gaelic mixed in with heavily accented English.

I was lucky enough to travel to Edinburgh last year, where I fell in love with cobble stone streets of the old town lined with pipers and pubs. Now that I’ve seen a piece of Scotland for myself, I can feel these stories even more vividly than before.

Whatever the reason, when I read a book description that is set in Scotland, I am much more likely to pick the book up and take it home with me.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

~ SamanthaWho ~ 14 Comments

The Night CircusThe Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is an enchanting story centered on a young girl and boy, Celia and Marco, who are unknowingly bound together. Their mentors have each entered these “special” children into a magical challenge that plays out over the course of their lives. The arena for this challenge is none other than a night circus, a traveling group that shows up unannounced across the globe.

The circus becomes completely intertwined with the challenge, filled with tents full of magic and fantastical illusions. Morgenstern did a good job of illustrating the challenge with stunning descriptions that help the reader imagine the unknown.

Along with these magical enchantments, I was drawn into this story because of the wacky characters with their bizarre, and sometimes stunning, acts. For me, this wasn’t a page gripping book, but it was very well written and I was intrigued all the same.

Another twist to the story comes when these challengers start developing feelings for each other…Will they fight to the finish or will love triumph all? You’ll just have to pick up The Night Circus to find out!

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

~ SamanthaWho ~ 11 Comments

Ready Player One by Ernest ClineWhat does it mean when you’re flight’s delayed? This past weekend it meant that I had more time to read! With the extra time, I was able to dive into Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, a sci-fi novel set in the year 2044.

USA Today describes the story pretty perfectly:

“Enchanting…Willy Wonka meets The Matrix.” – USA Today

In this story, Earth has plummeted into decay and Cline paints a horrifying picture through his “stacks”, trailers that are stacked up on top of each other and are only stabilized by weak metal pipe structures.

People escape this harsh reality through Oasis, a virtual world where people can be whoever, or whatever, they want. The creator of Oasis, James Halliday, has passed away and left behind the challenge of a lifetime. Whoever can solve his highly complex scavenger hunt filled with puzzles, video game challenges, and 80’s pop culture trivia, will win Halliday’s fortune and control of Oasis. Wade Watts, an anti-social teenager, finds himself catapulted into fame when he finds the first piece of Halliday’s puzzle.

As someone who is not very savvy in video game jargon, I thought Cline did a pretty good job of keeping technical descriptions straightforward. Despite a few scenes where my mind wandered in the face of ultra-detailed descriptions, I was able to keep up for the most part.

I don’t read a lot of sci-fi books, but I enjoyed Ready Player One. The story was interesting, the dialogue was entertaining and the topics were relatable. Cline brought depth to the story by touching on issues that the world is dealing with today, including global warming, pollution, monopoly power, and the risks that technology presents to overpower our lives so much so that we forget to live in reality.

Library Lovin’

~ SamanthaWho ~ 12 Comments

I’ll come right out and say it; I LOVE the library. The public library is a dear friend of mine; always sharing books with me without asking for anything in return. Besides a request for timely book returns, which I try my best to follow through on, the library is a giver.

During one holiday season, most of my on-hold books all became ready at once, leaving me to check out 30 books during one visit. To many staring eyes, I carried my 3 bags of books out with a beaming smile. Although I’ve been raised to be familiar with the library (thanks mom!) I still feel like I’m getting away with something when I walk out carrying the newest Liane Moriarty novel at no cost to me. In my head I’m thinking, “I can’t believe they’re letting me read this new hardcover book listed at $27.95 for free!”

Besides the free books aspect (definitely the biggest draw), the library brings all sorts of people together in the union of book love. The sticky fingered five-year-old standing behind the curly haired retiree standing next to the business suit clad gentleman carry the latest iPhone. The library is a community and a getaway all rolled into one.

I should point out that my city’s library system is very well stocked and makes it pretty easy to find the books that I want. Do any of you use the public library??

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

~ SamanthaWho ~ 3 Comments

A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne TylerA Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler is a well-written novel, but I couldn’t really see the point. What’s the punch line? What is Tyler trying to tell us? Why did she write down this story in particular? I’m still not quite sure.

In this story, Tyler brings us the Whitshank family, in a novel spanning four generations who have lived in the same well-loved Baltimore home. Through these characters we experience the emotional ups and downs that come with life.

I enjoyed the interactions between the family, the good, the bad and the ugly. On the other hand though, there were sections of the book during which I caught myself glazing over. It seemed like Tyler was building up to some major event but then the “huge” event didn’t happen.

In the end, the Whitshanks learn that no matter what happens, they can always go home.

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

~ SamanthaWho ~ 4 Comments

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieAmericanah, written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is an excellent read and I hope to do it justice with this review.

Americanah brings light to issues of race and self-discovery through the story of Ifemelu and Obinze. Growing up in military-ruled Nigeria, Ifemelu and Obinze were raised looking towards futures abroad, moving to America or Europe to study and begin a career.

 

One of my favorite quotes from the book explains this mentality of searching outside their native country for opportunities:

“…the need to escape from the oppressive lethargy of choicelessness. They would not understand why people like him, who were raised well fed and watered but mired in dissatisfaction, conditioned from birth to look towards somewhere else, eternally convinced that real lives happened in that somewhere else, were now resolved to do dangerous things, illegal things, so as to leave, none of them starving, or raped, or from burned villages, but merely hungry for choice and certainty,” (pg. 341).

This is a smart novel that really made me think. I was engaged and eager to see where both Ifemelu and Obinze’s journeys would lead them. The frustration and helplessness of their experiences starting out in new countries had me gripping the book. Despite working incredibly hard, they seemed unable to get their footing.

One particularly interesting aspect of this book is the blog that Ifemelu creates to discuss issues of race and life as an immigrant in America. She has always had a problem containing her opinion, especially in inappropriate situations, but that’s what makes her so great- her ability to speak up when others won’t.

Americanah is a love story, a story of self-discovery, and a story of speaking honestly and openly.