Modern Novel for Choice Novel Consideration 2020
Author: Ian McEwan Page Count: 351 Genre: Literary Fiction Published: 2001 Awards: National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction, New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year Summary: Ian McEwan's symphonic novel of love and war, childhood and class, guilt and forgiveness provides all the satisfaction of a brilliant narrative and the provocation we have come to expect from this master of English prose. On a hot summer day in 1935, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis witnesses a moment's flirtation between her older sister, Cecilia, and Robbie Turner, the son of a servant and Cecilia's childhood friend. But Briony' s incomplete grasp of adult motives-together with her precocious literary gifts-brings about a crime that will change all their lives. As it follows that crime's repercussions through the chaos and carnage of World War II and into the close of the twentieth century, Atonement engages the reader on every conceivable level, with an ease and authority that mark it as a genuine masterpiece. H.F.4th Hour Reflection: I finished Atonement about two weeks ago, have thought about the novel a lot; and I still cannot decide if I liked it or not. I definitely enjoyed reading Atonement, not because the plot was intriguing but because the characters were interesting and different. I think the most interesting elements of Atonement was the point of view and syntax. Briony Tallis is probably the first fictional character I have ever met that I honestly did not like. Usually when I read about characters who have faulty traits, I still feel bad for these characters if anything were to happen to them. Briony is different. In the epilogue, Briony speaks directly to the reader mocking his or her obliviousness to the power the writer hold over him or her. Briony was interesting to read about; she is an outsider who is different than most characters I have read about. Briony shared with me ideas about imagination, maturity, and independence I would have never thought about otherwise. I liked reading Atonement, I hated the ending, but I am glad I read this novel
Atonement H**
Bonus Pages: 297 genre: family, again American lit By Celeste Ng "Lydia is dead. But they don't know this yet." So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia's body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos. A profoundly moving story of family, secrets, and longing, Everything I Never Told You is both a gripping page-turner and a sensitive family portrait, uncovering the ways in which mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and husbands and wives struggle, all their lives, to understand one another.
Everything I never Told You
Bonus Exit West By Mohsin Hamid page count:256 Published: February 7th, 2017 Genre: Romance; Political Fiction Awards: Won the first ever Aspen Words Literary Prize Brief Synopsis: Independent Nadia and Gentle Saeed embark on a love affair in a country that is on the brink of civil war. In the midst of a world turning familiar streets into bomb blasts they hear rumors of doors that will whisk them away to utopia... but for a price. The couple decides they have no other choice when the violence escalates and they step through, leaving behind their old lives. Struggling to hold onto each other they embark on a quest to find the very sense of who they are.
Exit West (Kaitlyn A)
author: Salman Rushdie published: 1981 genre: Post Modernism, Post Colonialism, Magical Realism awards: Booker Prize & James Tait Black Memorial Prize SOON TO BE A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best novels of all time pages: 533 synopsis: Saleem Sinai is born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the very moment of India's independence. Greeted by fireworks displays, cheering crowds, and Prime Minister Nehru himself, Saleem grows up to learn the ominous consequences of this coincidence. His every act is mirrored and magnified in events that sway the course of national affairs; his health and well-being are inextricably bound to those of his nation; his life is inseparable, at times indistinguishable, from the history of his country. Perhaps most remarkable are the telepathic powers linking him with India's 1,000 other "midnight's children," all born in that initial hour and endowed with magical gifts. This novel is at once a fascinating family saga and an astonishing evocation of a vast land and its people-a brilliant incarnation of the universal human comedy. Twenty-five years after its publication, Midnight' s Children stands apart as both an epochal work of fiction and a brilliant performance by one of the great literary voices of our time.
Midnight's Children
Author: Gish Jenn Pages: 303 Genre: Fiction Achievements: New York Times notable book Published: 1996 Summary: In 1968, Teenage girl Mona Chang moves into Scarshill, New York, where the Chinese people became the new Jews. Mona takes this notion seriously and attends Jewish temple rap sessions where she falls in love with a Jewish boy who lives in a tepee. It didn't take long for Mona to want to convert to Judaism, and her decision to receive instruction from an unconventional rabbi and her relationship with a smart Jewish politically active college dropout shocks her parents over her un-Chinese behaviour. Will Mona be able to reconcile her heritage with her own dreams? Told with Gish Jen's laugh out loud wit and insight into the modern American melting pot. +3rd Period- C.R. I recommend Mona in the Promised Land to any reader that wants to broaden their horizons and perspective of the world. I recommend this because it has multiple plot lines and relationships to keep track of between Mona and various characters. Mona in the Promised Land's plot and various racial interactions also make this an enthralling novel you will not want to put down!
Mona in the Promised Land *
Author: Margaret Atwood; Pages: 400; Genre: dystopian science fiction; Year Published: 2003; Awards: Man Booker Prize nominee, Orange Prize nominee; Summary: Oryx and Crake is at once an unforgettable love story and a compelling vision of the future. Snowman, known as Jimmy before mankind was overwhelmed by a plague, is struggling to survive in a world where he may be the last human, and mourning the loss of his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful and elusive Oryx whom they both loved. In search of answers, Snowman embarks on a journey-with the help of the green-eyed Children of Crake-through the lush wilderness that was so recently a great city, until powerful corporations took mankind on an uncontrolled genetic engineering ride. Margaret Atwood projects us into a near future that is both all too familiar and beyond our imagining. BOOK REVIEW: I recommend Oryx and Crake to people interested in reading about the success story of a character before, during, and after the demise of a society, but not particularly in that order. Oryx and Crake allows the reader to dive into this commercialized society and draw connections between this fictional realm and the real world. I also recommend this book to people who enjoy a good plot twist because Atwood throws something that I never saw coming. Atwood beautifully sculpts a society that is described to be in the future but could actually exist in or be compared to our current society. This new society combined with a very relatable protagonist results in the audience reflecting on how his or her actions could prevent an undesirable end to humanity. Plot: Snowman recalls the time when he was called Jimmy and the events that caused the shift from Jimmy to Snowman. Through flashbacks, Snowman depicts the dystopian society of his childhood and describes how his friends Oryx and Crake changed his life for the better. +CB 2nd hour: I recommend Oryx and Crake to anyone who wants to read about society and where it could go in the future. Atwood's writing includes many flashbacks so make sure to keep track of what time period she is talking about so that in the end a timeline of events can be put together. There are some uncomfortable and unethical topics that are talked about throughout the story so be prepared. I feel that Atwood did a great job of making the reader think about how their actions can impact their future. Also, she makes the society in the book seem not far off from what could potentially occur in the future which helps bring across the urgency of the matter. Atwood shows how the main character Jimmy (Snowman) is shaped by the relationships he has with his family, friend, and lovers and emphasizes the importance of them. As a whole, I liked the book and Jimmy and will most likely be reading the other two books in the trilogy since it left me asking many questions. +ZM 4th Hour: Oryx and Crake is a book designed for readers who enjoy novels that involve a dystopian society. This futuristic novel includes the consequences of man's bad decisions. Oryx and Crake is singled on one character, Snowman, throughout the entire novel. The novel does not rely heavily on plot as most books do, but rather relies on the characterization of Snowman and his origin story. Although the book does not have a lot of plot, Oryx and Crake still captivates the reader enough with its interesting setting and dynamic character. Margaret Atwood also introduces two other character, Oryx and Crake, both of which aid in creating Snowman to be the person he presently is. Both characters have many layers that are never discovered, so the reader is kept being interested and the suspense of the novel is expertly achieved. Atwood's depictions of the broken world, the odd animal combinations, and the mutations of humans are all so beautifully described that Oryx and Crake is a book nearly impossible to put down. +KC 3rd Hour: Sci-Fi dystopia is an oversaturated genre to begin with. Yet, Atwood finds clever ways to interconnect the stories of her characters in interesting ways akin to Tolkien. Snowman, the main protagonist, shifts the focus of the story between two timelines that emphasize the subtle nuances of each character's motivations. From my experience, reading this book requires a great deal of imagination, as many of the futuristic references are often based on complex modern issues. Atwood also keeps the plot interesting by allowing just enough familiarity in the world to let the reader connect through recognition. As mentioned by the others critics, the twist is relatively undetectable which provides a significant shift in pace afterward. As a reader, you must be willing to examine detail oriented chapters as well as high adrenaline moments that are filled to the brim with moral ambiguity. Oryx and Crake is a statement piece that rquires a reader willing to analyze its bold statements, which Atwood hopes will spread recognition of specific problems in modern society. +LL 3rd Hour: I recommend Oryx and Crake to readers who love science and ethical conflicts. This novel discusses moral scientific advances, companies whose powers grow to immense sizes, and a world that falls part around by the main character throughout his lifetime. This book does a good job of highlighting the corruption of government, corporations, and society. If you are interested in dystopian societies and genetics, you will love this book.
Oryx and Crake H*****
Bonus by Emily St. John Mandel -Year Published: 2014 -Genre: science/dystopian fiction, post-apocalyptic -Awards: Arthur C. Clarke Award -Number of Pages: 352 -Synopsis: Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization as we know it came to an end.Twenty years later, Kirsten moves between the settlements of the altered world with a small troupe of actors and musicians. They call themselves The Traveling Symphony, and they have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who will threaten the tiny band's existence. And as the story takes off, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, the strange twist of fate that connects them all will be revealed.
Station Eleven (Jenna)
Bonus Published 2003 - Genre: Historical fiction - Pages: 372 - Awards: the Borders Original Voice Award, and the San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year Award - A young muslim boy named Amir struggles to find his place in the world due to a series of traumatic childhood events.
The Kite Runner (Evan)
Bonus By Colson Whitehead -Published 2019 -Genre: Historical Fiction -Pages:224 -Awards: Kirkus Prize, Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award Summary: Based on the real-life horrors of the Florida Dozier School for Boys, The Nickel Boys follows the story Elwood Curtis, an African-American man who attended the school during Jim Crow, as he retells and confronts the horrific history of his time at the reform school.
The Nickel Boys (Natalie)
Author: Barbara Kingsolver A.O. Genre: Historical Fiction and Domestic Fiction Pages: 546 Published: 1998 Awards: Oprah`s Book Club in 2000, New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year in 1998, and Indies Choice Book Award for Adult Fiction in 2000. The Poisonwood Bible is a story told by the wife and four daughters of Nathan Price, a fierce, evangelical Baptist who takes his family and mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959. They carry with them everything they believe they will need from home, but soon find that all of it—from garden seeds to Scripture—is calamitously transformed on African soil. What follows is a suspenseful epic of one family's tragic undoing and remarkable reconstruction over the course of three decades in postcolonial Africa.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver H*****
Author: Gish Jen. Genre: fiction "cultural-china" "literature- Asian/American". Pages: 304 paperback. Published: 1991. Awards: National Book Critics Circle Award. Description: Gish Jen reinvents the American immigrant story through the Chang family, who first come to the United States with no intention of staying. When the Communists assume control of China in 1949, though, Ralph Chang, his sister Theresa, and his wife Helen, find themselves in a crisis. At first, they cling to their old-world ideas of themselves. But as they begin to dream the American dream of self-invention, they move poignantly and ironically from people who disparage all that is "typical American" to people who might be seen as typically American themselves. With droll humor and a deep empathy for her characters, Gish Jen creates here a superbly engrossing story that resonates with wit and wisdom even as it challenges the reader to reconsider what a typical American might be today.
Typical American* H***
Jean Rhys Genre: postmodern literature Pages: 171 Published: 1966 Awards: WH Smith Literary Award (1967), W.H. Heinemann Award (1966) Summary: Wide Sargasso Sea, a masterpiece of modern fiction, was Jean Rhys's return to the literary center stage. She had a startling early career and was known for her extraordinary prose and haunting women characters. With Wide Sargasso Sea, her last and best-selling novel, she ingeniously brings into light one of fiction's most fascinating characters: the madwoman in the attic from Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre. This mesmerizing work introduces us to Antoinette Cosway, a sensual and protected young woman who is sold into marriage to the prideful Mr. Rochester. Rhys portrays Cosway amidst a society so driven by hatred, so skewed in its sexual relations, that it can literally drive a woman out of her mind.
Wide Sargasso Sea (people who read Jane Eyre may be interested in this) H****
Author: John Irving Genre: Bildungsroman Pages: 617 Awards:American book award, Academy Award In the summer of 1953, two eleven year old boys-best friends- are playing in a little league baseball game in Gravesend, New Hampshire. One of the boys hits a foul ball that kills the other boy's mother. The boy who hits the ball doesn't believe in accidents; Owen Meany believes he is God's instrument. What happens to Owen after that 1953 foul ball is extraordinary. +E. C.'s review:I highly recommend this book to a future student. It is both entertaining and thought provoking, and it, much like the beloved story of Forrest Gump, incorporates important political issues, current events, and popular culture of the time. Some of the thematic topics include faith/ belief, free will vs. fate, and the truth. Starting off as a story about two young best friends, this book develops into a statement about complex issues that is left open for interpretation by the reader. You get to watch Owen and Johnny become themselves, and as you see their developed beliefs and traits, you can form your views on how each turned out. The only warning I'll give about this book is that it is one of the longer ones available (600 as opposed to 200 or 400), but if you enjoy reading, I say go for it.
A Prayer for Owen Meaney
A Tale for the Time Being Author:Ruth Ozeki Year Published: 2013 genre: Historical fiction, Awards:2015 Yasnaya Polyana Literary Award for Foreign Literature, from The Leo Tolstoy Museum and Estate, 2015 International IMPAC Dublin Award (Fiction), 2014 Dos Passos Prize, 2014 Medici Book Club Prize, 2014 Canada-Japan Literary Award, 2014 The Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic, 2013 Man Booker Prize shortlist, 2013 National Book Critics Circle Award (Fiction), 2013 The Kitschies Red Tentacle for best novel, 2013 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction. Number of pages: 432 Brief Synopsis: The book is divided into 2 different perspectives. The 1st perspective is of Ruth, a Japanese- Canadian novelist who finds a Hello Kitty lunchbox on the beach containing several significant objects including a diary. The second perspective is of Nao, a 16 year old living in Tokyo, Japan who had written the diary that Ruth finds on the beach. The diary contains the story of Nao's life through her own telling, focusing on her lifestyle in Japan, the restless bullying, and suicidal tendencies, while being all mixed in with the history of her great great grandma Jiko, who introduces Nao to Buddhism to help her. All the while, Ruth and her husband attempt to find out as much about Nao as they can through the diary, with Ruth developing an obsessive tendency, due to Nao's proclamations of suicide, as well as due to the possible explanation that the diary appeared on the shores of Vancouver.
A Tale for the time Being (Bella G)
Published December 2nd 2003 by Anchor; When Larry Cook, the aging patriarch of a rich, thriving farm in Iowa, decides to retire, he offers his land to his three daughters. For Ginny and Rose, who live on the farm with their husbands, the gift makes sense--a reward for years of hard work, a challenge to make the farm even more successful. But the youngest, Caroline, a Des Moines lawyer, flatly rejects the idea, and in anger her father cuts her out--setting off an explosive series of events that will leave none of them unchanged. A classic story of contemporary American life, A Thousand Acres strikes at the very heart of what it means to be a father, a daughter, a family.
A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley
Author: Khaled Hosseini Year Published: 2007 genre: historical fiction Awards: British Book Award for Best Read of the Year (2008), Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Adult Fiction (2008), California Book Award for Fiction (Silver) (2007), Exclusive Books Boeke Prize (2008), Lincoln Award (2007) Number of pages: 372 Brief Synopsis: Based in Afghanistan from the Soviet Evasion to post-Taliban rebuilding, Hosseini tells of two generations of characters jarringly brought together in a tragic way. Mariam and Laila, though their stories are 20 years apart, share more in common than one might think, primarily a husband. This heart-wrenching novel shines light on the way women in Afghanistan and similar countries are treated.
A Thousand Splendid Suns (Lilly N)
1987; Michael Dorris; A Yellow Raft in Blue Water is the story of three women's lives, three strands of narration that, braided together, form the narrative history of Ida's, her daughter Christine's, and Christine's daughter Rayona's lives. Divided into three separate yet interconnected sections, each narrated by one of the female protagonists, Dorris' novel explores the perceptions and misperceptions that define each woman's search for self-identity. +JH 2ND: A Yellow Raft in Blue Water describes the common struggles that we all face that make up family and, from a broader perspective, humanity. Through a magnificently constructed storyline, the mercuriality of assumptions are slowly replaced with the unparalleled solidity of reality. Every page is a lesson in understanding viewpoints and comprehending the hardships that make us unique without a hint of didacticism. I highly recommend that you read this if you want insight into the culture of not only people but also individuals.
A Yellow Raft in Blue Water H**** don't let the slow start fool you
Author: Margaret Atwood Page number: 480 published: 10/27/1997 awards: Canadian Giller Prize summary: It's 1843, and Grace Marks has been convicted for her involvement in the vicious murders of her employer and his housekeeper and mistress. Some believe Grace is innocent; others think her evil or insane. Now serving a life sentence, Grace claims to have no memory of the murders. An up-and-coming expert in the burgeoning field of mental illness is engaged by a group of reformers and spiritualists who seek a pardon for Grace. He listens to her story while bringing her closer and closer to the day she cannot remember.
Alias Grace H****
Bonus Author: Anthony Doerr; Published: 04/04/2017; Genre: Historical Fiction; Winner of Publitzer Prize, a New York Times Book review Top Ten Book, National Book Award finalist, more than two and a half years on the New York Times bestseller list; Pages: 544; Description: Trying to survive after the devastation of World War II, a blind French girl and German boy lives will have an unexpected parallel. As the orphan boy grows up his talent of building and fixing radio instruments will lead to him being enlisted by the German Government. As you will see this leads to him encountering the blind French girl who has a most valuable and dangerous jewel in her possession.
All the Light We Cannot See (Abi C)
Bonus: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche H*****
Americanah (Lauren C) H***** Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche Published: 2013 Genre: Historical Fiction Pages: 608 Lovers Ifemelu and Obinze send each other off as they leave behind military-ruled Nigeria and head for the West. Ifemelu takes her beauty and brains to America, but struggles with racism. Obinze finds himself in London, as post- 9/11 America is not an option for him. Fifteen years later the two reunite in their homeland and rekindle their love for not only each other, but the culture of Nigeria. Americana was the winner of the National Book Critics Circle for Fiction in 2013 It was listed among the New York Times Book Review's "Ten Best Books of 2013" Winner of the "One Book, One New York" campaign in 2017
Author: Rudolfo Anaya Genre: Fiction Published: 1972 Page: 262 Awards: Premio Quinto Sol National Chicano literary award Description: Set in the small town of Guadalupe, New Mexico just after World War II, Antonio Márez y Luna (Tony) tells his story from the memories of his adult self, who reflects on his growing up. Antonio Marez is six years old when Ultima enters his life. She is a curandera, one who heals with herbs and magic. 'We cannot let her live her last days in loneliness,' says Antonio's mother. 'It is not the way of our people,' agrees his father. And so Ultima comes to live with Antonio's family in New Mexico. Soon Tony will journey to the threshold of manhood. Always, Ultima watches over him. She graces him with the courage to face childhood bigotry, diabolical possession, the moral collapse of his brother, and too many violent deaths. Under her wise guidance, Tony will probe the family ties that bind him, and he will find in himself the magical secrets of the pagan past—a mythic legacy equally as palpable as the Catholicism of Latin America in which he has been schooled. At each turn in his life there is Ultima who will nurture the birth of his soul. Interesting: Most widely read and critically acclaimed novel in the Chicano literary canon. Bless Me, Ultima was placed on the list of most commonly challenged books in the U.S. in 2013. However, In the last third of the twentieth century, the novel has initiated respect for Chicano literature as an important and nonderivative type of American literature among academics. LN 4th: Bless me, Ultima is a book for students looking to dive into the unknown world of a new culture. If you like to read fantasy novels, give this book a try. There are many different references and happenings that could catch your eye.
Bless Me, Ultima
Author: Charles Frazier Pages: 356 Genre: Historical Fiction Awards: US National Book Award for Fiction Description: Sorely wounded and fatally disillusioned in the fighting at Petersburg, a Confederate soldier named Inman decides to walk back to his home in the Blue Ridge mountains to Ada, the woman he loves. His trek across the disintegrating South brings him into intimate and sometimes lethal converse with slaves and marauders, bounty hunters and witches, both helpful and malign. Disclaimer: Lengthy description of landscape.
Cold Mountain
Author: Alan Paton Pages: 300 Genre: fictional coming of age Year published: 1948 Awards: Oprah's book club and the Anisfield-wolf book award Summary: an immediate worldwide best seller when it was published in 1948, Alan Paton's impassioned novel about a black man's country under white man's law is a work of searing beauty. Cry, The Beloved Country is the deeply moving story of the Zulu pastor Stephen Kumalo and his son Absalom, set against the background of a land and a people riven by racial injustice. Remarkable for its lyricism, unforgettable for character and incident, Cry the Beloved Country is a classic work of love and hope, courage and endurance, born of the dignity of man
Cry, the Beloved Country** H***
For Bonus options: Fill in a brief description. No spoilers. Use something like Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or Goodreads to get the teaser and description, not something like wikipedia or schmoop that will give the whole book away. Include Author, page numbers, genre (historical fiction, magical realism, dystopian society etc) interesting facts like best seller or awards, and maybe year written if included on your source.
Directions: Disclaimer: These are modern titles (1950's until now) that have been on the AP test, many several times. You are selecting a title that is interesting and catches your attention in chapter 1 reads. Some of these books contain mature content. You can look the book up for more details. Be sure that you select a title you feel appropriate for you. You are responsible for getting your book from the library, me if I have copies, the book store, or 2nd and Charles is also a good source for used copies. *means no copy available in school library but I have one copy ** I have lots of copies to loan H*- amount of * indicate my rating out of 5
Author: Yaa Gyasi - Year Published: 2016 - Genre: Historical Fiction - Awards: Nominated by Ta-Nehisi Coates for the National Book Foundation's 2016 "5 under 35" award. Shortlisted (nominated) for the 2016 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. Won the 2016 John Leonard Prize by the National Book Critics Circle for outstanding debut novel (award was given in 2017). Won the 2017 Dylan Thomas Prize for the best published literary work written by an author 39 or younger. Won the PEN/Hemingway Award Won the NBCC's John Leonard Award A New York Times Notable Book A Washington Post Notable Book Noted as one of the Best Books of the Year by several different outlets such as: NPR, Time, Oprah.com, the San Francisco Chronicle, Esquire, Elle, Entertainment Weekly, Pop Sugar and many more - Number of pages: 320 (first edition) - Brief Synopsis: Homecoming begins in Ghana in the eighteenth century. The book follows to half sisters who are born in different villages and have no clue that the other exists. One sister will end up mamrrying an Englishman and live a rich and comfortable life in the Cape Coast Castle. The other sister will be captured in a raid in her village, put in jail, and sold into slavery. The book follows the paths of the two sisters and their descendants through eight different generations. From the Gold Coast to Mississippi plantations, from the Civil War to the Jazz Age. The novel takes a deep and heartfelt look at slavery, how it has a long lasting impact, and what it can do to someone and how it can impact and change their life and the world.
Homegoing H*****
Author: Tim O'Brien Genre: Fiction, Mystery Pages: 303 pages Awards: James Fenimore Cooper Prize Overview: After losing the senate primary by a landslide, John Wade and his wife plan on moving to the woods, only for his wife to disappear into the lake.
In the Lake of the Woods
Author: Julia Alvarez Pages: 344 Genre: Non-fiction novel Published: 1994 Awards: nominated for the 1994 National Book Critics Circle Award. Summary: relates an account of the Mirabal sisters during the time of the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. The book is written in the first and third person, by and about the Mirabal sisters. At school, one of the sisters, Minerva, meets a girl, Sinita, who later became one of her best friends. Sinita eventually confided in Minerva the truth about Trujillo, and the sister makes a promise on the side of vengeance. BOOK REVIEW-T. M: I recommend this book because it is genuinely an enjoyable read. Julia Alvarez reveals the struggles citizens of the Dominican Republic faced under dictator Trujilo's rule. Each chapter is rotated in intervals of 4, allowing the sisters to tell their story from their own points of view. This writing story keeps the story engaging and more fully understood. If you enjoy books about murder and crime, but have trouble finding a book that can keep your interest sparked, I fully recommend this book!
In the Time of Butterflies
1995 published Ralph Ellison 149 pages bildungsroman Accomplishments: It remained on the bestseller list for sixteen weeks, won the National Book Award for fiction, and established Ralph Ellison as one of the key writers of the century. The nameless narrator of the novel describes growing up in a black community in the South, attending a Negro college from which he is expelled, moving to New York and becoming the chief spokesman of the Harlem branch of "the Brotherhood", and retreating amid violence and confusion to the basement lair of the Invisible Man he imagines himself to be. The book is a passionate and witty tour de force of style, strongly influenced by T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land, Joyce, and Dostoevsky.
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
Bonus By Celeste Ng Genre: Fiction 352 pages Published in 2017 New York Times Bestseller, Amazon's Best Novel of 2017, Goodreads Reader's Choice Award 2017, Little Fires Everywhere is set in a suburb of Cleveland characterized by its conventional lifestyle and meticulously planned families. One of the families that completely embodies the towns ideals is Elena Richardson and her four children. The arrival of Mia Warren and her daughter Pearl disrupts the town upon their arrival due to their unconventional ways and mysterious artistic lifestyle. Soon the entire Richardson family is involved with the mother daughter pair and complex relationships form as the two families become close. When the Richardson's friends adopt a Chinese baby chaos ensues as a custody battle is created and the town is divided with Mia and Pearl in the middle of it all. Elena, intrigued with Mias past attempts to uncover all of her secrets, both families experience great losses that change their identities. "Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of long-held secrets and the ferocious pull of motherhood-and the danger of believing that planning and following the rules can avert disaster, or heartbreak."
Little Fires Everywhere Isabella D)
Author: Kazuo Ishiguro Page Count: 304 Genre: dystopian science fiction Published: 2010 Awards: It was shortlisted for the 2005 Booker Prize, for the 2006 Arthur C. Clarke Award and for the 2005 National Book Critics Circle Award. Summary: From the acclaimed author of The Remains of the Day and When We Were Orphans, a moving new novel that subtly reimagines our world and time in a haunting story of friendship and love. As a child, Kathy-now thirty-one years old-lived at Hailsham, a private school in the scenic English countryside where the children were sheltered from the outside world, brought up to believe that they were special and that their well-being was crucial not only for themselves but for the society they would eventually enter. Kathy had long ago put this idyllic past behind her, but when two of her Hailsham friends come back into her life, she stops resisting the pull of memory. And so, as her friendship with Ruth is rekindled, and as the feelings that long ago fueled her adolescent crush on Tommy begin to deepen into love, Kathy recalls their years at Hailsham. She describes happy scenes of boys and girls growing up together, unperturbed-even comforted-by their isolation. But she describes other scenes as well: of discord and misunderstanding that hint at a dark secret behind Hailsham's nurturing facade. With the dawning clarity of hindsight, the three friends are compelled to face the truth about their childhood-and about their lives now. A tale of deceptive simplicity, Never Let Me Go slowly reveals an extraordinary emotional depth and resonance-and takes its place among Kazuo Ishiguro's finest work.
Never Let Me Go H****
Bonus by Ken Kasey Year Published: 1962 Genre:Psychological Fiction/ Thriller Awards:2016 AIGA + Design Observer 50 Books Number of Pages: 320 Synopsis: In an Oregon State mental hospital, the tyrannical Nurse Ratched holds strict control over the patients with little objection due to the mind-numbing medication and the threat of shock therapy. One day, McMurphy arrives to the hospital, and with his fun and sneaky personality, McMurphy opposes Nurse Ratched's rule on behalf of his fellow inmates.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Sam) H 3.5*
Bonus: •Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche •Published 2003 •Awards: Booker Prize, Orange Prize, John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, Commonwealth Writers' Prize •Pages: 336 •Genre: Historical Fiction, Coming of Age •Synopsis: Fifteen-year-old Kambili and her older brother Jaja lead a privileged life in Enugu, Nigeria. They live in a beautiful house, with a caring family, and attend an exclusive missionary school. They're completely shielded from the troubles of the world. Yet, as Kambili reveals in her tender-voiced account, things are less perfect than they appear. Although her Papa is generous and well respected, he is fanatically religious and tyrannical at home—a home that is silent and suffocating. As the country begins to fall apart under a military coup, Kambili and Jaja are sent to their aunt, a university professor outside the city, where they discover a life beyond the confines of their father's authority. Books cram the shelves, curry and nutmeg permeate the air, and their cousins' laughter rings throughout the house. When they return home, tensions within the family escalate, and Kambili must find the strength to keep her loved ones together. H**** Great character development and interesting modern Nigerian
Purple Hibiscus (Grace O) H****
Bonus By Jesymn Ward Page Count: 288 Published: 2011 Awards: National Book Award for Fiction, has a 3.9/5 on Goodreads and a 3.8/5 on Barnes and Nobel Genre: fiction (women's coming of age story) Summary: A hurricane is building over the Gulf of Mexico, threatening the coastal town of Bois Sauvage, Mississippi, and Esch's father is growing concerned. A hard drinker, largely absent, he doesn't show concern for much else. Esch and her three brothers are stocking food, but there isn't much to save. Lately, Esch can't keep down what food she gets; she's fourteen and pregnant. Her brother Skeetah is sneaking scraps for his prized pitbull's new litter, dying one by one in the dirt. Meanwhile, brothers Randall and Junior try to stake their claim in a family long on child's play and short on parenting. As the twelve days that make up the novel's framework yield to their dramatic conclusion, this unforgettable family--motherless children sacrificing for one another as they can, protecting and nurturing where love is scarce--pulls itself up to face another day. A big-hearted novel about familial love and community against all odds, and a wrenching look at the lonesome, brutal, and restrictive realities of rural poverty, Salvage the Bones is muscled with poetry, revelatory, and real.
Salvage the Bones (Ash)
Bonus By Jesmyn Ward Year published: 2017 Genre: Suspense/Coming of Age/Literary Fiction Awards: 2017 National Book Award for fiction and a Top Ten Novel of 2017. Number of Pages: 285 Summary: This novel is based around a 13-year-old boy, Jojo, and his toddler sister, Kayla, who live with their grandparents, Mam and Pop. Pop takes care of the farm, tends to the goat yard, pigpen and chicken coop with a very empathetic personality while hoping to teach Jojo what it is to be a man.
Sing Unburied Sing (Mary G)
Author: David Guterson Genre: Fiction Awards: PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. Published: 1994 Description: San Piedro Island, north of Puget Sound, is a place so isolated that no one who lives there can afford to make enemies. But in 1954 a local fisherman is found suspiciously drowned, and a Japanese American named Kabuo Miyamoto is charged with his murder. In the course of the ensuing trial, it becomes clear that what is at stake is more than a man's guilt. For on San Piedro, memory grows as thickly as cedar trees and the fields of ripe strawberries - memories of a charmed love affair between a white boy and the Japanese girl who grew up to become Kabuo's wife; memories of land desired, paid for, and lost. Above all, San Piedro is haunted by the memory of what happened to its Japanese residents during World War II, when an entire community was sent into exile while its neighbors watched. Gripping, tragic, and densely atmospheric, Snow Falling on Cedars is a masterpiece of suspense - one that leaves us shaken and changed. +RS 3rd- I recommend this book highly. The author expertly crafts the tale of a post WWII island society through the murder trial of an fisherman. By his use of flashbacks, David Guterson helps the reader understand the mindset of people during this time and how it leads to a Japanese American man to be the prime suspect for the murder. Guterson deals with the major theme of social injustice throughout his book and how it affects everyone. This book is 460 pages and is historical fiction.
Snow falling on cedars H****
Bonus: Genre: coming of age, environmental/nature writing Author: Linda Hogan Pages: 352 From Pulitzer Prize finalist Linda Hogan, Solar Storms tells the moving, "luminous" (Publishers Weekly) story of Angela Jenson, a troubled Native American girl coming of age in the foster system in Oklahoma, who decides to reunite with her family.At seventeen, Angela returns to the place where she was raised—a stunning island town that lies at the border of Canada and Minnesota—where she finds that an eager developer is planning a hydroelectric dam that will leave sacred land flooded and abandoned. Joining up with three other concerned residents, Angela fights the project, reconnecting with her ancestral roots as she does so.Harrowing, lyrical, and boldly incisive, Solar Storms is a powerful examination of the clashes between cultures and traumatic repercussions that have shaped American history.
Solar Storms H****
-published in 2001 -400 pages genre-fiction This book was dedicated to the author's grandmother and mother, but she never knew their real names until after her mother's death. -Ruth Young and her widowed mother, LuLing, have always had a tumultuous relationship. Now, before she succumbs to forgetfulness, LuLing gives Ruth some of her writings, which reveal a side of LuLing that Ruth has never known. . . . In a remote mountain village where ghosts and tradition rule, LuLing grows up in the care of her mute Precious Auntie as the family endures a curse laid upon a relative known as the bonesetter. When headstrong LuLing rejects the marriage proposal of the coffinmaker, a shocking series of events are set in motion-all of which lead back to Ruth and LuLing in modern San Francisco. The truth that Ruth learns from her mother's past will forever change her perception of family, love, and forgiveness.
The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan H****
Author: Alice Walker Genre: Epistolary novel, confessional novel Pages: 304 Published in 1982 Awards: Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, National Book Award for Fiction In the deep American South between the wars, Celie, a young black girl born, is born into poverty and segregation. Celie is raped repeatedly by the man she calls 'father', has two children taken away from her, is separated from her beloved sister Nettie and is trapped into an ugly marriage. But then she meets the glamorous Shug Avery, singer and magic-maker - a woman who has taken charge of her own destiny. Gradually, Celie discovers the power and joy of her own spirit, freeing her from her past and reuniting her with those she loves. +HL-4th Hour The Color Purple is severely compassionate and inspirational as it opens the eyes of readers to unconventional cultures and gender expectations. Incredibly unique and emotional, this novel would be the perfect read for any student who enjoys books regarding characters who overcome bad circumstances they fell victim to, and the journey of two young sisters who remain loyal to each other through time and distance apart. +MC 4th hour I would recommend this novel to anyone but especially to high school girls. I found this novel to be extremely empowering for women, and it was nice to be reminded that women can do anything right before heading off to college. The narration is made interesting since the author uses letters of two sisters to tell the story which is a format that we do not see as often, and it allowed all of the readers to connect to the protagonist even more. This novel is so well known and considered to be a classic for a reason, and when considering the large number of times it has appeared on the AP test, it is definitely worth the read for any student.
The Color Purple
Author: Margaret Atwood Pages: 320 Genre: Fiction Published: 1998 Awards: Arthur C Clarke Award, Governor General's Award A handmaid in the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian and theocratic state that has replaced the United States of America, has no freedom and tells the story of her daily struggles and attempts to escape the abuse against women. +LF 4th Hour This novel blends the mystery of science fiction with feminism. This book really led me to think in different ways and I recommend it to all of my peers who have an open mind. The book's narrator is easy to relate to and connect to and the novel is easy to read. There are mature parts of the book, however a mature mind can handle this. I am very grateful that I asked about this book and I hope people next year enjoy it as much as me. +GG 4th hour I would recommend this book to a reader who loves dystopias and is interested in exploring themes of feminism, rebellion, religion, etc. This book should be read with an open mind because it delves deep into the human psyche .This regime and world that is created feels eerily real and as if something like that could happen to us in the future. This book reads like a modern-day book (even though it was written almost 40 years ago) and is very easily read. As the reader, you feel as if everything is happening to you along with the main character Offred. Atwood envelops the reader into her narrative that creates a surreal image of how life could be as a Handmaid in Gilead.
The Handmaid's Tale H***
Author: Amy Tan page count: 288 genre: fiction published: 2006 Awards: BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Overview: In 1949 four Chinese women-drawn together by the shadow of their past-begin meeting in San Francisco to play mah jong, invest in stocks, eat dim sum, and "say" stories. They call their gathering the Joy Luck Club. Nearly forty years later, one of the members has died, and her daughter has come to take her place, only to learn of her mother's lifelong wish-and the tragic way in which it has come true. The revelation of this secret unleashes an urgent need among the women to reach back and remember... In this extraordinary first work of fiction, Amy Tan writes about what is lost-over the years, between generations, among friends-and what is saved. Book Review: A.S. Personally, I loved this book. The lessons that were included I really learned from. The one thing about this book that i didn't do well with was getting all the stories confused with who they were about. For any future student reading this i would recommend to keep little notes on the side about who the story was about and do a quick summary of that particular story. I would definitely recommend this book. +3rd Hour CJ: This book is a very interesting and easy read! I loved how Tan reveals the effect culture can have on mother-daughter relationships. The structure of the novel is also very unique (it focuses on multiple characters' points of view). However, this structure can get a bit confusing so I encourage you to pay close attention to the names at the beginning of each chapter!
The Joy Luck Club H****
Author: Kim Edwards Pages: 401 Genre: Fiction Awards: New York Times Paperback Bestsellers List Description: The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards is a poignant story of marriage, parenthood and a secret that entwines itself throughout the emotional lives of a family and, eventually, tears it apart. Happily married, Dr. David Henry and his wife Norah are expecting a child in the middle of a stormy winter in 1964. Having made the treacherous drive through deep snow with Norah in labor, they meet with David's nurse, Caroline Gill, and prepare Norah for the birth. Norah gives birth to a healthy baby boy, but shortly thereafter, also gives birth to a small girl who has obvious signs of Downs Syndrome... Published: by Viking Press in June 2005 Book Review: A wonderful novel which touches on the value of family and how one's choices will continue to follow long after a choice is made. While there are a few cliches in the novel, the story is well-written and keeps the reader entertained.
The Memory Keeper's Daughter
author: Jhumpa Lahiri Pages: 291 (hardback edition) Genre: Fiction Awards: Pulitzer Prize for Fiction Description: The novel describes the struggles and hardships of a Bengali couple who immigrate to the United States to form a life outside of everything they are accustomed to. The story begins as Ashoke and Ashima leave Calcutta, India and settle in Central Square, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Through a series of events, Gogol becomes the main character's official birth name, an event that will shape many aspects of his life in years to come. Throughout the story, Gogol fights an internal battle to find himself. He struggles trying to balance between American versus Indian culture and appreciating friendship more than family. I recommend: The Namesake to all young adults and older. While the novel does contain some mature content like sex scenes they do not play a major role in the plot line and is only minuscule parts in the book. The themes Jhumpa Lahiri discusses are noteworthy to women and men of any background such as conformity, displacement, cultural differences and the importance of family and heritage. The book explains Indian culture through the eyes of first and second generation immigrants which allows the reader to experience the life of foreigner. One of the reasons I believe this book is great for any person of age is because it provides a window to see into the struggles of a human being different than ourselves. Recently in the news anti-Semitism and Islamophobia have been on the rise and I believe many Americans are ignorant of other cultures and fear people different than themselves because they do not understand or sympathize with other ethnicities, which can be cured by reading books such as The Namesake. For me personally this book has made me have greater respect for Indian culture and appreciate the bravery it takes to become an immigrant. I recommend The Namesake to anyone who is mature and willing to have an open mind to other cultures. +KJ 3rd Hour: The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri is an entertaining book and I recommend it for this project. The author makes the plot easy to understand and follow. The reader gets to see the different points of view of the members of an Indian family who live in America. The author uses many literary elements to get her ideas across, and the reader can easily write responses to this book. The reader gets to experience characters grow and find themselves.
The Namesake H*****
Kazuo Ishiguro Pages: 258 Genre: Historical Fiction Published: 1989 Awards: Man Booker Prize (1989) Summary: In 1956, Stevens, a long-serving butler at Darlington Hall, decides to take a motoring trip through the West Country. The six-day excursion becomes a journey into the past of Stevens and England, a past that takes in fascism, two world wars, and an unrealized love between the butler and his housekeeper. Ishiguro's dazzling novel is a sad and humorous love story, a meditation on the condition of modern man, and an elegy for England at a time of acute change.
The Remains of the Day H***
Bonus: genre: coming of age, nature, mystery, crime By Delia Owens For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life--until the unthinkable happens.Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps
Where the Crawdads Sing H****