Book Review | NEWS OF OUR LOVED ONES by Abigail DeWitt

October 2, 2018
HarperCollins

Set in France and America, News of Our Loved Ones is a haunting and intimate examination of love and loss, beauty and the cost of survival, witnessed through two generations of one French family, whose lives are all touched by the tragic events surrounding the D-Day bombings in Normandy.

What if your family’s fate could be traced back to one indelible summer?

The book club agreed to read historical fiction for the month of September. I decided to read just a couple of books, but, then, this copy came to me fortuitously. I received an email from the publisher, advising me to follow a link. I asked myself, “Do I really need to read another war story, after getting off from the American Civil War?”

I’m glad I did. I don’t regret following that link.

This is a World War II story, revealing the lives of the Delasalle family and those who have crossed their paths before and after the D-Day Landing at the port city of Caen, in France’s Normandy region. It showed many ways war takes its toll and how death can leave irreversible effects, tearing families apart. Remaining family members revisit memories; retell events, desperately trying to chase the ripples of their tragedy down the next generations. The guilt of being alive, while many have perished, followed them. They acutely cling to every life tangible to keep them afloat.

NEWS OF OUR LOVED ONES is handsomely imagined, with engaging characters and stirring events. Ms. DeWitt managed to bring together a generational family story from individual narratives, creating a mosaic of love, death, estrangement, resilience, and remembrance.

This striking book is perfect for historical fiction lovers.

Book Details:

Title: News Of Our Loved Ones

Author: Abigail DeWitt

Publication: October 2, 2018, HarperCollins

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating:★★★★

*Thank you HarperCollins for this Flash Giveaway.

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Book Review | THE REMAINS OF THE DAY by Kazuo Ishiguro

THE REMAINS OF THE DAY

BY KAZUO ISHIGURO | PUBLICATION: JANUARY 1, 2010
VINTAGE | GENRE: LITERARY FICTION
RATING: ★★★★

"A story of dignity, regret,
and the quiet ache of a life half-lived."

____________________________________________________________________

In the summer of 1956, Stevens, a long-serving butler at Darlington Hall, decides to take a motoring trip through the West Country. The six-day excursion becomes a journey into the past of Stevens and England, a past that takes in fascism, two world wars, and an unrealised love between the butler and his housekeeper.

____________________________________________________________________

"The Things Left Unsaid: Writing to Mr. Stevens"


Dearest James,

I know an introduction is customary — polite, even — but in this case, I suggest we dispense with it. It is you who matters, and no one else.

First, how did the end of your motoring trip fare? Was the return pleasant? I hope none of the inconveniences that plagued your departure followed you home. Mr. Farraday was right to suggest the journey; you had been cooped up in that great hall far too long. A change of scenery did you good. In the span of a single week, you seemed to grow — not outwardly, perhaps, but inwardly, where it counts.

I read your travelogue and musings with great interest. It is difficult not to be taken by them. Still, I noticed how often you answer your own questions. I suspect these are not signs of confusion but of hesitation — a reluctance to acknowledge truths long waiting at the edges of your mind. Hesitation and advancing age make uneasy companions, don’t they?

Your thoughts return again and again to greatness and dignity. It is clear you seek justification. And yes, James, you are a great and dignified butler. But does that absolve the mistakes you’ve made? Of course not, old chap. Your dignity lies in your unwavering professionalism, even in trying times — always the embodiment of restraint, calm, and placid composure. Yet in pursuing greatness, in holding fast to duty at the expense of feeling, you have forfeited something vital: relationships. Greatness and dignity fade, as your father’s did. Great butlers come and go. But a good friend, a loving husband, a present father — these are cherished for all time.

Oh, James. If only you had taken the leap…

But regret is a poor dwelling place. It has occupied your thoughts for far too many years already. Bless Miss Kenton for choosing a different path — even if partly to spite you — but fate has spoken. She is happily married now. She said all is well, did she not? Then move on, for her sake as much as your own. As for Lord Darlington, his folly is his alone. It is not yours to suffer. Loyalty is not measured by how much you endure, but by how well you serve. You know this now. Let the matter rest. Correcting the past is miserable business.

The man at the pier was right: nothing fruitful comes from dwelling too long on what cannot be changed. The day is not yet over. There is still much to be gained. Work on your bantering, as you resolved. Let humor lighten your steps. Women do enjoy a man with a bit of wit — but more importantly, humor may help you feel younger.

Farewell, James. Bless you on this new endeavor. Do send word of your progress, if you can.


Yours,
Louize

*Originally posted here.

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About the Author:

KAZUO ISHIGURO was born in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1954 and moved to Britain at the age of five. His works of fiction have earned him many honours around the world, including the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Booker Prize. His books have been translated into over fifty languages and The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go were both made into acclaimed films. He received a knighthood in 2018 for Services to Literature. He also holds the decorations of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from France and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star from Japan. His most recent novel, Klara and the Sun was a number one Sunday Times bestseller in both hardback and paperback. Ishiguro also works occasionally as a screenwriter. His screenplay for the 2022 film Living received Academy Award (Oscar) and BAFTA nominations. Cinema adaptations of Klara and the Sun and A Pale View of Hills are due for release in 2025. Photo by Andrew Testa

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CALL ME BY YOUR NAME by André Aciman

Every place I am acquainted with is buzzing with excitement because of Luca Guadagnino’s adaptation of the book. It was initially released last January 22 of this year. I have not seen the movie, though. I don’t usually watch book adaptations (with only two exceptions: the Harry Potter series and Game of Thrones series). Although, Guadagnino’s peculiarity on shooting the entire movie with a 35 mm lens alone, and his reason for doing so, are really intriguing. So, you may rest assured that this is not a movie promotional review.

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME was our TFG book for March of 2016, and it was on my best book list, too. Exploring the internet, you’ll see both accolades and rebukes for the author, the same goes with the book. The aptest description I’ve read so far was “maddening”. This book has the capacity to hurl my emotions into a turbulent sea. My need to resurface for air, every now and then, was acutely palpable.

Adflictus sum et humiliatus sum nimis rugiebam a gemitu cordis mei! -Psalm 37:9 DRA

Reading Elio prompted me to look around me, asking myself if I made the right choices. Mindfully, he allowed me to view choices akin to a tub of boiling water, jumping in will not spare me from scars, but it will be absolutely liberating. I will wear those scars proudly because they are intrinsically part of me. Elio made choices by predicting how these choices will affect his feelings, his being, in the future. He, in every sense, provides his future adult self an emotional revelation he befittingly deserves. It astounded me (it still does, I believe) how Elio marries his present and his envisioned self without any sense of insincerity or regret.

Most of us can't help but live as though we've got two lives to live, one is the mockup, the other the finished version, and then there are all those versions in between. -Sam Perlman

As much as people categorized this book as an LGBT novel or romance, it will remain as a coming of age book for me. The greatest magic of this book is that it shows people, and I mean everyone, will transform. This space we occupy now, though necessary, is evanescent. We will, in essence, continue laboring for our envisioned future selves. In his purity, Elio created a portrait of a love fated to last lifetimes, even when that love is no longer with him. Since every human is driven by desire, we choose to love someone that will aid us to project the kind of person we want to be, into a full-bodied being the world will see. Every desire, present or absent, will help ferry us into that envisioned being.

Instead, I squirreled away small things so that in the lean days ahead glimmers from the past might bring back the warmth. I began, reluctantly, to steal from the present to pay off debts I knew I’d incur in the future. -Elio

SPOILER ALERT. The best part of this book for me was the father and son's reserved scene. It bespoke of a father’s unparalleled love for his son. It squeezed my heart, because, truly, in our pursuit of that envisioned self, we will need all the people who love us.

If there is pain, nurse it, and if there is a flame, don't snuff it out, don't be brutal with it. Withdrawal can be a terrible thing when it keeps us awake at night, and watching others forget us sooner than we'd want to be forgotten is no better. We rip out so much of ourselves to be cured of things faster than we should that we go bankrupt by the age of thirty and have less to offer each time we start with someone new. But to feel nothing so as not to feel anything - what a waste! -Sam Perlman

Title:  Call Me By Your Name

Author:  André Aciman

Publication:  January 22nd, 2008; Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Genre:  Fiction / Coming of Age

Rating: ★★★★★

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THE 3-DAY LATE YEAR-END POST

Happy 2017, Everyone!

This is our annual welcome post, where I get to show you my year of reading, my top list for the previous year, and my wishes and perspective for this glorious year ahead of us. On top of that, The Page Walker’s 4th birthday is just around the corner. So, I bid you greet me a Happy Bloggy Birthday. Go ahead, don’t be shy.

Goodreads was good enough (pun not intended), to compile our yearly reading for us. So, simply click on the photo above and you’ll be electronically transported to that beautiful cover collage.  According to Goodreads, I read 62 books last 2016 (rereads not included). Pretty good job for a lazy sloth like me, I guess. The thing is I don’t regret reading any of these books. In fact, I’ve had some very satisfying reads. Most of them were real tearjerkers, some were bloody murder, and some were as scary as hell.

Last July 2016, I’ve already posted half of my best list, so, I’ll just add the rest here.

1. Stormy Weather by Dermot Davis – This is a philosophical challenge. I chose it for my TFG Bingo card because it posed a very intriguing storyline. I had a huge take from this story because it tells the story of a therapist struggling with his own priorities.
2. Leave Me by Gayle Forman – I connected with this book. The main character voiced every exhausted mother’s plea and call for validation.
3. The Sinner by Amanda Stevens – This is the 5^th installment of the Graveyard Queen. And I admit to loving this series too much because it scared me out of my pants (and out of my bed, too).
4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows – Another book for the TFG Bingo. This is a sweetheart. I dearly love all the exchanges.
5. All In  (The Naturals #3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
6. Bad Blood (The Naturals #4) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes – The Naturals is one freakin’ psyched series. I love it.
7. Stay Where You Are And Then Leave by John Boyne – The same guy who wrote The Boy In the Striped Pyjamas wrote this book, so, I don’t need to tell you to grab a huge roll of tissue when you read this.
8. The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino – This book is deceptive, I tell you. It lulled me into believing that it’d be the perfect murder. Then, the ending happened, and I totally lost it. Bloody murder and a tearjerker, rolled into one. What a punch!
9. A List of Cages by Robin Roe – This debut novel crushed my heart most assuredly. It made me cry, it made me angry – I felt absolutely helpless. The roll of tissue failed to rescue me from this one. I highly recommend this.

I’m proud of my TFG Bingo Challenge, even though I’m 4 books shy of completing a blackout. I finished 21 books, with 5 patterns.  I had great times exploring books to fit into each category and enjoyed most of my choices. Kudos to the mind who sacrificed both time and effort in creating such challenges. You can click on the pattern below to embiggen.

2016 turned me into a very lousy blogger, averaging to 2 entries a month. There is no excuse, really. Simply, lazy and uninspired. As I said earlier, The Page Walker is turning 4 this January. So, it’s time to seriously put the -ING into ADULTING. I’ll do my best to post something significant every week.

As to my reading, I still aspire to read satisfying books -those books that wounds, scars, and mends; those that will scare the wits out me; and those that will keep me at the edge of my seat (or perch, or wherever). I may even read a lesser number this year, but I want to make sure that all of them are those I've really wanted to read. Like the literary awardees I've been keeping an eye on; those series I've been missing; and those short story collections that have been gathering dust on my shelves. I'd be random and eclectic as always.

Again, thank you for putting up with me all through these times. I appreciate all the emails, the shy people who prefer not leaving a comment, and those who share my links. Sorry for not replying promptly to your emails, or for ignoring most of them. I am an awful, awful blogger, sorry. Yet again, to all the publicists and authors, kindly read my policy thoroughly before sending me an email. And if you could maybe get my name right sometimes, that would be awesome.  😉 Goodspeed!

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Sneak Peek Review | WHAT LIGHT by Jay Asher

  

October 18, 2016;

Penguin Young Readers Group

Click here.

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Say It With A Book #10 | All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

With Guest Book Reviewer | Mawi Lopez

   

ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES is the story of how one event joined the lives of Violet Markey and Theodore Finch. I kept on coming across reviews that say this book is The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park, but honestly I don't see the comparison with either of the two. Sure there are similarities with some of the characters but the themes presented between all three books were dissimilar. Nevertheless, I liked all three of them. On with this book's review… Btw, I don't really do book reviews so please bear with me :)

I highly recommend this book to people who have gone through and have coped with loss, to readers who love young adult themes and to everyone who wanted a little glimpse of what it's like to have someone so special change your life forever.

The book tackled issues about teenage suicide, bullying, mental/emotional disorder, the feeling of being alone despite having people around, loss, divorce and the effects of broken families on the children. It was done in a way that, I think, young people would appreciate and relate to. The author’s note at the end even included organizations one can contact if they’re experiencing said problems and needed help, which is a really nice thing. On the bright side, the story of how Violet and Finch touched each other’s lives was lovely (because lovely is a lovely word that should be used more often). I can’t help but root for them and hope that everything will turn out well for them both. I, also, was utterly pained by the ending as I was so hoping for it to end the other way. I’m not saying the ending was bad, it was good, but I just wished it did not end that way.

I will end this review with a really lovely quote from the book: 

You are all the colors in one, at full brightness.

PS. I totally love the part where they did the Before I die I want to _______ thing. Because it was a really lovely scene and because it has some Jimmy Page reference (please pardon this JP fan) in it.

Book details: 

Title: All the Bright Places 

Author:  Jennifer Niven

Publication: January 6, 2015; Penguin Random House

Genre:  YA Fiction

Rating: ★★★★

...

About Mawi:

Born as Maridon Lopez, but we lovingly call her Mawi. We share a common love for dogs, and we both adored the above-reviewed book. Remembering how she felt when she first joined our TFG activity, back in January 2015, she thought that she'd be an oddball. Little did she know that we're all oddballs in our own little ways. She belongs!

TPW:  What is your favorite genre?

Mawi: I will have to say historical fiction and YA, depending on the theme though, nothing too mawkish please.

TPW:  How would you define yourself as a reader?

Mawi:  I always make it a point to read for pleasure alone. If someone asks me to read a book and at some point found it unbearable, I will put it down and find something better to read. Although, sometimes, I find myself finishing just for the sake of finishing, but that happens very rarely. And I never read two books at any given period, as in I have to finish one first before starting another. 

TPW:  Thank you very much, Mawi!

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Say It With A Book #9 | UNWIND by Neal Shusterman

With Guest Blogger | Dr. Rehana V. Pallingayan, M.D.

  

There are stories which can scare the shits out of little kids when the lights are turned off but only effective for a few years because they realize these are not real when they reach their teens. There are lesser stories that can scare a teenager but its effects are more brutal, the scars won't go away even when they crossed their 20th year of life, even if they are in their deathbeds at age 80. Unwind is one such story that could scare these teens, not just because of the act itself but because it roots in their inner fear of being unwanted. As an adult reading this, I have but one fear that fiction may become real. The line is thin, so thin that a Heartland war may just be in its way.

My job makes me witness the effects of transplantation. We have good success rates when it comes to Corneal transplants and Kidney transplants. We also had successful liver and intestine transplants. We had dealt with heart transplants and lung transplants in the past. You see the effects of a second chance to these people- they try to live their lives fuller; that little kid could now dream for his future; a parent's wish could come true; and a wife is ensured of not being a widow. There is this satisfaction when one says the phrase- "A life well spent". But the other side of the story is as real as these stories of hope. The queue on the triage of who gets a kidney first is long and every day the end just gets farther. We do have a national organ donation program focused not only in the aim of delivering organs to these transplant patients but also in caring for the donors, making sure they are not victims of organ trafficking and that they are well aware that even if they still have a kidney, their lives have changed, same way that one can learn to ride a unicycle after learning to use a bicycle. A bicycle will always be stable.

What I loved about this book is the strength of its character development, these teens presenting their own stories merging into one central plot- the right to exist, to experience firsthand on how it is to live. You are drawn in their sadness, frustrate about what is lacking and cheer them further to reach greatness. The books also let you go back to the basic morals you carry within or without the topic of one's religious doctrines. Even minor characters have served their purpose, may it be the dead ones or a portion of their brain. As a young adult book, I hope the teenager gets the point of how stupid and at the same time beautiful it is to be an adult. I hope they understand how one's choices could shape the world, that it is easy to commit mistakes and harder to swallow its repercussions. But hopefully the message the kid gets is this- it is always the better option to choose life. 

Transplantation is not a bad thing. Organ trafficking however is a different structure. The concept of unwinding is the most ridiculous type of organ trafficking that I hope will never come to existence. It is not the question of a soul, a religious belief or a scientific know-how but of one's integrity as a human. We are allowed to save lives but never to be above anything to be allowed to take another's life.

Book details:

Title:  Unwind

Author:  Neal Shusterman

Publication:  June 2nd 2009; Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 

Genre:  YA, Sci-fi

Rating:  ★★★★★

About Ranee:

  Ranee is TFG's in-house surgeon, probably one of the wittiest and sweetest doctors you'll get to meet She is very keen on volunteering in numerous medical missions nationwide.  When I asked Ranee's permission to feature one of her reviews here, I told her I was desperate. I was, really. I have it in mind to introduce her here for a long time now, and I am really glad that she finally agreed this time. 

Friends, “the Doctor is IN.”

TPW:  What is your favorite genre?

Ranee:  No particular favorite, I do not know if I do have a favorite genre but most likely it would be lit-fic. 

TPW:  How would you define yourself as a reader?

Ranee:  Definitely a moody one, oh wait a sniffer! Yes, definitely a sniffer, I smell books before I read or buy them.  

But really, it is my book collection that dictates. After finishing one book, I stare at my book case and just like in a trance, I seem to hear one book trying to catch my attention telling me to read it, so I do read it. Well it does help that I am a book hoarder so I have a vast collection of (unread) books waiting for my attention.

TPW:  Thank you very much, Ranee, for sharing this review. This won't be the last, I hope!

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TFG BINGO

The Oracle is at it again! Our Reading Challenge for 2016 at the book club is called TFG Bingo. Each one of us chose a number (1-75), and each number represents a card. No two cards are alike, I presume. Now, the card is very tricky. Instead of numbers, each box could represent a book genre, topic, setting, or a certain book list found in Goodreads.

Here’s my card:

As you can see, I’ve already marked the set I wanted to pursue. I am posting this here so that I can keep track of the challenges I’ve set upon myself. Each mark will be replaced by a book title if I finish a challenge, so I think I’ll add this to my sidebar for easy access.

There is no strict rule on when each challenge should be accomplished, except that we finish it within the calendar year. But I guess I should add for myself, on this challenge, any Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) does not apply. That would be like hitting two birds with one stone, and it wouldn’t be an honest challenge at all.

TFG had been doing these challenges for years now. It’s not only fun, but a good way to further stretch our reading horizon or step out from our comfort zones. I’m glad that a good number of members still enlist themselves. And, I highly appreciate the people who take time to conceptualize and initiate these challenges (Yay!).

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2015 Reading Challenge | November

A friend, The Book Hooligan, posted his essential reading list for November late last week. It was only then that I realized that I haven't had the chance to post mine. So, here I am, in the middle of the night, typing away, whilst my dog sleeps beside me through my clicking keyboard.

Last October, I was able to finish the following books:

• Monstress by Lysley Tenorio - 4/5 stars -  TFG 's book for the October.
• Nirvana by JR Stewart - 3.5 stars - The story has a great premise based on the extinction of bees and how it affected our future. I had the chance to read both the 1st draft and the final revision, which calls for a new review. 
• The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson - 4/5 stars - The book tackled the issue of PTSD from a young adult's point of view. 
• The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman - 4/5 stars - I really enjoyed the adventure. Looking forward to reading the next book soon.

For November I've lined up the following:

• Winter People by Jennifer McMahon
• Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen
• The Undoing by Averil Dean
• Alternative Alamat  Edited by Paolo Chikiamco

I've put The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd on hold, indefinitely, because the plot is turning tedious for my present state of being. Busy people cannot afford to be dragged down altogether by the plot, speaking from experience. 

Meanwhile, review requests are still suspended until January 2016. And although some requests try to find me in different avenues, the said schedule and the policy still applies. 

Live long and prosper!

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2015 Reading Challenge | October

Aaannnddd we are down to the last quarter! Three more months to go and my reading challenge is down to eleven books. Yes, folks. Eleven more books to conquer my reading challenge for the year. But before I start counting chicks, let me list down what I read last September.

• Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier - 3/5 stars - The premise and prose were undoubtedly good, but for some reason, it can't hold my interest together. It was just probably me, right?
• Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee - 5/5 stars - TFG's book for September, which we discussed with FFP. 
• Family Life by Akhil Sharma - 4/5 stars - A bittersweet story that will stay with me for a while.
• All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven - 5/5 stars - A really sad book with a good, good purpose.
• Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill - 3.5/5 stars - An examination of the life and (mostly) of its attachments, leaping from observation to observation.
• Warren the 13th and The All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio - 4/5 stars - A delightful read for all ages. 

And while we're at it, here are the books I chose for the Banned Books Week this year...

• And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson - 5/5 stars 
• Drama by Raina Telgemeier - 4/5 stars 
• It's Perfectly Normal by Robbie H. Harris - 5/5 stars

For October,

• Monstress by Lysley Tenorio -  TFG 's book for the month.
• The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd - A carryover from September, 47% thru the book. 
• Nirvana by JR Stewart - A carryover from September, 57% thru the book.
• The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson - From my 2014 to-read-books.
• The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman - From my  2015 to-read-books.

I hope to cross these off from my lists before the month is out, so keep your fingers and toes crossed for me. Thanks!

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2015 Reading Challenge | September

Hello! Isn't it exciting, the BER months are here? If time indeed flies, it zoomed. I went back to what I've read so far and realized that no matter how fast I read, there'd be more books that I need and want to read. The pile just kept on adding up. Same old story, 'no?

Here are the books I've read last August.

• Everlasting by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss - 3/5 stars - The author's last book and this my closure.
• To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee - 5/5 stars - A reread. I still love it after so many years.
• A Bottle of Storm Clouds by Eliza Victoria - 3/5 stars - A short story collection from one of our local speculative fiction writers. I breezed thru this.
• The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence - 5/5 stars - A heartfelt tale of an extraordinary friendship. In spite of the expected ending, I was still caught off guard and cried. I can't entirely blame it on hormones.
• Slade House by David Mitchell - 5/5 stars - ARC. Releasing this October 27. The whole reading community should be very excited.

To cut off some books from my TBR, I've decided to read a book off my 2014 list and a book off my 2015 list simultaneously, starting this month. Although, I may add more along the way as time permits. This way, I can closely monitor how I'm doing. 

• Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill 
• All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

I'm currently reading Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, a book club dare-to-read challenge. I'm terribly slow at it so I may take a while finishing. Meanwhile, TFG is reading and discussing Go Set A Watchman this September with FFP. Listened to it a week ago and Reese Witherspoon did a wonderful narration. 

Unexpected circumstances happened some time ago, and my commitments took a drastic change. It was because of these circumstances that I missed some book club F2F discussions.  Same reason why I have not been replying to most emails and review request lately. Forgive me for cutting down on requests.

Until next time! Meanwhile, have a wonderful September.

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Book Review | ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE

Aristotle and Dante, #1
BY BENJAMIN ALIRE SÁENZ | PUBLICATION: FEBRUARY 2012
SIMON & SCHUSTER | GENRE: YA FICTION
RATING: ★★★★★

“There is something miraculous about the ordinary
— about friendship as liberation, about the bravery of discovering who you are,
about the tenderness of being seen.”

____________________________________________________________________

Dante can swim. Ari can't. Dante is articulate and self-assured. Ari has a hard time with words and suffers from self-doubt. Dante gets lost in poetry and art. Ari gets lost in thoughts of his older brother who is in prison. Dante is fair skinned. Ari's features are much darker. It seems that a boy like Dante, with his open and unique perspective on life, would be the last person to break down the walls that Ari has built around himself.

But against all odds, when Ari and Dante meet, they develop a special bond that will teach them the most important truths of their lives, and help define the people they want to be. But there are big hurdles in their way, and only by believing in each other—and the power of their friendship—can Ari and Dante emerge stronger on the other side.

____________________________________________________________________

This was my first book by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and I’m instantly a fan.

I’d like to begin by calling Aristotle (Ari) a lonely boy, but that wouldn’t be entirely fair. At the start of the story, he seems almost comfortable in his aloneness — steeped in bitterness, confusion, and a quiet resignation. He rarely speaks to his family, though his mother tries. His only brother is in prison, a subject the family avoids; his sisters are much older and already married; and his father keeps a distance built not of space but of silence. Ari has his own walls, too. He’s afraid of emotional attachment, of the responsibility that comes with being known. Yet beneath all that, he carries a storm of emotions — beautiful, sad, and aching to be released.

I had learned to hide what I felt. No, that's not true.
There was no learning involved.
I had been born knowing how to hide what I felt.
Dante, on the other hand, is a breath of fresh air. His worldview is relentlessly bright. He adores his parents and values their opinions with a kind of wholeheartedness that feels rare. He’s emotional, artistic, curious — a boy who reads deeply and feels deeply. When he meets Ari at the local swimming pool and offers to teach him to swim, their friendship forms almost instantly. Throughout the story, Dante keeps gently, persistently pressing against Ari’s walls of fear and uncertainty.

And it seemed to me that Dante's face was a map of the world.
A world without any darkness.
Wow, a world without darkness. How beautiful was that?
This is a slow but steady, character‑driven narrative, and the investment in these boys is its greatest reward. I loved watching the stark differences between them — and between their families — and how each boy influences the other toward honesty, healing, and self‑reckoning. The breaking down of walls comes with moments of self‑discovery, painful clarity, and quiet triumph.

"All this time I had been trying to figure out the secrets of the universe…
All of the answers had always been so close
and yet I'd always fought them."
Sáenz writes with a lyrical softness that’s easy to follow and even easier to feel. Not everything is humorous; Ari carries more heartbreak than he knows what to do with. But the novel still manages to make you believe in people again. There is something miraculous about the ordinary — about friendship as liberation, about the bravery of discovering who you are, about the tenderness of being seen. ARISTOTLE AND DANTE is a charming, reflective journey of two boys stumbling toward themselves. In the end, they learn that the secrets of the universe were never as far away as they feared.

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About the Author:

Benjamin Alire Sáenz is an author of poetry and prose for adults and teens. He was the first Hispanic winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award and a recipient of the American Book Award for his books for adults. He is the author of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, which was a Printz Honor Book, the Stonewall Award winner, the Pura Belpré Award winner, the Lambda Literary Award winner, and a finalist for the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award, and its sequel, Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World. His first novel for teens, Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood, was an ALA Top Ten Book for Young Adults and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His second book for teens, He Forgot to Say Goodbye, won the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, the Southwest Book Award, and was named a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. He lives in El Paso, Texas. Photograph by Vantage Point Studios

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2015 Reading Challenge | August

Last month, I took a slow reading pace. Mainly, because I am ahead of the reading plan I set for myself this year. Two, because I wanted to focus on some ARCs and write my feedback. Three, because I need to finish the module for the Sunday School needed this conference year for our church. And yay, because somehow everything is lining up as it should be. But still keeping my fingers crossed *sigh*. 

Before you truly get bored with my life story, here are the books I've read last July:

• The Quiet American by Graham Greene - 4/5 stars - A razor-sharp exploration of moral conflict on both personal and social affairs. TFG's choice for July.
• Two Years, Eight Months, and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie - 4/5 stars - A deep dive into strangeness, shattering all barriers between the jinn world and ours. Coming September 8, 2015.
• Everything You & I Could Have Been If We're You & I by Albert Espinosa - 4/5 stars - A beautifully flowing story with grief and hope at the center. The English translation is now available via Kindle.
• This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance by Jonathan Evison - 5/5 stars - Witty and charming. A character study reflecting on human goodness and flaws.  Coming September 8, 2015.
• Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar - 4/5 stars - A Middle-grade book that tackles how our defiance to have unlimited energy sources can be dangerous. Released today!

For August, here are:

• Ubik by Philip K. Dick - TFG's book for this month. Gosh, this one is really hard to put down. When I reached half point, there's no stopping. So, I finished it last week. But habit compels me to include it here. 
• Everlasting by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss - A favorite writer, and this was her last book before her early demise. The book was a gift from Maria, two Christmases ago. I just couldn't face the fact that this was KW's last book. So, I am reading this now as my way of closure. 
• To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee - A re-reading (or listening) is in order since TFG will be reading Go Set a Watchman, set on September of this year. I just purchased both audiobooks and I am good to go.

Hey, set aside some ample reading time. Remember,  

"Books don't offer real escape,

but they can stop a mind scratching itself raw."

~ David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas

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