COMMIT TO READING AND SHARING BOOKS ONLINE WITH EACH OTHER IN THIS TIME OF SOCIAL DISTANCING AND SHELTERING AT HOME
WHY READ? Books are powerful...they have the ability to change lives, to offer new insights and redirect paths. For so many people during anxious times, reading can be a comfort, a lighthouse, a compass that guides us and gives us a sense of hope and understanding.
RULES TO PARTICIPATE
LETS CELEBRATE BOOKS AND READING TOGETHER
RULE 1. Must read a book a week
RULE 2. Any book in any format qualifies. It is your choice. The book can be a graphic novel, a picture book, a chapter book, a poetry book or a non-fiction book.
RULE 3. Keep a reading journal of the titles that you read and once you have read the book write a review of the book you read in our forum, so it can be posted for all of us to read and enjoy and comment on.
The author is brilliant with her stunning displays of vivid imagery, metaphors, whimsy and nods to the famous Bronte sisters later writings [Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte is my all time favorite classic novel]; but, once we left the lives of the four siblings in Yorkshire at the parsonage, and entered the fantasy world of their childhood toys and stories, Glass Town, I'm afraid, the surreal "Alice in Wonderland" scenes were too random for my tastes. Although highly imaginative and inventive, and at times quite powerful with sad and frightening plot twists, I had difficulty getting over Napoleon riding into battle on a fire-breathing porcelain rooster named Marengo! In this way it reminded me of many of Roald Dahl's quirky stories. No doubt there will be fans for the superb way this fantasy world is realized and the exploration of the children's quirky creative personalities as they are forced to abide by restrictive roles that define their lives. Throughout this complicated tale there are references to true historical characters like Napoleon, the Duke of Wellington and Queen Victoria and in a compelling way the siblings are trying to come to terms with the loss of their mother and sisters and their need to face the hardships of becoming adults in an unfair world that can send two sisters, against their will, to a cruel boarding school. This escapist book will be a challenging read for those that are not familiar with the history and literary references of mid 19th century England.
Quotes from the book:
"Back home, anything could hurt them. Anything could sweep in suddenly and take the whole of everything away. School, Papa, marriages, fevers. But somehow, somehow, they'd slipped the trap of the real world and found their own place, the place they'd dreamed into life."
"A tongue is very like a gun, which is why they nearly rhyme. Both can be fired to devastating effect, for good or evil, and both can explode in your hands, wounding your comrades instead of your enemies."