I finished my 50th book for 2008, and just in time, too!
#50: The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery
What would happen if a little French girl, born in the USA and transported to Japan by an uncle at the age of nine, grew up Japanese? Set the beginning of the story in 1856, and you have The Teahouse Fire.
Aurelia is quick to learn languages, and is taken along to Japan by her Jesuit uncle to help with his slower abilities in learning Japanese. At this time, Japan is just barely being opened to the West, and the Jesuits are there under false pretenses - officially they are there to live and learn among the people of Japan, but in reality they intend to bring Christianity to the country. Their first night in Japan, a fire rages through the city and Aurelia is separated from her uncle. She takes refuge in a teahouse, and is taken in as a servant by the family who lives there. Her name is changed to Urako and she grows up idolizing the woman who orchestrated her acceptance into the house - the Tea Master's daughter, Yukako. Although Aurelia/Urako looks different (her facial features are distinctly un-Japanese), she pretends that she was born in Japan because she is afraid of being shipped back to the United States as an orphan.
As she matures, it becomes more and more apparent that she is NOT Japanese. Though she has the correct coloring (dark hair & eyes and the correct skin tone), her body develops much differently than the Japanese women's bodies, and it becomes harder and harder for Urako to blend in and pretend that she is Japanese.
I have always had an interest in Japan and Japanese customs, and this book was full of amazing information about how things were done. One example: in a very strict class system with merchants being near the bottom, men did not physically handle money if they were above the merchant class. They controlled their household finances and had the final say in how money would be spent, but the day-to-day purchases and the actual handling of money was done by women because money was seen as something dirty and therefore beneath a man's dignity to handle.
My sister, who has also read this book, had this to say about it:
#50: The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery
What would happen if a little French girl, born in the USA and transported to Japan by an uncle at the age of nine, grew up Japanese? Set the beginning of the story in 1856, and you have The Teahouse Fire.
Aurelia is quick to learn languages, and is taken along to Japan by her Jesuit uncle to help with his slower abilities in learning Japanese. At this time, Japan is just barely being opened to the West, and the Jesuits are there under false pretenses - officially they are there to live and learn among the people of Japan, but in reality they intend to bring Christianity to the country. Their first night in Japan, a fire rages through the city and Aurelia is separated from her uncle. She takes refuge in a teahouse, and is taken in as a servant by the family who lives there. Her name is changed to Urako and she grows up idolizing the woman who orchestrated her acceptance into the house - the Tea Master's daughter, Yukako. Although Aurelia/Urako looks different (her facial features are distinctly un-Japanese), she pretends that she was born in Japan because she is afraid of being shipped back to the United States as an orphan.
As she matures, it becomes more and more apparent that she is NOT Japanese. Though she has the correct coloring (dark hair & eyes and the correct skin tone), her body develops much differently than the Japanese women's bodies, and it becomes harder and harder for Urako to blend in and pretend that she is Japanese.
I have always had an interest in Japan and Japanese customs, and this book was full of amazing information about how things were done. One example: in a very strict class system with merchants being near the bottom, men did not physically handle money if they were above the merchant class. They controlled their household finances and had the final say in how money would be spent, but the day-to-day purchases and the actual handling of money was done by women because money was seen as something dirty and therefore beneath a man's dignity to handle.
My sister, who has also read this book, had this to say about it:
Very good book, and also very full of information about late 19th century Japan and the lives of the people in the teahouses there.
#49: The Tsarina's Daughter by Carolly Erickson
Once again, we have a book about a woman who says that she is a Romanov daughter who survived the assassination of her parents and siblings. But this time, we have a twist. This woman does not claim to be Anastasia (the daughter most Americans believe to be the survivor), nor does she claim to be Marie (the daughter most Russians believe to have survived). This daughter is Tatiana, the daughter who was closest to their mother, the Tsarina.
I truly loved this book. It gave some insight into the way the Royal family in Russia lived at the time of the Revolution, and what their conditions were like when they were in captivity. The author gives a plausible method of escape for Tatiana (though I won't give it away since it is near the end of the book), yet there is also an epilogue that reminds the reader that this book is a work of fiction and that in reality, Grand Duchess Tatiana was assassinated along with the rest of her family in 1918.
Once again, we have a book about a woman who says that she is a Romanov daughter who survived the assassination of her parents and siblings. But this time, we have a twist. This woman does not claim to be Anastasia (the daughter most Americans believe to be the survivor), nor does she claim to be Marie (the daughter most Russians believe to have survived). This daughter is Tatiana, the daughter who was closest to their mother, the Tsarina.
I truly loved this book. It gave some insight into the way the Royal family in Russia lived at the time of the Revolution, and what their conditions were like when they were in captivity. The author gives a plausible method of escape for Tatiana (though I won't give it away since it is near the end of the book), yet there is also an epilogue that reminds the reader that this book is a work of fiction and that in reality, Grand Duchess Tatiana was assassinated along with the rest of her family in 1918.
Today you will either have the longest day of the year, or the shortest, depending on where you are. What will you do to celebrate the solstice?
Submitted by Jack Yan.
Nothing much on my solstice agenda this year. Shovel some snow, watch some television, work until midnight. Yippee.
#48: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult.
I remember hearing that this book had a controversial topic when it first came out, but by the time I started reading it (more than a year later), I had forgotten. I just knew that I wanted to read it. I have yet to read a book by Jodi Picoult that I did not like, and Nineteen Minutes did not disappoint in that respect.
Nineteen Minutes is about a school shooting in New Hampshire. What makes a high school student decide to take guns to school and kill ten people in the span of nineteen minutes? What would it have taken to stop him? Who is to blame? What will happen afterward? All of these questions are asked throughout the course of the book - though not all are answered.
Naturally, there is a twist near the end. When it comes to a book by Jodi Picoult, there is always a twist.
I remember hearing that this book had a controversial topic when it first came out, but by the time I started reading it (more than a year later), I had forgotten. I just knew that I wanted to read it. I have yet to read a book by Jodi Picoult that I did not like, and Nineteen Minutes did not disappoint in that respect.
Nineteen Minutes is about a school shooting in New Hampshire. What makes a high school student decide to take guns to school and kill ten people in the span of nineteen minutes? What would it have taken to stop him? Who is to blame? What will happen afterward? All of these questions are asked throughout the course of the book - though not all are answered.
Naturally, there is a twist near the end. When it comes to a book by Jodi Picoult, there is always a twist.
#47: Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
As part of the 50 in 365 challenge, I have been re-reading the Anne series. I enjoyed them when I was a child; I still enjoy them now. I always wanted to be more like Anne - and in many ways I was more like her than I knew.
Anne of Windy Poplars finds Anne as the principal of the high school in Summerside. As always, Anne's adventures are the type that only she could find. This is the last book in which Anne is a single girl; the next book (Anne's House of Dreams) begins with her wedding.
As part of the 50 in 365 challenge, I have been re-reading the Anne series. I enjoyed them when I was a child; I still enjoy them now. I always wanted to be more like Anne - and in many ways I was more like her than I knew.
Anne of Windy Poplars finds Anne as the principal of the high school in Summerside. As always, Anne's adventures are the type that only she could find. This is the last book in which Anne is a single girl; the next book (Anne's House of Dreams) begins with her wedding.
#46: The Shack by Wm. Paul Young
I was a little leery about reading this book. I had read some things about it that made me wonder if I really wanted to read it, but after some thought I decided that I needed to form my own opinions, so I sat down and read it.
The book centers around Mack, a man who has had a great tragedy in his life. Through this tragedy and his resulting anger, he has begun to question his faith in God. Then he gets a note from God inviting him to spend the weekend with Him. Mack's decision to accept this invitation will change his life forever.
I enjoyed the book. It was definitely one that made me think about not only my personal relationship with God, but also the way I treat the people I interact with on a daily basis.
I was a little leery about reading this book. I had read some things about it that made me wonder if I really wanted to read it, but after some thought I decided that I needed to form my own opinions, so I sat down and read it.
The book centers around Mack, a man who has had a great tragedy in his life. Through this tragedy and his resulting anger, he has begun to question his faith in God. Then he gets a note from God inviting him to spend the weekend with Him. Mack's decision to accept this invitation will change his life forever.
I enjoyed the book. It was definitely one that made me think about not only my personal relationship with God, but also the way I treat the people I interact with on a daily basis.
#45: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer.
I found this one to be slower in starting than Twilight. I enjoyed it, but I was two-thirds of the way through before it really became a page turner.
I found this one to be slower in starting than Twilight. I enjoyed it, but I was two-thirds of the way through before it really became a page turner.
#44: The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent
This book I loved. It helps that I'm a history buff; historical fiction is one of my favorite genres of literature. It's set during the Salem Witch Trials and centers around the family of Martha Carrier and is told by her daughter, Sarah. Sarah learns a lot about standing up for what is right by doing the opposite - telling people what they want to hear.
This book I loved. It helps that I'm a history buff; historical fiction is one of my favorite genres of literature. It's set during the Salem Witch Trials and centers around the family of Martha Carrier and is told by her daughter, Sarah. Sarah learns a lot about standing up for what is right by doing the opposite - telling people what they want to hear.
Book #43: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
I enjoyed this book a lot, but I don't think that it's as awesome as a lot of people find it to be. I thought it was good, maybe even great, but not amazing. It was a very fast read; I read it in less than 48 hours. I'm going to continue reading the series and see what I think of the rest of it.
I enjoyed this book a lot, but I don't think that it's as awesome as a lot of people find it to be. I thought it was good, maybe even great, but not amazing. It was a very fast read; I read it in less than 48 hours. I'm going to continue reading the series and see what I think of the rest of it.
