Young Soul Readers -- February 20, 2023

The Young Soul Readers is a book discussion group comprised of adults who particularly enjoy reading the young adult genre, where the books are often written with a teenage audience in mind, but include characters and themes that adults also enjoy. Within that genre, many different subgenres will be discussed, such as mystery, suspense, or fantasy. The group meets on the third Monday of the month at 6:30. If you are an adult who would like to join this group, please call the library at 574-546-2849 to register.

For their inaugural book discussion, the Young Soul Readers chose We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. Set on a private island off the coast of Massachusetts, we meet the prominent and prestigious Sinclair family. As we get to know the youngest generation of this family, we encounter lies, love, secrets, and dysfunction. 

Many of the members of the Young Soul Readers thought it was a good book and did not see the twist ending coming at all. The end is what truly makes this book outstanding, leaving the readers stunned. The group gave the book a strong 4.7 out of 5 stars and are looking forward to reading more titles by this author.

 

Readers Book Discussion -- February 15, 2023

The Readers chose The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot, for their February selection. The book is a work of nonfiction that tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, "a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells - taken without her knowledge in 1951 - became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and more. Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can't afford health insurance."

Henrietta Lacks made the nearly twenty mile trip to the Johns Hopkins gynecology clinic, the nearest hospital that would treat black patients, because she had a lump in her cervix. There, it was discovered that Henrietta had cervical cancer. During her initial radium treatment, and without her permission, two dime-sized pieces were shaved from her cervix, one from the tumor, and one from healthy tissue. As Henrietta battled cancer, her cells grew in a laboratory like no cells had ever done before. 

Rebecca Skloot, the author, was fascinated by the story of Henrietta and decided to write a book about her. Through dogged perseverance, she got to know the people in Henrietta's life and learned her story. The readers found the entire book fascinating. It was an eye-opening story about the medical journey and the ethics behind it. They loved the way Rebecca Skloot immersed herself into the story, becoming friends with Deborah, Henrietta's daughter. They felt the story was told with an unbiased voice, telling both sides of the story in a factual, not judgmental, way. If the group had anything negative at all to say about the story, it was that it was not one that could be read cover to cover without breaks. The science aspect of it would sometimes become a little tedious. But all in all, it was a fantastic story that needed to be told, and it earned a strong 4.3 stars out of a possible 5 from the group.

Night Owls -- February 13, 2023

February is the month for love and what better way to celebrate than with a little smattering of romance and a tropical getaway with Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan. Rachel Chu has been invited to join her long-time boyfriend, Nicholas (Nick) Young, on a destination wedding in Singapore as well as to meet Nick’s parents and extended family for the first time. Unbeknownst to Rachel, Nick is the golden child of a dynastic family revered and envied by the upper echelons of Asian society. So not just anyone will be accepted as a suitable partner for Nick, especially not someone like Rachel. At least not if Eleanor, Nick’s mother, has her way. With the help of meddling aunts, cousins, friends, and exes, the focus quickly shifts from the wedding of the century to the game of the century: removing Rachel Chu from the picture at all costs. And when money is no object, nothing is off limits. Loosely based on Kevin Kwan’s own childhood in Singapore, the novel takes a satirical approach when describing the lavish and oftentimes absurd lifestyles of the uber-elite and crazy rich families of Asia’s upper crust society. 

Right off the bat, members noted that the author often goes into painstaking detail when describing everything from the palatial homes to the haute couture wardrobes to the tantalizing food consumption. At times, members felt that it was too much detail or too much emphasis on things that we, as the average individuals, could never understand or would even care about. Even more tedious for some members was the inclusion of footnotes to explain things even further, although some readers found them insightful and helped better to clarify cultural differences to non-Asian readers. 

While technically only told from five alternating perspectives, the expansive cast of side and background characters could often be overwhelming for some readers to keep straight, especially when parsing the multi-generational family tree of the main characters Nick, Astrid, Eleanor, and Eddie. Some members found them unnecessary while some members enjoyed the inclusion of a wide cast to help break down preconceived stereotypes regarding a culture or society you are not intimately familiar with. Members also felt that while they will never understand the complexities of being the level of rich exhibited by the characters, they could certainly relate to the dysfunctionality of these families, particularly where extended family is involved.

In the end, the group was a house divided in terms of overall reception of the book. We had some members that really enjoyed the book and have continued onto the next book in the series. Others thought it was just okay as it was not their typical read and would recommend the movie instead, as it is a fairly faithful adaptation of the book. Either way, readers who pick up the book will certainly be in for an interesting ride. 

Final Rating: 2.8

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = It was amazing 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Really liked it

⭐⭐⭐ = Liked it

⭐⭐ = It was ok

⭐ = Did not like it

Once Upon a Crime -- February 7, 2023

 

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica is a thriller that had most of the readers in the Once Upon a Crime book discussion group hooked from the first chapter, receiving 4.3 out of 5 stars. 

A young girl returns after being kidnapped for eleven years. The story switches between multiple points of view, so readers are learning about the events leading up to young Delilah's kidnap and the effects of her return on her younger brother. The ending seemed rushed and the readers wished they knew more about the motivations behind the characters' actions, but no one predicted the twists and felt entertained the whole time. 

The Once Upon a Crime discussion group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 6:30. If you would like to join us, call the library at 574-546-2849 and we will be sure to get you a copy of the books we are reading every month!

Questers -- February 8, 2023

 

The Questers book discussion group gave House Rules, by Jodi Picoult, 3.7 out of 5 stars. 

The story centers around Jacob Hunt, an eighteen year old young man with Asperger's syndrome, who is highly intelligent but lacking in empathy and the ability to read social cues. His obsession with forensic science paired with the police scanner in his bedroom actually helps  law enforcement solve the occasional criminal case. However, when a local college student who has ties to the Hunt family goes missing, Jacob's typical Asperger's behavior, such as lack of eye contact and emotion, are interpreted as suspicious behavior. Facing murder charges, Jacob's mother is desperate to make the judicial system see the innocent boy she raised instead of the cold-blooded killer described by the state. 

The Questers found House Rules extremely thought provoking. While the plot does hinge on a crime, the book is actually a character study. Jacob, his brother Theo, and his mother Emma are completely consumed by Jacob's Asperger's. It defines the color of their food, their daily schedule of events, and how their entire household functions. Jacob's father abandoned the family soon after Theo's birth and doesn't re-enter their lives until a desperate attempt by Theo to save his family during Jacob's murder trial. Points of discussion included people's personal experience with Autism and Asperger's, as well as how the author showed the isolation that family members face in a world that rejects the misunderstood. Club members recommend the title, but caustion that it is a deeply emotional read. 

Overbooked -- February 6, 2023

        

 

February marks the inaugural meeting of the Bremen Public Library's newly formed book club, Overbooked. This book club was created for individuals who have always wanted to read those "classic" books everyone talks about, but just have never gotten around to reading them. With that mission in mind, the group's very first discussion was for the children's classic, Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery.

The first in a series, Anne of Green Gables centers around eleven year old orphan, Anne Shirley, who accidentally ends up in the care of brother and sister, Matthew and Mirella Cuthbert, on their farm set in the fictional town of Avonlea. The book is episodic in nature, with each chapter reading like its own short story, as it follows the precocious Anne through her everyday life, usually with an unfortunate accident or conflict that has either befallen her or one of several secondary characters.

Standout aspects of the book for members were the humorous writing and the comical situations  that Anne often seemed to find herself in, either by her own design or unfortunate luck. Members were surprised by how entertaining her exploits were, while also becoming invested in Anne's character growth as the book progressed her into her older teen years. Anne's penchant for overly descriptive and dramatic dialogue also gave members a chuckle.

Members also touched on the importance the author placed on showing the evolution of Anne's relationships with several characters throughout this short period of her life. As an orphan, Anne is often lamenting that "no one ever wants her" and this is best illustrated through her relationship with Mirella. As one member pointed out, contrary as their personalities may be, Anne and Mirella bring out the best in one another.

For most members, this was their first foray into the world of Avonlea and Green Gables. As a result, some were apprehensive going into the book, as they would normally not consider picking it up. A few, however, have read it with one member stating that it is her favorite book and series of all time. So, it was a great relief that the book was overwhelmingly well-received with members and we were glad to have finally read this beloved children's classic. The Overbooked discussion club gives this book a strong 4.3 out of 5 stars.