The Nativity Story by Angela Hunt

I don't usually read Christian novels or novels based on movies, but I was curious about this book. I wanted to read something told from the point of view of Mary; what she felt and thought about being the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. This novel (Nonfiction novel? Historical? Not sure how to actually categorize this book.) was exactly what I was looking for.

One criticism is that I would have liked to know more about Joseph and his background. I'm pretty sure Joseph is ignored in most of the versions of the Nativity Story though and no one ever tells the story from his point of view.

*Warning: Minor Spoilers* 

I also wonder why Joseph only dreamed of the prophecy and was never actually visited by the angel Gabriel. But then again, Elizabeth was never visited by the angel either.

I could have done without the scene where Herod's soldiers were killing all the babies under the age of two. I know in good writing there is the rule to "show don't tell" but when it comes to graphic scenes like this I would have been okay with Angela Hunt just telling me.

My biggest complaint is that the story ends right when it gets really good. This is not the authors fault because people have wondered what Jesus was like as a baby and child for two millennia. Did he cry like other babies? Did he fall and skin his knees? Did he have to learn to walk and talk or was he born knowing how to do that stuff?

In the book, there are a few descriptions of baby John the Baptist having knowledge beyond his infant years so one could only imagine what a baby Jesus was like. The odd thing is that what baby John experiences can only be described as being psychic.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. Honestly, I just don't think the movie would be as interesting. Without knowing what's going on inside Mary's mind, I think it would be rather boring. I do plan on watching the movie though. I'm curious to know how the story was done compared to the novelization. 

My book rating:  

Movie review coming soon!

The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans

Note: This review is of the 20th anniversary edition **and contains spoilers.** I normally don't include spoilers but since it's really more of a short story than a full length book it's hard to review it without the spoilers. I am counting it for my Mental Illness Advocacy Reading Challenge because it deals with bereavement.

I didn't mind that the book was "overly sentimental." Most inspirational Christmas stories are. I was inspired by the story. I was inspired to hug and squeeze my babies and be grateful that they are alive and well.

The death of a child, especially a very young child, just isn't uplifting. I liked the story and was moved by it, but I was left feeling more sad than joyful. It's a Christmas book, so shouldn't it make me feel joyful?

What I did like about the book was that it included a sort of Christmas magic. Often I find books that are Christian are afraid to include anything that is extraordinary for fear if it seems magical it is evil. This book had a good balance of the secular idea of Christmas (such as magic and Santa Claus) and the Christian idea of Christmas.

I wish Keri had been more developed as a character. I found it odd that Mary was upset with how much Keri's husband worked and ignored their daughter, but Keri herself never voiced a complaint. It would have made more sense if there had been at least one scene where Keri expressed this displeasure to her husband. Or perhaps a scene where Mary tells Keri she needs to put her foot down and not tolerate it. Although perhaps Keri knew what Mary was up to when she says, "She's trying to tell you something and you're not seeing it."

My last complaint is about how Mary's brain tumor seemed to progress a bit fast from the time that she first learns of her condition. And like any Christmas story, the entire story culminates on Christmas Day. Uh huh. That part was a bit contrived, but again, like any Christmas story it's to be expected. No one ever has their epiphany the day after Christmas.

Overall I give it  

This story has been made into a tv movie. I was disappointed that it wasn't available through Netflix but it turns out the movie is available here on Youtube. I'll try to have my review of the movie posted soon.

World War Z by Max Brooks

This book had me hooked at the beginning. I was fascinated and horrified by the descriptions of cities fighting off millions of zombies, zombies filling the ocean, and how each country had different weapons and strategies. This book is a description of hell on earth.

Notice I said "book" not "novel." While the book is a well, written piece of fiction it is not a novel. Each interview reads more like a flash fiction short story. Sometimes the story is cut off abruptly just as it is getting good. There are no main characters. No real plot or storyline to follow.

There's also very few stories about civilians. This is what frustrated me the most. While I enjoyed reading stories about how the different militaries from different countries fought hordes of zombies, I would have liked to have read some stories about how civilians fought the zombies. The military jargon gets tiresome after awhile.

I also would have liked Brooks to have gone more into depth about which countries survived, which ones merged together, how society, government, culture and ecology changed. These were touched on but never discussed in depth. The only animals discussed were the dogs that were used to hunt zombies, the sabertooth like cats, turtles "that were as rare as unicorns," and how the zombies decimated ocean life.

What did like was how diverse the stories were. I expected the book to focus on how the United States fought the war but instead there are stories from every area of the globe. While the culture and politics was portrayed well, many characters lacked their own quirks and speech and were indistinguishable from another.

And lastly, why the heck did the American military call zombies Zack? I still can't figure that one out. I understood "G" which was short for ghouls, but Zack? It really bothered me so I Googled it and found the answer. It seems "They were called Zack just as the VC were called Charlie in Vietnam."

Overall I really liked the book. But it was so damn scary that I will definately be reading Brooks' Zombie Survival Guide. You know, just in case.

My rating is a solid  

As for the movie, I was really excited to see the movie until I learned that the zombies are different. They are fast. I wonder if the screenwriter got the idea from a passage in the book where one guy worries that nuclear fallout will make the "zombies fast like cheetahs."

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

I have mixed feelings about this book. At times I felt it was beautiful and insightful, especially about how a person reacts to death, but at other times it felt melodramatic and downright silly. However, that's how teenagers are. As Uncle Mason would say, "Teenagers are so apocalyptic."

I loved the setting of the book. I loved how this little Southern town of Gatlin held so many secrets right under people noses. I loved how the history of the Castors was intertwined with the Civil War. The scenes of the Castor Library, how the Ravenwood house changed, and when the stairs whipped Ethan back. These scenes were so imaginative and I hope the movie gets them right.

This book had me reading for hours wanting to know how it ended. I read over 400 pages in a day. I was physically nervous about whether or not Lena would be claimed for the Light or the Dark. The authors Garcia and Stohl, despite the melodramatic teenage romance, are excellent stroytellers. They kept the suspense up until the very end.

But when I got to the end part of me wanted to throw the book against the wall. The ending was frustrating. Why Uncle Mason did what he did makes no sense. I suppose he was trying to protect Lena from Sarafine but it was pretty messed up. Then again all families are dysfunctional in some way. This was theirs I guess.

I have one question though and I want to read the rest of the books in the series to see if it answers my question. Considering the ending, it makes you wonder why Sarafine and Ridley ended up the way they did. I don't wonder about Larkin. He explains. It's just more fun. Sorry to be so cryptic but I don't do spoilers.

I am tempted to give it three stars because I wasn't crazy about the ending or the melodrama, but because the suspense kept me glued to the book for a almost a whole Sunday, I'll give it
Hopefully the movie is as good as the book. There's some potentially really cool scenes. (I also may have read almost the whole book in a day because I've the movie from Netflix for a week now.)

The Movie
It was so bad. I've seen some books ruined by the movie version of them but this was atrocious beyond my imagination. The actors did what they could with a horrible script. My rating

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Book

While Jay Gatsby is one of the most memorable characters in literature history, there just isn't much to this novel. Any comparison I make would cheapen it, but the book is simply about "partying." Granted the parties in the Roaring 40's were extremely glamorous, especially Jay Gatsby's parties.

I honestly don't like this book that much. I've read it before and I didn't really like it the first time. It's full of phony, dishonest, and shallow people. The narrator Nick Carraway knows this and shows contempt for everyone, even Gatsby himself. Why did he hang out with people he didn't even like? I'd love to ask the narrator this. 

He also clearly drank more than he leads on because all chronological order is thrown out the window. According to the commentary in my book, many have complained about this. I don't know why. The amount of plot in this novel could fill a Post-it note.

Nor did I realize how much Gatsby says "old sport." When I first read this I was in my twenties and thought it was appropriate for someone almost thirty to say. Now I'm thirty-eight and realize it's a silly thing to say.

At times the book is melodramatic and soap opera-ish. "I'm crying because I've never seen such beautiful shirts." That is possibly the most ridiculous dialogue ever written. The scene where Gatsby, Tom, and Daisy finally confront each other was absurd. I tried the first time to believe anyone would have such a confrontation and I couldn't. I still can't.

Things finally "get real" when there's a tragic accident. And...well...unfortunately if I told you any more there would be major spoilers. The ending of The Great Gatsby is both depressing and enlightening. The ending shows the reader is supposed to feel like these people are phony and shallow. I suppose that's actually what makes this book so brilliant. 

My rating 

The Movie

Coming soon! I can't wait to see Leonardo DeCaprio utter the words "old sport." Maybe if I get really bored I'll watch the Robert Redford version.

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick

It's rare that I watch the movie before reading the novel but I love Bradley Cooper so much that I rented the movie from Redbox a few days after it came out. I also am a widow so was anxious to see how that was portrayed. (For some reason, even after seeing the previews dozens of times I never realized it was Jennifer Lawerence.) I had the book on hold at the library and was hoping it would become available sooner. Instead, I got the book the day after the I watched the movie. Another thing that rarely happens is that I liked the movie much better.

The Movie

Because I saw the movie first, I've decided to post my movie review first. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawerence were the perfect actors for the roles of Pat and Tiffany. Both of them are so damn cute and charming, even when they are acting like psychopaths you can't help but like them. I also loved Robert De Niro's character. The mom was a busybody and pretty annoying but had she not been the hilarious moments between Tiffany and Pat may have never happened.

I love this movie because it is about the recovery of two mentally ill people. It's so rare to see movies about people getting better. Usually they are about how they went crazy. At the same time, I was frustrated by the lack of background information on Pat. I was even more disappointed that Tiffany's story was barely told. But I absolutely loved the characters. They both wanted to get better. It's nice to see a movie where someone sincerely wants to recover from mental illness.

One thing made me tremendously respect the movie was the moment when Pat says he was tested for bipolar disorder but it was inconclusive. As someone who also has had inconclusive tests for mental afflictions, I felt like cheering when I saw this. Those of us that suffer from mental disorders don't always get clear cut diagnoses. Even though it was just a movie, it made me feel better knowing I'm not the only one who doesn't know exactly what is wrong with me.

I thought the dance competition and betting storylines were cute and entertaining but I was a little disappointed that the movie took such a silly turn when it was about something as serious as mental illness recovery. I understand ultimately this was a romance movie but I wish it had kept a more serious tone throughout the entire story. I loved how the movie ended and both Pat and Tiffany deserved so much to get their "silver lining."

Overall I loved the movie. So much so I bought a copy of it. My rating is a solid . 

The Book

Sigh...the book. The book was depressing. Like others I hated the way Pat was immature at times, referring to his separation from his wife as "apart time" and just overall being unable to behave like an adult. But like the movie, Pat is completely earnest about recovering from his mental illness and that makes you root for him.

If I thought Tiffany's story was barely told in the movie, it was told even less so in the book. But I loved how she stalked Pat and would run with him everyday just to be near him. The funny exchanges between Pat and Tiffany weren't funny at all in the book though. In the end, Tiffany betrays Pat and renders herself completely unlikable. Thank goodness the movie didn't follow this storyline!

I do wish in the movie they had kept the other dance competitors as being teenagers like in the book. I think that could have made for some really funny scenes. I did like that Pat didn't remember being in the mental institution for years and slowly recovered his memory throughout the book. He can't remember why he is mentally ill and it isn't completely revealed until the end of the book. 

This will be a spoiler, but in the book, Pat's wife never actually makes an appearance. Pat is absolutely convinced they are going to get back together no matter what happens. He also beliefs his life is a movie. At first it's endearing but when it's clear Pat is unable to accept reality it's just really sad and frustrating to read about. Tiffany takes advantage of his lost grip on reality.

My favorite part about the book was the story of how Pat and his father recovered their relationship. This was highly touching and was really the only thing that kept me reading to the very end. While I liked how the book took a more serious approach to Pat's recovery, at times it was just too sad and depressing.

The blurb at Amazon describes it as "Matthew Quick’s heartwarming, humorous and soul-satisfying first novel." Honestly, it just wasn't that funny. Especially when you see how the humor was portrayed successfully in the movie.

Another thing that absolutely enraged me about the book was that Pat kept giving spoilers about the ending's of classic novels. I plan on reading The Great Gatsby next and was uber pissed that the author, Matthew Quick, thought it would be okay for Pat to complain about the ending! He did this about other classic novels as well but not ones I plan on reading. Also it's just really gimmicky and lazy to write about other books in your book. 

Overall the novel was just okay. This novel didn't make me smile like the blurb said it would. It just made me feel depressed. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbrosky

Book Review

Rather than give a traditional review I thought I'd do something different this time. Instead I will answer the Topics & Questions for Discussion in the back of the book. (Note: I have paraphrased some of the questions.)

1. Why do you think Chbosky chose to use letters as his narrative structure?

Because this book wasn't traditional in the sense that there is a plot and problem to be solved. It was more about how Charlie's character changes over a school year because of who he meets not what happens to him.

2. Who do you think Charlie was writing to? Does it matter?

I've always believed when we write letters like that we are writing to our future self.

3. Who did you identify with most?

Charlie because I never fit in, always felt like the friends I had eventually left me and I would end up alone, and like Charlie I cried about nearly everything.

4. Discuss Charlie's character. Would you be friends with him?

Yeah, I always gravitated towards people that were "freaks" when I was in high school. What fascinated me the most was Charlie's mental problems. I kept trying to figure out what his diagnosis would be - borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, and so on. I didn't expect mental problems to be a subject of the book, so when Charlie started experiencing them and telling about how he had when he was younger as well I was very surprised and got me far more interested.

5. What do you think kept Charlie from "participating" when he entered high school?

Fear of rejection, being laughed at, failure, anxiety. 

6. Who was Charlie's greatest ally? Who was his worst influence?

His greatest ally was his English teacher Bill. (I know if it wasn't for my English teacher Mrs. Powers I probably wouldn't be writing today.) His worst influence was grandfather who got drunk and fought with everyone during family holidays.

7. How to the references to other books, movies, and music shape your reading?

I loved this! I am a person who seems to reference everything in my life the same way. I remember what my life was like when I read Bridget Jones's Diary or Prozac Nation and when I saw the movie Titanic, and when I heard the song Smells Like Teen Spirit.

8. When Bill invites Charlie over for lunch Charlie says, "He was talking for real. It was strange." What was meant by "real."

Teachers usually talk to kids like they are students. They keep their personal and professional life separate. As a kid you forget that they are people with lives and problems outside of school. When they talk about their lives and problems outside of school, it is indeed "strange."

9. Sam tells Charlie he can't put everyone else first and call it love. Do you agree with Sam?

Absolutely. Being a martyr and sacrificing yourself to take care of other people so they want or need you around isn't love. It's being a doormat. And when they are gone, you no longer feel wanted or useful because you aren't there to rescue or help them.

10. Discuss Aunt Helen's relationship with Charlie. Where you surprised to find out the truth about their relationship?

Not at all. I figured something really messed up had happened to Charlie to make him as unstable as he was. But it's hard to wrap your mind around it because you usually think of things like that being done by an adult male, not a female.

11. After watching an artsy film with Mary Elizabeth, Charlie says "It was interesting but I don't think it was very good because I didn't feel different when it was over." Do you agree works are only "good" if they make you feel differently? How did reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower make you feel?

Yes I absolutely agree. The books I have given the highest stars to made me feel or think differently than before I started the book. Movies and books can be interesting but what makes them great is when they make you feel strong emotions. The Perks of Being a Wallflower made me feel nostalgic about being a teenager. I'd like to write about some of the things I experienced as a teen and how they shaped who I am.

12. Charlie says, "Maybe it's good to put things into perspective. Sometimes I think the only perspective it to really be there." How has Charlie's outlook shifted since the beginning of the story?

He understands what it means to be "participating." At first he thinks it just means to talk to people and get involved with activities. But by the end of the novel he understands it's more than that. It's being fully present and aware. I think the best scene that shows this is when he's changing the music based on the mood and activities of the partygoers. He learns how to "participate" on an entirely different level. Sometimes the biggest participators are actually behind the scenes, hence the perks of being a wallflower.

13. What reflections did the book inspire in your own life? What parts resonated most deeply with you?

Charlie's relationship with Patrick affected me deeply. I had a friend in high school that everyone thought for sure was gay but he denied it all throughout high school. When I finally got back in touch with him 15 years later I was delighted to learn he was openly gay. Reading about Patrick made me wonder what it was like from my friend's perspective.

My rating  

Movie Review

Coming soon!

Fat Kid Rules the World by K. L. Going

The Book

This young adult book took my by surprise. I guess maybe it's because I tend to be a little bit prejudiced against young adult books sometimes. There's so many of them that are romantic fluff that I get surprised when I find one that takes a serious topic and handles it beautifully.

This novel doesn't just take one topic. It takes several such as depression, attempted suicide, death of a parent, sibling rivalry, being overweight, bullying, drug addiction, homelessness, true friendship, and the purpose of music. That doesn't even cover all of them. However it's anything but sad and dreary. I found myself laughing dozens of times at Troy's clever observations and hilarious self-depreciating humor. I also ended up caring so much about the characters that I cried for them. There's also a philosophy in the book that will leave me trying to "see through the bullshit" for the rest of my life.

The blurb for this book is:
Troy Billings is seventeen, 296 pounds, friendless, utterly miserable, and about to step off a New York subway platform in front of an oncoming train. Until he meets Curt MacCrae, an emaciated, semi-homeless, high school dropout guitar genius, the stuff of which Lower East Side punk rock legends are made. Never mind that Troy’s dad thinks Curt’s a drug addict and Troy’s brother thinks Troy’s the biggest (literally) loser in Manhattan. Soon, Curt’s recruited Troy as his new drummer—even though Troy can’t play the drums. Together, Curt and Troy will change the world of punk, and Troy’s own life, forever.

Although Troy and Curt are fairly close in age and have the same high school in common, these are the only traits they share. In every other aspect they couldn't be more opposite. Troy is an overweight loser and Curt is considered a local rock legend. Using the phrases "overweight loser" and "local rock legend" cheapens these characters though. They are anything but stereotypes. That's what makes this novel so great. The truth of who they are is what matters in this story. Even Troy's military father defies the stereotype of a cold, hard Marine.

There's also one particular line that stuck with me. Forgive me if it's a paraphrased. "The words I had been waiting to hear my whole life were the ones I needed to give away." There's something so beautifully profound about that. It speaks to me about my own life.

Equally unforgettable is the scene when Troy and Curt are in the restaurant and Curt helps Troy see the world in an entirely different way. I would love to tell you what that is but I never give spoilers in my reviews.

Ultimately the book is a lesson about not giving up on yourself and not giving up on the people you care about. None of these are topics you would expect in a book about being in a punk rock band. When you think of punk music you think of rebellion, anarchy, and destruction. Don't worry. Those things are in there.

My rating and I don't give this many out often: 

The Movie
I wanted the movie Fat Kid Rules the World to be great too. I especially had high expectations because Matthew Lillard was directing. He was so amazing in the movie SLC Punk that you expect him to really get what the book is about. Unfortunately the movie tended to revert this deep characters back to stereotypes. Troy is a typical fat kid and we just don't get to see inside his mind. This is why we read books though isn't it? Movies just don't show the inner thoughts of people unless there are voice overs. I honestly think a voice over would have given Troy the depth he had in the book.

What was missing the most was the humor of the book. I wanted the movie to show how smart, clever, and perceptive Troy really was but unfortunately the screenwriter just didn't catch it. I don't really blame Matthew Lillard's directing. I mostly blame the screenwriter who on some levels just didn't seem to get the true meaning of Fat Kid Rules the World.

Curt is only a hint of of what he is in the book. The movie version doesn't catch his mannerisms, his hyperactiveness, how dirty and disheveled he really was, or how he was treated like a local rock god. In the movie, Curt was disrespected by his fellow band members and just wasn't treated with the awe that he was in the book. This is what made the book so fascinating. Curt had an image and reputation for being a rock god despite being a filthy, homeless, drug addict. He was an enigma, not a stereotype.

Don't get me wrong. The movie is good, but it could have so much more. It just seemed to care more about plot than it did about character.

It's probably more like 3 1/2 but... 

My Classics Club Readathon Results and Partial Review of Pride and Prejudice

I did read some of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I read the first 90 pages. I stopped reading in the afternoon because my kids all were staying the night at someone's house and it was the first time I had the house to myself in weeks? Months? I don't even remember how long it has been.

While I read the first 90 pages, I can't honestly tell you much about what I read. What I have figured out is that this is one of the shallowest books I have ever read. For all of it's fancy English and big words, the whole thing so far has been about snagging a husband. Most of the book seemed to be boring conversations where Mr. Darcy tries not to like Elizabeth because "of her lack of connections."

The story is full of women that are fake, gossip about each other, and scheme in order to get a mate. The whole thing reminds me of a nineteenth century version of Mean Girls. And until Elizabeth meets Mr. Wickham on the street, nothing much plotwise had seemed to have happened up until that point.

However, I must admit that I am curious to see just who Elizabeth ends up with and whether or not Mr. Darcy is as horrible as Mr. Wickham claims. So far we only have Wickham's side of the story about being cheated out of his inheritance. I am curious to hear Mr. Darcy's side of the story.

What shocks and fascinates me though is how fast courtship proceeds in the nineteenth century. Nowadays it's not uncommon to date for a year to a few years before becoming engaged. At one point Elizabeth's mother hopes Mr. Collins will propose by the end of the week. The end of the week!?

I do think the novel has the potential to go deeper. There seems to be an underlying theme about who Mr. Darcy truly is. Is his pride and obnoxiousness just an act? Is he truly insecure underneath? Maybe even a good guy? Is Mr. Wickham really a liar and the bad guy? Will Elizabeth fall for Mr. Darcy? I want to know!

I'm also anxious to watch the movie (or is it movies?) of Pride and Prejudice. Maybe after seeing the movie I'll understand a bit more about the first 85 pages or so.

2013 Book to Movie Challenge

This is always my favorite challenge of all! Here's info about this challenge:

Alright folks! Today we have another exciting new first for Doing Dewey! I will be hosting my first ever reading challenge, the 2013 Book to Movie Challenge. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to review books and the movies which they’ve been made into. It’s a tough job, but someone has to let us book lovers know which movies are going to fulfill our dreams of watching our favorite books come to life and which movies are going to ruthlessly shatter those dreams!

To enter, just click through to the linky at the bottom of this post and link to a post on your blog mentioning the challenge and the challenge level you’re attempting. You can change challenge levels at any time and the challenge levels are as follows:

Movie Fan - read 3 books and watch their movies
Movie Devotee - read 6 books and watch their movies
Movie Lover - read 9 books and watch their movies
Movie Aficionado - read 12 books and watch their movies

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

Credit for the logo, to which I artistically added writing, goes to the Ozark Dale County Public Library.