The Great Gatsby - T.S. Eliot

The Great Gatsby was an interesting read and is amongst books collected in the genre of Classics.  It takes place during the roaring 1920s in the United States and describes life in the eastern part of the country, close to New York.  The novel centers around a character named Nick Carraway who travels from the West to live in the Eastern States and try his hand at stocks.  His time in the East centers around his neighbour – a man by the name of Jay Gatsby who entertains wild parties in his mansion.  During the story, Carraway develops a friendship with Gatsby that is sometimes uncomfortable, always more going on than what appears on the surface.  However, Carraway also develops a soft spot for Gatsby – there’s something about the way this man hopes and loves that strikes Carraway. 

One of my favourite quotes about this book comes from a favourite book of mine called, “A Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing”.  In it, the main character is a teenage girl who loves to read books that aren’t suitable for her age and she is given a copy of “The Great Gatsby”.  Inside is inscribed, “This seemed inappropriate...”.  Haha, that made me chuckle and it is, but, haha, it’s a great book on a quite intriguing time in America’s history. 

If you’re interested in discovering hidden meanings in the book, it’s quite intriguing to do a little bit of research on this book as well.  There are quite a few symbols used in this book to illustrate hope and sadness and it will add to the epic-ness of this novel for any interested reader.  I read this novel for my university assignments and really loved it.  It’s a short read and perfect for a long journey via plane, train or automobile.  Give it a try and learn a little about the life of the American rich and famous in the 1920s.

Song Yet Sung

“Song Yet Sung” is a novel that takes place in the Southern part of the States during the times of slavery.  It centers around the life of a character called, “The Dreamer” who is a runaway slave who sees visions and images of the future due to a serious blow to the head.  It’s quite interesting because the visions that she has are in her time but, are also in ours.  She sees visions of the lives of African Americans of our present.    She’s deeply troubled at what she sees and it portrays a very interesting perspective on the condition of our present day society. 

This book was quite a fast read and was very interesting but at times, I struggled with it.  I haven’t researched it as of yet but it seemed to me that some of the language used in the book, wouldn’t have been accurate language used during that time period.  Terms like, “Just joshing you”.  Maybe someone reading can clear that up for me – is that a term that was used during the time in history? 

The novel itself is worth a read, especially if, like myself, you are drawn to books that take place during this time period and deals with issues of Race.  However, read it and enjoy it simply as a story, not as a realistic story or as a historically accurate account of events during that time period as it seems slightly unrealistic in terms of language and events. 

Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

I read “Heart of Darkness” for a university assignment and it was very different to what I expected. I had heard about the novel and how it was set in the Congo during imperialistic times and had expected to read about the conditions that the Congolese people were going through under colonialism. Instead, I discovered that Conrad’s purpose behind the book was to use Africa as a backdrop to examine Europe’s civility and colonizing mission.

Conrad is a writer who is ranked with authors termed “Classic Writers” so his book is well worth the read. It reveals a perspective on the mind of a white man during the late 1800s, early 1900s, as he critically looks at Colonization. I found it an interesting perspective but was surprised at the indifferent language that he used when describing the indigenous African people. I guess it was normal or common for that time but it struck me as being quite cold and callous.

Because of the way Conrad refers to the African people within “Heart of Darkness”, he has been accused of being a racist and the book is in the middle of quite a debate. On one side, people say that Conrad stripped away the humanity and dignity of the African people and therefore, he is racist. On the other side, people say that he was only responding to what he saw in the context and worldview of his time – how can we expect any different from him? I tend to agree with the former argument as I believe he should know better than the common view of the inhumanity of Africans that was present in his day because many other people did. Livingstone, Wilberforce... it wasn’t unheard of.

In conclusion, this is an eye-opening novel and actually was the basis for books such as Barbara Kingsolver’s “Poisonwood Bible” and movies like Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 film, “Apocalypse Now”. It’s very interesting, is a quick read, and provides a mindset behind the colonialism of Africa.

The Help - Kathryn Stockett

This novel is such a brilliant story. 

The premise of this novel was so intriguing and readers will not be disappointed.  The novel is written from the point of view of different women within a small Southern town in the United States during the 1960s.  It portrays the different points of view of the novel’s characters during a very tumultuous time in America’s history.  What I loved about the novel was that the characters really became friends of mine – the mark of a really good book.  I couldn’t put it down and finished it within 3 days – also not an easy task with work and school but, with this book, once you start reading, you’ll understand.

The novel discusses the lives of black maids working for white families and the relationships that evolve between the two groups.  The book causes the reader to think and analyse their own perspective on the issue of race gently, as they grow to love the characters. 

What I love about this novel is, the author doesn’t just portray the injustices that happened during that time in history, before the Civil Rights movement, but she portrays each character, white or black, as humans with a story, with pain in their lives, and with love.  She describes their backgrounds, lives, thoughts, little secrets...  and she literally makes you fall in love with her characters. 

What an incredible book. 

I particularly identified with the character, Skeeter.  She also studied writing in university and lives to write.  What strikes me about Skeeter is that she has an incredible ability to see beyond the perspective she was raised with.  She sees people as people and is open to having her world view challenged and expanded, even when it means that those whom she grew up with no longer understand her.  She is quite inspiring. 

There are many characters in this book who will make you laugh out loud.  They’ll make you read aloud parts of the novel to anyone in the room who will listen.  They will make you cry.  There’s one character in particular who will make you rage!  This is an incredible book. The kind that will make you wish you hadn’t read it yet so you can enjoy it for the first time again and again. 

Red Dog - Louis De Bernieres

Red Dog takes place in Australia and is a collection of stories centred around a red dog with a crazy little personality and a love for adventure. This book has a way of “taking you back to the good old days” whether you’re from Australia or not. I’m from Canada and haven’t even visited Australia but found it nostalgic in many ways. They are stories about country living, man’s best friend and adventure and friendship. It’s also a short read so if you’re looking to curl up on the couch with something light and feel-good than this one is a good pick. I read it in an afternoon while waiting for my husband to come home from work.

Louis De Bernieres is one of my very favourite authors which is what caused me to pick this book up in the first place. He was also the writer of “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” which took place in Greece during World War II – one of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever read. But, this isn’t a review about Captain Corelli’s Mandolin! Back to the point, De Bernieres has the ability to completely captivate you with his writing. Despite its light theme, Red Dog is no different. Red Dog is a dog and yet he is a character, based on a true story, that everyone in the book comes to know and love – you’ll be no different.

This book will definetly bring a smile to your face. It will remind you of dogs you once had and will probably make you want to go out and get another. For a light and feel-good read, this one won’t leave you disappointed. If you’re Australian or have visited, you’ll also appreciate the fun Aussie terminology dispersed throughout the pages. Enjoy.

Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult

All I can say is... wow.

To be honest, I thought I knew what this book was about and initially wasn’t very interested. It wasn’t until the book club (that I am a new member of), decided to read it that I picked it up and realized, “This could be really good...”

And it was...

Picoult’s ability to tell the story through a different character’s eyes in each chapter, enriches the novel and allows the reader to get an inside view on the character’s heart and motives all throughout. I was particularly interested in the character of the older brother who, on the outside appears to be rebellious and reckless, a lost cause who, in the words of one of my fellow book clubbers, “almost is a bit psychotic!” However, when he tells the story, we see a whole new side. In this book, things are never as they appear.

Truly, I was constantly surprised again and again throughout this novel. Essentially, the synopsis of the book is that a family comprised of 2 parents and a son and daughter seem to live a life similar to the American dream until, at the age of 4, the daughter is diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. The daughter and family goes through bouts with chemo and eventually the little girl goes into remission. However the chances that their daughter’s remission will be ongoing and that she will stay free from the disease are not high so, the parents decide to conceive a child through the help of doctors, test tubes and implantation. This child will have the exact genetic code as the little girl making it the perfect match for a donor. A child, Abby, is conceived with the purpose of saving her sister’s life. The book takes place when Abby has reached the age of 13 and decides to sue her parents for the right to her body.

Intriguing, isn’t it?

Picoult begins the novel through Abby’s eyes: Insecure and trying to break out of the boxes that people have put her in, like any normal 13 year old. Immediately my heart went out to Abby as, from the very beginning, I saw how she went unnoticed at times by her parents. Their main concern was for their sick daughter and as a result, they not only lost their other children in the meantime... they also lost themselves. As the reader gets to know Abby and sees the way that cancer has affected every single member of the family, we realize that these family issues are not as simple as what might seem right or wrong on the surface. Underneath, they are very, very complex especially as the reader comes to ask their selves: “What would I do in the shoes of the parent? Would I have done the same thing to save my child?”

This book is a great read and I enthusiastically recommend it. I couldn’t put it down and got so wrapped up in the characters that as I tried to fall asleep at night, I caught myself still thinking about them. Haha, that’s a sign of a good book. It will make you think and keep you guessing because, as I said before, in “My Sister’s Keeper” things are never the way they seem.