Leni Zumas's writing crackles. Her books are sharp, bleak, funny, and possibly dangerous. When her collection of short stories, Farewell Navigator,...
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I enjoyed this book so much! Similar to stories of heroes of the holocaust, this book shows the brightness of the human spirit, transformed by love, all the brighter against a very dark background. The stories of people imprisoned by Stalin, in this case Lithuanians, are not well known. Sepetys' story is fiction, but based on true events. Adults as well as middle school aged readers will enjoy this book.
If you are looking for a book for a kid, say, age 10-13 or so, this would be a good one. If you once were a kid, maybe in the late 60's or 70's, you might want to read this before you give it away. You don't have to have read The Wednesday Wars to enjoy this companion book, but after you're done with this one, you'll want to read The Wednesday Wars too. When Doug Sweiteck moves to a new town, it's not easy for him. Some of his most difficult problems come from his own family. A great story of (quoting the book jacket) "creativity and loss, love and recovery, and survival."
Given the circumstances in this story, it feels strange to say that I enjoyed it, but I did. It left me with much to think about -- what one does to survive, how having someone who needs you can be a lifeline, the difficulties that come after a life crisis. And there is much to love in Jack, the narrator of this story. A hopeful story about a dark subject.
William Gibson brings us inside a cool, frightening world that is something like the one we live in. Just this week I saw an article in the newspaper about an iphone piloted drone, which is eerily like a piece of technology in this book. This book reads like a thriller you might pick up to pass the time on a long flight, only it's much better. I'm still pondering themes and characters weeks later.
I still remember the way I felt reading the first book in this series, "Pattern Recognition". As soon as I finished it, I MADE my husband read it. We're still passing it along to people looking for a good book. This book is that good. If you start here (and you can), you'll be circling back to read the first two as well.
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Pam in Kennewick has commented on (15) products.
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
Pam in Kennewick, January 3, 2012
This is the book I've been passing on to my friends when they ask if I've read any good books lately.Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Pam in Kennewick, September 29, 2011
I enjoyed this book so much! Similar to stories of heroes of the holocaust, this book shows the brightness of the human spirit, transformed by love, all the brighter against a very dark background. The stories of people imprisoned by Stalin, in this case Lithuanians, are not well known. Sepetys' story is fiction, but based on true events. Adults as well as middle school aged readers will enjoy this book.Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt
Pam in Kennewick, July 12, 2011
If you are looking for a book for a kid, say, age 10-13 or so, this would be a good one. If you once were a kid, maybe in the late 60's or 70's, you might want to read this before you give it away. You don't have to have read The Wednesday Wars to enjoy this companion book, but after you're done with this one, you'll want to read The Wednesday Wars too. When Doug Sweiteck moves to a new town, it's not easy for him. Some of his most difficult problems come from his own family. A great story of (quoting the book jacket) "creativity and loss, love and recovery, and survival."Room by Emma Donoghue
Pam in Kennewick, January 2, 2011
Given the circumstances in this story, it feels strange to say that I enjoyed it, but I did. It left me with much to think about -- what one does to survive, how having someone who needs you can be a lifeline, the difficulties that come after a life crisis. And there is much to love in Jack, the narrator of this story. A hopeful story about a dark subject.Zero History by William Gibson
Pam in Kennewick, November 10, 2010
William Gibson brings us inside a cool, frightening world that is something like the one we live in. Just this week I saw an article in the newspaper about an iphone piloted drone, which is eerily like a piece of technology in this book. This book reads like a thriller you might pick up to pass the time on a long flight, only it's much better. I'm still pondering themes and characters weeks later.I still remember the way I felt reading the first book in this series, "Pattern Recognition". As soon as I finished it, I MADE my husband read it. We're still passing it along to people looking for a good book. This book is that good. If you start here (and you can), you'll be circling back to read the first two as well.
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
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