I decided to bring back book talks this summer. I love that summer is full of stacks of library books and time to enjoy the stories others have to tell. When I was recovering from my surgery, I read a ton of books. Honestly, none of them were that great. So when I finally came around to this book, I was thrilled to have found such an enthralling book.
Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight was rumored to be the Gone Girl of 2013. Never, ever, ever would I compare the two books. The only similarity between them is suspense. But other than that, not the same. I would consider Gone Girl to be a psychological thriller, whereas Reconstructing Amelia is more mystery.
I read the book quickly, which I think is very important to enjoying a fast-paced, suspense-filled book. When I read Dark Places by Gillian Flynn last summer, I definitely read it too slow and I think that resulted in me not really enjoying the book to its full potential. Reconstructing Amelia kept me interested the entire time, with different narrations from the past and the present. There was just enough twists to keep me turning the page. I think that the end got a little muddled as there was a few too many twists, but the book was still enjoyable.
The book whole book had me reflecting on my relationship with my mom, the things about myself I keep to myself, and the challenges that come with being a teenager. It's a coming of age novel, filled with the heartbreaks and awkwardness and being lost and found. Emotions are delicately played.
I so enjoyed this book after a slew of blah books. I recommend it as a quick, but meaningful read. I see a Lifetime movie in the future;) 4/5 stars.
Do you remember where you were when you heard the news about 9/11? The Sandy Hook shooting? A family member's death? Those moments that just make you stop, think, and consider the blessing in your life?
I remember where I was when Elizabeth Smart was found. I was in Ms. Lowe's first grade class. She was reading a book to us as we sat before her, all the girls lined up, braiding the hair of the girl in front of them. My mom was coming to pick me up early for an appointment and she came into the classroom, interrupting the reading, saying with such relief, "They found her. They found Elizabeth!". Then my teacher and mom talked for a little bit about the news and then I left with my mom as she held my hand tightly.
Last October when Elizabeth's memoir came out, I was instantly intrigued and wanted to read it. I finally got around to it and was so impressed. Elizabeth wrote with such eloquence and demonstrated such grace and perseverance. Let me tell you, most people (including myself) would not be able to come out of such a traumatic incident with the strength and perspective that Elizabeth had. So let's getting talking.
Han's Review
I don't want to say I enjoyed this book because that seems like the wrong thing to say about such an awful topic, but I did think it was a good book. I really love memoirs and this was no exception. Sometimes when I read books or watch movies on kidnappings, I'm extremely paranoid and have this feeling that it will happen to me. However, with this book, Elizabeth managed to be matter-of-fact without being too blunt. She was able to experience a horrifying thing and positively move on. My mother had no idea why I would want to read about such a disturbing thing, but Elizabeth never made it out to be the end of the world. While it was not the best, she looks back on it with a positive mindset.
The Writing
While this book may not be the most well-written book, it was still good. While there weren't major cliffhangers, but I still found myself turning the page quickly. As a young woman myself, I put myself in the shoes of Elizabeth. Because I grew up in a safe, suburban bubble, I haven't experienced several terrifying situations, but have heard of them frequently. Most of the time, they scare the living daylights out of me because I live in such a safe place. Curiosity gets the best of me because I honestly cannot imagine being taken from my own room.
Faith
Elizabeth is never graphic when describing what happened with her. I associate this with her strong Mormon faith. While not LDS myself, I know a lot about the religion and their beliefs. She is not blunt, but rather discreet enough to get the point across. This makes the book a little easier to read. After reading this book, I read Jaycee Dugard's memoir. While the two girls' kidnappings differed in length, they were still young when they occurred and the abuse was extreme. But Jaycee wrote with more aggression and much more graphic description. It was difficult to read. Elizabeth's faith emphasizes purity so what occurred to her was most against her beliefs. Her faith alone is what helped her live.
The Aftermath
What most impressed me was Elizabeth's perspective about the entire event. Where most people would have hate for their abductors, Elizabeth never once said she hated them. Instead, she remarked that much worse could have happened. I don't think most 15-year olds are able to look at such an awful situation with that light! She dealt with a lot of negative reactions because she 'never fought back'. But what Elizabeth did was save her family, and herself. She has all of my respect.
Book Club Questions (adapted from here) 1. Elizabeth speaks of near-rescues, in particular, one in the library when a detective questioned Mitchell. Why didn't she cry out? 2. Elizabeth's faith is her primary reason for living. What else motivates her? 3. Elizabeth's abductor, Brian David Mitchell, already had a bad history. His own mother had a restraining order against him. Are people like him evil? Is mental illness an excuse for what he did? 4. What about Mitchell's partner, Wanda Ileen Barzee? She herself is a mother; one wonders what would prompt her to maltreat a child like Elizabeth. Brazee receieved a sentence of 15 years, seven of which the judge said she had already served. How do you feel about that? 5. If you were in Elizabeth's shoes, what would you have done? What would have kept you going?
I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. A compelling read that proves the triumphs faith can bring.
Every Thursday here on the blog, I've decided to do a book talk/ book review of sorts. I've got a list of books I am so excited to write about! Summer is the best time to just sit and consume books, so this may be something that is primarily for the summer (sort of late to jump on this, I know) but one of my goals is to always have a free reading book going during school. I always forget how much I love to just sit and read when we are in school! One of the best bloggers out there, Bon, hosts a monthly book club over at her blog and I like how she formats some of them so I figured I would do something similar.
I also am part of a book club with Mack, Isabel, and Ainsley (we like to call it The Finer Things Club because of how classy things get when we're together). The first book we read was Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. I thought it would be the perfect book to kick off Book Talks with Han (creative name, I know). Heads up, there's a few spoilers so don't say I didn't warn you.
Han's Review
Wow I loved this book. Typically, I read some pretty basic realistic fiction. A little romance, a little family drama, stuff like that. This was an absolute thriller and I was instantly hooked. You are asking questions the whole time and it just gets more and more twisted! I became emotionally invested in this book and really couldn't stop thinking about it. The day I got it, I read outside in my hammock for hours without stopping. Eventually, it began to rain on me and I put the book down for the night. All night long, it was all I thought about. The next day, I finished it in just a few hours. It just kept getting juicier and juicier! However, I loathed the ending. So upset. I was expecting something different and was truly upset.
Writing Style
At first, it is slightly confusing because Flynn goes back and forth between the present and the past. Then, there is a complete shift in character's voice and you are confused and shocked and mad! The prose was good, but not outstanding. However I feel like that is common in books like this; it's more about turning the page and continuing onto the plot, not focusing on the beauty of the words.
This book is not for those who hate profanity because it is extremely prevalent in this book. I guess in this sort of situation, a lot of cussing would occur.
Flynn did an outstanding job with the plot and climax. Right when you thought you were figuring it all out, BAM! It was different, unexpected, and everything changed. This woman is a genius author because she really had to do a lot of thinking with this book. She had me convinced for the first half of the book that the murder was done by one person, and with one sentence, I was convinced it was someone else. She had me turning my back on characters. Then when the treasure hunt clues are described, I was thinking like I was Nick. She got in Amy's head and got every little detail lined up!
The Characters
Well these people suck. Right when you think you love one character, the truth about them and it ain't pretty. They all just infuriated me!!! I wanted to yell at them and their choices and how they treated each other! These people were probably the most dysfunctional group I have ever heard of. The entire time I just kept wondering why they ever get married. The two main characters, Nick and Amy, were the worst couple in the world. Talk about a bomb. But despite my hatred for the characters, I still loved the book. That doesn't happen too often. I guess their insanity was intriguing.
A movie?!
I'm really intrigued by the book becoming a movie. It will surely be good because the book was, but I feel like it might be sort of confusing and there are definitely parts they will have to change. So far, the trailer looks good and I anxiously await it's release in October!
Book Club Questions
1. Do you believe that Nick and Amy ever really loved each other?
2. In this book, who was the victim? Was there one?
3. How did the "Amazing Amy" books impact Amy's life, as a child and an adult.
4. In Amy and Nick's marriage, was one of them more at fault than the other?
5. How was this book different than other suspense books?
In the end, I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars. Definitely worth your time! Afterwards, do tell me about your thoughts!
