Clubbing in April -- Part 2

The Questers discussed Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt for the April discussion. Main character Tova Sullivan has dealt with a lot of heartbreak in her life, losing both her son and her husband. She still has a group of friends that look out for her though, and she still supports herself with a custodial job in the local aquarium. That is where she meets Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus and one of the most interesting characters a fan of fiction will ever encounter.

With interesting narration, the reader understands how smart Marcellus is, even if he does have a hard time understanding some of our human characteristics. As their bond grows, Marcellus helps Tova understand what happened many years ago when her son tragically disappeared on the cusp of adulthood. The Questers enjoyed the book and rewarded it with a strong 4.1 rating. 

The Readers discussed Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner for the April discussion. The book is set between 1938 and 1947 with the earlier years focusing on Rosie in the United States, and the later years focusing on Helen in Europe. Rosie is a teenager who loses her family to an accident and is taken in by her employers. Remembering her instructions from her parents throughout her childhood, Rosie tries to make it to adulthood without anyone finding out what makes her different. Being "different" in 1939 was a very dangerous trait, even in the United States. 

Helen is the sister of Rosie's employer and she left for Europe years ago to be a nanny. She considers the families she works for to be her own. When Hitler begins to invade the continent though, a child she tends is in grave danger. The decisions Helen makes to keep Brigitta safe have life altering consequences. 

The Readers gave the book a 4.33 rating. 

The Young Soul Readers discussed It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini for the April discussion. The story follows teenager Craig Gilner as his perfectly planned life begins to crumble into failure and depression. After a near suicide, he ends up in a mental hospital, where he meets a variety of new people with new problems. While this is a serious novel about mental illness, it has funny moments of levity also.

The discussion group gave this a generous three stars, as most members had a hard time finishing it and suggested a potential reader just skip it. 

Clubbing in April -- Part 1

 

Overbooked read Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt for the April discussion. This memoir describes the author's upbringing in New York and Ireland. Detailing the hardships of his childhood, the book follows his mother, Angela, as she worked to provide for a family whose alcoholic father kept bringing them to the brink of disaster. It chronicles the daily battles for survival, but also provides some inspiration as a story of courage. 

The discussion group gave the book a 2.4 rating. They agreed it was a bit of a downer for most members, but they praised the author's writing skills and his ability to inject levity throughout parts of the story. 

The Night Owls read The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green for the April discussion. While Green is best known for his fiction, he adapted is podcast into this series of essays that review different aspects of humanity during this geologic era known as The Anthropocene Era. He uses his remarkable story-telling talent, mixed with humor and wit, to explore our place of belonging in this ever-changing world.

The discussion group gave this book four out of five stars. Members enjoyed the trivia-like aspect of the author's essays, as well as his writing style and sense of humor. 

Once Upon a Crime book discussion members read The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill for April. The beautiful Boston Public Library is the setting for this mystery. While people enjoy the quiet and peaceful reading room, the tranquility is suddenly shattered by a woman's screams and an apparent murder. The reader is left wondering which of the four main characters is the murderer. 

The discussion group gave this a strong 3.7 rating.