Linda C. Wright's Blog, page 7
April 10, 2017
The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean
The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean
There was a time when I too was crazy about orchids. Not quite as crazy as LaRoche but enough that I was familiar with the people and places he ran up against in his dealings. During the time The Orchid Thief takes place, I lived in Delray Beach, home of the American Orchid Society. I had a backyard with colorful orchids hanging from every available tree branch. I loved my orchids but I didn't love them enough to go traipsing through a remote swamp teaming with mosquitos, snakes and alligators in search of a rare ghost orchid.
The Orchid Thief tells the true story of obsession with these rare and beautiful plants. The book tells many interesting tales of the Everglades and South Florida. The Seminole Indians also played a large role in the development of the area. LaRoche, the orchid thief, was just another nut, one of many that live in sunny Florida and creates the centerpiece of the story.
I had read The Orchid Thief once before, several years ago, and remember enjoying it. But this time it seemed sluggish to me. Susan Orlean is a journalist and the book is written in a journalistic style which is much more dry and to the point than a work of pure fiction. Or maybe since I moved north to Melbourne out of the fray that is South Florida, the characters didn't hold as much appeal. Or I might just be a little bit like LaRoche in that once my obsession is over, I'm done.
There was a time when I too was crazy about orchids. Not quite as crazy as LaRoche but enough that I was familiar with the people and places he ran up against in his dealings. During the time The Orchid Thief takes place, I lived in Delray Beach, home of the American Orchid Society. I had a backyard with colorful orchids hanging from every available tree branch. I loved my orchids but I didn't love them enough to go traipsing through a remote swamp teaming with mosquitos, snakes and alligators in search of a rare ghost orchid.
The Orchid Thief tells the true story of obsession with these rare and beautiful plants. The book tells many interesting tales of the Everglades and South Florida. The Seminole Indians also played a large role in the development of the area. LaRoche, the orchid thief, was just another nut, one of many that live in sunny Florida and creates the centerpiece of the story.
I had read The Orchid Thief once before, several years ago, and remember enjoying it. But this time it seemed sluggish to me. Susan Orlean is a journalist and the book is written in a journalistic style which is much more dry and to the point than a work of pure fiction. Or maybe since I moved north to Melbourne out of the fray that is South Florida, the characters didn't hold as much appeal. Or I might just be a little bit like LaRoche in that once my obsession is over, I'm done.
April 2, 2017
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson
This story starts out in the toilets of Soweto and propels us around the globe only to land hanging out with the King of Sweden on a potato farm. This book is a hysterical farce where everything can go is certain to go wrong. It is pure fun from start to finish.
Nombeko is a poor girl in the ghettos of South Africa who has a head for figures. Her mind is always calculating where and what to do next. And she has patience, plenty of it, to wait for her next golden opportunity.
Alternately we are in Sweden immersed in the lives of twin brothers, Holger One and Holger Two. Their father has a grand plot to destroy the King of Sweden. Part of his plan involved registering the birth of only one of his sons so the other would not exist. The flaw in that however was that Holger One was quite stupid and Holger Two, brilliantly smart.
As you can imagine, Nombeko gets involved with an atomic bomb in South Africa that also doesn't exist and lands with the bomb in tow in the Holgers back yard in Sweden. One unbelievable event leads to another and another and another.
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden is just plain fun. You never know what awaits on the next page and and no matter what you are anticipating, you will most certainly be surprised.
This story starts out in the toilets of Soweto and propels us around the globe only to land hanging out with the King of Sweden on a potato farm. This book is a hysterical farce where everything can go is certain to go wrong. It is pure fun from start to finish.
Nombeko is a poor girl in the ghettos of South Africa who has a head for figures. Her mind is always calculating where and what to do next. And she has patience, plenty of it, to wait for her next golden opportunity.
Alternately we are in Sweden immersed in the lives of twin brothers, Holger One and Holger Two. Their father has a grand plot to destroy the King of Sweden. Part of his plan involved registering the birth of only one of his sons so the other would not exist. The flaw in that however was that Holger One was quite stupid and Holger Two, brilliantly smart.
As you can imagine, Nombeko gets involved with an atomic bomb in South Africa that also doesn't exist and lands with the bomb in tow in the Holgers back yard in Sweden. One unbelievable event leads to another and another and another.
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden is just plain fun. You never know what awaits on the next page and and no matter what you are anticipating, you will most certainly be surprised.
February 20, 2017
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
I've discovered lately that I'm drawn to reading modern classics, like John Steinbeck, Thomas Wolfe and Carson McCullers. Their prose is rich and smooth, engaging as well as captivating. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter revolves around a diverse array of characters whose lives intersect while interacting with John Singer, a deaf man. He allows them to bare their souls without offering any criticism or comment.
Mick Kelly is a 12 year girl experiencing all those adolescent changes. Mr. Singer rents a room in her family's home. Dr. Copeland is a black physician who is so driven to improve his race at the expense of driving away his own family. Jake Blount is intent on spreading his communist mindset in order to save the world. Biff Brannon owns the cafe where the others appear at different times for a drink, or a meal or in Mick Kelly's case, a cold coke.
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is about the diversity in our country that still exists for us even in our current society. The story is set in the South in the 1940's but it makes it apparent that our differences in skin color, economic standing, age or disability still often separate us. I'm still thinking about this story, trying to sort it out in my mind. These characters are rich and vibrant, and I'm still trying to understand what drives them. More than a half a century later, our struggles still exist and we are still searching for answers. For me, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is classic novel that is relevant in modern times. The book has the ability to make me think, maybe reading it should be a must if we are to come together again as neighbors, friends and fellow Americans.
I've discovered lately that I'm drawn to reading modern classics, like John Steinbeck, Thomas Wolfe and Carson McCullers. Their prose is rich and smooth, engaging as well as captivating. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter revolves around a diverse array of characters whose lives intersect while interacting with John Singer, a deaf man. He allows them to bare their souls without offering any criticism or comment.
Mick Kelly is a 12 year girl experiencing all those adolescent changes. Mr. Singer rents a room in her family's home. Dr. Copeland is a black physician who is so driven to improve his race at the expense of driving away his own family. Jake Blount is intent on spreading his communist mindset in order to save the world. Biff Brannon owns the cafe where the others appear at different times for a drink, or a meal or in Mick Kelly's case, a cold coke.
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is about the diversity in our country that still exists for us even in our current society. The story is set in the South in the 1940's but it makes it apparent that our differences in skin color, economic standing, age or disability still often separate us. I'm still thinking about this story, trying to sort it out in my mind. These characters are rich and vibrant, and I'm still trying to understand what drives them. More than a half a century later, our struggles still exist and we are still searching for answers. For me, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is classic novel that is relevant in modern times. The book has the ability to make me think, maybe reading it should be a must if we are to come together again as neighbors, friends and fellow Americans.
The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler
The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler
Macon is the author of a series of travel guides specifically for business travelers so they can make their limited time in a city as comfortable as possible. After the senseless murder of his 12 year old son, Ethan, while away at summer camp, Macon finds his marriage and his life falling apart. When his wife moves out of the house, Macon is left with Ethan's untrained dog, Edward, as his only company and when Edward's usual kennel refuses to board him because of his bad behavior, Macon ends up at the Meow Bow. There he meets Muriel, the quirky dog trainer, who attempts to get him back into reality.
Anne Tyler is the master of character development. As a writer myself, I've read other novels she's written just to study the characters. Macon and his siblings eat potatoes at each meal. All lack a sense of direction and usually become lost while running their regular errands. And then their mother shows up in her flowing caftan and armful of bangle bracelets. The family is a study in contrasts.
It's these kinds of things that I love about this book. The story is funny and often comical which serves to help the characters overcome the tragic loss of Ethan. But they never really can, the loss is too deep. Every author finds a way to either tie up the loose ends or leave the ending more open ended much like real life. I have to say however that I hated the ending. But in defense of a book that I mostly enjoyed, I have hated the ending of every Anne Tyler book I have read.
Like every book I read, I try to keep an open mind. Many of my friends loved the ending. The Accidental Tourist is full of interesting people, places and things. Find inside these pages a trip that appeals to you and leave the rest to critics like me.
Macon is the author of a series of travel guides specifically for business travelers so they can make their limited time in a city as comfortable as possible. After the senseless murder of his 12 year old son, Ethan, while away at summer camp, Macon finds his marriage and his life falling apart. When his wife moves out of the house, Macon is left with Ethan's untrained dog, Edward, as his only company and when Edward's usual kennel refuses to board him because of his bad behavior, Macon ends up at the Meow Bow. There he meets Muriel, the quirky dog trainer, who attempts to get him back into reality.
Anne Tyler is the master of character development. As a writer myself, I've read other novels she's written just to study the characters. Macon and his siblings eat potatoes at each meal. All lack a sense of direction and usually become lost while running their regular errands. And then their mother shows up in her flowing caftan and armful of bangle bracelets. The family is a study in contrasts.
It's these kinds of things that I love about this book. The story is funny and often comical which serves to help the characters overcome the tragic loss of Ethan. But they never really can, the loss is too deep. Every author finds a way to either tie up the loose ends or leave the ending more open ended much like real life. I have to say however that I hated the ending. But in defense of a book that I mostly enjoyed, I have hated the ending of every Anne Tyler book I have read.
Like every book I read, I try to keep an open mind. Many of my friends loved the ending. The Accidental Tourist is full of interesting people, places and things. Find inside these pages a trip that appeals to you and leave the rest to critics like me.
January 28, 2017
I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
A couple months ago my book club read Wishin' and Hopin' by Wally Lamb. A few of the members raved about his other books, although they found them quite different from his Christmas story. Based on this recommendation, I selected I Know This Much is True and dowloaded it to my Kindle without a second thought.
I read on my iPhone during my lunch hour and started this book with great anticipation. The first chapter is quite gruesome but sets the tone for all that is to come. If you can get yourself through the beginning, I'm pretty sure you can get through the rest. I kept reading. And reading. The percent read that my kindle happily tracks for me, barely moved. Day after day I watched my barely existent progress. When I'd had enough I finally checked the statistics of the book. It has a whopping 982 pages! I will be sucking down the battery on my phone for the next ten years reading the story on a 4 1/2 by 3 inch screen. But I persisted.
Thomas and Dominic are twins, one born on December 31st and the other born on January 1st. They are even born in different decades, one in 1959 and the other in 1960. Their mother, Connie is not married but thank goodness her strict Italian father died before he discovered she was pregnant. The boys are never told who their biological father is and both have an very contentious relationship with Ray, their step father, who adopts them as toddlers.
The brothers are angry. The tone of their story is filled with anger because everyone here has issues. Thomas is mentally ill and finds himself living in a variety of mental institutions. Dominic, the supposedly sane twin, is Thomas' self appointed protector. Dominic's life is a train wreck and he blames Thomas for all that is wrong with him.
There is so much going on here, that Mr. Lamb needed those 982 pages. The story blew up slowly until is became a big abscess and it finally burst, letting the infection run freely out. The story ended all tied up in a neat little bow. I couldn't stop reading this book but I wasn't always engaged in this book. I Know This Much is True requires a commitment of time and energy. The treatment of mental illness in this country is spread out for the reader to live and experience. The story is worth reading but beware. It's exhausting.
A couple months ago my book club read Wishin' and Hopin' by Wally Lamb. A few of the members raved about his other books, although they found them quite different from his Christmas story. Based on this recommendation, I selected I Know This Much is True and dowloaded it to my Kindle without a second thought.
I read on my iPhone during my lunch hour and started this book with great anticipation. The first chapter is quite gruesome but sets the tone for all that is to come. If you can get yourself through the beginning, I'm pretty sure you can get through the rest. I kept reading. And reading. The percent read that my kindle happily tracks for me, barely moved. Day after day I watched my barely existent progress. When I'd had enough I finally checked the statistics of the book. It has a whopping 982 pages! I will be sucking down the battery on my phone for the next ten years reading the story on a 4 1/2 by 3 inch screen. But I persisted.
Thomas and Dominic are twins, one born on December 31st and the other born on January 1st. They are even born in different decades, one in 1959 and the other in 1960. Their mother, Connie is not married but thank goodness her strict Italian father died before he discovered she was pregnant. The boys are never told who their biological father is and both have an very contentious relationship with Ray, their step father, who adopts them as toddlers.
The brothers are angry. The tone of their story is filled with anger because everyone here has issues. Thomas is mentally ill and finds himself living in a variety of mental institutions. Dominic, the supposedly sane twin, is Thomas' self appointed protector. Dominic's life is a train wreck and he blames Thomas for all that is wrong with him.
There is so much going on here, that Mr. Lamb needed those 982 pages. The story blew up slowly until is became a big abscess and it finally burst, letting the infection run freely out. The story ended all tied up in a neat little bow. I couldn't stop reading this book but I wasn't always engaged in this book. I Know This Much is True requires a commitment of time and energy. The treatment of mental illness in this country is spread out for the reader to live and experience. The story is worth reading but beware. It's exhausting.
January 16, 2017
Illumination Night by Alice Hoffman
Illumination Night by Alice Hoffman
Andre and Vonnie are struggling to make ends meet while raising their young son, Simon. Little do they know however, how much their lives will change when their elderly neighbor, Elizabeth decides she can fly and falls from her roof. This event sets in motion the arrival of Jody, Elizabeth's granddaughter, who is banished to the small town by her mother, to take care of grandma. Jody is a teenager with plenty of oats to sow, and quickly sets her eyes on Andre, well just because she thinks she can do whatever she feels like.
As the chaos heats up between Andre and Jody, Vonnie is stricken with severe panic attacks. She can't leave the house and spends hours a day driving her truck up and down the muddy driveway desperately trying to break through her imaginary bubble. Adorable little Simon, is trapped between the comings and goings of all of the adults.
Alice Hoffman does a great job of developing a diverse cast of characters and weaving their actions together. I enjoyed this book for the most part. The one thing that bugged me however, is why the title was Illumination Night. The lighting of lanterns played a very small part in the story. And I didn't feel that any of the characters found "illumination" by the end. Only Jody moved on, every one else simply moved back into a pre existing comfort zone.
Illumination Night is not my favorite Alice Hoffman novel but it's high on the list and worth the time I invested in it.
Andre and Vonnie are struggling to make ends meet while raising their young son, Simon. Little do they know however, how much their lives will change when their elderly neighbor, Elizabeth decides she can fly and falls from her roof. This event sets in motion the arrival of Jody, Elizabeth's granddaughter, who is banished to the small town by her mother, to take care of grandma. Jody is a teenager with plenty of oats to sow, and quickly sets her eyes on Andre, well just because she thinks she can do whatever she feels like.
As the chaos heats up between Andre and Jody, Vonnie is stricken with severe panic attacks. She can't leave the house and spends hours a day driving her truck up and down the muddy driveway desperately trying to break through her imaginary bubble. Adorable little Simon, is trapped between the comings and goings of all of the adults.
Alice Hoffman does a great job of developing a diverse cast of characters and weaving their actions together. I enjoyed this book for the most part. The one thing that bugged me however, is why the title was Illumination Night. The lighting of lanterns played a very small part in the story. And I didn't feel that any of the characters found "illumination" by the end. Only Jody moved on, every one else simply moved back into a pre existing comfort zone.
Illumination Night is not my favorite Alice Hoffman novel but it's high on the list and worth the time I invested in it.
January 8, 2017
The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry
The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry
First off, my thanks to NetGalley for an advance reading copy of The Fifth Petal. I remember reading The Lace Reader many years ago and wanted to give this new novel by Ms. Barry a try.
In 1989, on Halloween night in Salem, Massachusetts, three young women were brutally murdered while trying to honor their ancestors who were hanged in the Salem Witch Trials. The women were known as the goddesses and carried a dark secret. The child of one of the women, Callie survived, along with the goddesses's mentor and local historian, Rose.
The murders remained unsolved and the case cold, until another suspicious death on Halloween night, in the town of Salem, happens some thirty years later. Enter John Rafferty, the police chief, who is now married to Towner, a gifted lace reader. Callie, now a grown woman and a music healer, returns to Salem to help uncover the truth.
I enjoyed the parts about Salem and the witch trials. From a historical perspective, I found there was a lot to gain from this book. I felt there were many holes in the plot of the story though. I found myself backtracking a few pages too many times to pick up the current story thread. That is never a good thing. The characters didn't make me want to care about them. For example, Callie and her love affair were flat and unemotional, sparking no romantic engagement from me.
If you're a fan of Salem, or like witches and mystery, then I think you will find a lot to like in The Fifth Petal. I want to be fully invested with the characters in the books I read, and even though I learned about a piece of history, I just didn't get there with the rest of the story.
First off, my thanks to NetGalley for an advance reading copy of The Fifth Petal. I remember reading The Lace Reader many years ago and wanted to give this new novel by Ms. Barry a try.
In 1989, on Halloween night in Salem, Massachusetts, three young women were brutally murdered while trying to honor their ancestors who were hanged in the Salem Witch Trials. The women were known as the goddesses and carried a dark secret. The child of one of the women, Callie survived, along with the goddesses's mentor and local historian, Rose.
The murders remained unsolved and the case cold, until another suspicious death on Halloween night, in the town of Salem, happens some thirty years later. Enter John Rafferty, the police chief, who is now married to Towner, a gifted lace reader. Callie, now a grown woman and a music healer, returns to Salem to help uncover the truth.
I enjoyed the parts about Salem and the witch trials. From a historical perspective, I found there was a lot to gain from this book. I felt there were many holes in the plot of the story though. I found myself backtracking a few pages too many times to pick up the current story thread. That is never a good thing. The characters didn't make me want to care about them. For example, Callie and her love affair were flat and unemotional, sparking no romantic engagement from me.
If you're a fan of Salem, or like witches and mystery, then I think you will find a lot to like in The Fifth Petal. I want to be fully invested with the characters in the books I read, and even though I learned about a piece of history, I just didn't get there with the rest of the story.
January 2, 2017
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
I have loved this book since the first time I read it! And I've read it more than once. This time however, I listened to it on CD. I loved Lily, August and Rosaleen even more when their voices came to life. And I disliked T Ray even more when I heard him yelling "Jesus Christ, Lily". And he said that a lot.
On her fourteenth birthday, the motherless Lily decides accompany Rosaleen, her black housekeeper, who plans to register to vote. Lily doesn't bother to tell her always angry father, T Ray, where she is headed. He didn't remember her birthday anyway so what would have been the point. The racial divide of the south in the 1960's sets in motion events that will change Lily and Rosalyn's lives forever.
The Secret Life of Bees shows the reader all that is good in the world while trying to make sense of all that is bad. Through the eyes of a teenager, life takes on a naive and often highly emotional slant. But the Boatwright sisters welcome Lily into their home and as they teach her the business of bees, she learns that life can be filled with the sweetness of honey.
There is much in this novel that is pertinent to the struggles we are facing in society today. So if you haven't read it, please put it on your list. And if you've read it, please listen to it. The Secret Life of Bees is more than special, it's extraordinary.
I have loved this book since the first time I read it! And I've read it more than once. This time however, I listened to it on CD. I loved Lily, August and Rosaleen even more when their voices came to life. And I disliked T Ray even more when I heard him yelling "Jesus Christ, Lily". And he said that a lot.
On her fourteenth birthday, the motherless Lily decides accompany Rosaleen, her black housekeeper, who plans to register to vote. Lily doesn't bother to tell her always angry father, T Ray, where she is headed. He didn't remember her birthday anyway so what would have been the point. The racial divide of the south in the 1960's sets in motion events that will change Lily and Rosalyn's lives forever.
The Secret Life of Bees shows the reader all that is good in the world while trying to make sense of all that is bad. Through the eyes of a teenager, life takes on a naive and often highly emotional slant. But the Boatwright sisters welcome Lily into their home and as they teach her the business of bees, she learns that life can be filled with the sweetness of honey.
There is much in this novel that is pertinent to the struggles we are facing in society today. So if you haven't read it, please put it on your list. And if you've read it, please listen to it. The Secret Life of Bees is more than special, it's extraordinary.
December 31, 2016
Happy New Year 2017
As I do each year, what follows are my favorite books of 2016. I've read many end of year book lists and like always, I don't know half of the books on any of the lists. And I read a lot! Goodreads has me at 60 books in 2016. This year I've taken up listening to books in the car, reading during my lunch break at work on my iPhone and the old standby, in bed at night before going to sleep. Ahhh.
I love books, books and more books. So here we go!
Most entertaining - Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn. This is a trip through the land of panagrams and is absolutely delightful.
Most disappointing - Truly, Madly, Guilty by Lianne Moriarty. I love to read Lianne Moriarty novels. They are funny, serious, fast paced and about women and their relationships with those around them. It took everything I had to get through this one. Not up to her usual standards.
The best novel come to life - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows. I had a wonderful opportunity to visit Guernsey this summer and even took the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society tour. We visited all the spots in the book and learned even more about the German occupation. Fabulous story set in a wonderful place.
Funniest - Razor Girl by Carl Hiaasen. I heard Carl Hiaasen speak at the Vero Beach Book Center , had him autograph my copy of the book and even had my picture taken with him. He is a hoot! I've lived in Florida for 36 years so the absurd Florida humor he writes is hysterical and real!
Most Inspirational - Big Magic Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert. I read the book and listened to it in the car. I learned so much about how to let my creative juices flow. I am going to get my writing career off the ground in 2017!
Best Classic - There's a three way tie here. Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. The reason these books are called classics is because the stories they tell will never grow old and the the lessons we can learn from them are timeless.
Best book about love and kindness - A Man Called Ove by FredrikBackman. Everyone should read this story about how love and kindness to our neighbors can change lives. Ove shows us all what the true meaning of life really is.
Books are the windows into our souls. So read a little more in 2017 and see how rich your life can become when you lose yourself in a new world or feel the warmth of a character's heart.
Have a happy, healthy and prosperous new year! 2017 promises to be a good one!
I love books, books and more books. So here we go!
Most entertaining - Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn. This is a trip through the land of panagrams and is absolutely delightful.
Most disappointing - Truly, Madly, Guilty by Lianne Moriarty. I love to read Lianne Moriarty novels. They are funny, serious, fast paced and about women and their relationships with those around them. It took everything I had to get through this one. Not up to her usual standards.
The best novel come to life - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows. I had a wonderful opportunity to visit Guernsey this summer and even took the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society tour. We visited all the spots in the book and learned even more about the German occupation. Fabulous story set in a wonderful place.
Funniest - Razor Girl by Carl Hiaasen. I heard Carl Hiaasen speak at the Vero Beach Book Center , had him autograph my copy of the book and even had my picture taken with him. He is a hoot! I've lived in Florida for 36 years so the absurd Florida humor he writes is hysterical and real!
Most Inspirational - Big Magic Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert. I read the book and listened to it in the car. I learned so much about how to let my creative juices flow. I am going to get my writing career off the ground in 2017!
Best Classic - There's a three way tie here. Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. The reason these books are called classics is because the stories they tell will never grow old and the the lessons we can learn from them are timeless.
Best book about love and kindness - A Man Called Ove by FredrikBackman. Everyone should read this story about how love and kindness to our neighbors can change lives. Ove shows us all what the true meaning of life really is.
Books are the windows into our souls. So read a little more in 2017 and see how rich your life can become when you lose yourself in a new world or feel the warmth of a character's heart.
Have a happy, healthy and prosperous new year! 2017 promises to be a good one!
December 26, 2016
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J K Rowling
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J K Rowling
I first saw this title while in Heathrow airport this summer, browsing through the bookstore before my transatlantic flight home. A little boy explained to me that it was a play on the London stage. His father bought him a copy to keep him occupied in their long flight. I figured I could get it stateside and not have to lug it in my already souvenir filled carryon. So I added it to my reading list.
I'm a Harry Potter fan but not so much of a fan that I would rush out to buy and read his latest installment on release day. In Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Harry is grown up, married to Ginny with children of his own. His son, Albus attends Hogwarts and the sorting hat has put him in Slytherin! Horrors! Thus the name "cursed child". Hermione and Ron also have children at Hogwarts. She has a high profile job at the Ministry and Ron is busy creating new jokes for the joke store. Even Draco Malfoy gets in on the act when his son, Scorpius befriends Albus on the Hogwarts Express.
I found this story only ordinary, not exciting. The young wizard gets into a bind when he finds it difficult to follow in his father's famous footsteps. The father struggles to be a good role model to his son since he never knew his own. And a wizard of the dark arts tries to trick them all in order to get something she wants. This play requires the reader to have a vivid imagination in order to recreate the places and people in Harry's young life since it is a script of the play, not a novel. In the end, I found Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to be somewhat entertaining but very, very predictable.
I first saw this title while in Heathrow airport this summer, browsing through the bookstore before my transatlantic flight home. A little boy explained to me that it was a play on the London stage. His father bought him a copy to keep him occupied in their long flight. I figured I could get it stateside and not have to lug it in my already souvenir filled carryon. So I added it to my reading list.
I'm a Harry Potter fan but not so much of a fan that I would rush out to buy and read his latest installment on release day. In Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Harry is grown up, married to Ginny with children of his own. His son, Albus attends Hogwarts and the sorting hat has put him in Slytherin! Horrors! Thus the name "cursed child". Hermione and Ron also have children at Hogwarts. She has a high profile job at the Ministry and Ron is busy creating new jokes for the joke store. Even Draco Malfoy gets in on the act when his son, Scorpius befriends Albus on the Hogwarts Express.
I found this story only ordinary, not exciting. The young wizard gets into a bind when he finds it difficult to follow in his father's famous footsteps. The father struggles to be a good role model to his son since he never knew his own. And a wizard of the dark arts tries to trick them all in order to get something she wants. This play requires the reader to have a vivid imagination in order to recreate the places and people in Harry's young life since it is a script of the play, not a novel. In the end, I found Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to be somewhat entertaining but very, very predictable.
