bookshelves: to-read
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bookshelves: to-read
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bookshelves: currently-reading
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bookshelves: currently-reading
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Lindsay
added a quote:
"It isn't possible to love and to part. You will wish that it was. You can transmute love, ignore it, muddle it, but you can never pull it out of you. I know by experience that the poets are right: love is eternal." — E.M. Forster
"It isn't possible to love and to part. You will wish that it was. You can transmute love, ignore it, muddle it, but you can never pull it out of you. I know by experience that the poets are right: love is eternal." — E.M. Forster
bookshelves: currently-reading
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After finishing "The Scenic Route," I was in the mood for another story of unexpectedly finding love while traveling. While making a tour of Italy with her trying cousin, Lucy Honeychurch does more than look at art and architecture. She encounters Mr. Emerson and his son George whose unconventional words and action cause her to practically flee to Rome and the arms of the insufferable know-it-all Cecil Vyse. Their engagement is celebrated by some and secretly considered disappointing by others; though Lucy initially accepts the pattern of conformity, Forster gives her the opportunity to follow her spirit and her heart.
Forster's short work (short by 19th Century novel standards) is packed with fascinating characters and some truly forward-thinking ideas. The changing classes, disillusionment with religion, the role of women - these subjects and more take a prominent position in this text. I feel as though I could read this book ten times and still find new avenues to explore and different views to consider. ]]>
In the current age of recession and double digit unemployment percentages, the catalyst of Sylvia's story rings of the familiar: she loses her job. However, rather than gathering her pennies and unemployment checks like a squirrel preparing for a long winter, she drops everything and runs to Italy. Everything she is running from unfolds elegantly throughout the course of the story, but what she is unexpectedly running toward takes the shape of Henry. An American expat and kept man, Henry rambles through Europe while his wife busies herself with her latest point of fascination. Sylvia and Henry become amicable, romantic travel companions and the reader is invited to climb into the back seat as they wend their way from town to town, telling stories and sharing experiences. Sylvia's past in particular comes into relief through the course of their road trip through these stories that flow with the conversation, not necessarily in chronological order, but rather by subject, inspiration, and memories.
Kirshenbaum makes no secret of the fact that their journey must come to an end at some point; the foreknowledge is seared into the very first sentence of the first chapter. However, this disclosure adds an awareness of passing time that gave the pacing of the novel an interesting texture. I very much enjoyed this unique perspective and getting to know Sylvia more in the style of a developing friendship rather than feeling as a voyeur spying on her every move and thought. Peppered through the story are italicized associations, words or phrases that clearly remind Sylvia of slogans, characters, and sayings she has encountered. Although our brains function this way, rarely do we say them aloud and I found the inclusions very distracting from the fluidity of the reading - rather annoying in a way painfully reminiscent of advertisements for the search engine, "Bing." That aside, I enjoyed my ride alongside Sylvia and Henry, and would urge this as a good choice for the beach or a day stuck inside with crummy weather. ]]>
I was once a devoted follower of "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series. I enjoyed the lighthearted mystery and the chance to catch a glimpse of a different culture through the eyes of endearing characters, but I have not picked up the last two books because I have found them a bit repetitive and formulaic. "Baking Cakes in Kigali" in some ways felt like the beloved McCall Smith series, but with fresh faces and deeper stories. Angel Tungararza, a cake maker from Tanzania, moves with her husband and grandchildren to Rwanda, and the story is driven by the people who come into her life to order cakes. We hear their stories and how their lives become woven together through shared experiences and acquaintances. The scars of atrocities in Rawanda's past are acutely felt in this novel - Parkin fictionalizes the stories she heard while working there. She manages to discuss very serious topics such as genocide, HIV/AIDS (here simply called "the virus"), and female genital mutilation, but does so with respect and care.
Part of what I enjoyed so much about this book, apart from the wonderful characters that populate its pages, was that Parkin manages to address these potentially depressing, horrifying subjects while maintaining a tone of hope and renewal. This was a relatively quick read for me and I looked forward to picking it up every night. I was a little sad to say goodbye to these characters because I truly cared about their futures and found myself hoping that they would be alright after I turned the final page and placed the book on the shelf. This book has mass appeal and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who has enjoyed "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency." ]]>