The Adoration of Jenna Fox...random thoughts

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson.

First off, let me say thanks to Becky, for it was she would urged me to pick this book up. Secondly, let me say that I have no idea of how to review this book. The problem being that I just don't want to give too much away. This is truly a book where you want to allow things to be slowly revealed to you.

I can say that Jenna Fox is a 17-year-old girl, who is trying to discover who she is. But not entirely in the way a normal teenager must search for their identity and meaning in life. No, Jenna just woke up from a coma and doesn't remember anything about herself. Gradually, she remembers little snippets about her former life, but nothing that gives her a feel for "who she is".

Maybe that is all any life is composed of, trivia that eventually adds up to a person...

I found that to be an interesting thought. But believe me, this book is nowhere as simple as I've made it sound.

It is definitely one those books that gets you thinking about many issues. Most especially, what is it that makes us human?

And there's lots to ponder in the realm of medical ethics.

And I must admit, as a parent, it left me a little unsettled, thinking about the lengths I might go to save one of my children.

Okay, I realize this isn't much of a review...like I said, I really don't want to give anything about the story away. But I loved it. I found Jenna utterly believable. And I loved the interesting way the book was written...in short "not quite chapters". And the way the author made me think about the meaning of words that inhabit our daily lives.

*****

If you have reviewed this book, feel free to leave a link in the comments and I'll add it here. Thanks.

Becky at Becky's Book Reviews
Kim at Bold Blue Adventure

*****

Read for:



A-Z Reading Challenge.








42 Challenge.













The YA Reading Challenge. (a substitute)

Th1rteen R3asons Why...random thoughts

More random than ever, I'm afraid. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure if I can put together any kind of coherent review at all. This book got to me on a gut level. There were things in this book that just took me back 25+ years and plopped me right back into high school. I wish I could explain. But while I would be o.k. talking to many of my blog friends about this, I'm just not willing to throw this out there for the whole world, if you know what I mean.

I can say that I think that this is a book that every upper middle school/high school kid should read. I know this book is fiction, and it's entertainment, but I really think it could be so much more to kids as well. A chance to let some see they're not alone. A wake up call to many that their actions have consequences, horrible consequences that they may never even be aware of.

The book is really told by two people at the same time. Clay receives in the mail a box of cassette tapes recorded by Hannah. Hannah committed suicide a few short weeks ago. The cassettes tell Hannah's story, what led her to the drastic solution she chose. Clay's thoughts and actions are interspersed throughout the book as he listens to Hannah's voice talk about the actions of those around her and how these actions affected her. For the first couple of pages, I found the constant flip-flopping from Hannah to Clay irritating, but that irritation quickly subsided. I think it turned out to be the perfect way to tell this story.

Again, I apologize, I realize this isn't much of review. I thought about waiting a few days to write it, but ultimately decided that wouldn't make much difference. The good news is that I know there are others out there who have reviewed it. If you're one of them, please leave me your link I'll add it. Thanks.

*****

*Becky of Becky's Book Reviews
*Dewey of The Hidden Side of the Leaf
*Joy of Thoughts of Joy
*Alison of So Many Books, So Little Time
*Alessandra at Out of the Blue
*Eva at A Striped Armchair
*****

Read for:


Young Adult Reading Challenge.

Numbers Challenge.



A-Z Reading Challenge.

Homeschooling.

The Goose Girl...random thoughts

Fairy tales. As I said not so long ago in a post, I wasn't one of those who grew up on fairy tales. But last summer, when I was trying to put together some kind of plan for Annie's school year, I decided that we should explore the world of folktales and fairy tales. Right here, I need to say a big thank you to Nymeth. She has graciously answered questions and given advice to this poor novice here. But even more than that, her deep true love of these stories has been utterly contagious.

Anyway, what I had assumed would be a very fun "unit" of study for Annie, has really become an immense pleasure to me. I've been so captivated by the fairy tales we've been reading...I can't imagine I will ever stop searching them out.

And now we come to the idea of fairy tale retellings. A year ago, I'm not sure I even knew such books existed. Last month, I read my first, I Was A Rat by Philip Pullman, which by the way, I adored. But that story was more of an epilogue focusing on a particular character from a fairy tale (if that makes any sense at all). The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale, on the other hand, takes the Grimms Brothers "The Goose Girl" and really turns it into a full novel. I have to admit, "The Goose Girl" is one of my favorite fairy tales, one of the few I've known and loved for years. I was a bit leery that anyone could really retell this story and do it justice.

Well, my fears were entirely unfounded! What can I say? I love, love, love this book! In a way I haven't loved a book in while. Not more or less, necessarily, but differently. Not in a soul-searching, thought-provoking way. But plain and simply, in a sweet and joyful way. I was utterly astounded at the way Shannon Hale stayed so true to the fairy tale, while bringing the story and the characters so wonderfully to life. This book is nothing if not magical!

I'll be the first to admit, I've never been much of a princess kind of girl. But you know what, Shannon Hale just might change that! There's a quote on the back of the book from The New York Times Book Review that I think sums up the book perfectly for me:

"In layer upon layer of detail a beautiful coming-of-age story emerges, a tale about learning to rescue yourself rather than falling accidentally into happily-ever-after."

Now I know it's not exactly unheard of for me to cry while reading a book, but this is the first book I can remember in a very long time that left tears of joy in my eyes as I finished the last page.






(Now that's a lot of bang for your reading challenge buck, huh?)
















Other blog reviews:
*Kim at Bold. Blue. Adventure.
*Annie at Words by Annie
*Nymeth at Things Mean A Lot
*Eva at A Striped Armchair
*Melody at Melody's Reading Corner
*Deslily at Here There and Everywhere