The Christmas Pearl by Dorthea Benton Frank

It is customary for our book club to read a light Christmas themed book for our December meeting. It is usually one on which we can have a short discussion, have lunch, and then decide our books for the coming year. 

The Christmas Pearl, was a unique novel in that it required the suspension of all belief as the reader was transported into a fairy tale world that was a cross between Cinderella and Mary Poppins. Theodora is a nonagenarian matriarch of a seemingly dysfunctional family who have all come to Charleston, South Carolina to celebrate Christmas. As she bemuses the fact that Christmas doesn't seem like what it was in her younger days, she doesn't have the wherewithal to undertake all those tasks of decorating, shopping, cooking. She remembers her mother's housekeeper who seemed to pull it all together for the family. With that in Fairy Godmother fashion Pearl, who was the Gullah housekeeper,  appears at Theodora's house. Pearl has come back from the dead to make Christmas seem like the old days. She cooks, decorated the house with the ease of having a magic wand. 

As the family members arrive they add a bit of chaos to the scene, bickering, complaining, and just plain acting rude. The reader has a tough time liking any of them. But the scenes between Theodora and Pearl are the calming portions of the book as they settle in to having a bit of Christmas "cheer." The continual fracas and griping of the family sets Pearl to step in and try to save Merry Christmas. A spot of eggnog helps.

It was a quick read, not literary, but perfect for the reader who does not care about reality and and can appreciate the imaginary. 
 

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

When Remarkably Bright Creatures was selected for our book club, I was a bit skeptical about a book being narrated by a giant Pacific octopus. I was very fearful it was going to be like Life of Pi, which I did not like at all. What a great surprise it was to encounter a perfectly delightful book. 

Marcellus, the octopus, has great insight into the human world and manages to steer the plot along. On the human side of the novel is Tova Sullivan, a widow and a mother who lost her son, Erik,  in an accident or suicide. She is a night janitor at the Sowell Bay (Puget Sound) Aquarium where Marcellus lives. 

Then there is Cameron, a thirty-year old, who just can't seem to keep a job. He was raised by his Aunt Jeanne after his mother abandoned him without him ever knowing his father.  After losing yet another job and having to find housing, he buys a dilapidated camper and heads north from California to the Puget Sound area in search of his father. He believes that he knows who the man is after finding a picture in a box of mementos given to him by his Aunt. 

Once in Sowell Bay, Cameron meets the Ethan Mack, owner of the small grocery store, who helps him with his broken camper and allows him to park on the grounds of the store.He suggests to Cameron that there might be work at the aquarium and Cameron is hired to do some cleaning, where he meets Tova. 

Meanwhile, Marcellus becomes involved in the relationship between Tova and Cameron and manages to give some hints to the reader. Pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place as Cameron tracks down the man whom he believes is his father and Tova gets information about her son about which she had been previously unaware. 

The ending is a bit predictable, but it doesn't distract from the charm of the book. The characters are well developed and the writing propels the book into an almost page-turner. I did learn that an octopus has 3 hearts - an answer to a Jeopardy question as I was reading the book. One of the reasons we join book clubs is to read beyond our comfort zone. I would never have picked this book up otherwise. It was a delight and a very good read.
 

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

When Outlander chosen as our Gables Book Club read for September, I was quite surprised because I thought everyone on the earth had read this except me. I had downloaded it a few years ago when it was on sale for the Kindle. It was also surprising since the length of the book was much longer than our usual reads. 

The entire series has been a major player in the world of fiction literature, with each entry skyrocketing to the top of the Best Seller list. The novel opens in 1945 after WWII when Claire and Frank Randall are enjoying being together after spending the war years apart. Frank has some real interest in genealogy has found that the Vicar in the village has knowledge of some of Frank's ancestors, especially Captain Jack Randall. Claire's passion is flowers and she meets a Mr. Cook who shares her interest and who has knowledge of the greenery of the area. He takes her on an exploratory journey of the Highlands and imparts oodles of information about the local flora. On this excursion, Claire comes upon a small henge to which she take Frank back. There they come upon a group of women who seem much like witches. She returns the next day to try to identify a plant and it is on that journey that she passes through the stones and is transported back to 1743. 

Attacked by Captain Jonathan Randall, an ancestor of Frank's, she is eventually rescued by Jaimie Fraser.  From that point in time the novel evolves around the fact that Jaime is on the run trying to keep from being apprehended for a crime he did not commit. In order to protect herself and Jaimie, Claire reluctantly agrees to marry him. She feels guilty about abandoning Frank, but soon comes to love her life married to Jaimie. 

Numerous incidents ensue where Claire and Jaimie must use cunning and power to escape consume the rest of the novel. Some of these drag on through the novel and by shortening them the novel could have been shortened. Diana Gabaldon does not mince words either when she is describing battles and fights or when detailing the actions in sex scenes. 

For the most part, I enjoyed the book, but feel that in some places it dragged on and on. It seemed that the plot took a back seat to all the different episodic encounters that ended most chapters with cliff hangers. I am not sure when I will continue to the 2nd book in the series. I am not as taken with Outlander as many of my friends are, but will likely give the series another chance.  

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The final book in the Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay, is an intense action adventure filled with violence, twists, politics, and propaganda.

“Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she’s made it out of the bloody arena alive, she’s still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what’s worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss’s family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.” [Publisher's Summary]

It is especially hard to review this book without giving away most of the plot and characterization. I had a hard time warming up to this book. I loved The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, but I liked Mockingjay.

There is still the tension carried over from the first two novels in the series between Katniss, Peeta and Gale. At times I was in the Gale camp, but really secretly hope that she and Peeta would overcome immense obstacles and become the couple. One thing is for certain, Mockingjay speaks loudly and clearly against war. Kat is a pawn who will do the bidding of those controlling her. The role of the media and its part in creating or compromising reality is fascinating and a reminder to us to look through and beyond what we see and hear bombarding us on television, radio and the Internet.

As in many series, we can expect characters whom we love to die. Mockingjay was not dead and that he would come back to the story. Toward the end of the book, I wasn't sure that I could root for was no exception. I wasn't surprised at these deaths, but they hurt just the same. I did want to believe that CinnaKatniss unequivocally. I was stunned at some of her thoughts and actions. I do think Collins tried to tidy up the ending much too quickly or had prolonged the rebellion too much that the ending seemed hurried. Upon finishing the book, I really didn't know what to think. However, after some pondering, I can understand the reasoning behind her words.

War and its ramifications are despicable. What is real? This trilogy will allow you some insight and definitely a worthwhile read. .

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Too often a sequel to a very popular book is merely a retelling of the first book. There are notable exceptions like J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books and most definitely the The Hunger Games trilogy. Collins continues the saga of KatnissEverdeen in Catching Fire and it is every bit a compelling read as the previous book.
Home after the Hunger Games, Kat and Peeta have returned home to District 12, richer for their winnings. Kat is determined that Gale and his family will not do without and so she has taken it upon her self to provide for them. But life will never be the same for the two champions. Kat's rebellious act at the end of The Hunger Games has sparked uprisings in a number of the districts and so President Snow comes to visit. He is adamant that she needs to squash the rebellions and the victory tour will see to this. Readers know that Kat will not give up her defiant spirit and speaks accordingly.
In a strange twist of events precipitated by the uprisings and Panem's desire to put Kat in her place the Quarterly Quell is announced. It will send all living victors of The Hunger Games back to the arena. Kat and Peeta will compete again as affianced lovers. Kat has one goal - to protect Peeta at any cost.
To reveal anything else about this book would destroy the plot's twists, turns, and eventual resolution. Suffice it to say, it is a page-turner, although I thought some of the time spent in the arena was a bit prolonged. Maybe it was because I was being impatient and wanting to get to the end. I anxiously await reading, when I can get my hands on a copy, the last in the trilogy - Mockingjay. Collins has hit the mark with this series for those who aren't taken by the plethora of vampire books on the market.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book will be added to the list of books that has an incredible and enticing first line: "There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife." The man Jack has killed a family of three. It was supposed to be four, but the baby has gone wandering and ends up in the nearby graveyard. So begins the story of "Bod" (Nobody) Owens. The 2009 Newbery Award winner is a macabre tale that is sure to become a classic read.

The story follows the adventures of Bod from his adoption by the Owens' through his childhood until he reaches the age of his emancipation. It is a story adopted from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book and provides adventure, fantasy, and the ability to touch every human emotion. In addition to the Owens, Bod is protected by his guardian, Silas with the lupine Miss Lupescu, Mother Slaughter, Josiah Worthington and the poet Nehemiah Trot, and my favorite, the Roman Caius Pompeius. Although still hunted by the murderer, Bod enjoys protection when he is within the confines of the graveyard. Such a setting provides the background for all sorts of macrabre adventures and ghostly encounters.

Bod's life passes in front of us and we grow to really love this boy who has his share of troubles. One very poignant scene is how he is bullied by his schoolmates when he attempt to attend a school outside the graveyard. He has thirsted for knowledge, but has to give up his dream when classmates make his life there totally miserable. As a little boy he develops a real friendship with a Scarlett, a girl who visits the graveyard with her mother. As the chapters ensue, she disappears for a while, but then reappears as the book reaches its climax. As one might expect Bod meets up again with a man Jack and the all the supernatural entities that Gaiman can muster.

As a reflect on the book, I realize that it was an incredibly written and complex story, full of ghostly haunts and "personages", but also that there was something missing in the first third of the book. It took me a while to really get into it, but by the end I was emotionally hooked and even a bit teary-eyed as the last pages were turned. It is a book that should satisfy all those who are looking for story that is scary and haunting.