May Book Reviews
With much more time on my hands this month, I managed to read six books and got myself back on track with my reading goal for the year - 21 down, 29 to go! I read one via Kindle, three via paperback, and two via Audiobook. Two were nonfiction (memoir and Christian living), and four were decidedly fiction, though I'm not sure how to subcategorize them.
Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A True (as told by me) Story, Bess Kalb
This was our book club book for the month, and definitely the most unique memoir I have ever read. I really enjoyed it, mostly because of the perspective the author chose; Bess Kalb actually wrote it in the voice of her grandmother, Bobby Bell. By telling her grandmother's story in this way, she honored four generations of women in her family and shared the broader scope of how their lives intertwined and influenced one another. It was funny and heartfelt and beautiful and intimate... and made me miss my own dear, glamorous, and legendary Grammie.
Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools: An Invitation to the Wonder and Mystery of Prayer, Tyler Staton
My church small group read this one together and finished it up last week. I liked it better than the last book we read and felt like I related to more of the stories and examples that the author gave. The thing I didn't like about it was that he brought up questions without giving answers... and they were questions that I've had for a long time that I haven't found answers to. Questions like, "Why does God seem to so quickly and easily answer my prayers about insignificant things like parking spaces, but then remain silent and unmoving on the really big things that I'm sure are in line with his will?" I'm glad the author didn't presume to know the mind of the Almighty, but it was a little frustrating to revisit questions that go nowhere. But one thing I really liked was that at the end of each chapter, he provided a prayer exercise for us to try. ("Yay, homework!" this nerd cheers unironically.) So many of them were things that enhanced my personal prayer life and also strengthened the bond between us in our group, as we were more intentional in praying with and for one another.
Emma: A Modern Retelling, Alexander McCall Smith
The concept of this one intrigued me, but I ended up not loving it. It's not a criticism of the author or his writing... I just should have known better than to read a retelling of one of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors. Don't mess with a good thing!! It was a little weird to me that Emma was rewritten by a man, which was very obvious in the style and focus. It was also weird, because I never actually understood what year or era it was supposed to be set in... just "modern," as in, the characters drove cars, wore pants, talked about vaccinations, and were a bit too open about discussing scandalous lifestyles (could easily describe the past 60 years). There was also an excessive amount of backstory to each character that I didn't think was necessary, and it really slowed the story down... which, I will unfortunately admit, is already pretty bogged down with dialog in the original Austen. The most important point, though, is that I did not love George Knightley in the end, as I felt like I should. Maybe I will go back and reread the original as penance... or redemption.
Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt
Since Sally Field is starring in a new movie based on this book, I decided I needed to read it first. All I knew, prior to cracking open the cover, was that it involved an aquarium; I wasn't sure if the title referred to light or color or joy... I was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful story that I found in its pages - full of grief redeemed, lost people found, and hope restored. Plus, I learned a thing or two about the narrator, a highly intelligent - aka, remarkably bright - giant Pacific octopus.
MY TOP MAY PICK:
The Unsolicited Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 2&3, Beth Bower
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