I feel like I've been reading every spare second of the day, but it seems that I've been reading lots of magazine articles and random chapters from non-fiction books more than I've been reading entire novels. Still, I've managed to get through two YA books over the past couple of weeks. Wish that they had blown me away, but can't say they did. First up, pictured above, was
Boy Meets Boy, by David Levithan. This was on my "to read" list, given to me by my employer several months ago. Or maybe it was on my Challenged and Banned List. At any rate, I could see why it would make some people uncomfortable, as it discusses (gasp!) love between two homosexual boys. Of course, if you actually read the book, it is more of the platonic kind, with little more than kissing discussed. The point of the story is the strength this one boy finds in his sexuality, and the strength he brings to others who are still struggling with acknowledging their feelings (or struggling with parents who refuse to support or believe in them). It's a decent read - some humor, some depth, satisfying but not perfectly tied up ending. I'd give it three stars (out of four). ***
Then there's this new one, published just last year (but interestingly enough, published in France in 2005):
A Bottle in the Gaza Sea, by Valerie Zenatti. It is the story of a teen Israeli girl who decides she's tired of the fighting and bombs, and puts a message in a bottle in the Gaza Sea, to try to contact a Palestinian girl and find out what they have in common. Instead, the bottle finds a teen boy (Palestinian) living in the Gaza strip. Billed as a modern day Romeo and Juliet, I had high hopes for this one, but little happens to the characters and little action actually occurs to invite suspense or create a climax. The author has the characters explain the history behind the Israeli-Palestine conflict, but sometimes it's too didactic. The teens communicate through e-mail and chat, which helps teens relate to the unusual setting (it is set in 2003) but the way that "fall" for each other is a little forced. Overall, I was disappointed - I was hoping to recommend this for our school-library teen book club next year. Two stars **
Meanwhile, I'm working on this adult non-fiction:
A Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible, by A.J. Jacobs. I was on the hold list for a while, and since I've been reading (or skimming) so many other things, it's now almost due back and I'm not even a quarter of the way into it. But I'm determined to finish it this weekend. It is tongue-and-cheek at times, serious at others, and I can see that the author will be changed (not just physically - since he has to grow a FULL beard) but spiritually. It kind of mirrors my audio book of the moment: Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert (yup, still working on that). Well, that's it for now. Make sure to leave comments if you've read these titles - I don't need any more recommendations - yagh!
I feel like I've been reading every spare second of the day, but it seems that I've been reading lots of magazine articles and random chapters from non-fiction books more than I've been reading entire novels. Still, I've managed to get through two YA books over the past couple of weeks. Wish that they had blown me away, but can't say they did. First up, pictured above, was Boy Meets Boy, by David Levithan. This was on my "to read" list, given to me by my employer several months ago. Or maybe it was on my Challenged and Banned List. At any rate, I could see why it would make some people uncomfortable, as it discusses (gasp!) love between two homosexual boys. Of course, if you actually read the book, it is more of the platonic kind, with little more than kissing discussed. The point of the story is the strength this one boy finds in his sexuality, and the strength he brings to others who are still struggling with acknowledging their feelings (or struggling with parents who refuse to support or believe in them). It's a decent read - some humor, some depth, satisfying but not perfectly tied up ending. I'd give it three stars (out of four). ***
Then there's this new one, published just last year (but interestingly enough, published in France in 2005): A Bottle in the Gaza Sea, by Valerie Zenatti. It is the story of a teen Israeli girl who decides she's tired of the fighting and bombs, and puts a message in a bottle in the Gaza Sea, to try to contact a Palestinian girl and find out what they have in common. Instead, the bottle finds a teen boy (Palestinian) living in the Gaza strip. Billed as a modern day Romeo and Juliet, I had high hopes for this one, but little happens to the characters and little action actually occurs to invite suspense or create a climax. The author has the characters explain the history behind the Israeli-Palestine conflict, but sometimes it's too didactic. The teens communicate through e-mail and chat, which helps teens relate to the unusual setting (it is set in 2003) but the way that "fall" for each other is a little forced. Overall, I was disappointed - I was hoping to recommend this for our school-library teen book club next year. Two stars **
Meanwhile, I'm working on this adult non-fiction: A Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally As Possible, by A.J. Jacobs. I was on the hold list for a while, and since I've been reading (or skimming) so many other things, it's now almost due back and I'm not even a quarter of the way into it. But I'm determined to finish it this weekend. It is tongue-and-cheek at times, serious at others, and I can see that the author will be changed (not just physically - since he has to grow a FULL beard) but spiritually. It kind of mirrors my audio book of the moment: Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert (yup, still working on that). Well, that's it for now. Make sure to leave comments if you've read these titles - I don't need any more recommendations - yagh!
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