Things Fall Apart: 3 Stars

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Okonkwo is a respected man in his tribe in Africa, but fears that he may some day end up like his father, who he felt was lazy. Due to a horrible crime, Okonkwo adopts a young boy who he loves dearly and treats with greater respect and love than his own son.  But when the tribe decides that the boy must die, Okonkwo even helps carry out the murder. He shows no emotion, afraid of appearing like his father, and bottles his emotions. This causes him to be increasingly violent and abusive to his wives, children, and others.

When Okonkwo accidentally kills a young boy, he his exiled from his tribe and forced to go live in his mother's homeland. There he learns about the impending arrival of white, Christian missionaries. When the missionaries arrive, the tribe soon becomes divided. Some men have converted but mostly due to being outcasts in the tribe. Others refuse, too afraid to anger the many gods they believe in. But when Okonkwo's only son decides to convert, the anger that Okonkwo has held inside can no longer be contained and his world soon falls apart.

This book was an interesting read in that it villainized neither party. I expected the Christians to be either looked at as villains or heroes, yet the author took neither approach. The Christians clearly had a misunderstanding of African culture and the difference in tribes, but were not horrific people. On the other hand, the Africans were not written as silly people with silly cultures that should be dropped or needed to change.

The main character of the book, Okonkwo, was also neither a villain or a hero.  He was man who struggled with who he was and how he was perceived. Okonkwo faced many of the problems that we as Americans face, but in a very different setting. He struggled with the concept of success and what that meant as well as being accepted and what he had to sacrifice to make that happen.

I found that one of the strongest characters in the book was Ezinma, Okonkwo's daughter and favorite child. She was very beautiful and could have married any man she wanted and lived a life of respect and wealth. Instead, she chose to stay with her mother, a woman who was very mistreated by her husband. Eventually, despite her father being viewed negatively, she sticks by his side and returns to his original tribe with him to find a suitor.

The downside to the book, is that is gets a little dull in the middle. It's not until nearly the end of the book that the Christians arrive and the action really picks up. While the rest of the book is thought-provoking, it's a little dry and dull.

Rating: PG

Recommended for those who enjoy: cultural differences, moral dilemmas, and family drama.

The Light Between Oceans: 3 Stars

The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman

Tom and Isabel live a quiet, isolated life on an island in a lighthouse. While they are typically very happy, Isabel has been unable to carry a child to full term, losing three babies during pregnancy. Two weeks after her third miscarriage, a miracle happens. A boat washes ashore with a dead man and a crying infant. Isabel is convinced that this is God giving her a child. Tom isn't so sure, but can't bear to watch his wife lose another child. But the "miracle" isn't all Isabel thought it would be.

Heading to shore two years later, Tom hears of a woman who's husband and child disappeared two years earlier. Still heartbroken, the woman is constantly looking for her missing daughter. Tom knows that his daughter is really her daughter, but what can he do?  To confess the truth would be to lose his own daughter and break his wife's heart.

From the start, you knew there was no way this was going to end happily for anyone involved. It was a tragic story and you knew it was going to end in a heap of heartache and tears. The author did a great job of showing the pain that each character was feeling from Tom's guilt, Isabel's longing, and the birth mother's heartache.

While I thought the story was well told and ended the only way it could have, I felt the author was often long-winded and gave far more details than were necessary. We learn so much about things that just don't relate to the story or add to it. There were more than a few parts that I felt could have been left out or reduced in text. They were just boring and delayed the story, which took away from the emotional journey.

Rating: PG

Recommended for those who enjoy: family drama, moral dilemmas, thought-provoking books.

Remember Me? 3 Stars

Remember Me? by Sophia Kinsella

What would you do if you hit your head and woke up in a hospital three years later? You haven't been in a coma for three years; you just have selective amnesia. This happens to Lexi Smart is Sophia Kinsella's chick lit book, Remember Me? Not only can Lexi not remember the last three years of her life, but she seems to have hit it big.  She's has money, a hot hubby, and her teeth have been fixed.  She is much thinner as well. She feels like she woke up to her dream life, but soon begins to notice that things may not be as wonderful as they appear. As Lexi puts together the missing pieces of her life, she begins to see things she wishes she did not.

Another fun read from Kinsella!  Remember Me?, like most of Kinsellas books, would make a wonderful chick flick. Its a fun and entertaining book that keeps you wondering how Lexi will resolve her life. 

I will say that I became quite concerned that Kinsella was going to take this book in a direction that I wasn't sure I could stomach.  But she did a phenomenal job of taking the book a different direction.  Good job! 

Rating: PG-13

Recommended for those who enjoy: chick lit, humor, family drama, and sassy female protagonists.

This is Where I Leave You: 3 Stars

This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

I saw that this book was being made into a movie starring Jason Bateman.  I  have adored Jason Bateman ever since Arrested Development (which I realized is towards the middle of his career since he was a child star), but I tend to watch everything he's in, even if it's stupid (Identity Thief was terrible!) Anyhow, the book was on sale on AbeBooks.com for like $2 so I bought it and read it. 

Judd Foxman's father has passed away. As if that's not enough, he must now go to set Shiva with his distant family right after his divorce. His wife's affair with his radio shock jock boss is now public knowledge, as well as the death of his child only one month before it's birth. With a brother who lost a scholarship and now runs the family business, a sister who's husband doesn't seem to treat her well, a much much younger, flighty brother, and a grieving mother who was never ashamed to talk about anything with her kids, Judd's seven day stint at home may not be ideal.

The concept of this book looked absolutely fascinating.  Forced to deal with all of his issues in a one-week trip, Judd is living every man's nightmare. His life has spiraled to a point of extreme depression and tragedy and EVERYONE knows it. He has long since buried and neglected issues with each of his siblings and his parents. He has very new issues with his ex-wife, ex-boss, and situation in life. Judd has wanted to get in a car and just drive; leaving his problems behind.  But with the death of his father, Judd doesn't have that option for at least seven days. 

I love the way this book addresses the issues in Judd's life. While his biggest issues may be his recent divorce and punching his boss, Judd's issues go back much further. Judd is able to pry back the layers of his life, slowly getting to the root of many of his issues.

I was pretty disappointed in much of the unnecessary plot lines of the book. The whole scene with Judd and his sister-in-law, I just...I have no words.  I thought it was poorly addressed and poorly written. It was a very serious issue that well....let me just explain it flat out.  

DO NOT READ PAST THIS POINT IF YOU DON'T LIKE SPOILERS!

Unable to get pregnant from her husband, Judd's older brother, Alice confides in Judd, her ex-boyfriend. Then she sneaks up on him, forces him to have sex with her, and then leaves, hoping that he will give her the child she wants with the closest DNA to her husband. Judd and Alice barely address this later. It was rape, plain and simple, and I do not like how lightly and casually the author deals with this topic.  Just because it's a man being raped by a woman doesn't make it any less of a horrific and terrible crime. I was appalled and disgusted with the author lack of taste and tact.

Rating: R

Recommended for those who like family drama, therapeutic novels, and humor.