Hatchet

Hatchet Gary Paulsen 2 / 5	Published 1986 First Sentence "Brian Robeson stared out the window of the small plane at the endless green northern wilderness below."
Publisher's Description: ALONE Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single-engine plane in which he is flying crashes. Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but a tattered Windbreaker and the hatchet his mother gave him as a present -- and the dreadful secret that has been tearing him apart since his parent's divorce. But now Brian has no time for anger, self pity, or despair -- it will take all his know-how and determination, and more courage than he knew he possessed, to survive.  For twenty years Gary Paulsen's award-winning contemporary classic has been the survival story with which all others are compared. This new edition, with a reading group guide, will introduce a new generation of readers to this page-turning, heart-stopping adventure.
Dear Reader, It seemed like everyone and their mother had this book assigned to them in middle school. I never did, though, and because it was an award-winner, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Well? Meh. I always wonder if these books were more appealing when they were actually published, or maybe it's just that survivalist stories just aren't my jam. I suppose I was impressed by a book that could feasibly appeal to a young, male audience, which was a new idea at the time of publication. So I do appreciate that. And I know many loved this story. It just didn't draw me in. While part of me wanted to pay serious attention because you never know when you might be stranded and need basic survival skills - which I think is the appeal of the book, really - I just didn't always enjoy the minutiae of watching Brian set up camp. Part of what might have bothered me, though, was the absolute hopelessness of ever being rescued - that just felt so bleak to me, and I wondered: why bother? Of course, I understand why Brian did, but I don't know if I could have rallied quite like he did - he almost took things in stride, which I very much respect. Perhaps that is just what happens - your survival instinct kicks in before you have time to recognize your hopeless situation for what it is, because yes, food will take precedence over contemplation. Now that I think about it, perhaps the narration was also what negatively influenced the book, for me! The audiobook version featured an older male's voice which just kind of felt lethargic, and it included "dramatic music" at certain points, which I think can work really well if done right - but just wasn't, in this case. Hmm. I also do wonder if this book would have resonated with me more when I was younger. I sometimes feel as if I missed out on some great opportunities for discovering beloved books when I could have identified more with them. But, alas, such is the way life goes! I am glad that I did read this book, finally, even if it will never be a favorite. Yours, Arianna P.S. There are sequels to this book. Sequels! I can't even fathom...has anyone ever read any of them? I am just so curious. Does Brian get stranded again and again? Do we follow him until he grows to adulthood, watching how his life is affected by this formative experience? I'm SO intrigued!

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Wolf Hall

Wolf Hall Hilary Mantel 4.5 / 5	Published 2009 First Sentence "'So now get up.'"
Publisher's Description: Tudor England. Henry VIII is on the throne, but has no heir. Cardinal Wolsey is charged with securing his divorce. Into this atmosphere of distrust comes Thomas Cromwell - a man as ruthlessly ambitious in his wider politics as he is for himself. His reforming agenda is carried out in the grip of a self-interested parliament and a king who fluctuates between romantic passions and murderous rages.
Dear Reader, Looking back, I probably shouldn't have audiobooked this novel. The narrator was really great, don't get me wrong, but I could really have used the index in the front of the book which lists all of the names, relationships, and titles for the characters in the book. What a complicated & complex read! Gentry at that time went by so many different titles and names that it was difficult to remember who was who. However, despite even that frustration, I really enjoyed this book! Who knew that Thomas Cromwell's story would be so interesting? I knew the story of the Boelyns and all of the intrigue that went along with that, but I had no idea of the extent of Cromwell's involvement, both with the church (his patron Cardinal) and the king and both of the Boelyn women. I love when an author can liven up history for me like this; I almost felt as if I was reading a fantasy tale, it was that enjoyable. While there were of course slower moments that dragged a bit (what would you expect from sometimes dry history?) and there honestly wasn't much action to speak of, the book was engaging because of its cast of characters, most especially those who lived under Cromwell's roof, I thought. I rooted for all of the children he raised, both his own and those he adopted. I am no history buff, so I cannot speak to the truth of this story, but it does appear the author had done extensive research in preparation for this novel. In any case, whatever the series' level of truthiness, I look forward to reading further with Bring Up the Bodies. Yours, Arianna

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The Women

The Women T.C. Boyle 4 / 5	Published 2009 First Sentence "I didn't know much about automobiles at the time--still don't, for that matter--but it was an automobile that took me to Taliesin in the fall of 1932, through a country alternately fortified with trees and rolled out like a carpet to the back walls of its barns, hayricks and farmhouses, through towns with names like Black Earth, Mazomanie and Coon Rock, where no one in living memory had ever seen a Japanese face."
Publisher's Description: Frank Lloyd Wright's life was one long, howling struggle against the bonds of convention, whether aesthetic, social, moral, or romantic. He never did what was expected, and he never let anything get in the way of his larger-than-life appetites and visions. Told through the experiences of the four women who loved him, this imaginative account of Wright's raucous life blazes with Boyle's trademark wit and invention. Boyle's protean voice captures these very different women and, in doing so, creates a masterful ode to the creative life in all its complexity and grandeur.
Dear Reader, Holy epic historical fiction, TC Boyle! Wow. What a great and fascinating story. And what an amazing way to frame it, telling it all (in reverse order, nonetheless!) through the eyes of a fictionalized Japanese apprentice. Wright certainly was a hardcore Nipponophile, so it seems that having an apprentice from that culture was quite appropriate. But, the story wasn't about the apprentice at all. What it centered around (as the title suggests) are the four women who loved and suffered at the hands of the famous architect. This was a story I was entirely unfamiliar with, so it was fascinating to hear all about Taliesin (the home he built for his first mistress), the fire that burned it down, and the subsequent female tornadoes that blew through the rebuilt "love nest". Because each really was a unique and very strong personality. Which may have been why Wright fell in love with them in the first place. And it was intriguing to watch all of these stories play out during the period of American history when both "free love" and divorce were in their infancy. The Mann Act of 1910 played a huge role during all of this relationship drama. Even though its original intent was to put a stop to prostitution, it was frequently evoked to stop Wright from taking up with a new woman whenever he fancied, leaving the last in the dust. I know I didn't like Wright's personality, that was a given, but I can't decide whether I like how Boyle portrayed the women themselves; I was upset at first because it felt like he wrote Miriam too crazy, when any woman who was used and then tossed aside would justifiably feel hurt and want to know why they'd been thrown over. However, as Miriam's character continues to be revealed through her actions, I understand the fine line the author was trying to tread. Miriam was crazy, and a drug addict. Her reactions to Wright's actions were understandable, until they became extreme. I was glued to the page, watching that woman's story (and mind) unspool. What I think I appreciated most about this masterpiece was how the entire book was written, in a sense, backwards! The reader first meets Olgivanna, the woman with whom Wright finished out his life. Through the "eyes" of that relationship, we are introduced to Miriam, who tries to break the union up. In book two, we get to see how Miriam insinuated herself into Wright's life, and then in book three, we are introduced to the first wife and then the first mistress. Boyle writes them all so we can understand their motivations and points of view. I thought that was a truly original and very clever way in which to present the story of Wright's endlessly diverting personal life. I knew about Falling Water. I knew about the Guggenheim. What I didn't know about was this other side of FLW's life, which I don't think I really like, but I was fascinated to see. That a genius of that level had such odd views outside of his profession was endlessly fascinating. That we, as a nation and as historians, forgave him all his indiscretions (at the time each was quite the scandal!) - I am amazed to see that we allow this legacy to live on in his work. Well, I suppose that's better than his legacy being the abysmal way he treated women! Yours, Arianna

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We Are Water

We Are Water Wally Lamb 4 / 5	Published 2013 First Sentence "'I understand there was some controversy about the coroner's ruling concerning Josephus Jones's death.'"
Publisher's Description: From the New York Times bestselling author of The Hour I First Believed and I Know This Much Is True, a disquieting and ultimately uplifting novel about a marriage, a family, and human resilience in the face of tragedy In middle age, Anna Oh - wife, mother, outsider artist - has shaken her family to its core. After twenty-seven years of marriage and three children, Anna has fallen in love with Vivica, the wealthy, cultured, confident Manhattan art dealer who orchestrated her professional success. Anna and Viveca plan to wed in the Oh family's hometown of Three Rivers in Connecticut, where gay marriage has recently been legalized. But the impending wedding provokes some very mixed reactions and opens a Pandora's Box of toxic secrets--dark and painful truths that have festered below the surface of the Ohs' lives. We Are Water is an intricate and layered portrait of marriage, family, and the inexorable need for understanding and connection, told in the alternating voices of the Ohs--nonconformist Annie; her ex-husband, Orion, a psychologist; Ariane, the do-gooder daughter, and her twin, Andrew, the rebellious only son; and free-spirited Marissa, the youngest Oh. Set in New England and New York during the first years of the Obama presidency, it is also a portrait of modern America, exploring issues of class, changing social mores, the legacy of racial violence, and the nature of creativity and art. With humor and breathtaking compassion, Wally Lamb brilliantly captures the essence of human experience in vivid and unforgettable characters struggling to find hope and redemption in the aftermath of trauma and loss. We Are Water is vintage Wally Lamb-a compulsively readable, generous, and uplifting masterpiece that digs deep into the complexities of the human heart to explore the ways in which we search for love and meaning in our lives.
Dear Reader, As usual with Wally Lamb, this was a solid and really enjoyable book. Not unexpected, but it had been QUITE some time since I'd read one of his novels. (I think maybe 5 or 6 years? I guess since his last novel came out...) So this book was a pleasant reminder of why he is so beloved. He writes people SO well. Men, women, children - even pedophiles, for Pete's sake! He just really knows how to get inside his characters' heads. His work reminds me a lot of Jonathan Franzen's, because it examines an entire family and all of the outside and inside influences on the people who comprise a family unit. Plus, his stories usually span several generations, going backwards and forwards through time in order to truly tell the whole, comprehensive story. For instance, as upsetting as the sections are to read, Lamb's portrayal of a pedophile and particularly how the character became so corrupted was fascinating. There were of course points where I was squirming from listening to Kent's story, and there was one point where I was so upset with him I wished I could reach through the book and throttle some sense into his warped head! - But really isn't that just the mark of an amazing writer? And Lamb really writes Kent's history such that who he becomes is almost understandable, in a way. NOT excusable. Just...it makes quite a bit of sense that he became who he became, based on what he'd been through. And I applaud the author for his ability to do that! Let me point out that this book is not all about pedophiles, though. And there are very few of those uncomfortable parts (but just to warn you, they are not easy to read). For the most part, the book is fascinating and really enjoyable reading, as chapters jump between a bunch of different characters - there are perhaps 8 or 9 distinct first person narratives in the book - some of whom you revisit, some who you never see again. But all of  their stories are important and play a vital role to the story as a whole. The reader gets to see the perspective of Annie, who has left her husband for her art dealer,Viveca; Orion, who is the newly divorced husband; their children; and a handful of other characters - including a chapter that features Dr. Ruth! Lamb writes each person so distinctively and truly. I didn't want to put this book down, and despite its length I really flew through it. I audiobooked it, and I would highly recommend that for those who enjoy listening to books - the voices (including the author, who reads the part of Orion) are wonderful and add an extra layer of personality to each character. Yours, Arianna

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The Amado Women

The Amado Women Desiree Zamorano 4.5/5	Expected Publication July 1st 2014  First Sentence "Sylvia Levine (nee Amado) had been brooding for months."
Publisher's Description: Southern California is ground zero for upwardly mobile middle-class Latinas. Matriarchs like Mercy Amado—despite her drunken, philandering (now ex-) husband—could raise three daughters and become a teacher. Now she watches helplessly as her daughters drift apart as adults. The Latino bonds of familia don't seem to hold. Celeste, the oldest daughter who won't speak to the youngest, is fiercely intelligent and proud. She has fled the uncertainty of her growing up in Los Angeles, California, to seek financial independence in San Jose. Her sisters did the same thing but very differently. Sylvia married a rich but abusive Anglo, and, to hide away, she immersed herself in the suburbia of her two young daughters. And Nataly, the baby, went very hip into the free-spirited Latino art world, working on her textile creations during the day and waiting on tables in an upscale restaurant by night. Everything they know comes crashing down in a random tragic moment and Mercy must somehow make what was broken whole again.
Dear Reader, This might be the first book that I've read which shows a different side of Latino women. Usually, when reading books featuring Latinos, I find the light is a little dark and the setting a little poor (literally). I recently went to see Junot Diaz speak at a local College and he cried out for more Hispanic writing, and he vividly described what it's like to be a minority watching TV and reading books that are full of characters that live a completely different life. The Author, Desiree, gives us a side that reminds us of those similarities and gives us everything that is relatable within all different races. I love that! I gobbled up this story and felt SO much along the way, I didn't feel like an outsider peering into a secret life I knew nothing about. This is where I think we need to get, this is where we need to overcome the thought that people are so different, because deep down WE ARE THE SAME! Okay, enough of the rant... let's get back to the book. The Amado Women is beautifully tragic, three daughters and a mother get together for family gatherings and each time we see the bonds change between them. The mother, Mercy, who is a proud woman with strength and conviction. The eldest sister, Celeste, who broke free of the family early on (only to succeed in her occupation to make her quite wealthy). The middle child, Sylvia, married young and ends up raising two daughters. The youngest daughter, Nataly, who jumps from ship to ship without figuring out her place in life. Each daughter has an extremely compelling story, we become enveloped with the hurt and/or excitement each one feels.  Starting with Nataly, who can't settle down or live a productive money-making life. I know this person, the artist... the one who struggles to follow her passion but is clueless to the stress it causes others in her life. I felt very close to Nataly because I consider myself an Artist, but I didn't go down the road Nataly did... I was too worried I wouldn't be able to support myself sufficiently. I admire this character but also know that life as an artist is too difficult to cling to that hope, reality bites!  Her sister, Sylvia, has a very different approach with life, marrying an abusive husband and having two children. I know many people who would also relate to this woman, and maybe open the eyes of some to see how horrible living that way is. I found myself relating to this character quite a bit when she started thinking about the big "D" word. How her mother kept nagging her and reminding her that she needed to stay with her husband to be financially secure and for the children, it gave me flashbacks to my own divorce and the way my family handled it.  Then we have, Celeste, the one with "everything", but we quickly realize that she has just as much heartbreak (if not more) than the other two sisters. Money doesn't buy everything, we all know this but sometimes someone hides behind it in order to clear their mind from the tragedy they've experienced. So life like! Every character sweeps in on a cloud of truth dust, I found myself in awe of how connected I felt with all of them... even though each one was so different. The Author really touches on some realistic issues people go through, in all walks of life AND in all races. I love that this novel might strike a conversation outside of social norms, this would be the perfect book for a book club. Just imagine, sharing personal tragedies or triumphs and recognizing that the person next to you is very much the same. Okay, that happens from time to time. However, the times I've felt close to characters with a different background than me are few and far between. Desiree does this with The Amado Women and I believe every woman should pick this book up and feel that connection too! Happy Reading, AmberBug P.S. - Want a digital copy of Desiree's other books Modern Cons or Human Cargo? Head over to www.desireezamorano.com, subscribe to her e-mail list and she'll give a choice between the two. Also, tomorrow check out an exclusive interview with the Desiree Zamorano herself! Even more? The next day she'll be doing a guest blog, right here on ShelfNotes. Make sure you check it out.

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Three Bird Summer

Three Bird Summer Sarah St. Antoine 3.5 / 5	To Be Published May 13, 2014 First Sentences "Here's what I know about girls.  They like talking and combing their hair with their fingers, and they move in careful packs, like wolves."
Publisher's Description: For as long as he can remember, Adam and his parents have spent their summers at his grandmother’s rustic cabin on Three Bird Lake. But this year will be different. There will be no rowdy cousins running around tormenting Adam. There will be no Uncle John or Aunt Jean. And there'll be no Dad to fight with Mom. This year, the lake will belong just to Adam. But then Adam meets Alice, the girl next door, who seems to want to become friends. Alice looks just like the aloof, popular girls back home—what could he and she possibly have in common? Turns out, Alice isn't like the girls back home. She's frank, funny, and eager for adventure. And when Adam's grandma starts to leave strange notes in his room—notes that hint at a hidden treasure somewhere at the lake and a love from long ago—Alice is the one person he can rely on to help solve the mysteries of Three Bird Lake.
Dear Reader, This was a Netgalley offering which I selected because I thought it looked like it had promise as a good, relatable YA novel.  And it was!  Ultimately a very cute story about coming of age.  It was a quick, summery sort of read.  I think I would have enjoyed it more were I a pre-teen, but it definitely had its merits, and brought me back to those idyllic, endless summer days of my adolescence. The book's title is very apt: while it ostensibly refers to eponymous Three Bird Lake, where twelve-year-old Adam spends the summer before eighth grade, it also of course speaks of the three females with whom Adam interacts during this life-changing summer.  Used to a cabin filled with relatives and particularly rambunctious teenage boy cousins, this quiet summer is entirely new to Adam.  His parents have recently separated, which means that he is to spend his vacation with only his mother and his grandmother.  The third female doesn't come along right away, but she is perhaps the most life-altering: Alice, who becomes Adam's best friend and begrudged love interest as the season runs its course. At first, I had a difficult time liking the main character, largely because he felt very distant and emotionless.  He lumped all girls his age into one enigmatic group that he would never figure out, and left it at that.  Meanwhile, while he didn't exactly sound lonely, he didn't seem to have many friends to speak of, either.  So I was a little lost from the start.  However, I got the feeling over the book, as the reader became more and more familiar with Adam, that he was in fact a bit autistic.  I think he had to categorize people in order to deal with them, and I could see him begin to discern people from groups as he got to know his new friend, and even his mother and grandmother, better. There were some cute touches in the book; the friendship that develops between Adam and Alice is endearing.  While it's sometimes difficult to understand Alice's point of view, as the book focuses solely on Adam, you can begin to see why their relationship works as well as it does.  It's not just because they were thrown together as the only kids their own age in a remote lake setting. I also enjoyed the way Adam began to know and understand his grandmother throughout the summer.  It seems he begins to see her as a separate and whole person, which is a true milestone of maturation.  At the same time, as he starts to recognize her personality and her frailties, he also learns more about who he is and what he is capable of.  While I thought it a bit weird that the kid couldn't paddle a canoe by himself at first, I think maybe that was more a prejudice of my own than poor writing: I grew up going canoeing with my family, and therefore feel like I always knew how to paddle.  But it was another metaphor for Adam's developing independence and his growth into an adult.  I think there were many things in this book which were well-written.  I enjoyed all of the subtle metaphors and the rather odd but strong personalities.  One of my favorite touches was the carved animals on the mantelpiece in the cabin, which perhaps made me relate to Adam even more: it was also his favorite! I think this is a good YA novel.  It deals with some issues and gives a great example of growing up.  While it was a bit on the light side for me, I can understand that is because I lean much more towards "adult" fiction.  Like I said before -- if I were twelve, I think I really would have gotten something out of this book. Yours, Arianna

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