I started reading this book back in May when Pastor Brian read exerpts from it during a Bible study class. I knew from the minute that I bought the book that I was in for a controversial read. Honestly, that was part of the draw for me. I typically do not think of religion, faith, and spirituality in the same light as others, so I thought that maybe I could seriously get something out of this book. Now that I have finished it, I just don't see what the controversy was all about. Maybe I am misguided and I will fully admit that I am clueless when it comes to the goings on mentioned in the Bible, but I just don't get what all the fuss was about.
OK, so maybe the idea of Heaven and Hell not being actual places but more states of mind ruffled some feathers. For me, this was not a new idea. My religion professor, Dr. Cain--a retired Baptist minister turned Religion professor--first introduced this idea to me back in the early 1990's. For me, this idea made a world of sense. I am a black and white kind of person and I am very reality based. The idea of a place beyond the clouds or below the Earth's surface was more than my concrete mind could fathom. If they were really places, why hadn't anyone found them yet? Why couldn't I go there and be with my dad and all of the other family I had lost? These were all questions no one could answer until Dr. Cain stepped in. But beyond that idea, what am I missing that is upsetting the Christian community? Why is Rob Bell being protested? If you are reading this and you have a thought, PLEASE post a comment. I'd seriously like to know what all of the fuss is about.
Furthermore, I am also baffled at the number of people who have totally rebuked his ideas of love, God, and Jesus. It seems to me that he, in book form, just elaborated upon exactly the same ideas presented to me in VBS when I was in Elementary School: accept Jesus into your heart and God loves you unconditionally. Again, maybe this all goes back to the Heaven/Hell debate as he does venture out to say that we should accept God's love and take Jesus into our hearts because it's the right thing to do and NOT because we are using this love to get us into Heaven. As someone who is 39 and who has not ever been baptized, I find his ideas refreshing. I am sure, however, that someone who has been raised in a church and who has followed the "rules" of the Bible would be outraged to think that upon death, I might just be allowed into Heaven because God does not turn his back on his children and that he can get what he wants. I am sure that this entire idea is outrageous. But, from my point of view it is no more outrageous to believe this than to believe that someone who had committed murder, but who had taken Jesus into his heart in prison would be allowed to spend eternity in Heaven. It all goes back to the idea that has been rolling around in my head since I was about 7 or 8: why is it not enough for good people who do good things to get into Heaven? And, what stops bad people who do bad things to turn the other cheek at the last minute and find Christ? Rob Bell recognizes this issue, speaks to it, and I guess has ruffled some feathers. But not mine.
The one idea that I will take away from this book, other than the idea that I might not rot in Hell for all of eternity because God might just get what he wants in the end, is that the Bible was written a long time ago. Because of that, we need to be careful about how we read it. While it is a religious text with great meaning and value, it is also a primary historical document. Words need to be read and interpreted historically and with the meaning they held then, not their 2011 meaning. Rob Bell was right to point this out, too, in his book. Perhaps that accounts for more ruffled feathers.
I liked reading this book. It was quick, it was certainly heavy and made you think and reflect, but it was written in such a way that you could understand the points being made. You might not agree with them, but you can certainly understand them. I am sorry that it made some people angry, angry enough to protest. But, for people like me--people who struggle with God, Jesus, Heaven and Hell on a daily basis--it gave us some hope that things might just be OK. And, that we might be OK. Maybe it's OK to question and to dig deeper, to not always accept things because it's what we've been taught or because it's the way it's always been. I know there are people who are reading this and are disagreeing with me completely, but if I am willing to take the risk to write it, or more importantly to believe it, then what's the big deal?
In the spirit of Rob Bell, here's a quick story...my mother is not a terribly religious woman. She was adopted at age 5, married right out of high school, a mother and a widow at age 25. By the time she was 36, she had married again and had a second child, my sister. Her new husband was a bi-polar manic depressive man who liked to drink way too much. She hasn't stepped in a church (except for the occassional funeral) since 1981 when she was married for the second time. She was, however, baptized and has encouraged me to do so "just in case." She's hopeful that one day she will be reunited in Heaven with my dad, but she's not sure it will ever really happen. She's got enough proof that Hell does exist here on Earth and that the person who delivered her from that living Hell was neither Jesus nor God, but herself. But, just in case, she's ready to go and to take her place in Heaven. While I find this story to be disturbing, and can only assume Rob Bell would, too, I know that there are others who would read it and rejoice. Here's a woman who has looked adversity in the face, come out on top, and is ready to meet up with her loved ones in Heaven. I find it all a bit too convenient and insincere.
Just like my mother, I have not been a terribly religious person (although the career aptitude test I took in High School suggested that I be a Religious Educator, isn't that funny?) and I still fall short of being a good model for my girls. I question too much, I believe too little, but in light of the fact that I lived what my mother lived all those years, it's easy to see why I might question and doubt. So, again I ask those people out there, what the big deal is? Why are you not accepting of my doubts or Rob Bell's alternative views of Heaven and Hell? If what the Bible says is true, then I'm the one taking the chance, not you. Truthfully, I am hoping that Love Wins. I am hoping that God won't turn his back on his children in the end. I am hoping that one day, before my time comes to leave this Earth, that I will feel his love as others have and will take Jesus and God into my heart. But I am not there yet. I will continue to learn, and will continue to question and to reflect with open eyes, an open mind, and an open heart.
Thank you, Rob Bell, for giving me a lot to think about. Thank you for giving me that hope that, in the end, Love will win.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Mark of the Lion Trilogy by Francine Rivers (#33, #34, #35)
Well, this afternoon I finished reading the last book in the trilogy (As Sure As the Dawn) and can't believe that since June 15th I have read right around 1500 pages between all 3 books. Phew. I'm not sure if I can pick up another book for a few days. That's a lot of reading! (We all know that will never happen--I already have a bookmark in book #36)
When I blogged about these books the first time, I said that I was having a hard time separating one book from another and that it would be easier to blog about them all at once. I was wrong. After reading the 3rd book, here's my revised statement: It's hard for me to separate the first two books and I'll blog about them at once. The 3rd book is so vastly different from the first two, I can't even imagine putting it in the same category as the first two.
I absolutely loved the first two books in this series and have never been so grateful that a friend shared these books with me. I can honestly say that a quick glance at the front cover and a quick read of the back cover would not have been enough to get me to read these books on my own. They are just not something I typically read. Let's face it--I read a lot, but what I read is typically light or at least modern. These books are neither, but when you have a good friend telling you that they are great, you step out of your box and you read them and I am so glad that I did. I left the second book teary and feeling good about what I had read, about the evolution of the characters, and the overall plot of the book. I loved that the epilogue explained what happened next (I really like to know what happens to characters after the story ends) and honestly felt as though the story has come to a nice end. I opened the 3rd book wondering where Rivers was going to take the story because she had wrapped everything up so nicely in book 2.
So here's what happens. In the 3rd and final book, Rivers reintroduces us to a character we met in book one: Atretes. He is a tough character for me to like and the entire book was about him! (There's a picture of him on the front cover of the book and it certainly made ladies stop and ask me about my book at the pool yesterday--they were intrigued to say the least!) As a result, this book was slow moving for me and not my favorite of the three. Even my dear friend who gave me these books admitted that this one was not as good as the others and likened it to a spin-off of a sit-com. How true she was with that analogy! Now the message was good, but I just found it harder to believe than the other 2.
Why? Each of these 3 books center around characters who are living to spread the word of Christ. Each struggles with this for various reasons, but throughout the books we see the characters evolve and come to terms with their faith and see them so strong in theirs that they are able to effectively spread the good news to others. They are 100% believable. Nothing seems contrived or artificial. Until Atretes. I did not believe for a second that he had accepted Christ nor could I ever believe in his ability to share the news of Jesus with others. His wife was very believable, but after reading two books and getting to know Hadassah, Rizpah paled in comparison.
Despite what I didn't like about book 3, there was one character who fascinated me: Anomia. She was the Julia from the first 2 books: pure evil wrapped in a human form. But, books need a Julia or a Anomia. They need conflict and deception. They are what hold our interest (sad, but true). These characters are the ones we read about and can't turn the pages fast enough to get more. They are typically so far removed from what we live and what we know that we can't help but read on about them. They are like the train wreck we can't turn our eyes from. Sadly, Anomia did not appear in book 3 until about page 350. We could've used her much, much sooner and I am sad that her character was not more fully developed.
She did remind me, however, of something I noticed while reading book 2. I adored Marcus and loved that he loved Hadassah as much as he did. I loved how pure and righteous Hadassah was and loved the stark comparison between her and Julia's friend, Calabah. At one point, Hadassah heals and I began to see her very much as a living, breathing, female version of Jesus. She is trying so hard to make Marcus believe in the power of Jesus. She was revered, although she didn't like that, and she did seem to have a "power." Calabah, on the other hand, seemed to be nothing but hatred, wanted only what was good for her, and let nothing stand in her way as she worked to get the most of out life. In this sense, Calabah became Satan for me and I had a hard time getting this image out of my head as I was reading. When Anomia appeared in book 3, I knew Satan was back, ready to try to destroy.
In addition to just being good stories to read, each of these books, even the third one, made me think about my own faith, and I am guessing that this is the exact point of the author. I will never be as good as Hadassah (and if she was likened after Jesus, we all know why), I can never see myself being as calm as she was in the face of death, and I am sure that anyone reading this will speculate that her faith in God and her belief in Jesus are just a lot stronger than mine are and will perhaps ever be. I would not dispute that for a second. I am sure that others reading this (and who have read the books) will tell me that if I just believe as she did, if I just give my life over to Christ, I too could be like Hadassah. I guess I am not there yet, as I found myself returning to one line that is repeated time and time again in all 3 books. Loosely quoted: sin is sin. This idea has been a source of many discussions in my house over the last 2 months and is one that makes my husband angrier than virtually anything else in the world. I just have a hard time believing that the sins Hadassah committed were looked upon in the same light by God as Julia's or as Calabah's. I just find this idea to be one that I grapple with a lot. For it to be repeated over and over gave me many opportunities to think.
One idea that appeared in book 3 also gave me cause to reflect. Since I was a little girl I have been asking anyone who might have the answer to why God would allow bad things to happen to people. Rizpah gives the answer, one I have never been told by a live person, that God allows bad things to happen so that we can see and feel his mercy. I am struggling with this idea, too, but it certainly is an interesting idea to ponder.
So, it has taken me right around 3 weeks to read this trilogy and I am certainly glad I did. I love that it made me think and feel things that I wouldn't have expected to think or to feel. I love that Hadassah and Marcus gave me hope like no two literary characters ever had. I am a better person for reading these books. You should consider reading them, too. Thanks, Pam!
When I blogged about these books the first time, I said that I was having a hard time separating one book from another and that it would be easier to blog about them all at once. I was wrong. After reading the 3rd book, here's my revised statement: It's hard for me to separate the first two books and I'll blog about them at once. The 3rd book is so vastly different from the first two, I can't even imagine putting it in the same category as the first two.
I absolutely loved the first two books in this series and have never been so grateful that a friend shared these books with me. I can honestly say that a quick glance at the front cover and a quick read of the back cover would not have been enough to get me to read these books on my own. They are just not something I typically read. Let's face it--I read a lot, but what I read is typically light or at least modern. These books are neither, but when you have a good friend telling you that they are great, you step out of your box and you read them and I am so glad that I did. I left the second book teary and feeling good about what I had read, about the evolution of the characters, and the overall plot of the book. I loved that the epilogue explained what happened next (I really like to know what happens to characters after the story ends) and honestly felt as though the story has come to a nice end. I opened the 3rd book wondering where Rivers was going to take the story because she had wrapped everything up so nicely in book 2.
So here's what happens. In the 3rd and final book, Rivers reintroduces us to a character we met in book one: Atretes. He is a tough character for me to like and the entire book was about him! (There's a picture of him on the front cover of the book and it certainly made ladies stop and ask me about my book at the pool yesterday--they were intrigued to say the least!) As a result, this book was slow moving for me and not my favorite of the three. Even my dear friend who gave me these books admitted that this one was not as good as the others and likened it to a spin-off of a sit-com. How true she was with that analogy! Now the message was good, but I just found it harder to believe than the other 2.
Why? Each of these 3 books center around characters who are living to spread the word of Christ. Each struggles with this for various reasons, but throughout the books we see the characters evolve and come to terms with their faith and see them so strong in theirs that they are able to effectively spread the good news to others. They are 100% believable. Nothing seems contrived or artificial. Until Atretes. I did not believe for a second that he had accepted Christ nor could I ever believe in his ability to share the news of Jesus with others. His wife was very believable, but after reading two books and getting to know Hadassah, Rizpah paled in comparison.
Despite what I didn't like about book 3, there was one character who fascinated me: Anomia. She was the Julia from the first 2 books: pure evil wrapped in a human form. But, books need a Julia or a Anomia. They need conflict and deception. They are what hold our interest (sad, but true). These characters are the ones we read about and can't turn the pages fast enough to get more. They are typically so far removed from what we live and what we know that we can't help but read on about them. They are like the train wreck we can't turn our eyes from. Sadly, Anomia did not appear in book 3 until about page 350. We could've used her much, much sooner and I am sad that her character was not more fully developed.
She did remind me, however, of something I noticed while reading book 2. I adored Marcus and loved that he loved Hadassah as much as he did. I loved how pure and righteous Hadassah was and loved the stark comparison between her and Julia's friend, Calabah. At one point, Hadassah heals and I began to see her very much as a living, breathing, female version of Jesus. She is trying so hard to make Marcus believe in the power of Jesus. She was revered, although she didn't like that, and she did seem to have a "power." Calabah, on the other hand, seemed to be nothing but hatred, wanted only what was good for her, and let nothing stand in her way as she worked to get the most of out life. In this sense, Calabah became Satan for me and I had a hard time getting this image out of my head as I was reading. When Anomia appeared in book 3, I knew Satan was back, ready to try to destroy.
In addition to just being good stories to read, each of these books, even the third one, made me think about my own faith, and I am guessing that this is the exact point of the author. I will never be as good as Hadassah (and if she was likened after Jesus, we all know why), I can never see myself being as calm as she was in the face of death, and I am sure that anyone reading this will speculate that her faith in God and her belief in Jesus are just a lot stronger than mine are and will perhaps ever be. I would not dispute that for a second. I am sure that others reading this (and who have read the books) will tell me that if I just believe as she did, if I just give my life over to Christ, I too could be like Hadassah. I guess I am not there yet, as I found myself returning to one line that is repeated time and time again in all 3 books. Loosely quoted: sin is sin. This idea has been a source of many discussions in my house over the last 2 months and is one that makes my husband angrier than virtually anything else in the world. I just have a hard time believing that the sins Hadassah committed were looked upon in the same light by God as Julia's or as Calabah's. I just find this idea to be one that I grapple with a lot. For it to be repeated over and over gave me many opportunities to think.
One idea that appeared in book 3 also gave me cause to reflect. Since I was a little girl I have been asking anyone who might have the answer to why God would allow bad things to happen to people. Rizpah gives the answer, one I have never been told by a live person, that God allows bad things to happen so that we can see and feel his mercy. I am struggling with this idea, too, but it certainly is an interesting idea to ponder.
So, it has taken me right around 3 weeks to read this trilogy and I am certainly glad I did. I love that it made me think and feel things that I wouldn't have expected to think or to feel. I love that Hadassah and Marcus gave me hope like no two literary characters ever had. I am a better person for reading these books. You should consider reading them, too. Thanks, Pam!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
#33-#35: Mark of the Lion Trilogy by Francine Rivers
I have not yet finished this trilogy, but for those of you who keep up with what I am reading while I am reading it, I thought I'd let you know what I was working on.
My dear friend, Pam, gave this set of books to me as a birthday gift after having read it herself years ago and knowing that I would love it. She was so right! I have to admit that the first 50 pages of book 1 (A Voice in the Wind) was a little tough for me. I felt like I was back in college getting a serious geography/history/religion lesson. But, as soon as the background information (which really is important in understanding the books) was over and the main characters were introduced, I was hooked.
I immediately fell in love with Marcus, and continue to adore his character in book 2 (Echo in the Darkness, which I am currently reading). His sister, Julia, makes me so angry I could scream. And, Hadassah--well, if we all could only be as pure and dedicated as she we would live in a much better world. Her faith is unfailing. She is amazing.
I find it hard to separate the first two books in order to blog about them so I am going to wait to give my final reaction and thoughts after reading all 3 books. I will go ahead and say that if you want to read something that will challenge you mentally and spiritually, you need to read these books.
My dear friend, Pam, gave this set of books to me as a birthday gift after having read it herself years ago and knowing that I would love it. She was so right! I have to admit that the first 50 pages of book 1 (A Voice in the Wind) was a little tough for me. I felt like I was back in college getting a serious geography/history/religion lesson. But, as soon as the background information (which really is important in understanding the books) was over and the main characters were introduced, I was hooked.
I immediately fell in love with Marcus, and continue to adore his character in book 2 (Echo in the Darkness, which I am currently reading). His sister, Julia, makes me so angry I could scream. And, Hadassah--well, if we all could only be as pure and dedicated as she we would live in a much better world. Her faith is unfailing. She is amazing.
I find it hard to separate the first two books in order to blog about them so I am going to wait to give my final reaction and thoughts after reading all 3 books. I will go ahead and say that if you want to read something that will challenge you mentally and spiritually, you need to read these books.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
#32: Sing Me Home by Jodi Picoult
This is not the first book by Jodi Picoult that I have ever read so I knew what I was getting myself into when I turned the first page and began reading Sing Me Home. I even knew a little bit about the book from reading a brief article in People Magazine. What I never expected was the vast number of hard hitting issues that were about to be thrown in my face as I opened this book.
Let's begin with infertility, a road that I have already walked down in my life. Reading the description of the birth of a still-born baby was more than I could handle. Then, the divorce as the husband could no longer handle any more "trying." I felt Zoe's pain and I ached for her, a woman who so badly wanted a child, a woman who spent her life helping others deal with pain, a woman who was so good in her life and yet couldn't get the one thing she wanted more than anything.
Next comes lesbianisn and gay marriage. Now, this I knew about from the article in People magazine. I was prepared for this one. I also know how I feel about this and am distanced enough to not get caught up emotionally as I had with the infertility issue. However, I still become outraged at times because of the way Vanessa and Zoe were treated. Both ladies were amazing at their jobs, yet both jobs were in jeopardy because of their lifestyle. And, I was furthermore outraged by the Minister who saw fit to judge them every step of the way when he was neither the judge in the courtroom nor God himself.
Then, the adultery. I have to say that I saw this one coming but was still shocked by it all. And, I am still wanting to know more than just the quick gloss-over the end of the book gives as to how this situation played out. It had to have been interesting and was perhaps an entire story all on its own and is perhaps the reason it was not included.
Finally, Max. I loved Max and then I was upset with him. Then I was angry and disappointed. But, good old Max came around in the end and made me smile with his ultimate choice and his ultimate decision. I guess you'll have to weave your way through all of the mess that this book dishes out to find out what he did and why it made me happy. But, I wasn't the only happy person at the end of the book. Sammy, Ness, Zoe, Max, and Liddy all seemed to be smiling right along with me!
Let's begin with infertility, a road that I have already walked down in my life. Reading the description of the birth of a still-born baby was more than I could handle. Then, the divorce as the husband could no longer handle any more "trying." I felt Zoe's pain and I ached for her, a woman who so badly wanted a child, a woman who spent her life helping others deal with pain, a woman who was so good in her life and yet couldn't get the one thing she wanted more than anything.
Next comes lesbianisn and gay marriage. Now, this I knew about from the article in People magazine. I was prepared for this one. I also know how I feel about this and am distanced enough to not get caught up emotionally as I had with the infertility issue. However, I still become outraged at times because of the way Vanessa and Zoe were treated. Both ladies were amazing at their jobs, yet both jobs were in jeopardy because of their lifestyle. And, I was furthermore outraged by the Minister who saw fit to judge them every step of the way when he was neither the judge in the courtroom nor God himself.
Then, the adultery. I have to say that I saw this one coming but was still shocked by it all. And, I am still wanting to know more than just the quick gloss-over the end of the book gives as to how this situation played out. It had to have been interesting and was perhaps an entire story all on its own and is perhaps the reason it was not included.
Finally, Max. I loved Max and then I was upset with him. Then I was angry and disappointed. But, good old Max came around in the end and made me smile with his ultimate choice and his ultimate decision. I guess you'll have to weave your way through all of the mess that this book dishes out to find out what he did and why it made me happy. But, I wasn't the only happy person at the end of the book. Sammy, Ness, Zoe, Max, and Liddy all seemed to be smiling right along with me!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
#31 Night Road by Kristin Hannah
I fell in love with Kristin Hannah's books last year when I read True Colors and then, my favorite, Firefly Lane. I think what I love most about her books is that they are easy to read but they are emotionally challenging. The characters come alive through her vivid descriptions and dialogue, but they are always complicated and are never predictable.
Night Road is centered around the Farraday family. Jude and Miles are the parents; Mia and Zach are their twin children. Mia is awkward and friendless; Zach is the golden boy. Enter Lexi, a teenage girl who has been part of the foster care system her entire life. Her father is gone, her mother dead from drug use and other bad choices. All Lexi wants is a family. Her Aunt Eva comes to save the day. Lexi pays it forward by becoming Mia's only friend and eventually her best friend. At this point in the book everyone is happy and all is as it should be, but there's still 250 more pages in the book and you know something is going to happen to overturn it all. You would be right. This upheaval happens not once, but twice, and some could argue three times. I never saw any of it coming.
It was hard not to relate to Jude, the helicopter mom. She wants what's best for her children and she manages every aspect of their lives right down to what college they will attend. But, the one time she doesn't do this, her life changes in an instant. So, this makes me wonder: is the point that I should micro-manage my kids? Will they turn out like Mia and Zach if I let them make their own choices and have their freedom? Is it better for me to take my girls everywhere and call their friends' parents and watch their every step? Honestly, right now I am terrified of what might happen to them if I don't do these things.
I also had to ask myself how I would've reacted had Jude's life been mine. Would I have crashed and turned inward, crying all day, never eating, and become horribly depressed? Or, would I have turned my efforts 110% to my second child and driven that child insane? Or, would I have just stopped loving everyone? I pray that I may never know the answers to these questions.
Another reason I love Kristin Hannah is that her books always turn out as they should. That doesn't mean that the ending of her books are always happy, just that they end as they should. Lucky for us, Night Road ends in both ways: happy and as it should.
I just finished this book and read the last 50 pages with tissues in hand. My children were watching the ending of Toy Story 3 as I read. Both endings pushed me to the tears limit. I have no tears left today, as a result.
Night Road is centered around the Farraday family. Jude and Miles are the parents; Mia and Zach are their twin children. Mia is awkward and friendless; Zach is the golden boy. Enter Lexi, a teenage girl who has been part of the foster care system her entire life. Her father is gone, her mother dead from drug use and other bad choices. All Lexi wants is a family. Her Aunt Eva comes to save the day. Lexi pays it forward by becoming Mia's only friend and eventually her best friend. At this point in the book everyone is happy and all is as it should be, but there's still 250 more pages in the book and you know something is going to happen to overturn it all. You would be right. This upheaval happens not once, but twice, and some could argue three times. I never saw any of it coming.
It was hard not to relate to Jude, the helicopter mom. She wants what's best for her children and she manages every aspect of their lives right down to what college they will attend. But, the one time she doesn't do this, her life changes in an instant. So, this makes me wonder: is the point that I should micro-manage my kids? Will they turn out like Mia and Zach if I let them make their own choices and have their freedom? Is it better for me to take my girls everywhere and call their friends' parents and watch their every step? Honestly, right now I am terrified of what might happen to them if I don't do these things.
I also had to ask myself how I would've reacted had Jude's life been mine. Would I have crashed and turned inward, crying all day, never eating, and become horribly depressed? Or, would I have turned my efforts 110% to my second child and driven that child insane? Or, would I have just stopped loving everyone? I pray that I may never know the answers to these questions.
Another reason I love Kristin Hannah is that her books always turn out as they should. That doesn't mean that the ending of her books are always happy, just that they end as they should. Lucky for us, Night Road ends in both ways: happy and as it should.
I just finished this book and read the last 50 pages with tissues in hand. My children were watching the ending of Toy Story 3 as I read. Both endings pushed me to the tears limit. I have no tears left today, as a result.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
#29 and #30: Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
I have no read the entire Hunger Games trilogy and am so glad that I did not blog until the very end. Had I done so sooner with these 2 books, I may have turned some of you away with words of displeasure. The ending was superb and the trilogy was amazing! My husband has read the first two and loved them, so I know it's not just me liking them--they are just good books.
Catching Fire is the second book in the series and it does a good job of picking up where the first finishes. The characters continued to be so real in my head. I could imagine their every move and hung on their every word. I was shocked at the main event in this book, as was Rob, but read on in disbelief at what was happening. The ending tied things up nicely, but since I knew there was another book I knew the story wasn't over.
Mockingjay was A LOT harder for me to read. There was too much war, too much fighting, and too much blood and death. So much that I suddenly began to have a hard time visualizing scenes in my head, had to re-read sections of the book, and when bookmarking a page and coming back to it later, didn't remember reading what I had just read. But, because I rarely put down a book without finishing it, I plugged on and am so glad that I did. During my lunchtime today, I read the last 20 pages and found myself in tears as the book ended.
Books like these (Uncle Tom's Cabin is another that comes to mind) make me yearn for my english teachers from high school and college, teachers who are so skilled at noticing the subtle nuances from writers that I sometimes pick up on but sometimes miss. I wondered at the ending about the names of some of the characters: Coin, Snow and how their names represented their character. Coin, who seemed to be out for power and Snow, who we thought was not pure at all but who may have been all along. Character names are only a part of the literary analysis of these books that must be so rich and so deep if you only went back and looked harder.
You can, however, read all 3 books without a skilled english teacher's eye and still enjoy them for what they teach us about life, love, and real genuine happiness. Don't take freedom for granted. Don't be afraid to fight for what you believe in. Don't let a day go by when you don't let your family know how much you love them. Life can change in an instant. Don't be caught unaware.
Catching Fire is the second book in the series and it does a good job of picking up where the first finishes. The characters continued to be so real in my head. I could imagine their every move and hung on their every word. I was shocked at the main event in this book, as was Rob, but read on in disbelief at what was happening. The ending tied things up nicely, but since I knew there was another book I knew the story wasn't over.
Mockingjay was A LOT harder for me to read. There was too much war, too much fighting, and too much blood and death. So much that I suddenly began to have a hard time visualizing scenes in my head, had to re-read sections of the book, and when bookmarking a page and coming back to it later, didn't remember reading what I had just read. But, because I rarely put down a book without finishing it, I plugged on and am so glad that I did. During my lunchtime today, I read the last 20 pages and found myself in tears as the book ended.
Books like these (Uncle Tom's Cabin is another that comes to mind) make me yearn for my english teachers from high school and college, teachers who are so skilled at noticing the subtle nuances from writers that I sometimes pick up on but sometimes miss. I wondered at the ending about the names of some of the characters: Coin, Snow and how their names represented their character. Coin, who seemed to be out for power and Snow, who we thought was not pure at all but who may have been all along. Character names are only a part of the literary analysis of these books that must be so rich and so deep if you only went back and looked harder.
You can, however, read all 3 books without a skilled english teacher's eye and still enjoy them for what they teach us about life, love, and real genuine happiness. Don't take freedom for granted. Don't be afraid to fight for what you believe in. Don't let a day go by when you don't let your family know how much you love them. Life can change in an instant. Don't be caught unaware.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
#28: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
At Abigail's birthday lunch this past Sunday, this book was recommended to me by a soon to be Wake Forest Demon Deacon and I am thrilled that I paid attention, took note of the book title, and bought it for my Nook. My only regret is that my Nook is IMPOSSIBLE to read at the pool or I would've finished The Hunger Games before last night at 10:30. I did manage to have a quick conversation with a friend at the pool on Sunday who had read The Hunger Games and was able to clarify some setting/timeline questions I had as I began to read this amazing book. So, I guess talking about the book made up for the fact that I wasn't able to actually read it.
Despite the wonderful recomendation, I must admit that the premise behind The Hunger Games is a bit tough to take: "The Capitol" (ie the government) putting 24 children in an arena where they fight to the death leaving 1 winner. Does this really sound like something I would like to read? Hardly. But I have to say that it was excellent. This book is actually geared for young readers (more like middle school-high school) so the death scenes are not terribly graphic or disturbing. In fact, what I walked away from this book with most was that the author did an amazing job of not focusing upon the death, but instead on the loyalty and the love of the characters and the hatred for an unfair government that is oppressive and controlling.
The Hunger Games is the first in a series of three books. I have already begun to read the second book (Catching Fire) and am, once again, irritated that life is getting in the way of my reading time. I might just get way too engrossed in my books, but I guess that's what makes me me. I can see Katniss and Peeta (whenever I read his name I hear Fudge from Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing calling out for his brother Peter in his 3 year old voice "Peetah" and I just can't get it out of my head!) and Gale and I think that they are amazing young people. Their work ethic and family loyalty is uncompromised. I've heard that The Hunger Games is being made into a movie and I can't wait to see this book brought to life.
One last comment before I sign off to continue reading...this series of books WILL make my top 5 list this year. But, I very well may have to make a top 10 list because I think I already have a fave 5 from the books I have already read. If you haven't read The Hunger Games, please do! You will love it, too!
Despite the wonderful recomendation, I must admit that the premise behind The Hunger Games is a bit tough to take: "The Capitol" (ie the government) putting 24 children in an arena where they fight to the death leaving 1 winner. Does this really sound like something I would like to read? Hardly. But I have to say that it was excellent. This book is actually geared for young readers (more like middle school-high school) so the death scenes are not terribly graphic or disturbing. In fact, what I walked away from this book with most was that the author did an amazing job of not focusing upon the death, but instead on the loyalty and the love of the characters and the hatred for an unfair government that is oppressive and controlling.
The Hunger Games is the first in a series of three books. I have already begun to read the second book (Catching Fire) and am, once again, irritated that life is getting in the way of my reading time. I might just get way too engrossed in my books, but I guess that's what makes me me. I can see Katniss and Peeta (whenever I read his name I hear Fudge from Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing calling out for his brother Peter in his 3 year old voice "Peetah" and I just can't get it out of my head!) and Gale and I think that they are amazing young people. Their work ethic and family loyalty is uncompromised. I've heard that The Hunger Games is being made into a movie and I can't wait to see this book brought to life.
One last comment before I sign off to continue reading...this series of books WILL make my top 5 list this year. But, I very well may have to make a top 10 list because I think I already have a fave 5 from the books I have already read. If you haven't read The Hunger Games, please do! You will love it, too!
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