The Lake Shore Limited

Sue Miller’s character development was excruciatingly slow to start. I was initially bored by the story. The characters of Leslie and Pierce whom establish the novel were flat. I didn’t know where or if the tale was going anywhere. I drudged through the first twenty-nine pages. It took me two days to read pages one through twenty. Finally, I choose to commit. I finished the book this afternoon. Luckily the story progressed more rapidly with Miller’s introduction of additional characters that were much more compelling, ultimately carrying the book. I did not dislike the work, but I wasn’t thrilled either. The subject matter was depressing. The author has created a book comprised of extremely sad people coming to terms with loss or impending loss while trying to find ways to move on in their lives. None of the characters beckoned me. They were lost and damaged.

I am very excited for my next reads. I picked up two new books: In One Person by John Irving and The Whisperer by Donato Carrisi. I also have an extremely long book by an Indian author given to me by a colleague. This book is over one thousand pages. It’s very daunting. I haven’t even brought it home. I will have to gain more courage. 

Falling Leaves

Adeline Yen Mah’s memoir is heartbreaking. She does an excellent job of recounting her dysfunctional family history while simultaneously documenting the turbulent periods that influenced her development. Mah’s pursuit to be part of her family provides an insight into the Chinese culture when daughters were unwanted, ultimately considered a burden. However, this autobiography is not just a cultural study of a Chinese woman’s longing to be accepted in a society where males were the preferred offspring. Psychologically, doesn’t it make sense that anyone despite culture and race would want familial love and acceptance regardless of the abuses experienced? A rational being such as Mah knows the love craved is impossible to achieve, yet that desire is deeply ingrained and impossible to ignore.

This book struck a cord personally. Unfortunately, I can relate to Mah’s abandonment by her family. I have experienced the desire for reconciliation, love, understanding and acceptance knowing it will forever be impossible due to factors beyond my control. Niang (Step Mother) behaved as she did due to cultural influences, however, I believe mental illness probably played a substantial role in her despicable conduct. Mental illness, drug and alcohol, sexual, emotional and physical abuses, taint relationships causing horrific family dysfunction. I have had to learn to accept the things I cannot change as well as not take on the dysfunction of others. Nevertheless, the ache for a different better outcome will always be buried deep within. I imagine these feelings are similar for Mah.

Taft

This Ann Patchett read was slow to start and much harder to get into then I had expected. However, halfway in the tale flew. Patchett is a true master at creating strong, realist characters that evolve page by page. She also incorporates interesting themes, weaving them effortlessly into the story. In this book fatherhood, loyalty (sometimes misplaced), loss, and the complexities of love and friendship are explored. By the end of Taft I was so caught up I wished for more. I wonder if Patchett purposely intended an ending where the reader would continue to imagine the characters and contemplate what they would do next. 

One Vacant Chair

James is the only character I liked in this novel. He was quirky, while endearing. Most of Joe Coomer’s characters were flat, boring or mean spirited, especially in their dealings with each other. Sarah and Edna were so abrasive that their cruelty to one another made me uncomfortable, even anxious. The harsh style Coomer chose when writing interactions between characters seemed overly nasty and hence not realistic. The story was painfully slow. I actually skimmed sections of the book. (Probably the reason I finished the book in a few days.) Not until the very, very end is there significant, somewhat interesting movement in the story. Coomer posed philosophical questions about life, death and families, while also incorporating decent symbolism, yet there are other better-constructed and far more interesting books that demonstrate and accomplish these attributes.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

While at Barnes & Noble I found a quirky, little hardcover book with strange photographs interspersed into the narrative. The photographs, all black and white, provide for an eerie and creative element. The cover photo was the initial draw. How can a little girl, levitating in the forest in what appears to be 1940’s garb not be appealing? The book's jacket blurb was also intriguing. At first glance I thought it was an adult mystery, but upon deeper inspection, I learned this book is actually targeted towards young adults. Ransom Riggs is probably desperately hoping this will be the next Harry Potter or Hunger Games. Reading the first few pages I was ensnared. I had to purchase this book.

To my surprise and disappointment, the book was not a true mystery but instead transformed into fantasy, a genre I tend not to enjoy. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children features time-travel, nasty creatures and strange made up terms that I imagine attract fantasy fans. I am having a challenging time pinpointing the genre I had hoped this book would have represented. I suppose I wanted the magic realism found in a Sarah Addison Allen work or a book like Night Circus, which allows the reader to entertain and accept a fantastically strange yet realistic reality. Although this book did not fully absorb me I can see how it would for a different type of reader as well as adolescents. I am very curious to hear from my reading friends their thoughts on this book. Another issue to be aware of is that this is only book one. About fifty pages until the end I realized, there was no way the book could be wrapped up. Even though I was not overly impressed or engaged I will have to read the other works to discover what transpires for these characters. I hope Riggs wraps these books up in a sequel, trilogy at most. I suppose the success may dictate the number of books, unless Riggs has already formulated his plan.

What makes this book truly unique and worth the read is the use of photography. The photographs take the book to another level. It is interesting to experience how the artwork contributes to the storytelling and plot line. There have been mentions of creating a Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children movie. The photos are such a critical aspect of the experience of the book. I am not sure how a movie could be done. I guess I will have to wait and see.