Tag: #booklove

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

Adaline lives in 17th century France with 17th-century societal expectations- she must marry. Now Addie doesn’t want to get married. She wants to travel and learn and meet new people. She definitely doesn’t want to keep a home and have babies. So she does the only thing she can do to get out and makes a deal with the devil. Being a master equivocator, the devil distorts the bargain, yes, she will be free to travel and learn and meet new people however she will be immortal, and tragically be immediately forgotten by anyone and everyone she meets, making it impossible to forge any relationship whatsoever. Addie truly becomes invisible and must maneuver through the centuries on her wit and with only her own company. Sure the devil pops in every year or so to bully her, and as anyone would, accepts his company because, of course, he is the only “friend” she has. 

Until …

one day she enters a book store where she is remembered. Now what? What will the devil do with these new sets of circumstances? Or is the devil himself who has placed this “person who remembers” in her path just to taunt and torture her.

I really loved this book. It reminded me of other novels where our protagonist is immortal and weaves his/her way through the centuries. Pilgrim by Timothy Findley and Orlando by Virginia Wolfe come to mind. However I found this novel much easier to consume- in fact, I read it in just over a day.

Philosophy, history, romance, fantasy, all included within the pages of this book along with several loving tributes to art and literature make this novel one of my favourites of the year. 

I was given a free copy of this novel by NetGalley and MacMillian-Tor books (thank you!) but I will most certainly be purchasing one for my bookshelf. It will be work a re-read in the future.

Delicates

~ Lisa Helm ~ 1 Comment

Delicates is the second in a graphic novel series by Breena Thummler. Where the first novel Sheets introduces us to Marjorie Glatt’s story and her story, Delicates continues her story but also introduces us to a new character Eliza Dunn.

At the beginning of Delicates, Marjorie is still coming to terms with her mother’s death with the support of her ghost friend Wendell. Marjorie has started eighth grade and is now struggling to be part of the “popular” group who seems to be behaving like a typical group of obnoxious “judgey” teenagers. The ghost Wendell sees these friends for who they truly are and often calls Marjorie on her association with these newfound friends. And if truth be told, Wendell is feeling a little bit neglected.

Where Marjorie was the main character in Sheets, in Delicates she shares the page with Eliza Dunn, a classmate who is bullied because of her social awkwardness, and her peculiar preoccupation with photography, particularly photographing ghosts. 

Marjorie’s and Eliza’s lives soon become intertwined largely in part because of Wendell’s involvement. To Marjorie’s surprise, Eliza can also see Wendell. 

Along with a hugely emotive story, the artwork (especially the colour choices) are really quite beautiful. The story itself is a timely one, friendship, and acceptance, and the strength it takes to recognize and proactively stop bullying.

I would add both Sheets and Delicates to any school or classroom library.

Thank you NetGalley and Oni press for the free copy.

A Meditation on Thornton Wilder

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

“There arose a perfume of tenderness, that ghost of passion which, in the most unexpected relationship, can make a whole lifetime devoted to irksome duty pass like a gracious dream” (pg. 74)

The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder.

I have fallen in love with Thorton Wilder because of this quote.

How wonderful would a relationship like this be? Having to get close enough not only in physical proximity but emotional proximity as well, to one person and stay there long enough to inhale that “perfume of tenderness”

where your first instinct would be to wrap your arms around this person and hold them close.

Tenderness without forethought, without premeditation, without an agenda.

No pretension.

To be pleasantly surprised at a love that grows where you didn’t expect it to grow. And you look upon it in wonder, finding it near impossible to believe that it truly exists in you,

the most unlikely of places,

or so you believed.

Where obligation and duty never really existed in its denotative form. All business-like and astringent.

No boundaries set by written laws or verbal promises but rather

a fidelity that is unexpected and natural.

Some of us have found in our relationships some such a manifestation of Wilder’s love

and some of us are still waiting.

Whatever the case I hope we recognize it as such

and hold on to it as a dream come true,

feeling blessed.

Novel: “Women Talking” by Miriam Toews

~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

The film “Women Talking” has been nominated for an acadamy award this year. The film looks amazing. I’m going to watch it this weekend, but before I do I have been flipping through the novel upon which the movie is based. I blogged about his book years ago but I think its worth a repost. Try to get your hands on a copy and read it. I hope the movie is just as amazing as the prose.

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This is an important book. This is a disturbing book. This is a book where the voices of women can no longer be silenced by tradition and fear. Horrifyingly based on a true story, Miriam Toews tells a story of a group of Mennonite women, members of a traditional colony in Bolivia who are forced to meet in the hayloft of a barn and determine whether or not they will break from the colony, the only home they’ve ever known. Their reason? Women and children in their community have been woken up battered, bruised and sexually violated. I’m not spoiling anything when I tell you that the abuse is at the hands of men in their own community, men they know and trust. It is a story that appears to be set in some uncivilised medieval time so what makes it even more horrifying is the fact the truth behind this story happened a mere decade ago. The idea of feeling unsafe with the threat of torture in your own home among your own people is a nightmare that exists for many.

Although this novel is heavy and at times emotionally taxing, it is not gratuitous; there is no need to be. The reality posed speaks for itself with no need for vivid imagery. Toews characterizes her women characters as being strong, heroic and humourous. These women are facing their truth, now what are they going to do about it?

Read this book. Read this book with your girlfriends, your mother, and your daughters. Talk about what you read and how you feel when you read it. What would you do? Flee or Fight? Would your screams of anguish turn into battle cries? The answer lies in the book’s title.

CBC interview with Miriam Toews