Synopsis:
This book tells of a time a young boy spends with his grandmother while his father is away fighting in World War II and his mother is working in a munitions factory. The Norwegian farming community in northern Minnesota is far removed in every way from Chicago - life is quieter here, not easier but simpler. It is a world virtually without men, peopled by hardy women more than adequate to the task of keeping the farms running while their husbands and sons are overseas. While there, the boy learns much about birth and death, about life going on, about his own heritage and the traditions that keep memory alive.
Comments:
Paulsen captures the mood of the story well, both in content and style. It's a simple story, simply told yet rich in detail, carrying a flavor of comfortable homeyness while avoiding overly sweet sentimentality.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Book Review: Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey
Synopsis:
The premise of this book is that Robert Louis Stevenson's classic, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, was based on a true story, and that the current descendants of Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde are teenagers living in a small Pennsylvania town. Through a series of unusual occurrences, Jill and Tristen are drawn - or thrust - together. The book chronicles their academic but also deeply personal quest to unravel the mysteries of their pasts and attempt to alter the ongoing consequences of their ancestors' choices, as well as their complex feelings toward each other.
Comments:
The plot is intriguing and fits well with the classic story, and the book presents a powerful depiction of the far-reaching effects of one man's actions, even through several generations. There are several elements which, although in my opinion consistent with the mood of the story, will be disturbing to some readers: violence, strong language, commission of crimes of varying degree, and sexual references.
The premise of this book is that Robert Louis Stevenson's classic, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, was based on a true story, and that the current descendants of Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde are teenagers living in a small Pennsylvania town. Through a series of unusual occurrences, Jill and Tristen are drawn - or thrust - together. The book chronicles their academic but also deeply personal quest to unravel the mysteries of their pasts and attempt to alter the ongoing consequences of their ancestors' choices, as well as their complex feelings toward each other.
Comments:
The plot is intriguing and fits well with the classic story, and the book presents a powerful depiction of the far-reaching effects of one man's actions, even through several generations. There are several elements which, although in my opinion consistent with the mood of the story, will be disturbing to some readers: violence, strong language, commission of crimes of varying degree, and sexual references.
Book Review: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Synopsis:
This classic work set in 19th century London centers on Dr. Henry Jekyll, a respected physician who has grown estranged from his friends and colleagues and taken up a somewhat reclusive life, and his inexplicable connection to Edward Hyde, a malformed, violent man seemingly without a conscience, who carries out a number of increasingly hideous crimes.
Intrigued by the mysterious power Hyde holds over Jekyll, and deeply concerned for his friend and client, the lawyer Mr. Utterson begins to scrutinize the activities of both men, enlisting the aid and counsel of mutual friends of the doctor and himself. Only upon the death of both Jekyll and Hyde is the shocking truth of their entanglement fully discovered.
Comments:
Clearly, the primary theme of this tale is the raging conflict between good and evil, not only in the world at large but reaching even into the depths of a man's soul. A secondary, perhaps overlooked element is the fidelity of true friendship.
This classic work set in 19th century London centers on Dr. Henry Jekyll, a respected physician who has grown estranged from his friends and colleagues and taken up a somewhat reclusive life, and his inexplicable connection to Edward Hyde, a malformed, violent man seemingly without a conscience, who carries out a number of increasingly hideous crimes.
Intrigued by the mysterious power Hyde holds over Jekyll, and deeply concerned for his friend and client, the lawyer Mr. Utterson begins to scrutinize the activities of both men, enlisting the aid and counsel of mutual friends of the doctor and himself. Only upon the death of both Jekyll and Hyde is the shocking truth of their entanglement fully discovered.
Comments:
Clearly, the primary theme of this tale is the raging conflict between good and evil, not only in the world at large but reaching even into the depths of a man's soul. A secondary, perhaps overlooked element is the fidelity of true friendship.
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