Monday, April 23, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
Some said we discussed this book more than any other in the history of our book club. Andi even said she liked the book more after the hefty discussion. Pretty sure Beth was the only one who gave it a thumbs down; she felt the author tried too hard. Even though the book is filled with flawed characters who aren't all that likeable, we felt the book moved quickly, told a good story, and presented itself as a good literary piece of work.
Highlights of last nights discussion include...
- love and obsession (apparently we are all still adolescents when it comes to love sometimes)
- the human condition
- vulnerability
- addiction
- good writing vs good storytelling
You know, we call this the Fun First book club because no one should ever feel pressure to read this book and we want everyone to come regardless if they read the book; however, last night it might have been a little too boring for those who came and hadn't read the book, so I apologize for all of that silly book talk last night. But it was awesome to see everyone (Nora, Andrea, Renee, Amy Horton, Beth, Erin, Shelley, Andi, and Jenny) and we look forward to seeing everyone else next month!
May 10 at Shelley's. More info to follow. The book is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. See you then!
-amy
Unwind by Neil Schusterman
April 13: ACK! This was sitting in the drafts section of the blog. Sorry for the delay!
For the March book club, we met at Houlihan's in Richfield to discuss Unwind- a YA book that deals with reproduction rights in a futuristic, dystopian world. It was a page-turner and thus a quick read. It seemed to remind people of Never Let Me Go from last year or Delirium from this fall.
The adolescent characters in the book face being "unwound" for different reasons. Basically, their parents or the government has decided to harvest their organs to be transplanted to other people once they turn 18 because some of them are disobedient (Conor) or because they are being tithed (Lev) or they have no family (Risa). It's hard to read sometimes because the characters are likeable and we know their fate just as they do. The plot remains unpredictable, and the climax of the story is gripping and fulfilling for readers. We all agreed that the book was good and offers substantial material to be discussed and debated.
Many of us noted the political undertones (though not so "under") of this book. Erin and Amy H. pointed out how you could see the fringe of our society taking small steps and ending up in a place where an abortion alternative like being unwound starts to make sense. Jen Buckley noted that there was a horror aspect to the book that made her wonder if it's appropriate for some more sensitive adolescents and could she teach it to her 7th graders.
So, we leave winter behind and move into spring. Next month's book club is in St. Paul at my house. We will be discussing The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach. Hope to see you then!
-amy
p.s. We had to meet at Houlihan's because Andi is homeless, or between homes, rather. Good luck moving, Andi. Happy New House!
For the March book club, we met at Houlihan's in Richfield to discuss Unwind- a YA book that deals with reproduction rights in a futuristic, dystopian world. It was a page-turner and thus a quick read. It seemed to remind people of Never Let Me Go from last year or Delirium from this fall.
The adolescent characters in the book face being "unwound" for different reasons. Basically, their parents or the government has decided to harvest their organs to be transplanted to other people once they turn 18 because some of them are disobedient (Conor) or because they are being tithed (Lev) or they have no family (Risa). It's hard to read sometimes because the characters are likeable and we know their fate just as they do. The plot remains unpredictable, and the climax of the story is gripping and fulfilling for readers. We all agreed that the book was good and offers substantial material to be discussed and debated.
Many of us noted the political undertones (though not so "under") of this book. Erin and Amy H. pointed out how you could see the fringe of our society taking small steps and ending up in a place where an abortion alternative like being unwound starts to make sense. Jen Buckley noted that there was a horror aspect to the book that made her wonder if it's appropriate for some more sensitive adolescents and could she teach it to her 7th graders.
So, we leave winter behind and move into spring. Next month's book club is in St. Paul at my house. We will be discussing The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach. Hope to see you then!
-amy
p.s. We had to meet at Houlihan's because Andi is homeless, or between homes, rather. Good luck moving, Andi. Happy New House!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)