Coming-of-AgeTag Archives

The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair

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Reason for Reading:
  • The cover, plain and simple.

I also recommend:

Summary from GoodReads:

The redemptive journey of a young woman unsure of her engagement, who revisits in memory the events of one scorching childhood summer when her beautiful yet troubled mother spirits her away from her home to an Indian village untouched by time, where she discovers in the jungle behind her ancestral house a spellbinding garden that harbors a terrifying secret.

My Review:

What is it about these stories set in India and why do they keep hooking me? Is it their beautiful covers? Their promise of something deep lurking within? The hope that such a sad story might possibly have a happy ending?

Whatever it is, I am so incredibly glad that I gave in to the urge and picked up The Girl in the Garden. This is not the typical sad, heavy story set against the backdrop of India. Yes, there is a touch of poverty, yes, the caste system is firmly in place – but instead of being thrown into the strange world and stranger people, I was taken gently by the hand and led through the story by the narrater, a woman now grown, telling the story of a summer spent in India with her mother and her family.

Like me, this narrator grew up in the United States. While she suffers from being made fun of for looking different, surrounded by the blonde-headed, blue-eyed kids in Minnesota, she possesses a strength of character, even at 10 years old, that gripped me and drug me along.

The Girl in the Garden starts with a simple letter, a letter to a man she is about to marry and accompanied by her wedding ring – because before she can get married, she needs to tell him her story and she needs to find an ending to that story back in India.

I seriously wept several times while reading this book. I kept turning the page, wanting and dreading answers, hoping against hope for a happy ending but unable to see how one could possibly come about, but I was wrong and this book surprised me in more ways then one.

Beautifully written, descriptions of gardens and places in India that actually had me longing to visit and a unique coming-of-age tale that left me satisfied and glowing with happiness. You can’t ask for more than that.

Check out these reviews!

Stiletto Storytime

That’s What She Read

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Lydia
19 July, 2011
Coming of Age, Literary Fiction, reviews
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Mathilda Savitch by Victor Lodato

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Reason for Reading:
  • Saw it on the shelves at Barnes and Noble and thought it looked fun!

I  also recommend:

Summary from GoodReads:

I have secrets and I’m going to have more,” says Mathilda, the title character, in the opening pages of Lodato’s debut novel. It’s a claim that any normal, self-absorbed adolescent might utter, but its meaning here is slowly revealed to shocking effect. In this darkly humorous and truly haunting tale, Lodato turns the coming-of-age genre on its head.
Mathilda, the narrator, informs readers early on that she and her parents are struggling to cope with the violent death of her older sister, Helene. A year ago, Mathilda explains, the 16-year-old Helene was pushed in front of a train, and the man who did it was never caught. In the wake of the tragedy, while Mathilda describes her life dispassionately, her behavior is far more disturbing than she realizes. She methodically pulls hair from her head and talks about the satisfaction she derives from pinching her dog. She plans to parade in front of her mother in her sister’s old dress to mark the anniversary of Helene’s death.

Convinced that she alone is interested in identifying her sister’s killer, Mathilda works to discover the password to Helene’s email account. With information gleaned from her research, she retraces Helene’s steps on the day of her death, in order to solve the crime. Mathilda Savitch is a powerful tale of a contemporary family in crisis.

My Review:

This book made my heart hurt – and not necessarily in the good way that gives you a sense of understanding and hope through the pain.  It was just a whole lot of pain.

But don’t let me make you think that it wasn’t a good book, because it was.  It was dark, terrifying, filled with horror, heartache, pain and hurt – everything a coming-of-age story seems to need to reflect the current time.  It dealt with heavy issues such as terrorism, suicide, alcoholism, neglect and sexuality, all through the perspective of a young girl who is dealing with the loss of an older sister.

Mathilda Savitch is a short book, but don’t let its length fool you.  It was like chewing a meaty novel, it took time and I had to take several breaks before moving forward again with the story just so I could absorb what was happening.  And my heart broke over and over again for Mathilda.

This is definitely an adult novel, and not one easily recommended. The subject matter is just so heavy, I hesitate to encourage anyone to just run out and read it.  So instead, what I’ll say is – if you want to read a novel that will make you think, make you consider how your own actions can affect those closest to you, then take the time out to read this book.

Check out these review(s):

Presenting Lenore

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Lydia
14 June, 2011
Coming of Age, Contemporary, reviews
3 comments
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Wishin’ and Hopin’ by Wally Lamb

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Reason(s) for Reading:
  • I’ve heard a lot about Wally Lamb and thought, considering the season, this would be the perfect start for December.
I  also recommend:

Summary from GoodReads:

It’s 1964 and ten-year-old Felix is sure of a few things: the birds and the bees are puzzling, television is magical, and this is one Christmas he’ll never forget.

LBJ and Lady Bird are in the White House, Meet the Beatles is on everyone’s turntable, and Felix Funicello (distant cousin of the iconic Annette!) is doing his best to navigate fifth grade—easier said than done when scary movies still give you nightmares and you bear a striking resemblance to a certain adorable cartoon boy.

Back in his beloved fictional town of Three Rivers, Connecticut, with a new cast of endearing characters, Wally Lamb takes his readers straight into the halls of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parochial School—where Mother Filomina’s word is law and goody-two-shoes Rosalie Twerski is sure to be minding everyone’s business. But grammar and arithmetic move to the back burner this holiday season with the sudden arrivals of substitute teacher Madame Frechette, straight from QuÉbec, and feisty Russian student Zhenya Kabakova. While Felix learns the meaning of French kissing, cultural misunderstanding, and tableaux vivants, Wishin’ and Hopin’ barrels toward one outrageous Christmas.

From the Funicello family’s bus-station lunch counter to the elementary school playground (with an uproarious stop at the Pillsbury Bake-Off),Wishin’ and Hopin’ is a vivid slice of 1960s life, a wise and witty holiday tale that celebrates where we’ve been—and how far we’ve come.

My Review:

I really wasn’t sure how this book would go, as I had two completely different expectations from it.  I thought either it would be sappy and sweet, or it would be a book that had me laughing my butt off.  Wishin’ and Hopin’ definitely fulfilled the latter expectation and then some.

Think.. A Christmas Story mixed with the Frank’s story of growing up in Catholic Ireland.  While Felix, the ten-year-old who is telling his own story, doesn’t live in Ireland, he does live in the fantastic world of 1964 US of A – a world where Beetles, Beehive hair-do’s, Bandstand, Catholic Schools and Annette Funicello reign.

There are so many priceless moments in this book, and I don’t want to ruin them all for you, but I have to say that one of my favorite moments was an appearance made on television (which, according to the epilogue, was based on a real-life moment).  I seriously laughed until I cried and everything was written so well I could visualize it happening as I read about it.

I wasn’t alive during the 1960′s, so this story wasn’t a trip down memory lane for me.  But I’ve seen enough movies, read enough stories and talked to my folks about the 60′s enough to feel a connection with Felix’s story and to appreciate it for what it was – a funny, insightful, nostalgic look at the world through the eyes of a 10 year old.  And while things have changed today and classrooms have become completely different, there are still ten year olds out there experiencing the same wonder and living in the same innocence that Felix lived and experienced.   That’s what made this book such a beautiful start to the Christmas season, reading-wise for me.  An innocent, heart-warming story filled with charm, family and life.

About the Author

Wally Lamb’s first two novels, She’s Come Undone (Simon & Schuster/Pocket, 1992) and I Know This Much Is True(HarperCollins/ReganBooks, 1998), were # 1 New York Timesbestsellers, New York Times Notable Books of the Year, and featured titles of Oprah’s Book Club. I Know This Much Is Truewas a Book of the Month Club main selection and the June 1999 featured selection of the Bertelsman Book Club, the national book club of Germany. Between them, She’s Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True have been translated into eighteen languages.Lamb is also the editor of the nonfiction anthologies Couldn’t Keep It to Myself: Testimonies from Our Imprisoned Sisters…

For more reviews on Wishin’ and Hopin’ by Wally Lamb, please follow the book tour.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from TLC Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Lydia
29 November, 2010
Coming of Age, reviews
1 comment
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Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

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Reason(s) for Reading:
  • All the hype about this book being put on the chopping block inspired me to check it out.
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Summary from GoodReads:

“Don’t worry, Anna. I’ll tell her, okay? Just let me think about the best way to do it.”
“Okay.”
“Promise me? Promise you won’t say anything?”
“Don’t worry.” I laughed. “It’s our secret, right?”

According to her best friend Frankie, twenty days in Zanzibar Bay is the perfect opportunity to have a summer fling, and if they meet one boy every day, there’s a pretty good chance Anna will find her first summer romance. Anna lightheartedly agrees to the game, but there’s something she hasn’t told Frankie—she’s already had that kind of romance, and it was with Frankie’s older brother, Matt, just before his tragic death one year ago.

Beautifully written and emotionally honest, this is a debut novel that explores what it truly means to love someone and what it means to grieve, and ultimately, how to make the most of every single moment this world has to offer.

My Review:

I can appreciate why this book is as popular as it is.   It’s a heart-rending story, filled with secrets, heart-break, lost love and self-exploration.  It’s easy to read, hard to put down and sports a very likeable character in Anna.

With all that said, I hate to say anything negative about it, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about how this story made prudish me squirm a bit.  I mean, for all of Anna and Frankie’s growth, as friends and as women, there was a lot of backsliding happening.  The lies, the deceit, the clueless parents and the rush to lose her virginity made me more than a little uncomfortable.  That said, I wouldn’t be on the bandwagon calling for the book to be banned, but I might think twice about recommending it lightly.

For a debut novel, don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful book and I think Sarah Ockler really captured some of the angst that teenagers deal with when coping with loss and grief, I just wish there would have been a little less about boys and a little more about the family/friends dynamics.

Check out these review(s):

I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read

The Story Siren

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Lydia
24 November, 2010
Coming of Age, reviews, Young Adult
0 comments
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Sweetie by Kathryn Magendie

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Reason(s) for Reading:
  • After falling in love with CeeCee Honeycutt and the magic of Sarah Addison Allen’s books – I decided to pick up another southern story.
  • This is another case of “the cover strikes again”.  Such a pretty cover!
I also recommend:

Summary from GoodReads:

Over-weight, bespectacled twelve-year-old Melissa is captivated by wild-mountain-girl Sweetie. As the two friends explore the Western North Carolina mountains where Sweetie lives, they learn about friendship and family, loss and love, loyalty and betrayal. Before the tragedy that changes their lives, and causes Melissa to lose her friend to the mountain sprits, the two become friends, blood sisters, confidants, and caretakers of secrets. At the end of that summer, Sweetie makes a sacrifice that only twelve-year-old Sweetie could make for her mother, and alternatively, Melissa makes a selfish decision, then can only stand by and watch as her friend is there, then gone.

My Review:

Five stars.  FIVE STARS to this book.  I’m out of breath from being totally blown away by this beautiful coming-of-age story. Parts of this book reminded me of an old favorite book, The Shepherd of the Hills by Harold Bell Wright.  Kathryn Magendie has captured some magic in her descriptions of the Smoky Mountains and has created a character in Sweetie that will live on in my memory.

Sweetie is the story of two very different girls, friends thrown together through cruel acts at school – one strong and the other tender.  They spend a school year together, growing up, changing and learning from one another.   I felt Melissa’s struggle and her pain while dealing with the bullies at school, her escape to food and her need to be loved by someone – and I felt captured by the entrance of “Sweetie” – her stories, her treatment of “Miss Lissa” and the adventures she drags Melissa on.

I had a sneaking suspicion after reading the first chapter that I would like this book, but I did not expect it to flat out floor me.  The development of the story, the characters, the way Magendie manipulates her readers emotions threw me for a loop and had me laughing and crying .. sometimes loudly.  This is the perfect book for you folks who love a good coming-of-age story with a touch of magic in it.  I cannot wait to get my greedy hands on a physical copy as soon as I can (as I received this via Netgalley).

Check out these review(s):

The Phantom Paragrapher

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Lydia
11 November, 2010
Coming of Age, Favorites, reviews
1 comment
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Heart with Joy by Steve Cushman

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Reason(s) for Reading:
  • Steve Cushman contacted me with a summary of his book, and it looked interesting.
  • After reading a rather dismal family book I wanted something with a bit more hope.
I also recommend:

Summary from GoodReads:

In Heart With Joy, fifteen-year-old Julian Hale’s life is turned upside down when his mother suddenly moves from North Carolina to Venice, Florida under the pretense of running her parents’ motel and finishing the novel she has been working on for years.  While Julian has always been closer to his mother and wants to go with her, she tells him he has to stay with his father until the end of the school year.

Six weeks after his mother leaves, Julian’s father decides to run a marathon.  This surprises Julian because he has never seen his father exercise, but once he agrees to help him train the two develop the sort of close relationship they’ve never had before.  Also, with the help of an elderly neighbor, Julian learns that the most important thing in life is to follow your heart.  And Julian’s heart leads him to a passion for cooking and a young cashier at the local grocery store.  By the end of the novel, Julian is forced to choose between staying with his father and going to live with his mother.

My Review (Spoiler free!):

Do you have something that fills your heart with joy?  This is the ultimate question that Julian sets out to figure out while developing relationships with those around him.

This book started out with a bit of a sad story, but when I thought I had it figured out and knew which direction the story was going to head… things started to change.  Steve Cushman did a beautiful job of laying out the normally commonplace things around his characters, making them feel as if they were right there… just out of reach.  While reading this book I became more aware of the sounds of birds surrounding me, I noticed textures and colors as I looked out of my window and I found myself asking.. what all fills my heart with joy?

While this wasn’t a story that had me reeling in amazement, it was a story that warmed my heart, made me appreciate the relationships I have a little bit more and left me feeling content.  Wrapped up in a few, short pages it gets its message across well and is worth the time investment if you are wanting something pleasant and thoughtful to read.

Check out these review(s):

Simply Stacie

My Reading Room

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Lydia
3 November, 2010
Coming of Age, Cozy, reviews
0 comments
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