Rebecca

A colleague of mine gave me this book last year, thinking I might enjoy reading it. Well, I finally got around to reading it and I did really enjoy it. Daphne du Maurier wrote it in 1939 I believe. She also wrote "The Birds" (movie by Alfred Hitchcock). Apparently, Alfred Hitchcock made Rebecca into a movie too, so I'm going to have to check it out on Netflix.

Anyway, I just knew this book was considered a classic. I didn't know anything about it. Don't let the Alfred Hitchcock connection throw you; it's not scary at all. There are definitely suspenseful parts, but it's not a scary book. I think it's considered a romantic mystery.

It's a story of a young girl (her name is never mentioned in the book) who meets a fellow Brit while in Monte Carlo. This gentleman is much older than she and had his wife die about a year before. He was very wealthy, living on an estate called Manderley. I pictured Manderley like Mr. Darcy's estate in the most recent Pride and Prejudice (except a little warmer). Having lived in England, I saw a couple old estates myself (from the gate of course, we weren't allowed in!). But the concept fascinates me--having so much wealth and servants to do everything. Anyway, Maxim (the man) falls in love with the girl and marries her. He takes her home to Manderley. She thinks it'll be wonderful there, but quickly realizes that she is nothing like Maxim's first wife. The house is still run how Rebecca would have run it. Rebecca was this and Rebecca was that. She is constantly comparing herself to Rebecca, although she never talks to Maxim about it.

There are tons of things that happen, but basically, there is mystery around Rebecca's death that doesn't really get solved til the end. I won't say what happens, but I will say this: I should have expected the outcome, but for some reason I didn't. I think du Maurier is that good of a writer. She just had me reading and reading to find out what would happen next. I loved the book. It was an excellent book and I highly recommend it!

The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood was an excellent book. I told someone the other day it's like "The Giver" for adults. Atwood's writing style was refreshing to read. I guess I hadn't read a really good author for a long time. Her use of metaphors and description were fantastic. Although it was easy to read, I didn't rush through it because there was a lot of thinking involved.

The setting is somewhere in the U.S., (although at the end, you find out it's probably Maine) in the future sometime. The book is kind of a mystery, in that you don't really understand what's going on, or how the society they live in got to that point. To be honest, you really don't know even by the end. She just gives you some clues throughout the book and you have to piece it together.

The main character is Ofglen (although this is not her real name). The handmaids in this society are called a name that relates to the men they are with. (So I would be Ofrusty). The men are not their husbands. The handmaids are sort of like concubines. Their sole purpose is to reproduce. The men have wives, but for whatever reason, the wives aren't able to have kids, so they get handmaids to do the job for them. It's very strange, but the whole point of the book is to get you thinking, "what if life were like this? What if I lived in a society like this? Would I be like Ofglen, or her best friend Moira (who chooses a different role in the society).

Atwood is making a statement about so many things in this book: women's rights and feminism, nuclear waste, terrorism, religious fanatics, etc. It's a compelling read that will get your wheels spinning about the society we DO live in.

If you're looking for a book that will make you think, but at the same time entertain you with exceptional writing, this is one for you! I highly recommend it.

Once Upon A Quinceanera

Ok, so I challenged myself and read a non-fiction again. Sometimes I wonder why I do this because I really don't enjoy them. I don't know why, but I guess when I'm reading, I just want a story!

This book did give valuable insight into what quinceaneras are all about and a glimpse into the Latina culture. The format of the book was not to my liking. I couldn't figure out how it was organized. The author just seemed to ramble on, tending to be redundant and then threw in some of her personal story as well. Actually, it was the author's story that I found more intriguing than the girls' quinces she was writing about.

Basically, she tries to discover if quinceaneras are a good thing or not and doesn't really come to a conclusion. The statistics are there--about 25% of all Latinas drop out of high school and quite a few get pregnant in their teens (can't remember the statistic of that one). Anyway, she points out that as nice as the quinces are, they don't seem to be helping the Latinas prepare for a successful future (at least successful in the American view--perhaps being pregnant by the time you're 16 is successful in their view).

Not being a minority and really not know what it would be like, I found this book helpful in trying to understand their culture. The struggle to exist in 2 worlds and cultures must be daunting, and maybe that's why some just aren't successful in adapting to the American one.

Interesting read, but definitely not one of my favorites this year.

The Thirteenth Tale

I'm on a role! I can't believe I read another book in only a week. It's nice to be in a reading groove again--I don't think I have been since before the baby.

Anyway, this book, written by Diane Setterfield, is a very interesting read. It was gripping, mysterious, and dark. There were many turns in the plot that kept you guessing and captivated. Perhaps that is why I was able to read it in a week!

Basically, it's about a very famous author in England (fictional of course) who is a recluse. No one knows where she came from or who she really is. She offers many interviews a year and in each one she tells a different story, so everyone knows it's not true. This author, Vida Winter, is dying, and decides to finally tell her story. She chooses someone to write her biography for her. The book is the biography that she wrote, except it's not your typical biography. Margaret, the biographer, is trying to figure out the truth within the story and as she does, she discovers things about her own past as well.

I know this is a pretty ambiguous summary, but there are too many details to include! I highly recommend this book. It's got the feel of something like Wuthering Heights, I'm not quite sure why, but it just does for me. Definitely two thumbs up!

Sarah's Key

Sarah's Key, written by Tatiana De Rosnay, is a book that switches from 1942 Paris to contemporary Paris. In July of 1942 there was a round-up of French Jews by the French police. They sent the Jews to camps in France and then ultimately to Auschwitz. Anyone sent to Auschwitz didn't come back alive. What was alarming about this round-up was the number of women and children involved. It was so sad to read about.

The main character in the book, Julia Jarmond, is an American who had been living in Paris for 25 years. She married a French man and had a daughter. She was a journalist for a magazine that asked her to research the round-up for the 60th anniversary of it. While doing her research, Julia discovered the story of Sarah, hence the title "Sarah's Key".

I will not lie--the first 1/2 of the book was so depressing I could only read a couple pages at a time. I have read many Holocaust books in the past, but for whatever reason, this one was especially hard to take. Maybe it's because I'm finally a mother now. I always thought the idea of families being ripped apart was terribly sad, but now that I can imagine someone doing that to me and Jack, I can barely stand it.

The second 1/2 of the book was not nearly as depressing, but the switch from 1942 to current stopped and it just stayed in the current time period. I found myself missing the point of view of Sarah. I wanted to read more of her story, not Julia's. Julia becomes a little obsessed with Sarah's story and I found it a little unrealistic.

It was an interesting book, but I'm not sure I'd consider it a fave. Too sad at the beginning, too unrealistic at the end. But you'll have to read it to see if you agree!