bookshelves: books-i-own, california, childrens-lit, historical-fiction
This beautiful and sensitive story, wrapped up in the progress of the fruits of the Earth, is one that both children and adults can enjoy. It is full of struggle and pain, but also patience and hope.
I love the family interactions, the realistic growth of Esperanza's understanding of her place in life, and the obvious love for the land that warms every page. I highly recommend it, especially as a relevant topic of awareness in this day and age. ]]>
bookshelves: fiction, like-movie, regency, romance, wishlist
This rich and thought-provoking regency novel was a wonderful look into 19th century England, especially regarding the Northern counties that don't make it into romances as often as London society does. It is one of those books where the descriptive environment is very well balanced with the plot, making both more interesting for being so well combined.
It is also unique in creating, in my opinion, a male protagonist that is even more interesting and complex than the female. You could compare John Thornton & Margaret Hale very effectively to both Mr. Rochester & Jane Eyre, and to Mr. Darcy & Elizabeth Bennet. If you liked either of those books, I highly recommend this one. ]]>
bookshelves: fiction, mystery, romance
There isn't much to say about this book - it was the standard, stereotypical religious romance fiction, clean and mildly entertaining, but rather over-exaggerated. ]]>
bookshelves: books-i-own, childrens-lit, fantasy, illustrated, like-movie
This book was alright, but as I was expecting much better, I was rather disappointed. There was very little over-arching storyline to tie together the individual vignettes in each chapter, nor did there seem to be much purpose or significance to Mary's coming and going. They had some fine times together (although some, like the birthday party, seemed to be slightly dark), but I could never see what would make the children like Mary much or learn from her. ]]>
bookshelves: bios-memoirs, non-fiction, wishlist
This book is absolutely fantastic. I enjoyed it even more when I realized that there were additional notes at the end of the book - I highly recommend following up on them at the end of each chapter.
Anyway, the book: I loved how Bodanis managed to make all the "science stuff" understandable and interesting without ever feeling like it was "dumbed-down" or patronizing. The best part is the Bodanis is a great storyteller. I felt bogged down a big with all the names, but it was really interesting to realize how much politics, religion, romance, wars, and family relationships played into some of the most incredible discoveries of the 19th and 20th centuries.
I recommend this book to readers of all ages and backgrounds, and will definitely be reading it again. ]]>
bookshelves: bios-memoirs, educational-fiction, historical-fiction
This is a profound portrayal of the life of Michelangelo - a fascinating illustration of the early years of 16th-century Italy, as shaped by the creative genius of several of the most influential artists in history. I enjoyed so much about this book: the application of historical events relative to Michelangelo's various works of art, the cultural and linguistic richness that Stone conveyed in his writing, and the sheer epic scale of such a portrait.
There were, however, several things that I did not like about it, which makes it rather hard for me to heartily recommend. First and foremost, I was completely disappointed in the fact that, although Stone explains that his sources include "the entire body of Michelangelo's four hundred and ninety-five letters, . . . records and art contracts, translated into English," as well as an extensive bibliography, there were absolutely no footnotes. The book is written in an intensely personal style, which made the story more interesting, but left me constantly wondering what was literal fact versus interpolation or pure fabrication.
Another drawback: I would rate it PG-13 for repeated instances of innuendo and sexuality. ]]>
bookshelves: animals, bibliophilia, fiction
If we were allowed half-stars, I think I would have given it 3.5. There were enough great things about it to round it up to a 4, but I've gone back and forth a lot on how I should rate this book. There were things I absolutely loved about it: Callie's feisty little personality is darling, and I loved following along with her scientific explorations that were so aptly matched to a precocious 11-nearly-12-year-old; her relationship with her brothers was refreshing and fun, especially the special bond she shared with Harry; the way she blossomed under her grandfather's tutelage; the cultural richness that Kelly injected into the little town of Fentress; even the cover art is fantastic.
On the other hand, there were things that drove me crazy about it, too. There were times when the plot lagged, there is some language (mostly from the grandfather) and casually mentioned violence that would make me leery of recommending it to a pre-teen, and - for crying out loud - if an author feels it necessary to talk about people relieving their bursting bladder, could she please not interject that during a hushed and profound scene right at the end of the book? Callie's sassy independence seems stretched rather thin near the end, too, making her seem a little whiny. Most of all, though, I was bothered by the lack of closure at the end. It's as if Kelly ended the book with the caterpillar still in the cocoon. While disappointing, however, none of these things ruined the book for me. ]]>
Angela
added a quote:
"Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really." — Jacqueline Kelly
"Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really." — Jacqueline Kelly