Smackdown Books 2021

Ordinary Hazards
We Dream of Space
If These Wings Could Fly
We Are Not Free
The King of Jam Sandwiches
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team
The Companion
Punching the Air
Show Me a Sign
Land of the Cranes
Furia
Dragon Hoops
When Stars Are Scattered
Snapdragon
The Radium Girls: The Scary But True Story of the Poison That Made People Glow in the Dark
American as Paneer Pie
Tune It Out
The Gilded Ones
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London
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Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Well, I went with Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. King.  Annabel is right to say that it was edgy and thoughtful.  I have to say, although I know many would stake me for this, I have never been fond of A.S. King.  Maybe I'm not intellectual enough to understand the metaphors or allusions?  (Don't answer that)  But Everyone Sees the Ants...too weird/smart for me.  Glory, well it had just enough weird in it for me.  It's not as if I absolutely loved the book though.  Neither had me on the edge of my couch.  
Brown Girl Dreaming just didn't get into enough detail for me.  It was beautifully written, don’t get me wrong, but I couldn't connect to the characters.  In my opinion, when a novel is written in poetic format the beauty of the word choice is something to admire, but the development of the character seems choppy.  In this case, I felt like there was a barrier between Jacqueline and me.  Not because I can’t connect with her upbringing, but because there wasn't that detail I needed to attach myself to her as a character.   

Whereas in Glory, I found myself sticky noting several pages for their profound statements about life.  “Free yourself.  Have the courage”.  “Are you tortured too?  Are you?”  I especially loved, “We form.  We shine.  We burn.  Kapow”.  These constant statements or questions about life kept me intrigued throughout.  But it’s not as if this book didn't make me want to chuck it across the room either.  The part about what she sees in the future is absolute lunacy to me.  In a country where people will not give up their right to arm themselves, I find it highly unlikely that women would just sit back and allow all of their rights to be taken from them. ..just saying.  In the end, it came down to who I connected more with, as it always does, and the answer to that, ironically, was Glory O’Brien.  I wonder what that says about me…(that was rhetorical)

Tristin Pawluk

1 comment:

  1. I sadly have yet to read an AS King book and I am so glad this moved forward so I can get myself in gear and get to it. I loved Brown Girl Dreaming but I think it is an adult audience book. How can you reflect and appreciate others reflections when you are still in the middle of experiencing it yourself? I know that all the major award pickers are disagreeing with me. How do I get on those committees anyhow?

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