Novels for Summer Reading 2

The Book Thief 

By Markus Zusak   

The Book Thief, A New York Times bestseller, is an extraordinary novel about the holocaust from the point of view of Death (or the death angel, I prefer) narrator of the story. At the beginning a young girl, Liesel Meminger, is taken to a foster home outside of Munich. It’s 1939 and persecution of the Jews is ongoing. Zusak writes beautifully, hauntingly, and convincingly bringing the characters and this time in history to life. Each individual is real and unique. The relationship between Liesel and her step father is a true parenting love story. Similarly, Liesel’s friendship and companion in book thievery, Rudy, shows their childlike playfulness in spite of circumstances. The holocaust reality, though disturbing, helps us learn about that time. We must remember it and not let anyone deny it happened. There is humor; there is love and caring, all in the midst of tragedy. This is one of the best novels I’ve ever read.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

 By Rachel Joyce

This a beautiful and poignant story of an ordinary man caught in a life and a marriage of dullness, deadness and pain. Harold and his ever critical wife, Maureen, have been married forty-five years and Harold has recently retired. They barely speak to each other and have shut out the rest of the world. Then Harold receives a note from Queenie, a friend he hasn’t seen in twenty years. He learns she is in a hospice and dying from cancer. This launches Harold on an impromptu walk six hundred miles to see her, believing the promise of his coming will keep her alive.

His journey leads to delightful encounters with people along the way and with the beauties of nature. Harold reflects on his life as he walks and experiences new things. He begins to hope and trust in others and in himself. There are surprising twists and turns in the plot and it is beautifully written with profound wisdom about human nature and the difficulties of life. This is a memorable, touching story.

Blessings, Dottie

Novels for Summer Reading

The Help

by Kathryn Stockett

I read The Help by Kathryn Stockett in the car while on a trip and time flew by. It’s as beautifully written as To Kill a Mocking Bird and is similar in its southern setting and racial and class separation and intolerance. The setting is Jackson, Mississippi in the sixties. It's about black maids in white homes - from their viewpoint. There are many plot twists and turns and it was a NY Times best seller. Excellent book!

Where’d You Go, Bernadette

By Maria Semple

This novel revolves around Bernadette, her husband Elgie, and her fifteen year old daughter Bee. At the beginning the book seemed silly to me and I almost quit reading. I’m glad I didn’t. The story has many unexpected plot twists and turns that surprised and delighted me. I couldn’t put it down. I had to find out what happened next….and at the end. This is a very creative story with no moral purpose – just fun reading.

Life of Pi

By Yann Martel

Life of Pi is a New York Times best seller and a major motion picture. This book differs from every novel I’ve ever read. I decided to read it when I discovered that the pastor at my son’s church planned to do a message on it. Also, early in the book the claim is made that this story will make you believe in God. The story centers on a boy by the name of Piscine Molitor Patel – Pi for short - and is told from his viewpoint. His father owns a zoo to the delight of Pi and his brother, Ravi. The information and insight into zoo animals is stunning.

Due to political changes in India, Pi’s father sells the zoo and the family embarks on a cargo ship to Canada and a new life. The ship sinks and the only survivors are Pi and a few of their animals - together in a life boat drifting on the Pacific Ocean for about 190 pages! The story is riveting, clever, humorous, detailed, and intense.

There are spiritual themes - it could be thought of as a parable of life. Pi explains convincingly that animals in the wild are not happy because they’re free. (Are we?) Life is an adventure and brings both crisis and delight in unexpected ways. We’re adrift and hoping to be rescued. Whether redemptive or not Life of Pi is a great story. I will not see the movie as it would get my adrenalin going way too much.

Blessings, Dottie