So I know I didn’t post in all of October, but that’s because I got married. Getting married sure does take up a lot of extra time. But now I am back and hopefully will have more time to read, and therefore will be able to post more frequently. We can all dream.
In the meantime, go try this out: Line Rider
Because I enjoyed Prep so much, I expected that this book would be just as good. I am sure you are thrilled to learn that it was. Hannah is 14 when the book starts, and is trying to cope with her parents’ separation. Hannah’s father has anger issues and when her mother finally stands up for herself, they are all kicked out of the house. Her sister, Allison, and her mother stay with nearby relatives, and Hannah is sent to stay with her aunt, Elizabeth. Rather than being angry at her father for making life hell, she is angry at her mother for not “following the rules”, which do not include standing up for oneself. From there, the story follows Hannah through high school, college, and after. It is poignant to see how all of her relationships are affected by her father’s influence on the family and the years of submitting to his anger. The narrative, in which the book is heavy, is closely personal with Hannah. The reader feels her stubbornness, her quirks, her imperfections as if they were one’s own. This is what I admire so much about Sittenfeld’s writing – her characters feel and think and speak so vividly that they seem like familiar friends. They are so real. Hannah is far from perfect and wise, but there is something appealing about her that has the reader cheering her from the sidelines. The writing is engaging and just so good. If Prep was like a rich stew, this is like the best apple pie you’ve ever had. This is an absolutely wonderful book. Drop everything (even your knitting) and go read it!
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