Anika’s Comments (group member since Dec 25, 2011)

Anika’s comments from the Reading with Style group.

20.29 G46, Set in: Germany, Guatemala, Greece, or Georgia

The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix

This was not your typical graphic novel.
The art was spare and haunting, entirely colored in red, black, teal, and white (if you've ever played the board game "Secret Hitler," you'll be familiar with the color scheme--and I know that game sounds awful, but it's downright thrilling when you finally find and stop the fascist bastard).
It's so hard for me right now to read about the seeds of fascism taking root (it's a little too real in the world right now), but it was a beautiful testament to the many people who saw Hitler and his cronies for what they were and tried to stop him, even unto forsaking their lives.
I had never heard the name Dietrich Bonhoeffer before, but I am so glad to have heard his story of bravery, faith, and sacrifice.

+20 Task
+5 Review

Task total: 25
Season total: 855

B 1, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 27
N 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 43
G 46, 49, 52, 53, 56, 60
O 61, 63, 65, 68, 74

20.28 N33, Title has 3+ Ns

American Ronin by Peter Milligan

More noir, man this has been one dark summer in my brain.
At least this one had a decent message, one that keeps popping up in different stories I've been reading: empathy is the key to this whole living thing.
The way it told the story though, holy cow--dark and twisty and sci-fi and Tarantino-on-steroids. A ronin in feudal Japan was "a wandering samurai who had no lord or master"--the American Ronin was a super-human created by a corporation to do its bidding but he escapes it (the whole "no lord or master" part) and decides to take the corp down. Only he's not the only genetically modified super-human and now he has a monster on his tail...


+20 Task
+5 Review

Task total: 25
Season total: 830

B 1, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 27
N 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 43
G 49, 52, 53, 56, 60
O 61, 63, 65, 68, 74

20.27 I19, Author's first name is Ian/Iain, Isaac, Ivan/a, Isabel, Iris

We Trade Our Night for Someone Else's Day by Ivana Bodrožić

Set in Croatia after years of political upheaval, violent racial war, and unbridled corruption, this is touted as an "extraordinary noir page-turner" which a lot of people loved...but I found it so confusing. The way it bounced around between time lines and story lines and maybe it's because I listened to it that there wasn't clear definition of what was what, maybe there was stuff lost in translation, in any case I didn't love. I never had a strong sense of any of the characters, didn't feel any connection or urgency about the story. Not my jam.

+20 Task
+5 Review

Task total: 25
Season total: 805

B 1, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 27
N 35, 36, 38, 39, 43
G 49, 52, 53, 56, 60
O 61, 63, 65, 68, 74

20.26 B5, Biography, Autobiography, Memoir

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei

I've always been vaguely aware of what happened to Japanese-Americans after Pearl Harbor, but it was so powerful to hear the story as told by someone who lived it.
I hate that America keeps making the same awful, emotion-driven mistakes over and over throughout its history...this past week especially has driven that home. I just keep hoping, as Takei did, that there are still good people out there...his hope, grace, and fortitude after everything he went through in the internment camps was inspiring and comforting to say the least.

+20 Task
+5 Review

Task total: 25
Season total: 780

B 1, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18, 20, 27
N 35, 36, 38, 39, 43
G 49, 52, 53, 56, 60
O 61, 63, 65, 68, 74

20.25 O68, Author's name does not contain an "O"

Bad Mother Vol. 1 by Christa Faust

What? More noir and this one set in the suburbs with a soccer mom as the protagonist? Yes, please!
You definitely don't expect much from April, the slightly overweight, middle-aged wife and mother who has dedicated her life to supporting her family, so much so that she's near invisible.
But you don't poke the mama bear...with her husband out of town and her son away for the weekend, her daughter disappears and the cops don't take it seriously. April takes things into her own--very capable--hands. This was Tarantino-level badass, noir elements creeping in where you're not expecting them. I loved every second of this.

+20 Task
+5 Review
+50 Fifth Bingo: B1, I20, N36, G60, O68

Task total: 75
Season total: 755

B 1, 6, 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18, 20, 27
N 35, 36, 38, 39, 43
G 49, 52, 53, 56, 60
O 61, 63, 65, 68, 74

20.24 G60, Book published in the '60s

The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side by Agatha Christie

Even the title of this one evokes a strange and ominous, cinematic atmosphere...Marina Gregg, a glamorous Hollywood actress, has moved into town. She and her husband have purchased Gossington Hall (scene of the crime in The Body in the Library ) and have an open house to meet the town. Heather Badcock is particularly excited to meet the her idol--she'd met her once before and was excited to renew the acquaintance. Too bad for Heather that this party is to be her last.
The story was fast-paced with great characters (the more I read of Miss Marple, the more I'm enamored of her) and just enough red herring to make for a fabulous mystery.

+20 Task, pub 1962
+5 Review
+5 Oldies

Task total: 30
Season total: 680

B 1, 6, 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18, 20, 27
N 35, 36, 38, 39, 43
G 49, 52, 53, 56, 60
O 61, 63, 65, 74

20.23 N36, Not a Novel

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

This is my favorite of the comedies, but every time I reread it I remember how much the Claudio/Hero situation makes me NUTS. I get so blinded by the delightful Benedick/Beatrice banter that it overshadows the inanity of the rest of the story.
WHY would Don John disguise himself to propose his suit instead of Claudio himself doing it?! WHY would you take the word of the untrustworthy, dastardly Prince John over the virtuous Hero? WHY in the world would Margaret be okay with her lover loudly calling her "Hero" and list all the things they've done together in flagrante delicto? And, seriously, WHY does the friar suggest a fake death for the heroine...that didn't work out so great for Juliet, just saying.
Despite my annoyance with that fiasco, Beatrice/Benedick and Dogberry make up for it to make this the perfect finale for my festival.

+20 Task
+5 Review
+5 Oldies, 1598

Task total: 30
Season total: 650

B 1, 6, 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18, 20, 27
N 35, 36, 38, 39, 43
G 49, 52, 53, 56
O 61, 63, 65, 74

20.22 I20, Author born in the '20s

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

The Durrells (mother and four children) decide to take a house in Corfu, as one does, to escape the dreadful English weather. Bouncing from house to house, the family is a menagerie unto itself, then you add in Gerry's animal obsession (water snakes in the tub, scorpions in matchboxes, dogs underfoot everywhere, magpies absconding with everything) and the whole house feels like a zoo. This is what I imagine Dr. Doolittle would have been like in his childhood. It was a fun rollick, a snapshot of a simpler time with an eccentric, enchanting family.

+20 Task, author born 1925
+5 Review
+5 Oldies, pub. 1956

Task total: 30
Season total: 620

B 1, 6, 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18, 20, 27
N 35, 38, 39, 43
G 49, 52, 53, 56
O 61, 63, 65, 74

20.21 B1, Title has 1 word

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

No Anika-curated Shakespearean festival would be complete without the dour Dane. This play has everything: my favorite language, my favorite story line, my favorite doomed "heroine", contains a play-within-a-play which I always enjoy, and the bawdy "lower class" characters never fail to amuse (even when it's pretty dark humor, as with the gravediggers here). It also makes the most sense of any of the plays I've read this year...there are no absurd situations that make me want to scream, "BUT WHY?!" (as with Midsummer's Night and Much Ado).

+20 Task
+5 Review
+5 Oldies, pub. 1601

Task total: 30
Season total: 590

B 1, 6, 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18, 27
N 35, 38, 39, 43
G 49, 52, 53, 56
O 61, 63, 65, 74

Joanna wrote: "@Anika

If you liked the idea of the characters in the books having their real lives when the books aren't being read, allow me to recommend the The Eyre Affair and the rest of the boo..."

Thank you! I read The Eyre Affair yeaaars ago and forgot about the series...I'll need to revisit :-)

15.20 B6, BEARDS

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult

I kept seeing the banners for this one on Goodreads (thought it was going to be an upcoming series...nope: they were pushing the musical...I need to pay more attention to those things, I guess) and this has been on my TBR for a while so I decided now was as good a time as any... I've loved other books by Picoult, but this was a serious departure--it was her daughter's book idea, her characters, her plot, and her daughter "co-wrote" it. Yeah. It definitely reads like a book written by a sixteen-year-old.
I love the concept: when a reader closes the book, the characters go on with their "real" lives...pursuing their hobbies, falling in love with their true hearts' desires rather than the people dictated by the Author, having sometimes menial sometimes meaningful conversations which have nothing to do with the Author's narrative.
Prince Oliver is dissatisfied with the narrowness of his life, of having to jump into character every time his book is opened, of having to fall for a princess that he is not at all interested in. One day, he decides to interact with his reader and that is the beginning of this adventure.
It was a fun fairy tale and I would gladly recommend it to my thirteen-year-old niece...but not really for anyone older than that.

+15 Task
+5 Review
+50 Fourth Bingo: B6, I27, N39, G49, O65

Task total: 70
Season total: 560

B 6, 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18, 27
N 35, 38, 39, 43
G 49, 52, 53, 56
O 61, 63, 65, 74

15.19 I27, Main Character Is a Private Eye

Blacksad by Juan Díaz Canales

This was a great noir graphic novel which references Sam Spade, McCarthy era madness, and missed chances at love: all the best aspects of noir...but all of the characters are animals. At first I was wary--really? animals? why!? But in the end I loved it--you know exactly what sort of character you're getting based on the characteristics ascribed to each of those animals. The wily fox is Weekly, the indefatigable reporter. The wise owl, Liebber, is a venerated scientist and erstwhile philosopher. Our eponymous P.I., John Blacksad, is a cat--good thing he's got nine lives cuz he's gonna need every one of them to navigate the dark underworlds he encounters.
Without even intending to, I'm picking up a lot of noir...guess it's gonna be that kind of summer and I am A-OK with it.

+15 Task
+5 Review

Task total: 20
Season total: 490

B 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18, 27
N 35, 38, 39, 43
G 49, 52, 53, 56
O 61, 63, 65, 74

15.18 O65, Title Has Five Words

The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo

This retelling of The Great Gatsby is from the view of Jordan Baker, Daisy's best friend. I was curious to read this retelling, as I recently read The Empress of Salt and Fortune and enjoyed both Vo's writing and her imaginative storytelling.
This one, though...I felt like it was a little..."What if I told Gatsby from a minor character's pov...Jordan's! But what if Jordan was Asian American? Brilliant! Aaaaand...what if she's LGBTQ?! Great! Let's see...maybe while we're at it, we can throw some magic and wizards and dragons and demons in there too. Sure!"
Yeah. It was too much and the kitchen sink to boot. It would have been provocative and interesting if you just incorporated one or two of those elements...by throwing everything in, it felt disjointed and nothing felt fully explored.
Despite all that, the writing was still lovely--Vo can craft a stunning sentence.

+15 Task
+5 Review

Task total: 20
Season total: 470

B 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18
N 35, 38, 39, 43
G 49, 52, 53, 56
O 61, 63, 65, 74

15.17 G49, MPE Page Count 400-499

Toffee by Sarah Crossan

I first read a Sarah Crossan novel in 2017 and the experience has stuck with me to this day. Why in the world I haven't sought out anything else she's written until now is a bit baffling. So glad I picked this up...
Alison has run away from home, so far away she may as well be in another country. She thought she was running to safety, but that safe haven is no longer there and now she's stuck with no friends, no money, and no idea what her next step is.
She finds a shed next to a house that seems abandoned and spends the night there.
The rest of the tale explores what happens to her--both internally and externally--over the coming months.
Quite enjoyed it, even if it didn't have as big an impact on me as did One.

+15 Task
+5 Review

Task total: 20
Season total: 450

B 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18
N 35, 38, 39, 43
G 49, 52, 53, 56
O 61, 63, 74

For G49, I just want to verify that the MPE page count will fit for this task (the book is published under both the names Toffee and Being Toffee so I'm not certain which is considered MPE). Thank you in advance, Elizabeth :-)

15.16 N39, MPE page count 300-399

Ballad for Sophie by Filipe Melo

Oh my goodness...even if you're not a fan of the genre, I would HIGHLY recommend getting your hands on this graphic novel!
Cressy-la-Valois, 1933: Julien and Francois first meet at a piano competition where Francois stuns the crowd with his otherworldly skill, yet Julien wins. It begins a lifelong rivalry--at least on Julien's end.
1997: Adeline, an intern at Le Monde, is sent to interview Julien, who is now old and crochety and notorious for turning reporters away at the door. She is able to recognize a recording Julien is listening to--a recording of Francois--so he decides to tell her his whole story...
The art was lovely, the story was stunning, and I highly recommend it. 5 brilliantly shining stars.

+15 Task
+5 Review

Task total: 20
Season total: 430

B 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18
N 35, 38, 39, 43
G 52, 53, 56
O 61, 63, 74

15.15 O63, "ORPHAN"

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

Next stop on my personal "Shakespearean festival": Athens for the wily midsummer romp. While the confusion of lovers is worth a chuckle (or an eye roll) and the mischief in fairyland is entertaining enough, the best part of Midsummer's Night is the play within a play: the humor is punchy, the cast and rehearsals are hilariously ridiculous, the script is comedic gold, and the commentary by the audience is so nuanced that I catch something different each time I read this play. What a nice break from the heavy tragedy which kicked off my "festival."

+15 Task
+5 Oldies, 1590
+5 Review
+50 Third Bingo: B11, I18, N43, G53, O63

Task total: 75
Season total: 410

B 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18
N 35, 38, 43
G 52, 53, 56
O 61, 63, 74

15.14 G53, Group Reads! (On RwS Bookshelf)

Reputation by Lex Croucher

I really wanted to read this one when it was first chosen as a group read, but I couldn't get my hands on it anywhere. Since then, my library finally obtained a copy and I got to enjoy the romp that was Reputation!
Mix one part Mean Girls with one part Bridgerton, add a pinch of Jane Austen (as long as that pinch contains a bit of Darcy, a fair amount of Harriet Smith, and an unadvised walk in the rain), sprinkle in some illicit "snuff" and you end up with a delightful, irreverent, thoroughly enjoyable story. I can't remember who chose this for the group read, but KUDOS! Well chosen and thank you for the recommendation!

+15 Task
+5 Review

Task total: 20
Season total: 335

B 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18
N 35, 38, 43
G 52, 53, 56
O 61, 74

15.13 N43, Title Has Three Words

Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel by Jason Reynolds

The Rules
1: No crying
2: No snitching
3: Get revenge

Will was playing basketball with friends on the court. His brother and his girlfriend stopped by on their way home. Shots were fired. Everyone hits the ground. When the shots stopped, everyone got up--except his brother, Shawn. Shawn was hit. Shawn died.
That night, Will found Shawn's gun and swore to get revenge. The next morning, he takes the elevator down the seven floors to exit his building to find the shooter and exact his revenge. On every floor, someone joins him in the elevator to help him see the useless cycle of violence and try to convince him to break it.
The art added so much to the story, I'm glad I read it in graphic novel form rather than the original novel, though maybe one day I'll find my way back to the novel itself. 5 stars.

+15 Task
+5 Review

Task total: 20
Season total: 315

B 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18
N 35,38, 43
G 52, 56
O 61, 74

15.12 I18, Inspirational

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

I was going to read this one last summer, but I didn't get my library hold until September 1st...glad I got a chance to revisit it.
The pictures were *gorgeous*, the writing (as in: the calligraphy) was beautiful...the words themselves? Often they were trite, hackneyed Instagram fodder on the level of a cat hanging from a branch with a "Hang in There" caption; other times, they were truly inspirational and heartwarming. Of course, the mole and his obsession with cake was always delightful. I agree with Valerie that this would make a great gift--wish I would have read it before my niece's graduation because it would have been the perfect grad gift.

+15 Task
+5 Review

Task total: 20
Season total: 295

B 9, 11, 12
I 16, 17, 18
N 35, 38
G 52, 56
O 61, 74