Kate's Point of View

Book Review of “The Long Run” by Leo Furey

Furey writes about an orphanage in Canada in the 1960s run by Catholic brothers. He primarily focuses on about a dozen boys, 3 or so brothers and the story itself is narrated by Aidan Carmichael. This is a strange book to review. I can confidently state that it was a good beach read with an easy, entertaining story but not something that will stick with me over time. I like a book whose story makes a mark, or that introduces ideas that makes me pause and think for a bit. If not that, then what’s the point?

The part of this book that is enjoyable is reading about these ragamuffin boys at the orphanage, which is running on a shoestring budget and trying to keep all of its tenants disciplined and educated. Furey does a great job of making real people out of the characters so you feel you know them. Brother McCan is strict, eccentric and spits everywhere. The brother nicknamed Rags is softhearted and like a sibling. Randall Bradbury, nicknamed Bug, is a smartass with an ailing heart. Willieam Jefferson Neville is nicknamed Blackie because he’s … black. He’s also an American from Harlem and leads the gang-like club of boys focused on in the story.

This is where the book loses me. Furey’s over-reliance on stereotypes throughout the story feels cheap. He drops disturbing facts throughout the tale, as if to say “See! I know what was happening back then!” but does little to explore those facts or integrate them well into the story. He alludes a few times to sexual misconduct at the orphanage between brothers and orphans. Then he comes right out and says it. And each time the story moves right along as if that little nugget was never stated. It left me feeling like Furey was taking easy jabs at the church rather than making any statement about the issue itself.

Overall, don’t spend money on this book but it would be okay to check out from your local library and read on the beach.

This post originally appeared on Kate’s Point of View. © Kate. All rights reserved.

So I’ve mocked the Twilight readers for a while. And then I saw, and admitted to seeing, Twilight and New Moon. I have since made illusions to not being able to shake some vampire characters but I didn’t go into specifics.

But the specifics are these: I read the entire Twilight series. Quickly. And I liked it. A lot. I would even say I loved it.

Too much time has passed since I completed the series for me to give a proper review of any one book or even of the series, really. I can give these overall impressions:

• The writing is good but not great. The storyline is creative and addictive.
• The first book hooks you in and is a blast. Book two is good and moves the plot along nicely. I struggled immensely with book three. Book four is wonderful.
• I stand strong on this – Team Edward all the way.

This post originally appeared on Kate’s Point of View. © Kate. All rights reserved.

A book review of “The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women and a Forty-Year Friendship” by Jeffrey Zaslow

I have, for basically as far back as I can remember, had more guy friends than girl friends. I don’ know why and usually I don’t care why. Sometimes an offhand comment will be made (“She’s one of those girls who doesn’t have girlfriends”) and I get all paranoid. What is one of those girls??? I never want to be that girl!

In reading The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women & a Forty-Year Friendship, I’m not sure I want to be the kind of girl who has a lot of girlfriends, either. Certainly not the types described in this book. The friendship that Zaslow goes into great detail to describe sounds fine enough. These women obviously have a great support system that they have developed for each other and, to some extent, I think that is all of the  point he desires to make. But the way the circle of friends works, well that just plain old didn’t sound appealing to me. Sorry. He tried to show that they were clique-y in high school but not anymore but I read about it immediately reverting back to my high school self and feeling excluded.

Zaslow’s book read less like a novel, which I suppose it wasn’t, to me than a PhD dissertation. But who wants to read a PhD dissertation?! It was mostly written in story form with some facts and citations of scholarly journals thrown in. The facts inspired him to write the books, to learn more about the power of female relationships and how those relationships will effect his daughters’ and wife’s lives.The potential behind this research is important, especially for ladies like myself not in large friends circles of women. If I had better friend sources I would be happier, live longer, have a better marriage … all powerful stuff. But still, in The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women & a Forty-Year Friendship, pretty boring stuff to read about.

I chugged my way through this book, completing it in time for a monthly book club deadline. Here’s the thing. I don’t recommend it to you, internet, and I won’t recommend it to other people. But at one point in the book I did cry. CRY. I don’t think my crying was because the book was so good but more because it was detailing the death of someone and the death of my grandmother is still so fresh. But regardless I sat on my couch weeping. Most books don’t leave me with emotional reactions. So I offer you up a review of this book — not the best but maybe the fact that it did touch some part of my emotional core means there is something more here I missed.

Book club is later this week so I can report back if other people liked it.

This post originally appeared on Kate’s Point of View. © Kate. All rights reserved.

Book review of “Once Up a Time in the North” by Philip Pullman

I’ve been grateful for these additions to His Dark Materials, packaged as hardbound, bite-size treats intended for a child. They are a way for Pullman to let his obsessed fans continue on journeys with characters they have come to know and love so well.

Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrenison both play leading roles in Once Upon a Tim in the North. The timing of their meeting and adventure is appropriately vague. Did this occur before the adventures spoken of in His Dark Materials? Afterwards? In another world? Doesn’t matter, so don’t get hung up on it.

I’ll admit that I found the story a little confusing. Both man and bear find themselves in a land in the far frozen Arctic amidst corruption. Being both noble souls, they try to do what they think is right and get into a heap of trouble along the way. The full story is short, exciting and a nice rainy-day read. Maybe get the book from the library or borrow it from a friend, though. Regardless of it’s painfully cute exterior and board game (see below), the book doesn’t stand up to Pullman’s others and isn’t a necessary part of your library.

Once Upon a Time in the North shares similar illustrations throughout the story that Lyra’s Oxford had, but instead of a pull-out map, this one has a board game. A board game! I’ll admit to being too scared to opening the board game packaging. Right now it is so sweet and pristine. If I (wo)man up and give the game a go, I’ll let you know if it’s any good. I read the instructions and it sounds wonderful.

This post originally appeared on Kate’s Point of View. © Kate. All rights reserved.

Book Review of “Lyra’s Oxford” by Philip Pullman

When I finish a good book, it can take ages for me to stop thinking about a character, a scene, a feeling I got from the book. (There were a few weeks when I couldn’t go to bed without thinking about vampires — more on that later.) After consuming the His Dark Materials trilogy in the span of only a few weeks, I was a little fixated on Lyra.

Lyra had courage and an adventurous spirit that I admired. Wonder Boy is reading The Golden Compass now and I am truly jealous of him as he gets to meet Lyra for the first time. And if I haven’t been able to shake Lyra, what of the author, Philip Pullman?

When an author writes a book, or a series, or even a short story, he or she lives with the character for some period of time. Perhaps the idea of the character ruminates in their head for years before being expressed on paper. And so it seems obvious that publication would not cause an end to that relationship. In my mind, Lyra’s Oxford is one little scene that Pullman kept replaying and felt he need to get down on paper. Loyal readers, wanting for more, would of course buy it.

Pullman published Lyra’s Oxford after His Dark Materials and it is nothing more the endearingly sweet. My copy of the story is hardbound and no more than 4 inches by six inches. There are illustrations on the pages and a fold-out map. The 49 pages detailing Lyra’s adventure with a witch are a quick read. While in no way as satisfying as any part of His Dark Materials, Lyra’s Oxford does quench a little of your thirst thirst for more of Pullman’s creation.

This post originally appeared on Kate’s Point of View. © Kate. All rights reserved.