If you spend any time on the internet then you're likely already familiar with the author of this graphic novel. Sarah Andersen is the author of the infamous Sarah's Scribbles, which are short relatable and funny comic strips involving a cartooned version of the author. Complete with the author's trademark humour, Fangs is very different from the Scribble's series both in its medium and content. The author takes a familiar concept but with a unique and intimate approach.
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Fangs is a love story between a vampire and a werewolf. The story starts with their first date and then follows their lives as their romance progresses. It's a wonderfully simple concept and story with beautiful results. Each page is a scene in an of its self and presents a moment in time in this unique relationship. Some scenes are dark and reveal glimpses of the monsters that each of them can be but most scenes are cute, quirky, funny, romantic, and just downright delightful.
[image]This modern take on a classic romantic theme details another side to the author's artistry and creative storytelling skills which step outside her previous style of comics. The story is immensely captivating and can speak to a wide range of readers with its content. You don't need to like the supernatural genre to appreciate the story and the characters that the author succinctly builds in this short but engaging graphic novel. The story touches on the nuisances of love and building a long and committed relationship with both its ups and downs, as well as the added intrigue of the supernatural realm and drawing on our natural curiosity of this sort of romance. The novel's presentation and engagement also makes you want to revisit the story again and again. I think my only wish with this story was that it was longer and that I wanted the story to continue further than it did.
If you want to read this book ASAP, as I did, you're in luck. You can read it online completely for free off Tapas. By visiting this site you're also supporting the author so it's a win-win. If you loved the series as much as I did, you can also support the author by purchasing a hard copy of the book. aa
I was surprised at how little hype this book generated considering the popularity of The Hunger Games series. I saw it pop up on Goodreads and thought to myself, how did I only hear about this book now?! The book is a prequel The Hunger Game series and is meant to answer many of the questions fans had about the Hunger Games themselves and the world created by the author. Questions like how The Hunger Games came to be, how the war shaped the districts and how Coriolanus Snow came to be the awful man that is depicted in the series.
The war has recently ended and The Hunger Games is the new punishment that the Capitol has come up with for the uprise of the districts. In its infancy, the contestants of The Hunger Games are not celebrities like they are in the games of Katniss' era. They are starved and tortured and as a result, the districts care little to watch their friends and neighbours suffer on television. Coriolanus Snow is just 18 years old and his family is out of money after the war despite his family's long and illustrious history within the Capitol. He is, however, an excellent student and has been selected to help mentor this year's Hunger Games, something that has never been done before. Coriolanus is initially disappointed as he is given the district 12 girl, Lucy, of which he initially believes that she will have no chance of winning thus effecting his placement and potential scholarship into further schooling as well as the future of his family. However, there is something about this girl as she manages to capture the media's attention with a snake mishap and when she sings and performs a song after her selection. Her ability to win the crowd is intriguing and Coriolanus is nothing if not adaptable and seizes the opportunity to use this to his advantage. He eventually comes to care deeply for his tribute and begins to question the essence of the games and their moral purpose.
I mostly enjoyed this novel. It was interesting to get the back story on The Hunger Games and the growth of Coriolanus Snow however, this book was way too long. It's clear the author was able to get away with a longer novel due to the success of her previous novels. I believe this novel would have been more successful had the story been halved. Further, the characters were not as robust as they were in the other books. Lucy could have been an extremely interesting character but she just fell flat for me and I didn't feel as invested in her as I did with, say, Katniss. I was unsure of her motives and how she was able to trust Coriolanus the way she did. I just did not feel as invested in Lucy's story or in that of Coriolanus' since he true character started to show fairly quickly and if you've read the remainder of the series, you already know what type of person he becomes which steals some of the intrigue this story could have had.
I think the fans of The Hunger Games series were hoping for something that was equally as good and exciting and I, unfortunately, don't think this novel quite met that need. If you are a fan of the series, however, this book is still worth reading especially if you had questions or wanted to know more about the history around The Hunger Games. aa
Book 26, I never thought I'd make this far in the series. Salvatore has recently published his 33rd book in the Legend of Drizzt series, meaning that I still have a comfortable number of books for my guilty pleasure series to fall back on for at least a little while longer.
Drizzt continues on with his companions to free Pwent before continuing their journey towards Mithral Hall. The Orcs, driven by the manipulative Dark Elves, are rallying to start a major battle against, well, everyone. No one yet knows the threat that's coming. Drizzt still wonders if the whole expedition is the right thing to do but he owes it to his friends. Jarlaxle makes another appearance again as well as he attempts to reunite with Drizzt and his friends while also trying to avoid getting to caught up in the Dark Elve's plans.
Regis was by far the most badass character in this novel and I hope that we get to see his character continue to expand. Dragons also make another appearance in this book adding some much-needed excitement to the plot. Despite that, this story felt a little muddy, as have the last few books in the series since the Companions have returned. I feel less invested in the majority of characters or the reemerging battle that is coming against the Orcs again, a plot point I never thought needed to be brought up again. I'm not convinced that Bruenor and Cattibrie are correct about the Orcs and I'm disappointed that the Many-Arrows plot is continuing this way.
Here's hoping the last book of this particular trilogy will bring what the last two books have lacked. I'm also excited to get to some of the newer books that Salvatore has published in this series as I think they will have the vigor and passion that these last few books are missing.
"Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the s
"Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain."
4/5 stars. Hardcover, 138 pages. June 9, 2020 to June 11, 2020.
I was gifted a copy of this book from a friend who could passionately recite lines of the poetry composed inside of it. She spoke so eloquently that I was instantly hooked by the words and wanted to read this book for myself.
The author, Kahlil Gibran, was an American-Lebanese poet who is most known in the English-speaking world for this book and has become one of the best-selling poets of all time. Even though many of Gibran's works were not originally written in English, this one included, his execution and skill lend itself wonderfully into English translation, giving the feeling that you are reading the story as it is meant to be read. The Prophet was published in 1923 and has since had more than 163 different editions in print.
The prophet Almustafa is about to leave the city of Orphalese where he has lived in exile for the last twelve years. Its people are saddened to see him leave and ask him to speak before them before he leaves them. Each chapter is a poetic essay in which he speaks on a variety of topics, from love, religion, prayer, marriage, death, pain, children, and more.
The simplicity, wonder, and beauty of the advice that the prophet gives is one that transcends any religion or belief as it touches the root of human experiences. Each topic touches on something that is uniquely human and are situations and qualities that we can all relate to. The chapters are accompanied by Gibran's own artwork bringing to life the words in each chapter. He was a man of many creative talents.
“Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.”
This book, in some ways, is what poetry should be. It's not complicated, you don't have to decipher its meaning, and its content is accessible by everyone who wants to read it. Poetry often gets a bad rap for being highfalutin and pretentious making it a genre of books that many people don't want to read or haven't enjoyed reading in the past. Gibran had humble beginnings and his work is a testament to his humbleness. Poetry can be resoundingly beautiful, soul-touching, and thought-provoking without being complicated. The Prophet and its popularity is a testament to that.
The Prophet is also the type of book that can be revisited numerous times as its words and lessons never lose their potency and can serve as wonderful reminders in times of difficulty or uncertainty. I particularly enjoyed the sections on love, marriage, children, pain and death and I am sure will serve as helpful reminders when I need them. This is also the type of book that doesn't need to be read in entirety or in one sitting, as each chapter is unique and can stand on its own. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is apprehensive of poetry or for someone looking for inspiration in everyday life.
"If we are to understand “evil” at all, we must think of it as a word—an emotional word—we use to describe actions performed by other humans that we e
"If we are to understand “evil” at all, we must think of it as a word—an emotional word—we use to describe actions performed by other humans that we experience as breathtakingly horrible, shocking, and, often enough, nauseating."
4/5 stars. ebook, 304 pages. Read from June 18, 2020 to June 20, 2020.
I'm an avid follower of a book site called Book Riot. They publish frequent articles on anything book related. I stumbled across a headline that instantly made me want to read it, called "The Most Disturbing Book I Have Ever Read". I love disturbing books so I wanted to see if it was a book that I hadn't read it and sure enough it was. The Road Out of Hell was this particular contributor's vote for most disturbing read. I had vaguely heard about the Wineville murders, probably on some true crime documentary that I watched. The author of this article sold me and I instantly went and put the book on hold at my library.
In the mid-1920s, Sanford Clark was 13 years old when his peculiar uncle, Gordon Stewart Northcott, convinced his deranged and abusive mother that it was a good idea for him to leave his home in Saskatchewan, Canada and go and work with him on a "chicken farm" in Los Angeles in the US. The minute Sanford left the home his mother practically forgot him and his uncle began to show his true colours and intentions. For the next two years Sanford suffered unimaginable sexual abuse and trauma at the hands of his uncle. It became clear to Sanford that the chicken farm was a ruse for his uncle to carry out despicable acts on young boys like himself and get away with it. Gordon Stewart Northcott kidnapped, raped and killed an estimated 20 boys, though he was only convicted for a handful. Sanford was mortifyingly forced to help with some of the acts by providing his uncle's victims with meager food and water, locking them away from visitors or helping dispose of their bodies. Sanford realised he would only live as long as he proved useful and endured the screams he heard night after night and felt immense guilt and relief when the abuse wasn't being centered at him. After so much abuse, trauma, and manipulation, Sanford eventaully resigned himself to his fate believing his he was trapped and could not be saved. He was was looking forward to when his uncle would finally kill him... Thankfully his sister Jesse never ever gave up on him.
Gordon Steward Northcott finally got caught for his crimes when he made the mistake of killing a young white boy named Walter Collins of whom he had an acquaintance with. Up until then, Gordon had been praying on migrant Mexican boys whom unfortunately the authorities would not have looked to deeply into when they went missing or were never reported to begin with. The movie The Changeling, starring Angelina Jolie is about the murder of Walter Collin's as Angelina Jolie's character plays Christina Collins, Walter's mom, as she searches for her missing son. Gordon's family knew about what he did and covered for him, with his mother actually assisting in one of his heinous murders. Gordon and his family attempted to escape but were eventually caught in September of 1928. Sanford bravely testified against Gordon in court and helped sentence Gordon to death by hanging in October 1930. The media attention and the gravity of these horrific crimes caused the town of Wineville to change its name to Mira Loma.
This story isn't about Gordon though, this story is about Sanford and how he managed to beat all the odds of the trauma he experienced. After being rescued from the chicken farm after Gordon and his family fled, Sanford was lucky to have a people on the police force looking out for him. Sanford was put into a rehabilative youth program for his parts in assisting in some of Gordon's crimes, despite him being a victim himself, but the program proved to be extremely useful in keeping Sanford busy and helping him heal from the ordeal. He made a promise to the investigator that he wouldn't become a criminal statistic of those who have had to endure major trauma like he did. Sanford set out to lead a normal and productful life and he succeeded. Marrying the woman of his dreams and have the continued support from her and his sister Jesse through his darkest days, Jesse became a humble, hardworking, and kind person who raised two sons. He even served in WWII. Sanford passed away at the age of 78 in 1991 having fullfilled the promise to the policeman who showed him kindness and believed in him. The promise that kept him going during his darkest days.
This story is one of struggle and triumph. The novel puts the focus on Sanford and not on Gordon, as it should. The abhorring scenes that Sanford endured are tastefully described by the author in shocking detail that really makes you feel like you are in Sanford's shoes. The author masterfully put Sanford's life together from his teens to the end of his life. The content in this book is so chilling it's hard to believe that it really happened as it's a surreal read that is as engaging as a piece of horror fiction. I could not put this book down.
This novel is, by far, the best true crime novel I've read to date and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves the genre. However, if you're sensitive to scenes of rape and trauma, this book may not be for you. While the ultimate outcome of this book is positive, trauma is still takes a up a large part of this story.
This book doesn't read like your standard fitness book, the author is really funny and has a way to keep you engaged from page to page with her anticsThis book doesn't read like your standard fitness book, the author is really funny and has a way to keep you engaged from page to page with her antics and relatable pole struggles and jokes.
5/5 stars. ebook, 447 pages. Read from April 14, 2020 to May 27, 2020.
One of my most recent obsessions in this last year is a fitness endeavour that does not get the credit it deserves. Pole dancing. Now many of you probably instantly associate this activity with stripping, and you're not wrong as the root of pole dancing did originate in that trade but for most people partaking in the sport today, it is not because they have ambitions to be strippers. Pole dancing is an amazing workout, an insane confidence booster that I would recommend for everyone to try at least once, and on top of that, it's just so much fun! Pole dance usually branches out into two streams, pole sport, which is done without high heels and focuses on acrobatics, and the exotic stream which pays tribute to the sport's roots with sexy dance moves and impressive tricks done in mile-high heels or boots.
I took a trial class with a friend and was enticed by the immense challenge of this intriguing sport. I had absolutely no dance experience and when I started and no flexibility either but I've since become obsessed and I'll be the first to tell you that it's waaaaaay harder than it looks. Pole requires an immense amount of strength and flexibility. The people who make pole dancing look easy are extremely fit individuals and I dream of being able to perform some of the advanced tricks. This is where this book comes in. One of the first of its kind, the author uses her personal training knowledge of body mechanics to put together a strength and conditioning book specifically for pole dance. That may not sound like a big deal but there really isn't anything out there for pole dancers and the muscle requirements and stresses are so specific for pole that this book details the muscle groups that need to be worked on for the specific moves and abilities that you're hoping to achieve.
[image] This is me doing Gemini or left leg hang.
The book is broken down into different sections. One that goes over muscle mechanics and gives you appropriate tests to see where you are in order to advance in pole dancing. The book includes links to videos and has great pictures and instructions. Further, the author then gives you the tools to come up with your own program based on your current abilities and with what strength and flexibility moves you're looking to achieve. What's more, is that this book doesn't read like your standard fitness book, the author is really funny and has a way to keep you engaged from page to page with her antics and relatable pole struggles and jokes. She is also immensely relatable as she discusses her own struggles with certain moves and the things that she struggles with and is quick to remind you that every pole dancer has a few nemesis moves and everyone's pole dancing path is different.
Overall, if you're into pole and you want to improve and get stronger you're going to need a book like this and I would highly recommend picking up a copy. You can get a physical copy of the book or an e-version off the author's website The Pole PT.
“Nothing, but nothing, will block the awareness of anger so effectively as guilt and self-doubt. Our society cultivates guilt feelings in women such t
“Nothing, but nothing, will block the awareness of anger so effectively as guilt and self-doubt. Our society cultivates guilt feelings in women such that many of us still feel guilty if we are anything less than an emotional service station to others.”
4/5 stars. ebook, 256 page. Read from May 20, 2020 to June 2, 2020.
I don't get angry. At least, not by what would you define as anger. I don't even really know how to identify anger in my self as it automatically turns inner shame, guilt, and tears after many years of repressing it. What's sad is that I'm not alone in this. So many women find themselves in adulthood without the ability to properly acknowledge, manage, and deal with anger that they've been quietly but forcibly told to subdue their whole lives.
"Why are angry women so threatening to others? If we are guilty, depressed, or self-doubting, we stay in place. We do not take action except against our own selves and we are unlikely to be agents of personal and social change. "
Angry women are bitches, unapproachable, threatening, and above all, never taken seriously, at least this is the message we are taught from a very young age. Our anger is shaped internally so that it doesn't come out and eats at our insides. I never thought a book published in the 80s would still be so relevant to today.
“Nothing, but nothing, will block the awareness of anger so effectively as guilt and self-doubt. Our society cultivates guilt feelings in women such that many of us still feel guilty if we are anything less than an emotional service station to others.”
This book is still in print for a reason as women are still grappling with societal norms in a changing world. What I enjoyed about this book is that the author gives a variety of examples of women dealing with anger and how it is affecting their relationships, either with a spouse, family member, child, or in a work setting. The author details how women often express their anger and the disservice that it does and how to change that dynamic.
The author talks about over and under-functioning dynamics in relationships and how identifying that can help you determine where your energy needs to be directed. For example, oftentimes women are the overfunctioners in relationships and may carry the emotional weight in a marriage. When the woman recognizes that the worry is not her's to carry in a given situation with her spouse, as the choices of her spouse are out of her control, the shift of worry is given back to the spouse. These shifts can be tumultuous as people are resistant to change, even if its change that is desired. The spouse may become anxious and stressed because the spouse was doing all the worrying for him about this given issue and that pressure caused him to previously distance or defend himself. Now, since the woman has backed off, he must deal with that given anxiety himself.
“We cannot make another person change his or her steps to an old dance, but if we change our own steps, the dance no longer can continue in the same predictable pattern.”
This is just a very simple example, as the author goes into specifics about a variety of relationship dynamics and how often times the anger we feel and the blame we try to place is often our own. We are angry but the other person we're angry at is comfortable with the arrangement, so who is truly responsible for our anger and who is the person that's really able to bring about change? It's a simple concept but often one we're not able to recognise when we're involved in it. Recognising relationship dynamics such as these allows women to acknowledge their anger by putting the energy back into themselves instead of being overly emotionally involved in others.
The book itself is concise and details relationships in a balanced manner that portrays both genders perspectives appropriately and in a variety of different family dynamics. It's not a self-righteous book by any means but it is able to identify the unique position that women often find themselves in. Now that I've read this book, does this mean that I'll able to get angry in a healthy manner now? Not necessarily but this book has provided me with some understanding that will help me acknowledge the roots of my anger, in whatever form that it appears in, and the central part that I play in it when it comes to my personal relationships.
I would recommend this book to women who find themselves full of self-doubt when it comes to decisions and conflicts so that they can turn that guilt into what it really is, anger, and learn to find a healthier approach and create more balanced relationships with yourself and others.
What were you doing when you were 14 years old? I'm sure it wasn't trying to overthrow the influence of Communist China in your home country. Unless yWhat were you doing when you were 14 years old? I'm sure it wasn't trying to overthrow the influence of Communist China in your home country. Unless your name is Joshua Wong, that is.
5/5 stars. ebook, 256 pages. Read from May 12, 2020 to May 13, 2020.
Hong Kong is my current home and while I am an expat here, I have a serious love and passion for this country that has given me so much. I have lived here for the last four years and I have seen Hong Kong and I have witnessed first hand, its people fight for their right to their identity, culture, and democracy. It's been a humbling experience and it has made me extremely proud of the people here and of the place I call my current home. Hong Kong's history is rife with being taken over by others and Hong Kongers have had enough.
A quick summary of Hong Kong's history so that you have a base premise for this novel. Hong Kong was a British colony for 156 years and was handed over back to China in 1997. This handover was not something that Hong Kong people asked for or had any say in the matter. Can you imagine growing up in a democratic country to all of a sudden being handed over to a communist government? Mass migrations of Hong Kongers left their home during this time afraid of what the Chinese government might turn their home country into by robbing them of their democratic rights. Many Chinese people fled from China to Hong Kong after the Tiananmen Square incident in 1989 in search of a transparent government that valued democratic freedoms so there was a big concern about what Hong Kong would become after the handover. A deal was made between the British and Chinese governments called the Sino-British Joint Declaration and it was decided that until 2047, Hong Kong would work under a "one country, two systems " principle with the premise to maintain some of Hong Kong's freedoms and make for a smooth transition to whatever it is that China wants for Hong Kong. It was at this time Britain pretty much washed their hands of Hong Kong. Things seem unchanged, at least for a little while, but the Chinese government bided its time and eventually began to press their agenda onto Hong Kong. Hong Kong is no longer a democracy and the facade that China has tried is no longer being tolerated by the people in Hong Kong.
"Hong Kong is a city that isn't British and doesn't want to be Chinese, and its need to assert a distinct identity grows by the year."
This book is a coming of age story about a boy and his country. At the age of 14, Joshua Wong started a movement to stop China from forcing its education system into Hong Kong and succeeded. In 2011 the Chinese government subtly decided that it was time for Hong Kong to have similar education standards as the mainland and introduced the Moral and National Education (MNE). What this would mean is that the students would be learning the same curriculum as those on the mainland. While that may not seem like much, it was a way for China to start moulding the youth of Hong Kong to their beliefs and political stances. For example, mainland students do not learn about the Tiananmen Square incident, meaning that the Chinese government lies to their people to save face and hid from their serious mistakes. Isn't that horrifying? Hong Kongers at the time had become complacent and weren't paying attention to the freedoms that they were slowly starting to lose and if it weren't for Joshua and those involved in Scholarism, Hong Kong might be in a very different place right now.
The story doesn't stop there as the Joshua discusses his activism through the Umbrella Movement in 2014 with the aim to give Hong Kong universal suffrage, a movement that may have failed to bring about its aim but was successful in bringing awareness to Hong Kongers and to the world. He shares his journal during his political imprisonment over the 2014 movements, how those involved with Scholarism created a political group that was successfully voted in only to later be kicked out by the Chinese government. Joshua also discusses the latest events of the Extradition bill protests that shook Hong Kong for months during 2019. The Extradition bill was a bill that would allow the Chinese government to arrest anyone on Hong Kong on suspicion of a crime and have you transported to mainland China, a sketchy proposition considering China's poor reputation with human rights and questionable judiciary system. Hong Kongers exploded onto the scene with protests by the millions in one of the largest leaderless movements in political history. When the government didn't listen, over, and over again, the movements became more radical but shaded in comparison to the violent approach taken by the government and police. In the end, the extradition bill was removed and considered "dead" by Chief Executive Carrie Lam.
[image] June 16, 2019. Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Image Credit: SCMP
Joshua is immensely humble, intelligent, and well-spoken. He's an outspoken and down to earth person who has a love for video games, anime, and his country. Joshua's passion for his country, people and beliefs oozes out of this book, even in translation. He is a testament to how young people can create change. His book summarizes the Hong Kong political system and its current political strifes in a way that's easy to digest. The biggest take away that Joshua wants to make with this book is that what happens to Hong Kong matters not only to its people but to the world. If Hong Kong fails to fight off one of the biggest regimes in the world, it means that the rest of the world's freedoms are at stake too. China is a bully and if they are not made accountable they will continue to push other countries around. Hong Kong's plight is the world's plight. Joshua was TIME magazine's Most Influential Teens of 2014 and was nominated for its 2014 Person of the Year; he was further called one of the "world's greatest leaders" by Fortune magazine in 2015 and nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 along with a few others from his team. His latest efforts include the signing of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 with the US in support of Hong Kong's pro-democracy campaign.
I'd recommend this book to every local and expat in Hong Kong, to those that want to know more about the situation in Hong Kong, and for those that care about freedom.
I guess I scheduled this wrong? Sorry it's late! This is book number three for me of the five finalists from this year's Canada Reads 2020. Radicalized is the one novel of four short stories in the final five this year. I better hurry up with the last two as the debates are approaching fast!
Each story in this novel is based around the characters doing something 'radical' in a futuristic or dystopian setting, hence the title. It's an interesting look into what being radicalized means in our current society and political atmosphere.
Unauthorized Bread: 4/5 stars A highly unique refugee story that highlights the difficulties of making it in a new country that doesn't really want you. What makes this story so interesting is that in this futuristic setting, companies that make basic home appliances have patents on what can be used in them. For example, a toaster that can only process bread from the same company. A group of immigrants starts jailbreaking their appliances when the company goes bankrupt so that they continue to use them which could, in turn, result in them getting kicked out of the public housing tower that they worked so hard to get into. I really enjoyed the flow of this story and the development of the main character. The focus on the toaster and the ridiculous premise of only being able to use branded bread is not only entertaining but highlights some of the circumstances and frustrations that are not easily obvious to others or escapable for refugees.
Model Minority - 2/5 stars A superhero story with a twist. Imagine that Superman started getting involved in some of the deep-seated racial issues between police and people of colour and then realising his help isn't wanted. The white people don't want him interfering with their system and some of the black people that he tries to help see him as someone who tries to do good but makes things worse. A great concept but I felt it wasn't executed very well.
Radicalized - 5/5 This story was the one that really impressed me and would get me to read more by Doctorow. A normal family of three is devasted with the news that the wife has cancer. Despite paying a decent amount of money for health insurance the insurance company denies a treatment that might save her. The husband joins a Facebook group for people in a similar scenario to get some support as he struggles to cope. Miraculously, his wife goes into spontaneous remission and is completely cleared of her cancer. The husband continues to help and maintain the support group that helped him in his darkest hours. Unfortunately, as frustration and numbers in the group grow, members of the group become radicalised and start bombing insurance offices. The man tries his best to stop members from committing the acts but also does nothing to report the acts he can see coming. This story really grabs you as you truly feel the plight of the family as you really lean towards the decisions that they make.
Masque of the Red Death - 3/5 stars A rich dude builds the ultimate apocalypse bunker and carefully selects the people he wants to join him. A certain set of single women and people with other assets and connections. He enjoys building the bunker and treats the whole thing as a bit of a game as he strives to have the group see him as the ultimate leader. He has one rule for his group of people and it's that they can bring no others. This, of course, will backfire on him.
I think what I liked most about this selection is that it touched on a variety of interesting issues and subjects, making it, in my opinion, one of best contenders to meet the 2020 Canada Reads theme of one book to bring Canada into focus. The book touches on some hot Canadian topics involving race, immigration, refugees, privilege, classism and privatized health care while also making for an engaging read. Out of the three books from the finalists I've read, this one is my current favourite. We will see how it stacks up against the last two.
I've been a bad reader lately and have found myself behind on my books. I've finally finished what is number four out of five of the Canada Reads 2020 finalists. The debates themselves have been postponed so I have some time to catch up at least. Alayna Fender will be defending this novel when the debates resume.
Following a first-person narrative rotation of Newfoundland locals, Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club highlights what it's like to work and live within the small province. Needless to say, it doesn't paint a happy picture. All the characters know each other and the quick-paced narrative jumps from one character to another while depicting intimate scenes from all their unique perspectives. To highlight a few of the characters: Iris, a self-sabotaging waitress, loves John but he is married. John works with Iris and thinks only of himself and won't end their affair despite the pending consequences and damage its causing Iris. Georgina is married to John, she was looking for something completely different after the heartbreak of her last partner. Olive is Iris' roommate who is barely holding on after experiencing severe sexual trauma. Damien, who also works with Iris and John, is suffering from a broken heart after Tom left him and can't stop drinking and doing drugs. Each character is bound with these similarities, that they grew up in poverty in a small and socially confined bay of Newfoundland.
“No one says it is okay to feel hurt. No one says anything. Everyone just goes on living. We all go on living until we lose more of each other. And then we are made lesser.”
I have to say, I think the current atmosphere has affected my feelings on this novel. The characters are great and so is the writing but it isn't what you'd call a happy story. In fact, it's very dreary and the world feels a bit too dreary right now due to the Covid-19 virus. I'm sure that this has played a factor into me not rating this novel higher as I did really appreciate the writing style and concept. This book also isn't for everyone. The characters ooze with inescapable sadness and desperation. There are also many triggers for those that have suffered from sexual assault within the book. While it's brought about tastefully and while highlighting the culture that perpetuates it, the content is still graphic. Interestingly, the author highlights both sides of the one major assault that takes place in the novel.
What I liked the most about this novel was how nicely it laid out some of the aspects of rape culture and the thought process behind it. The inner worthlessness and lack of control felt by the female characters and the confusion of the male characters who in the patriarchial workings of entitlement, poverty, and suffering in a small town were never taught to understand or empathise. What's more, is that I could relate to some of the inner conversations that some of the female characters had with themselves with the endless people-pleasing and being trapped in that cycle of never feeling good enough constantly weighing them down.
I do wish I had read this book at a different time but who is to say that my rating of the book would change. Is this the one book to bring Canada into focus? Perhaps. It gives a voice to those that struggle to live out in the beautiful East coast. It's not easy to make a living out there. The book also discusses rape culture, drug and alcohol abuse, and the treatment of people who are of mixed ethnicities, all of which are prevalent issues facing Canadians. We will have to see how this one stands up in the debates.
This is book number two of the five for me in the Canada Reads 2020 contenders. I best get reading a bit faster if I want to have all five read before the debates in March! I have always wanted to read Eden Robinson, in fact, I'm pretty sure one of her books was part on my required reading list in one of my university classes back in the day and I still didn't get around to reading her (oops)! At least I'm making up for it now.
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Kaniehtiio Hornwill be defending Son of a Trickster in the debates this March. I adore Kaniehtiio Horn so it will be interesting to see how she does in the debates.
Son of a Trickster starts off in a seemingly normal, albeit tragic and raw, fashion as it details the coming of age of a young First Nation teen named Jared. Despite his fraught and complicated family life he does try his best to do the right thing and has a genuinely good heart and tends to get by with his sarcasm and fantastic pot cookies when shit hits the fan. This part of the story really depicts some of the First Nation's experiences and traumas while also drawing you into a gripping story. There is also a whimsical and magical aspect to this book that is briefly mentioned in the first chapter that you almost forget about until the last quarter of the book.
When Jared was just a boy, his family move away from his one grandmother because she believes him to be the son of a trickster, a wee'git. Jared thinks little of the incident as he grows older and it's never brought up again, even after his parent's separation. However, as Jared's family life starts to unravel he also begins to see things, things that presumably shouldn't be there. At first, he starts to brush them off as bad trips and vows to come off hallucinogens but they continue to happen. His mom and nana finally reveal a secret to him that they've kept and despite their differences, they might be his only hope in protection as these 'hallucinations' become more physical and severe.
I loved the first 75% of this book. Jared's character is immensely funny, gentle, and resilient, however, when the trickster aspects of the book started to take shape the story started to feel a bit disjointed to me. However, having said that, there are some beautiful and poetic sections of writing that Robinson includes in the opening of some the chapters and during some of Jared's visions.
“Close your eyes. Concentrate on your breath. Remember that you were not always earthbound. Every living creature, every drop of water and every sombre mountain is the by-blow of some bloated, dying star. Deep down, we remember wriggling through the universe as beams of light.”
'Son of Trickster' - Eden Robinson
Apparently, this book was meant to be the first in series, which, I could see panning out quite nicely, especially since the magical sections of the book felt like they should have been expanded on more. What I loved about this book was the First Nations experience that it so gracefully touched upon. I felt for Jared and wanted better things for him and his family and was bothered and intrigued by the circumstances that he had to face. The character work on both Jared, his mom, as well as Sarah is amazing as Robinson managed to highlight their traumas without drowning you in it.
Is this the one book to bring Canada into focus? It definitely sheds light on the First Nations experience in the same way that We Have Always Been Here highlights the queer Muslim experience in Canada. Both prominent and important issues but which one will come out on top in the debates? Especially when there are three other books to contend with. Guess we'll have to wait and see!
If you're looking for an uplifting and inspiring read to get your through the COVID-19 quarantine, this is it.
4/5 stars. ebook, 451 pages. Read from MarIf you're looking for an uplifting and inspiring read to get your through the COVID-19 quarantine, this is it.
4/5 stars. ebook, 451 pages. Read from March 24, 2020 to March 31, 2020.
Well, finishing this book wraps up all five of the 2020 Canada Reads finalists for me. I'll post my final thoughts on the five next week. From the Ashes will be defended by George Canyon when the debates resume after the COVID-19 virus settles. Now, let's talk about the amazing story of Jesse Thistle...
"My words belonged to me, they were the only thing I had that were mine, and I didn’t trust anyone enough to share them.”
From the Ashes is the epitome of inspiration. Jesse Thistle overcame some of the worst things a person can endure; parental abandonment, drug addiction, homelessness, sexual assault, trauma, identity loss, and dealing with severe chronic physical pain (*spoiler* he almost loses his leg). Jesse Thistle is of Metis and Cree descent but he didn't always know that. Jesse was raised by his grandparent's after his mother mistakenly left him and his brothers in the care of his drug-addicted father. While Jesse was eventually able to reunite with his mother, he never did see his dad again. Jesse's grandparents were firm but loving but it didn't stop the trouble that Jesse eventually found himself in. After getting caught with drugs at 19, his grandfather accused him of being just like his dad and kicked him out of the family home and barred him from ever returning. Jesse left his home in Ontario and began his homeless life in Vancouver where he abandoned his best friend before ending up back in Ontario. Jesse was homeless for most of his young adult life. While most of us have fond memories of our 20s and early 30s, for Jesse it was a matter of survival, nearly giving up, and then making the choice to live again.
Jesse is now happily married to a woman he knew from his school days who helped him achieve his dream of getting a university degree after he got clean. His studies led him to explore his own family and heritage which then helped him pursue his career in academics. Jesse is now the Assistant Professor of Métis Studies at York University.
If you're looking for an uplifting and inspiring read to get your through the COVID-19 quarantine, this is it. I mean, if a story like this, during a time like this doesn't put life into perspective for you I don't know what will. Imagine being a nobody. Having nobody, no home, no clean clothes, no money, no personal hygiene... You can't, there is no way to truly envision it unless you've lived it the way Jesse had. Jesse's story is surreal, making it all the more shocking that too many Canadians, especially ones of Native or Metis descent, currently live the way he did, most of whom don't escape the tragic lifestyle.
Mr. Thistle's writing is highly engaging, succinct, perceptive, and humble. Feats that many accomplished authors are not able to do, which makes it even more amazing to acknowledge the fact that Mr. Thistle wasn't always exceptional at reading or writing. It wasn't until he started working on his GED while serving time in prison that he began to improve. Despite it being a worn-out saying, it doesn't make it any less true to say that Mr. Thistle is the embodiment of being able to do anything you set your mind to.
Even in Jesse's darkest moments, he held onto some form of code and personal honour in that he refused to deal drugs for the money he needed for his addictions and never took advantage of people he got close to. A rare quality even for those who are not addicts.
Mr. Thistle includes some of his own poetry snippets between the chapters and photos of himself, from childhood, mug shots, as well as family and wedding photos, adding to the heart-tugging emotional depth of this novel.
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Out of all the Canada Reads books I read this year, I can safely say that I enjoyed this one the most. Is this the one book to bring Canada into focus? It touches on topics that have been making waves in Canada such as Native American rights, homelessness, drug addiction, sexual assault, and trauma. The fact that this story has a positive outcome also gives it an edge against the others in meeting the theme. We will have to wait and see what happens when the debates resume. The Canada Reads debates have been postponed until further notice due to the COVID-19 virus.
"Grown-ups, who are supposed to protect their children, are limited by what "best" has felt like to them, based on the circumstances they grew in and
"Grown-ups, who are supposed to protect their children, are limited by what "best" has felt like to them, based on the circumstances they grew in and the privilege they did or did not have. The lines between grown-up and child were often blurred between me and my mom. Her "best" did not look like mine; in fact, it looked like danger. It felt like surrender.
4/5 stars. ebook, 190 pages. Read from January 29, 2020 to February 1, 2020.
Whoop whoop! First book into the Canada Reads 2020 and its started out with a bang. This year Canada Reads brings one collection of novellas, two memoirs, and two pieces of fiction. I started with We Have Always Been Here which is one of the two memoirs heading into the debates. We Have Always Been Here will be defended by Amanda Brugel during the debates taking place from March 16-19th.
Samra spent her childhood years growing up in Pakistan in fear of religious persecution as well as the threat of a highly patriarchal society that stifled her and her family. After being sexually assaulted by a family friend her life became even more restricted. From a young age Samra had a fire in her that couldn't be put out no matter what was thrown at her. When violence started to escalate her family was thankfully able to pack up and flee to Canada to safety. Samra and her family found themselves in a new home where they were not as affluent as they were in Pakistan. Samra struggled as a new immigrant at school and even more so with her identity as she struggled between her conservative family values and a country with a new way of life that she found immensely appealing. Samra is married and divorced, twice, before the age of 25 and goes on an exploratory journey with her own sexuality as she realises her own queerness. Still, Samra is drawn to her religion and needs to find a new way to connect with her church and her family as she blooms into her true self.
"How do you find yourself when the world tells you that you don't exist?"
Samra is now an advocate for the queer Muslim community with her writing and photography to help highlight and bring light to queer Muslims who have been in her situation. Samra's writing is frank and engaging as she details the story of her life without asking for sympathy. Her journey is an empowering one and one that I didn't want to put down. Samra embraces her queerness, femininity, and religion with grace and strength and I thoroughly enjoyed reading her memoir.
Is this the one book to bring Canada into focus? While this is an immensely important topic we will have to wait and see what the other books bring to the table to the debates.
BFRBs affect 1 in 5 people. That means that someone you know is dealing with a BFRB.
5/5 stars. ebook, 216 pages. Read from April 7, 2020 to April 16, 2BFRBs affect 1 in 5 people. That means that someone you know is dealing with a BFRB.
5/5 stars. ebook, 216 pages. Read from April 7, 2020 to April 16, 2020
What is a BFRB you ask? BFRB stands for Body-Focused Repetitive-Behaviours and they include excessive hair pulling (trichotillomania), excessive skin picking (dermatillomania) as well as a bigger spectrum of other repetitive behaviours. If you've never heard of these conditions before and your first reaction is reluctance or disgust, I beg you to do some more reading as chances are that someone close to you is hiding their behaviour due to that exact fear and stigma. I can assure you that these conditions are very real and cause very real trauma for those that have to deal with it.
You don't read a book like this unless you're looking for help yourself. Over the last few years, I've made it no secret about my skin picking disorder and have been actively volunteering with an organization in Canada called the Canadian BFRB Support Network (CBSN) to help others with BFRBs as well as to aide in my own recovery. I also contributed to a book called Project Dermatillomania as well as some blog posts on BFRB Relapses and Dermatillomania Makeup Tips.
Lately, this little demon of mine has started to become a problem for me again and I've realized that I've been denying that fact. I've not talked about it like I used to as I've felt too ashamed to deal with it or acknowledge again.. My last breakthrough with dermatillomania was when I opened myself up to the BFRB community and my loved ones. It was lifechanging. I have to see again that trying to hide or acknowledge these issues again is only going to make my shame grow and is not going to help my progress.
So here I am, being as proactive and forward as I can.
Overcoming Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours is the book that BFRBers have been waiting for. When I first began my BFRB journey, skin picking wasn't even in the Diagnostics and Statistics Manual of Mental Health Disorders and all three of the health professionals I spoke to didn't have a clue about my condition (though they were still pretty helpful). BFRB awareness has come a long way and its thanks to organizations like CBSN and The TLC Foundation for BFRBs for their constant work and dedication. The author of this book as well as the contributors are health professionals and researchers that have worked closely with the TLC Foundation to help learn more about BFRBs and come up with an effective program to help combat and deal with them.
This book talks about the specifics of BFRBs, what makes them different from just a bad habit, what they do to our brains, thought processes and feelings, and how we can try and rewire our patterns of behaviour. The method that Dr Mansueto and his team have found to be effective in working with many people with BFRBs through the TLC Foundation is called the Comprehensive Behavioral Model (ComB), which combines aspects of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Habit Reversal Therapy (HRT).
What makes this book exceptional is that it gives you all the tools you need to tackle your BFRB on your own. Worksheets are provided using a SCAMP model (Sensory, Cognitive, Affective, Motor, Place) to help you determine your very own pattern of behaviour when it comes to your BFRB. The book then gives you to the tools to create an action plan for all the different aspects that you've identified where you engage in your BFRB so that you have real tools to support you no matter how intense your urge. While I've always advocated for 'habit tracking' and have had great success with it before from Annette Pasternak's book Skin Picking: The Freedom to Finally Stop, this particular book is so much more robust as it identifies just how rooted our BFRB behaviours are.
I've restarted the process of tracking my behaviour and I look forward to creating some action plans to help get me back on track. The thing with BFRBs that there is no easy fix. If you have a BFRB like I do, you've probably got years of practising your BFRB so it's going to take a lot of dedication and hard work to break free from your BFRB, but if you're willing to put in the work you will see results with this book.
This book is now my top recommendation to anyone that is battling a BFRB. It's concise, reassuring, easy-to-follow, supportive, progressive, with feasible accomplishments that you can track if you put the work in. If you're fed up and ready to tackle your BFRB head-on, waste no time and pick up this book as soon as possible.
I had never even heard of this book until a few years ago. It kept coming up in a few blogs in lists as one of those life-changing novels that you read in your youth. You know the ones, books like Harry Potter, The Outsiders, The Giver, Speak, Tuck Everlasting, and Where The Red Fern Grows. Perhaps this book was read more in the US than it was in Canada as it didn't reach my repertoire as a kid. I wish, however, it had.
Bridge to Terabithia was originally published in 1977 and follows the story of Jess Aarons. Jess and his family don't have much but he has been training all summer to be the fastest runner in fifth grade. What he doesn't expect is that a new kid, a girl named Leslie, while absolutely whoop him and all the other fifth graders on day one. While Jess was initially annoyed at losing, especially after he trained to so hard, he comes to form a formidable bond with this fearless new girl who has come from the city. The two of them create a magical place called Terabithia at tree past a stream behind Jess' house. It's a magical place that the two of them rule over in which they can dream and imagine. The two, despite coming from very different homes become inseparable. However, a tragedy occurs that changes Jess and their story forever.
“Sometimes it seemed to him that his life was delicate as a dandelion. One little puff from any direction, and it was blown to bits.”
I've read reviews of people who have never forgotten how this book made them feel when they read it as a kid and their utter devastation at the loss of one of the characters, however, I still didn't expect the outcome and was shook when I came to the tragic point in the story. I can see now how devastating a story like this would have been for a kid reading this for the first time as even I was taken back. The story manages to breach the topic of death, loss, and grief in a way that is tangible for a young mind. Unless tragedy touched you in your own youth, chances are you never gave a second thought to death even if you watched or read about it in other mediums. There is something special about this book with the way that death is approached and how the characters cope afterwards that really drives the point home. I could see this book being helpful for a youth dealing with tragedy themselves as it depicts well someone with minimal understanding or experience of death might cope or approach a tragedy. The story encourages deep compassion for people of different circumstances that may not seem to need it at first.
The writing is inviting and the characters enjoyable and relatable, another reason this book is so timeless. We're looking at 40+ years on and this book is still being read and discussed and that is because death and grief are universal. Despite this, we're poor at dealing with death as a society and it's novels like this one provide a useful way for youth to broach and deal with the topic. I would highly recommend this novel if you've not read it before or are looking for a middle-grade appropriate read that discusses, love, friendship, death, and grieving.
“It’s normal to be curious about death. But as people grow up, they internalize this idea that wondering about death is “morbid” or “weird.” They grow
“It’s normal to be curious about death. But as people grow up, they internalize this idea that wondering about death is “morbid” or “weird.” They grow scared, and criticize other people’s interest in the topic to keep from having to confront death themselves.”
4/5 stars. ebook, 240 pages. Read from April 13, 2020 to April 18, 2020.
Anyone else struggling to get reading done during this virus? For whatever reason I find I read more when I'm on the move and busy. I read on the bus and on my lunch but when I'm stuck at home I'm distracted by many other things to fill my time. Obviously, I'm still reading but clearly, it's not been at the same volume. I might have to adjust my reading goal this year...
I had been on the waiting list for this book for a long time at the library after a recommendation from a friend, which speaks to this book's popularity. While I'm currently in mourning myself, this lighthearted and graphic book on corpses and dying might seem inappropriate for me but I figured since so many aspects of death are already on my mind, may as well make it somewhat enjoyable if I can.
This isn't Caitlin Doughty's first successful novel and she is also a successful mortician and funeral homeowner in LA. After getting a lot of interesting questions over the years, mostly from inquiring young minds, Caitlyn decided to write all these curious questions and answers in a book. The tone of the book is a mixture of intrigue with blatant corpse humour along with cute skeleton cartoons that weave between the chapters. Caitlyn doesn't spare any details when it comes to the science and decay of dead bodies. From straight forward questions such as, why we turn colours when we die? To more macabre questions such as why we as species don't participate in cannibalism? My personal favourite questions, however, including wanting to know if you can have a Viking-style funeral, and what would happen if you swallowed a bag of popcorn before death and were then cremated.
“We can't make death fun, but we can make learning about it fun. Death is science and history, art and literature. It bridges every culture and unites the whole of humanity”
Death is universal. Well, with our current technological advances it is anyway. Maybe one day we'll overcome it? Whether or not that's a good idea or not is a whole other ethical debate. Despite death being something we all share, our modern society has no death culture and little support for the grieving. Grieving is something that people are expected to keep private and get over as soon as possible. Grief makes people uncomfortable, sometimes even for the person experiencing it. Why are we so uncomfortable with death? Probably because it terrifies us and we don't know a lot about the process. It's books like this one that help turn fear into intrigue and acceptance. Death is awful. No one wants to experience it, yet we all will. Knowing about the death process and what goes on at funeral homes once the bodies of our loved ones get there is a way to ease the pain of their loss.
Caitlin's writing is scientific, yet approachable. She makes it comfortable to read grisly topics that would make other people squeamish and despite death being a grim affair, she somehow manages to make you laugh at the same time. I mean, someone who can make a Justin Timberlake and a dead body reference in the same sentence has some serious talent.
“I'm bringing body back. Returning corpses, but they're not intact."
*Kids, this is a Justin Timberlake reference. You're fine not knowing who that is."
This book was just what I needed. An easy, interesting read on death. It's the perfect book to pick up during this COVID-19 crisis too, especially if you're in lockdown. This book will help alleviate anxieties during this stressful time. I'll definitely add Caitlin's other book, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, to my reading pile. I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a curious and lighthearted read, even if you're slightly squeamish.
“Why do people have to be this lonely? What's the point of it all? Millions of people in this world, all of them yearning, looking to others to satisf
“Why do people have to be this lonely? What's the point of it all? Millions of people in this world, all of them yearning, looking to others to satisfy them, yet isolating themselves. Why? Was the earth put here just to nourish human loneliness?”
4/5 stars. ebook, 227 pages. Read from December 13, 2019 to December 17, 2019.
You know when you feel like you've run out of books to read despite having many on your shelf in Kobo? When you're just uninspired by the selection of books you currently have available to you? Talk about book nerd problems, hey? Thank goodness for libraries. I was on a trip with the family before Christmas and wasn't impressed with what I had available to me on my Kobo. I had just finished A Chorus of Mushrooms and was in the mood for something by Murakami and my library delivered.
Sputnik Sweetheart is a story about unrequited love, loneliness, and friendship. K is in love with his college friend, Sumire. Sumire is a quirky, creative, dedicated, scattered and an ambitious writer who has never shown any interest in K outside of friendship. In fact, she often bemoans feeling asexual and having never understood the point to sex having never ever felt aroused. The two of them are close however and call on each other often, even in the late hours of the evening. They have an understanding and trust that makes their bond close. Sumire has given herself a set amount of time to create and become the writer that she wants to be but is struggling. During this time she meets an older woman named Miu. Miu is polished, beautiful, and well put-together and Sumire is instantly drawn to her. When Miu offers her a part-time job Sumire accepts it. Sumire quickly comes to understand what it means to sexually desire someone with Miu. Sumire starts to dress nicer and keep a better routine as well as accompany Miu on her business trips. Sumire keeps in touch with K and is honest with him about how he feels for Miu, though nothing has ever happened between them, yet. When Sumire accompanies Miu to Greece and suddenly goes missing, K is the first person that Miu contacts to help find their missing friend.
This book is consistent with Murakami's meditative style with a slight detective twist. I really loved and admired Sumire's character and felt that she was different than the majority of the other female characters that Murakami portrays. For the first time, the woman in the story was not fully sexually active with the main male character and was definitely more dynamically portrayed. While K was technically the main narrator the book was really more about Sumire and her ambitions and desires and I loved that, would love to see more of that in Murakami's works, actually. While I find the ending a bit puzzling it is still none the less beautiful and consistent with what I love about Murakami and his writing style.
“I mutter and mutter and no one to listen. I speak my words in Japanese and my daughter will not hear them. The words that come from our ears, our mo
“I mutter and mutter and no one to listen. I speak my words in Japanese and my daughter will not hear them. The words that come from our ears, our mouths, they collide in the space between us."
4/5 stars. Paperback, 268 pages. Read from December 9, 2019 to December 12, 2019.
A Chorus of Mushrooms is what I would describe as "my kind of book". It's the type of book that details lives and scenarios that I know nothing about, with poetic, imaginative, and dream-like writing, and with words that are in partial or full in translation. There must be something about this 'poetical otherness' that I'm completely obsessed with. Another draw for me in this book is that the town the majority of the book is set in, Nanton, is a town I visited as a kid over many summers. The book also spends time in Calgary, a city I lived in for many years.
A Chorus of Mushrooms details the lives of three different generations of Japanese-Canadians on the matriarchal side and was first published in 1993. The family lives on a mushroom farm in Nanton, Alberta, Canada. The grandmother, Naoe, is very old and requires the care of her daughter, Keiko, and granddaughter, Muriel or Murasaki, as Naoe calls her. The first person narrative switches between Naoe and Murasaki and drifts between different points of time. Naoe knows English but refuses to speak it as her Keiko has abandoned her heritage and culture in order to try and assimilate into their home in Canada. Naoe may no longer be close to Keiko but they still care for each other in their own way. Naoe had a very different life in Japan and thing have not always been easy for her and she is frustrated because she feels she has no one to communicate with that deeply understands her. Despite her age, Naoe decides one day to leave her home in Nanton and in the middle of winter. From there, the story takes a different turn with Naoe making the reader wonder what's real or the wishful imaginings of the author. Murasaki was always extremely fond of her grandmother and recounts her childhood and all the Japanese myths her grandmother used to tell her. After Naoe leaves, Murasaki attempts to fill the emptiness of her grandmother's presence as well as a piece of her identity that has been kept from her by Keiko by attempting to reconnect with her heritage.
This beautiful book won numerous awards when it was first published and it's easy to see why. The book will always continue to relevant as it speaks to anyone looking for their own identities or to anyone who has ever had to establish themselves in another country. Further, A Chorus of Mushrooms is partially autobiographical as Hiromi Goto moved to a mushroom farm in Nanton when she was a toddler and her grandmother used to tell her stories growing up too which I'm sure contributed to the intimate and personal feel of this story. The story itself is simple, elegant, and delicately told with sentences of untranslated Japanese, along with being fiercely feminine and sexually empowering.
I loved this book. Really loved it, as I read most of it in one sitting. It's the kind of book that feels like a comfortable blanket that I'd want to crawl back into again. I would highly recommend this book to literary-fiction lovers, Murakami-lovers, or for those who are looking for something a little different but not too challenging that will still keep you engaged and captivated.
“Grief is different. Grief has no distance. Grief comes in waves, paroxysms, sudden apprehensions that weaken the knees and blind the eyes and obliter
“Grief is different. Grief has no distance. Grief comes in waves, paroxysms, sudden apprehensions that weaken the knees and blind the eyes and obliterate the dailiness of life.”
4/5 stars. ebook, 334 pages. Read from November 26, 2019 to December 4, 2019.
This is the second book I decided to read on grief, not really for myself but with the aims that I would recommend it to a loved one dealing with their own grief. This book has been touted as one of the best books on grief, specifically about spousal grief, of which I hope I never have to experience soon. The first book I picked up on spousal grief was Loon Litt Woon's The Way Through the Woods: Of Mushrooms and Mourningwhich ended up being one of my favourite books of 2019. While I didn't read either of these books for me, they both gave me something invaluable and have helped, even if a little, with my own grief.
Joan and her husband John are experiencing a very difficult time. It's shortly after Christmas and their only daughter Quintana has fallen deathly ill, from what at first appeared to be the common flu but later turned into septic shock. No one is certain if she is going to make it. After a long day at the hospital, the couple comes home. Joan starts a fire and begins to cook them a meal. John gets up from the couch and, just like that, in an instant, he collapses and dies from a massive coronary thrombosis.
“Life changes in the instant. The ordinary instant.”
Joan walks us through her all the disbelief and disillusions she has in trying to cope with the sudden and traumatic passing of her husband in a way that will be all too familiar if you are or have ever dealt with death herself. She calls it the year of magical thinking because it truly took her a year to fully comprehend that her husband was never coming back. Grief is strange and it seems that you're only able to feel so much at a time for a while because it's too overwhelming. You logically know that person has passed but you cling to things that don't make sense anyway. Joan does extensive research about death and grieving to get an idea of what to expect. The information she finds is highly analytical and is an attempt to help make sense of the tragedy she has experienced. This book is not a self-help book that will explain what your feeling or the five stages of grief, but rather a personal story that validates grief along with some analytical research to back it up.
“Grief turns out to be a place none of us know until we reach it. We anticipate (we know) that someone close to us could die, but we do not look beyond the few days or weeks that immediately follow such an imagined death. We misconstrue the nature of even those few days or weeks. We might expect if the death is sudden to feel shock. We do not expect this shock to be obliterative, dislocating to both body and mind. We might expect that we will be prostrate, inconsolable, crazy with loss. We do not expect to be literally crazy, cool customers who believe their husband is about to return and need his shoes.”
There were however, some aspects I didn't connect with while reading this book. Joan and her husband were both writers, successful ones at that too, so there are a variety of specific generational and academic references that I didn't connect with, so I ended up skimming past them. There is also usually large financial stress that often comes with the passing of a spouse that can compound grief further that either wasn't discussed in this story or wasn't an issue for Joan and her family. Perhaps it was a topic that didn't suit the overall tone of this story.
I took a lot from Joan's story and I appreciate the efforts she took to explain and detail her grief so that others in her position can feel a little less alone. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone grieving, no matter what the loss.
I will not rate this book. It is not a book a chose to read for myself and one that I didn't get to finish as it should have. This book means far too much to me now to rate it. I bought this book almost a year to the day for my dad on Father's Day 2019. It was a day that I couldn't physically be present for since I live halfway across the globe from my family currently. It had also just been, at the time, just over a month since my dad was given 6 months to live.
[image] My dad with the book I sent him on Father's Day 2019 eating his favourite cereal and wearing his old-timer team's shirt. We would often get this cereal for him on father's day as a treat because he would always share with us and it wasn't something we were regularly allowed to eat.
My dad was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in August 2018. His cancer had spread to his bones despite him doing all the right things like getting regular doctor's check-ups. Even with the late-stage diagnosis, we all thought my dad would breeze through treatment and we would have a good and solid two or three years with him, especially considering how young and healthy he was, it's what all the doctor's told us too. Unfortunately, after a variety of failed treatments that nearly killed him, twice, he opted to enjoy the remaining time that he had left. Sadly, that time was short, a mere 6 months.
Anyone that has lived with someone who has cancer or has had cancer knows the difficulties. It's something that can't be explained if you've never experienced it. The utter exhaustion, the despair of not being able to do more or relieve the loved one's pain or take their cancer away, the frustration of unfairness, the denial of how bad things will be or are going to get to shelter yourself and the cancer sufferer, and for myself, the guilt of living so far away. I lost count how many times I flew home to support my family between August 2018 and November 2019. Some of those times were terrifying, having almost lost my dad then, while others were wonderful, albeit still difficult as my dad declined. I planned my wedding in two weeks so that my dad could be a part of it in the spring of 2019 and spent a month and a half over that same summer with my family.
It was during that summer I spent with my family that I started to read this book aloud to my dad. He rested while I read and sometimes my sister would come and sit and listen too. I had never read aloud to anyone, I can't even remember what gave me the idea to do it. As I read this great story of Murray Howe recapping his childhood and talking about what a legendary man his father was, I couldn't help but make associations with the qualities of Gordie and my dad.
My dad loved hockey and most team sports. He played football growing up, was even a quarterback despite his small stature. For most of his adult life he played baseball in the summer and hockey in the winter, he was also a runner. We ran our first marathon together. My dad was a leader who had a sense of justice and fairness that couldn't be taught. He was passionate and caring about people so it was no surprise that he was a leader in nearly everything that he did. He was a manager of a credit union for nearly 40 years, he was the president of my swim team when I was a kid, he coached my sister and I baseball and soccer, and he would eventually come to run the old-timers hockey team that he played on for more than 20 years. Past his professionalism, he also had an endearing and absolutely goofy sense of humour that followed with a kindness that is hard to come by. My dad would help anyone.
[image] My dad and I at the Kelowna Marathon, October 2012.
Gordie Howe wasn't only a good hockey player, he was a man of honour and he lived his life by his own code. Each chapter in this book is an example of a lesson that Gordie taught his son as he exemplified it in his own life. As I read the remarkable story of Gordie Howe's life to my dad and the impact Gordie had on so many people, I couldn't help but think of the lives that my dad also touched throughout his life and how my own dad lived honourably. Some passages were beautiful and really struck me, to the point where I had to swallow tears to continue reading. Sadly, I only made it to page 98 before my dad passed away, a page that will forever be bookmarked.
[image] My dad at The Heritage Classic in 2011.
My dad passed away at the age of 58 in November 2019. All the people he loved most in the world were present in the room when he passed. It was peaceful. It was beautiful. We were lucky. Murray Howe wrote an amazing tribute to his father. Murray may not have been the hockey player his dad or brothers were but he is a fabulous storyteller. This book came to be while Murray was writing his father's eulogy and it was a source of inspiration for me when I also wrote my own father's.
[image] My dad; happy, handsome, and healthy. As he should be remembered.
I wasn't sure I wanted to but in December 2019, I decided to finish this book. Not only did it help remind me of happier times with my dad but it also helped to remind me of the lessons that my own dad taught me and process some of my own grief. It's only been seven months and this is my first Father's Day without him. I saved this review just for Father's Day in hopes it would help bring me back to better times when he was still here and to make the day a bit more bearable for me.
My dad was too young to pass. I am too young to be without my father. However, I am still thankful as many are not as blessed to have what I did or that I was able to be loved and love so deeply. No one deserves to die from cancer or to be taken before their time. I feel robbed in so many ways. For myself, for the children I may yet have, for my mom, my sister, and especially for my dad. Grief is ridiculously complicated, and in this instance, also prolonged. Grieving started from the moment of my dad's diagnosis. Reading has often provided me answers and so it was one of the things that I turned to. While I received no answers this time, it was books like this one that has helped to ease the sorrow.
You don't have to love hockey to appreciate and enjoy this book. Despite the circumstances that made start reading this book I'm glad that I did. The story is light, full of love, and really about the man that Gordie Howe was both on and off the ice. Even for those of us who know little of hockey, this book is still an enthralling read as it's a story that is showcased in such a concise and loving manner while also breaching the topics of life, love, death, dying, old age, and grief. Gordie Howe was one hell of a character and it was a pleasure to read his story. Especially with someone who mattered so much to me.
Fuck me. This book... It's hard to put into words how great this book is and how powerfully awesome it is. When the sexual assault case with Brock Turner was all over the news I remember reading the whole impact statement from the victim, "Emily Doe", and it hit me, hard. This unbelievable woman spoke the words that every single sexual assault survivor ever wanted to say to their perpetrators and to society. It was the most moving and empowering "fuck you" to rape culture that I've ever read.
In this tell-all memoir, Chanel takes you through her whole traumatic experience from start to finish. From what her life was like before the assault, to what she remembers, her experiences in court and how the drawn-out process ravaged chaos on her and family. She describes the disparity in herself as she struggles to bring Chanel and her "Emily Doe" life together. In her day to day life, no one knows she is the "Emily Doe" in this enormous news story that has captured the attention of a nation and many parts of the Western world. Her suffering is immense and so is her family's. Her name may be protected but her family's is not. Her sister is hassled continuously by news reporters and due to the nature of the case and her sister's involvement, the two them cannot even discuss what happened or help each other.
“My pain was never more valuable than his potential.”
What was so important about this trial was that is shed light on rape culture. This is now a term that everyone knows about and it is partially thanks to this trial and because of Chanel's bravery. Brock's meagre sentencing, the bias of the judge, and Stanford's lack of support for Chanel displays how prominent rape culture is ingrained in our society and the disservice it does sexual assault victims. Chanel brings to light that the people that commit sexual assaults are people that you know and often don't "seem the type" to commit such acts.
“The friendly guy who helps you move and assists senior citizens in the pool is the same guy who assaulted me. One person can be capable of both. Society often fails to wrap its head around the fact that these truths often coexist, they are not mutually exclusive. Bad qualities can hide inside a good person. That's the terrifying part.”
Chanel's writing really allows you to step inside of her world and how she and family felt during this whole ordeal. Her writing is potent, very concise, and well-done and I'd be lying if I said I had an easy time putting this book down. Her story left me in awe after finishing it and has sat with me for some time. Chanel is immensely humble of her impact and has used her voice in the most appropriate way. This book is her reclaiming her voice and I hope she fucking makes millions from this novel. Buy this book and share with everyone you know. Do it.
“There is more than one kind of freedom," said Aunt Lydia. "Freedom to and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being
“There is more than one kind of freedom," said Aunt Lydia. "Freedom to and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from. Don't underrate it."
4/5 stars. Re-read on August 25, 2019 to August 28, 2019. ebook, 322 pages. Originally read June 2011. Paperback, 311 pages.
I am unimpressed with my younger self and the impressions I initially had with this book. I must not have had the emotional intelligence or wherewithal to truly grasp the raw and gripping moments in this story or maybe the recent current political atmosphere has opened up my eyes to some of the real themes that are present in this book. I reread this book in the anticipation of it its sequel, The Testaments, that was just released this September.
This was my original and very poor review from the first time I read the book back in 2011:
This novel was hauntingly interesting and a scary thought of what our future could potentially hold. I enjoyed the story but I wasn't overly enthralled. The story is similar to that of a female version of Orwell's 1984 so I guess Atwood's story felt like something I was already familiar with. This isn't entirely Atwood's fault as this novel was written in the early 1980's so I can imagine the impact that this book would have had with these kinds of radical and dystopian types of ideas and would have certainly warranted a Governor's General Award. Overall, I enjoyed the novel but it is not at the top of my dystopian novel list.
Pffft, see? Kids these days, I tell ya. Thank goodness I grew up a little.
Offred is a Handmaid in the morally righteous and strict society of Gilead. She doesn't want to be one, she was forced to be one and her own daughter and husband are snatched away from her. The declining birth rates have 'forced' the hands of religious fanatics to alter society and 'cleanse' it to what they believed to be a pure and functional society. Women are stripped of their careers, finances, and worth and forced back into the homes and put within strict roles that the leading men, the Commanders, thought appropriate: Marthas, the caretakers, cleaners and cooks for the homes of Commanders, Wives, upper-class women who have the privilege of being allowed to marry and may or may not have children, Econowives, the poor women who can't afford to have Marthas, the Aunts, women who have found a "higher calling" (AKA the ones trying to find a way out of getting married) never marry or bear children and tasked with educating and training women in each group, and of course the Handmaids, fertile and often rebellious women who fit into none of the categories and are forced to serve Gilead by being sent to Commander's homes to bear children for them.
I think that Offred's story is even more relevant than it was before and that this story will speak to a new generation of women who are still fighting for rights and autonomy over their own bodies. I'm also thankful that there is a sequel as I had forgotten how much of the ending left you hanging. Not that I would change it but it will be good to see the follow-through and hopefully what eventually happens to Offred and Gilead as the end (view spoiler)[ of the story implies that the Gilead society did, mercifully, eventually crumble (hide spoiler)].
There was something about reading this for a second time that hit me emotionally where it missed this first time. I think it's a combination of things, for one, I'm at an age where I'm considering having children and am worried about my own fertility, that I am disturbed by some of the backwards movements that have happened a little too close to my home country, and that I'm a little more learned and aware of some of the issues and challenges of being a woman and I'm finally starting to realise how not okay I am with it. On top of that, Atwood's writing is a pleasure to read as it is concise and highly engaging.
This is a book that should be read in schools and then re-read later on, like I did, to appreciate the full horror of this story. I cannot wait for the sequel and I hope that it continues to push and question societal issues surrounding women as this book has.
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