Part 2 of the Midsummer Book Blog Binge.
Because I read these books in midsummer and forgot to blog them.
Briar Rose - Jane Yolen - 241 pages
31) Author you've never read before
Yolen has an impressive resume that ranges from children's picture books to adult novels with awards all over the place. It's not impossible that I'd never read her books, but it was a little surprising. She's a Goodreads author so I browsed her profile and get the sense that she is a darling lady. I could've sworn Jane Yolen is an alias for one of my favorite college professors. Anyway. Yolen was recommended to me so when I found out she wrote a historical fiction WWII book called Briar Rose I immediately went to the library and picked it up.
Thing you know: I love WWII Historical Fiction
Thing you may not know: I LOVE Sleeping Beauty
The book is about a young lady who goes on a trip to find out more about her grandmother's life who's last words to her are "I am Briar Rose". It's about the holocaust and it's not exactly cheery, but it'll break your heart and then put it back together a little bit stronger than before. It's a young adult book, but there are very heavy themes (as you would expect from a book about the holocaust) not recommended to early teens.
I love the idea of this book, but I think the way the story unfolded could have been better. I expected our protagonist to go on a journey that slowly unfolded her grandmother's secrets, but it was more like I was reading two different books. One about a girl on a personal journey and another about a man suffering during the holocaust. The story of Sleeping Beauty is cleverly wound into this woman's life and that is what ultimately kept me intrigued. Sadly, that information is saved for the last part of the book instead of a growing theme throughout. Great idea. Okay execution. Good book.
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen Marvel Adaptions - 128 Pages
30) A graphic novel
Nobody said what kind of graphic novel.
I used to read a little manga, the right to left authentic stuff. I just couldn't make myself choose one. I looked at manga, I looked at comic books, I looked at all sorts. I must have been standing in the graphic novel section of the library for half an hour. THEN. I saw Sense and Sensibility, grabbed it, and checked out. I made it my mission a year ago to read as many versions of Sense and Sensibility as I could find, all of them just fell short of the perfection of Austen's original. So when I saw the graphic novel, I had high hopes because it was the original story but found myself apprehensive. How do you make a comic book out of such a dialogue heavy book? Marvel did a great job of balancing the dialogue we needed and the lovely illustration. It was a fun read, and another version of SaS to add to my list.
Austenland - Shannon Hale - 202 Pages
7) A funny book
This book tho.
I saw the movie first, that's what put it into my mind that the book would be funny. It's funnier, because it's more realistic. The film is similar is style to Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, which are two of my favorites, so you can imagine the humor.
It's about a young woman named Jane who's OBSESSED with the idea of Mr. Darcy. Her romantic relationships have been failures and she turns to Austen's novels (and the movie adaptions) to make up for her sad love life. But when Jane takes a trip to Austenland, an immersive regency era themed experience in England she begins to wonder if Mr. Darcy is what she actually wants.
The book is very similar to the movie in plot. I laughed out loud many times, and as cheesy as it could feel at times, it also hit very honest chords with me. (I mean, I just professed my love for Sense and Sensibility...)
This read is a good time, it may not change your life, but it's worth the time. If you liked the movie, I think you should read the book as well. If you've read the book, see the movie, it's some of the most perfect casting I've ever seen.
Read on,
Jamie
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