This is a short novel that reads very quickly, but at a certain point, when you realize a tragedy is in the offing, it might slow you down. I dreaded finding out what was going to happen to characters whom I liked so much. The Book of Unknown Americans focuses on immigrant families living in the same apartment complex in Wilmington, Delaware. Henriquez allows each family or individual to speak for themselves in each chapter, and so the reader learns about the diversity within. They […]
A precious window into the life of a disabled child
Draper sets out to address social prejudices against those among us with disabilities, by enabling the reader to view the world through the eyes of 11-year-old Melody, a victim of cerebral palsy. Melody is confined to a wheelchair, unable to walk or even sit upright, cannot feed herself, has uncontrollable spasms of her arms and legs, and occasionally drools in public. Worst of all, however, is that she has a mind that functions at top speed, a photographic memory, a thirst for knowledge, a need […]
Guilt, Pleasure, and Murder
This mystery is part of the Inspector Lynley series, featuring the inspector and his sergeant Barbara Havers. I haven’t read the others in the series, and I’m happy to report that it doesn’t seem to matter. Elizabeth George’s work was recommended by a friend and it was a good recommendation. The tale moved along at a quick pace and featured morally complex characters, which all added up to more than just a clever whodunnit. What I liked most about this story was the inclusion of […]
“That’s when I decide that shoveling elephant shit would be better than this.”
So the key to good fiction is that it feels real, yes? That whatever you’re reading – from some space alien wandering the galaxies afraid of the unending space, to a little boy with a purple crayon that can create his own moon if he chooses to – seems as real to as you are, sitting in your chair, or stretching out across your bed turning pages, or running for the bus, listening to the words in your headphones. That’s all I’m ever looking for, […]
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