Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


Feb 08

11

Digging to America by Anne Tyler

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on February 11, 2008
Posted in Anne Tyler • Books Read 2008 • Fiction  | 5 Comments

Worth the Read
Digging to America is a very thoughtful story of 2 families, the Donaldson’s, a typical American family and the Yazdans, Iranian immigrants. The book opens with both families, not knowing each other at the time, waiting at the airport for the arrival of their two baby daughter’s that each family has adopted from Korea. When the families realize they were both adopting babies from Korea, they thought it would be nice to stay in touch so that the girls could see each other. This was the beginning of the stories of 2 quite different families and their blossoming friendship.

It was a very thoughtful story that had me laughing and even teary eyed at times. It was a nice story, worth the time, just not great. I listened to the Audio CD version and the narrator, Blair Brown was excellent! She really brought the story to life!
3.5/5

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Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Feb 08

9

Sula by Toni Morrison

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on February 9, 2008
Posted in Books Read 2008 • Fiction • Toni Morrison  | 17 Comments

I’ve Read Better Morrison
This is the story of two black girls, Sula and Nel who become the best of friends in 1973 small town in Ohio. It is both a coming of age story and the trials and tribulations of adulthood, with little opportunity. Both women follow different paths but eventually converge.
I have heard so many wonderful things about this little book that I had to see what all of the fuss was about. I read Morrison’s The Bluest Eye for a women’s studies course in university years ago and really got a lot out of it, so I was quite hopeful with Sula.
What I got, was what seemed like stereotyping. It seemed like Morrison was almost poking fun at her own culture. While the reader new what was happening, the story seemed to be intentionally confusing and ambiguous.
From the description on the back cover of this book, it says:

“Together, they create an unforgettable portrait of what it means and costs to be a black woman in America”

Granted, this book was written in 1973, but I pray that this does not define “what it means” to be a black woman anywhere!

I won’t go as far as saying that this book is a waste of time. I wouldn’t have finished reading it if I thought it was, but Morrison can and has done better.
2.5/5
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

Jan 08

25

Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on January 25, 2008
Posted in Books Read 2008 • Canada • Fiction • Thomas King  | 13 Comments

Water, Water and a Little Too Much Water
This is the intersecting story of a cast of many colorful characters. There’s Alberta, a University professor who wants to trade her two boyfriends in for a baby but no husband. There’s her boyfriend Lionel who is about to turn 40 and is still working at a television store. Alberta’s other boyfriend; Charlie is a “hot shot” lawyer. Then there’s Eli who lives in an old cabin where a dam has been built, but not in use due to his injunctions to stop it. The character list goes on to other supporting characters and some symbolic ones.
This is a very readable quirky book, interspersed with pages of magical realism and mythical characters. I truly enjoyed reading about the main and supporting characters. They were very lively and interesting souls with real, sometime quirky issues. However, I had a hard time getting into the magical realism and symbolic characters. They felt more throw in for good measure, then really fitting in. The other issue I had was the use of water as a symbol. The author made this symbol quit clear from the beginning but I felt like it was being pushed on me throughout the book. It just felt a bit like “over kill” to me.
That said, this is a well-written enjoyable book. Especially for fans of magical realism, but also for readers who can look past that to the wonderful characters.
3.5/5
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.

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