squirrella | Books

Every Visible Thing, Lisa Carey
The reviews I read on this book consistently cited Carey's narrative style as a negative feature in this book. However, for this story, it worked particularly well. I particularly like bildungsroman novels, and while this one isn't exactly true to that genre, it has some elements nonetheless. The narration is split between the two children, Owen and Lena, and they expose the reader to life in the shadow of an older brother's unexplained disappearance. Both children struggle with identity--Owen explores his sexuality, Lena explores gender-roles--and neither character seeks out conformity. The parents in this story are largely absent, hung up, still, on the loss of their eldest son (presumed dead). Where RwS presented similar themes, EVT is a well-woven tapestry of the grief, growth, and living. It's because of this book that I'd consider reading other things by Carey (though, as already written, I'm not a fan of The Mermaids Singing...).

A Map of the World, Jane Hamilton
This book was a pleasant surprise. As I mentioned in the last book post, I'm not a fan of reading Oprah-approved books, if for no other reason than Oprah says they're good reads. I know, I know--that's as bad as selecting a book based on its cover (which is something I absolutely do all the time....). The story was slow to start and had the makings for an uninteresting read: farm-life, monosyllabic husband, chipper wife, two girls, friends, etc. But after the friends' daughter drowns in the farm's pond, things start to pick up, especially after two McGruffs speak with Mrs. Goodwin at a school meeting. I'm not a fan of legal reads, though I've read my share of Grisham and the like. And even though a considerable portion of this book is devoted to legal proceedings, I found it hard to put down at the end of my lunch. Part of that might be because the reader's privy to the accused's point of view: "narrated first by Alice, then Howard, and then Alice again, A Map of the World moves from intimate domesticity to courtroom drama with grace and subtlety. "
At the recommendation of FListers, I'll definitely check out other books by Hamilton.