All posts filed under: November

Deeply Disturbing

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Whoa. That was … interesting. Somehow it felt very 70’s. I’m not sure why. Were the 70’s filled with child abuse and incest? This book would make you think so. Yikes. So yeah, Flowers in the Attic was very dark. I guess that’s to be expected considering the fact it’s about a narcissistic mother who locks her four children in an Attic for years. There’s that tiny happy part in the beginning, and then you just drudge for hundreds of pages through the poor lives of these innocent children living like abused zoo animals. It was pretty sad at parts, and really disturbing at others. And to what end? I’m not sure. I feel like for a book to have such dark and disturbing content there should be a reason for it… a particular message, lesson learned, or necessary story to tell. But with Flowers in the Attic there didn’t seem to be a need for half of it… like when Chris feeds them his blood. Really? Although, I will say I liked the ending. It …

November Book

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With November comes the start of the holiday season, which means lots of family time… and that can mean tension, frustration, and sometimes drama. Which brings us to our November pick: Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews. The first in the popular Dollanganger series, this disturbing tale tells the story of the Dollanganger kids. Hidden in the attic because of a family fortune, Chris, Cathy, and the twins are prepared to stay in the creepy alcove for a few days. But soon those days turn into years, and they are forced to adapt to this new life, isolated and with very little to survive. Written in 1979, Flowers in the Attic was what launched Andrews’ extraordinary career and creating a loyal fanbase. Now a Lifetime movie, this haunting novel will make you happy for the family you have. From the back cover: “This enduring masterpiece of psychological suspense remains the most famous and provocative novel from V.C. Andrews, one of the most popular storytellers of all time.”

Underwhelmed

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When I read Katie C.’s review last week, I immediately texted the other Bookly Clubbers and said “uh oh, my review is going to look a lot like yours!” I started Tell the Wolves I’m Home on November 10. I didn’t finish until yesterday, which for me is a very long read. Usually, I pick up a book and in a few sittings over the course of 3-4 days, I’m done. I just couldn’t get into this one. Don’t get me wrong, Brunt’s style is enjoyable, the characters were well-developed, and the idea of the book, the story, was touching and I should have love it. However, I didn’t. I wanted to be on June’s side, but I couldn’t relate to her – even when I put myself back in my 14-year-old shoes, I didn’t feel a connection to her. Her relationship with Greta was fascinating, but Greta herself made me so angry. I think if I had understood Greta’s point of view better, if she had narrated for a bit or we got to “read her …

Don’t know why I couldn’t put it down

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Tell The Wolves I’m Home was a really fast read… I think I finished it in about a week (and being 9 months pregnant with a toddler, that’s crazy fast for me). But I’m not sure why. I can’t say I loved the story all that much, or really related to any of the characters. And nothing tremendously dramatic happened during the 355 pages. But I’d sit down to read it and blow through 70 pages at a time. So, there must have been something gripping about it. I think it was the sisters’ relationship that kept me going. Honestly I didn’t really understand the Finn and June history or relationship (it felt a little dramatic for dramatic’s sake). But I liked watching the evolution between Greta and June. Although I wish they’d let us under the veil of what was going on with Greta a little more, but I guess that’s for our imaginations to figure out. And I think the friendship between Toby and June was well developed, and helped push the story along …

November Book

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Image © Our City Lights And so the holiday season officially begins (or at least for those of you who don’t count Halloween)! This month the family events begin starting with the loud, turkey-roasting, over-served event that is Thanksgiving dinner. Along with this deliciously gluttonous meal comes a fair amount of family dramatics (good, bad and ugly alike). So it only seemed fair that our theme for November should be {Family Feud}. A great story about a lovable (or not) dysfunctional family. And so, we’ve selected Tell The Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt; “a tender story of love lost and found, an unforgettable portrait of the way compassion can make us whole again.” This debut novel was published in 2012 to rave reviews and quickly became a New York Times Bestseller. Set in 1987, the story follows the life of 14-year-old June Elbus. She lives in Westchester and struggles with feelings for her gay uncle who is dying of AIDS. Brunt says the inspiration for this novel came from the idea of an uncle painting a portrait of …