Room

Room

Emma Donoghue

Jack's entire life consists of Room, his mother and the things that Room holds. He's just had his fifth birthday and is learning that there is a world out there that he didn't know existed.

This is one of the best books that I've read in a long time. Considering the amount of books I read weekly that is really saying something. The story felt so real and the characters really jumped out.

I felt the pains, joys and stresses of the two main characters.

The story is written from the viewpoint of the five year old and this keeps the story from being too dark, which I appreciated as a mother of a five year old boy.

Some of the people in my book club complained about it not being realistic in a couple of places. I guess I didn't notice until it was pointed out. But even once I noticed it just didn't seem to matter. It IS fiction and the story moved so quickly, especially in the beginning, that I didn't pay much attention to the tiny details.

This book is a wonderful book for book clubs, individuals and parents. It makes you appreciate the blessings in your life without being depressed.

The Gum Thief

The Gum Thief

Douglas Coupland

Roger and Bethany both work at Staples. A dead end job for both of them, but then their lives seemed to have dead ended quite some time ago. Bethany found a journal that Roger had accidentally left in the break room. She read it and then left him a note. He responded to the note and a friendship, on paper, began. The story is written mostly through the letters and emails that the two use to correspond. Roger is "old" and Bethany is "young", but they both need to find peace with their lives and move beyond the office supply store to become who they were or should have been.

This was the type of book that I enjoyed reading while I hated every moment of it. It was one of the most depressing books and yet had some real thoughts to ponder. I finished the book and I will probably still be thinking about it months from now. In a sad way, it mirrors everyone's life at some point or another. I don't think there is a person out there that can't identify with something written in this book.

It was also sad to me, because I know what my purpose is and I wanted so badly to shake them and let them know that life wasn't pointless. But sadly they were fiction and I couldn't.

I love the way they wove Roger's novel into the story, along with the letters. Even though more and more authors are using this style of writing I enjoyed it.

The Spy Wore Red

The Spy Wore Red

Aline, Countess of Romanones

Aline Griffith wants to join her brothers in helping her country during the war. But she's female and not old enough for the few professions that allow women to help. She complains to a man she meets on a double date and the next thing she knows she's on her way to be trained as a spy.

Sent to Spain to learn the local gossip is the easy part. Telling who is on her side is the hard part.

This book is labeled as non-fiction, but I found that really hard to believe. There are quite a few critics out there saying why they think the book is real or not. But my personal observation begins in the forward. The author freely admits that she's changed circumstances or people to make the story more interesting or to hide the identity of someone. 

But if you take the story as fiction it's a very fun and entertaining read. It sheds a little light on to how the people lived during the 40s and keeps you glued the entire book. I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it. You might not believe it's non-fiction, but you will enjoy it.

The Book Thief

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak

This book is amazing! Those words seem so inadequete to describe how I feel. It reached in and grabbed my heart and didn't let go the entire time. It made me laugh, it made me cry and it drew me into a different side of a much told story. It was a side I hadn't experienced and I loved it.

I took this book everywhere with me, just in case I might have a spare moment to read. 

At first I thought I was drawn to the story because, like the character, I had difficulty learning to read properly. And now I'm a huge book lover. But I don't think that was the reason. The author has the unique ability to draw someone in and before they realize what has happened they are hooked.

The story begins with the narrator telling the reader how he knows the main character. I don't recall him mentioning his name, but I'll tell you. His name is death. And he tells about the first time he met Liesel when she was just a little girl. Death comes to claim the souls of the people as they die and that is where he meets her for the first time. It's also when she steals her first book.

The time is set at the beginning of Hitler and takes you to the end of the war and through the journey of Liesel, the book thief. 

This book isn't just about a war or books. It's about the complexity of humanity. 

We can be so evil and so cruel. But we can also be so warm and beautiful.

I think the words of Death at end sum up so much -

I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn't already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and it's words and stories so damning and brilliant.

None of those things, however, came out of my mouth.

All I was able to do was turn to Liesel Meminger and tell her the only truth I truly know. I said it to the book thief and I say it now to you.

I am haunted by humans.

I don't typically like war books and I hate to cry. But this was both for me and I loved it. So please don't let those things stop you from reading this book. You won't be sorry.