Bees need love one at a time

I think I need to just read one book at a time. I may have liked this one a lot more if I hadn't been reading a couple other books all at once. At the beginning I felt like, "Hey, I've read this book before . . . once in high school . . . disguised as Huck Finn." But I'm glad to say it didn't turn out to be the exact same. I later found out though, that she wrote that first part as it's own short story, and liked it so much she expounded, and it's a good thing she did, otherwise her little short story wouldn't have been original at all. In the after life Mark Twain would have come after her.

I really liked the circle of main characters, Lily and Rosaleen. The calendar sisters. Zach, mmm, I loved Zach. In my mind the book continues on and Zach and Lily end up married. I like that the author never changed the fact that Lily was the one who accidentally killed her mother. That is just something Lily is going to have to live with. Just like she has to cope with the fact that her mother did leave her. Which brings us into the theme of forgiveness. A well thought out theme of the novel. I liked how it was handled. I have known some people in my day who struggle with forgiveness and I definately think Lily's life warrants that struggle.

I loved all the racial tensions. I loved that it was the black people who were wise and heroic. I guess Zach's boss (I already forgot his name, Clarenec?) he was a good white guy but that's about it.

One point they made that I found very interesting is that when Lily's mother was struggling with depression the doctor recommended she go to the psych ward. The calendar sisters weren't having that. Just cause she had a serious case of depressiond didn't mean she had to go live with a bunch of crazies. And that was way back in the 50s. Hasn't changed much now. People who need special treatment for depressoin are still refered to the psych ward. I guess that's a quick cure though. Live a week with crazy/homeless/drugies and your life suddenly doesn't look so bad.

I guess I'd give the book 3.5 stars. Good contemporary work, but I don't see it sticking around forever.

Emma, the original Bella

It took me a while to get through this one, and I'm not sure why. Generally speaking, I liked it. I just kept reading so many other books while I was trying to get through this one. Austen's writing is always wonderful. But Emma herself, not so enjoyable. B-R-A-T. I've never met a "heroine" who was so selfish . . . wait, wait, Emma is the original Bella! All the boys like her and I just can't figure out why. She thinks she is better than almost all the women in the story. Which, considering the time, there was quiet a caste system. And that is one of the things that really annoys me about this book. Harriet, her sweet friend who never does anything wrong, other than heed Emma's advice, finally gets her happy ending, no thanks to Emma. And now the two of them can't be friends. Even though their husbands associate with one another through business and the two of them have spent most the novel together. But Harriet married into her social status, and Emma into hers and now they have to quit socializing together. That is so bizarre to me. I just don't understand the time period or their way of thinking.

For example, if I had lived back then I think I would have ended up married to Eric Hintze in the 6th grade. Because the first time a boy ever tells you he has feelings for you, the next thing you discuss is when you are going to get married. It's so crazy to me. You can flirt and associate publicly with any and as many boys as you desire. But once you speak one on one with a male it's over. He is inevitably going to propose to you.

I felt like Austen started the book off with too many characters. There was so much to keep track of. And I wasn't even sure why half of them were of any importance to the novel. But in the end I guess they all come together nicely and each has it's purpose. Austen is really good at making that one character you just laugh at every time they speak, cause they are so ridiculous and . . . you know someone just like them. Oh Mrs Elton.

Most likely, this one won't end up on my best 50 books ever list. Maybe it would make the 100, but not 50. I'm not opposed to having Austen on their twice, just not with this one.

What is heaven like?

Since I've been reading Emma and The Secret Life of Bees since 2008, I didn't think the first book I'd finish in 09 would be this one. But I guess that is what happens when you borrow a book and have only a few days before you have to give it back. I'm excited to discuss it at book club, especially since it is an LDS book club. I'm impressed Kemp would write in such detail about the topic, very bold. There were definitely aspects that made me think "yup, that's what the after life is like," but Stan . . . his whole character was a little hard for me to swallow. I don't think that is what He is like. But I guess that is why it is fiction. I did enjoy the love story between Tom and April. And their boy Josh was sure a cute kid. And I liked the theme that the ultimate test is how much you love your loved ones and how willing you are to sacrifice your happiness for them. But the whole idea that I love Ben more than my soul is a bit much for me. I mean, I love him, but more than my own soul . . .? I do agree with the other theme though, that it is our responsibility to assist our family members in earning eternal glory.

Well, I'll let you know how the book club goes. Oh, and this reminded me of Life of Pi. Totally surprising ending, really gets you thinking.