To Kill A Mockingbird

by Harper Lee

Fiction, Published 1960

Pulitzer Prize for Fiction – 1961

Read Sept-Oct 2008

5/5

From the Cover:

Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice in the deep South — and the heroism of one man in the face of blind and violent hatred

One of the best-loved stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than thirty million copies worldwide, served as the basis of an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country. A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable tale of coming-of-age in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father — a crusading local lawyer — risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime.

Review:

I somehow missed having to read To Kill A Mockingbird in high school and just got around to listening to the audiobook narrated by Sissy Spacek. First of all, the narration is just perfect. Sissy Spacek does an excellent job as Scout and has the colloquialisms down pat.

I also loved how Scout grows as the novel progresses. Her feelings toward her reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley, change as she grows up. As a young child, she feeds into her older brother’s stories and is afraid of him. They spend most of their summers devising ways to get Boo to come out of his house. But when trouble arises for the children, it is Boo who saves their lives.

Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. (Ch. 10)

The Graveyard Book

by Neil Gaiman

Fiction, Published 2008

Audible, Oct 2008

4/5

From the Cover:

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy.

He would be completely normal if he didn’t live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead.

There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy – an ancient Indigo Man beneath the hill, a gateway to a desert leading to an abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible menace of the Sleer.

But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack — who has already killed Bod’s family. . . .

Review:

One of the great things about Neil Gaiman is that he narrates his own books which puts just the right twist to the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Graveyard Book and if the paper copy is as good as Coraline, I may have to get one so I can check out all of Dave McKean’s fabulous illustrations.  This book is written for the age range between 9 and 12 but I would highly recommend this audiobook to anyone and everyone!

Also check out my review for Neil Gaiman’s Coraline!

As the end of the month approaches, I need to use several of my audible credits. Any suggestions? What is your favorite audiobook?

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

Laura Viera Rigler, Published 2007

Audible.com – March 2008

3/5

General Overview:

In this Jane Austen-inspired comedy, love story, and exploration of identity and destiny, a modern L.A. girl wakes up as an Englishwoman in Austen’s time.

Why did you choose this book?

It was on sale, duh! =) My ratings for audiobooks and books I actually read seem to be on a different scale, meaning I’m less critical of audiobooks unless they really stink. This is probably because I’m usually driving down the freeway in a major city when I’m listening to them, so light fiction seems to be the most enjoyable and less likely way for me to play with the buttons on the radio while driving.

Briefly summarize the book without giving away the ending…

After a great fall and bump to the head, Courtney comes to and finds herself in a rather unusual place. Everyone keeps calling her Jane and she quite quickly discovers she is no longer in the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, but in a country home somewhere that looks much like those in her cherished Jane Austen novels. Jane’s best friend Mary soon comes to visit and proposes they go to Bath, and the adventures ensue. Is she dreaming? Will Jane/Courtney figure out how this came to be and why she has memories from both lives? Will she finally find the man of her dreams?

What did you think of the characters?

Jane/Courtney never really figures it out. Ok, umm so you have to let go to find yourself…or something like that, I’m not really sure.

Jane actually runs into Jane Austen, and as Courtney, practically falls over herself in the celebrity of her actually meeting her favorite author. Jane Austen finds Jane to be rather peculiar, especially when she mentions Mansfield Park, which hasn’t even been published yet. I did find it odd that Jane’s last name was Mansfield, and yet she never seems to make this connection. Come to mention it, I don’t think she notices her name is “Jane”…

Mary, Jane’s best friend, is the prim and proper Jane Austen heroine. She always minds her p’s and q’s and if it wasn’t for her, Jane would most likely have found herself in much more trouble, including a ruined reputation.

Overall Opinion:

Overall, I enjoyed listening to this book. It was fun, light fiction. I’m still unclear as to whether Courtney actually was Jane or if it was all just a dream. I’m not even sure they know.

Courtney’s addiction to Jane Austen novels was her security blanket, where she felt safe. No matter what happened to her in her real life, she could always depend on the characters within Jane Austen’s books. The fortune teller tells Jane to stop struggling, to stop trying to figure out who she is, to just let go and live her life! And if nothing else, that’s always a good rule to live by.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Set in 19th century China, the book begins with the vivid retelling of Lily’s experience of her foot-binding, which began at age 7. By this time she is already matched with her laotong or “old same,” Snow Flower. A laotong status is such a privilege because girls went to live with their husband’s families once they are married and not allowed to keep any childhood friends, except for laotongs, who are two girls bound together forever.

Both Lily and Snow Flower began their foot-binding process with Lily’s cousin, Beautiful Moon. There is great importance put on this process so that they will be able to marry well, which is essential in boosting their family status in society. However, the dangers of foot-binding are also inherent when Beautiful Moon dies from foot infection. My own feet cramped at the telling of when the girls were forced to walk on their newly bound feet until all 8 toes, all but each big toe, cracked and broke under the pressure. This process lasts two years and Lily’s feet turned out well at a mere 7 cm. (!!)

The best part of the book is the beautiful telling of the friendship between Lily and Snow Flower. At a young age they signed a contract to be forever loyal and true to one another. Through the trials and tribulations throughout their “hairpinning” and “rice and salt” years, their hearts remained true, even though social boundaries were put on their physical friendship. Lily marries well and become Lady Lu, but Snow Flower marries a butcher, who mistreats his wife through many hard years. It is not until Snow Flower rests on her death bed that her husband and even Lily, her laotong, really begin to appreciate her love.

“For ten thousand years we will be like two flowers in the same garden…We will be like two mandarin ducks.”