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Steinbeck, John. 1933. To A God Unknown. 186 pages.

Steinbeck seeks the answer to the age-old question, "Can a man love a tree too much?" in his novel To A God Unknown. What? You don't believe me that that is a universal question that everyone is dying to know the answer to? You've never pondered (to yourself or maybe even with a friend) if you could love a tree so much that you begin to worship it?

This novel focuses on the Wayne family. In particular, Joseph Wayne and his brothers. Determined to head west, to settle in California, Joseph disappoints his father, John, and sets out on his own. When Joseph finally arrives, when he finally sets foot on his own land, his own property, he gets a strange feeling. He knows, he feels, that his father has passed. Around the same time, he feels that his father is right there with him, right there watching him, watching the land. He gets the strongest feeling that his father settles into a tree--becomes one with it in a way. So time passes, as it always does, and Joseph convinces his brothers to come and settle near him. To buy adjoining property, to make one large family ranch that they can own all together and settle. And so it begins, at first it's not quite so obvious, the amount of respect, attention, adoration Joseph feels for 'the tree.' But it can't be hidden forever. One brother knows that his brother has lost touch with reality--at least with good Christian faith--when he sees his brother sacrificing wine and food to the tree, leaving offerings under it, sneaking off at night to speak with it. One brother becomes so angry he decides to do the unthinkable....

Does this tree have magical powers? Is Joseph right in assuming that as long as the tree thrives, the ranch will thrive, the family will thrive?

This is one strange book, I'll admit that up front. Joseph is not easily understood. Not by his wife, Elizabeth. Not by his brothers and their wives. Not by his hired hands. Not by the local priest. No, this Joseph is one-of-a-kind. But is he one-of-a-kind crazy? You be the judge!

I don't want to sound too flippant. I think this book has more literary value than I made it sound like in the first paragraph. A lot of symbols, for example. I think it could be discussed and dissected and explored in depth if readers wanted to get every literary drop out of it. I think it builds up on and explores various mythologies and religious symbols. It weaves together a mythology of its own in a way.

Did I like it? Yes and no. It isn't my favorite Steinbeck by any means. I don't think it is his masterpiece. It is his second novel after all. I'm glad I read it. But I'm not going to go out of my way to buy my own copy either.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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Roe, Monica M. 2008. Thaw.

Our narrator, Dane Rafferty, is a dumb boy. And that's not an exaggeration. He's a boy that really and truly doesn't get it. Doesn't get what it means to be considerate, be nice, be respectful, be humane, be compassionate. Stubborn. Angry. Self-centered. Frustrated.

Dane, when we first meet, him is helpless. Stricken with a disease--Guillain-Barre Syndrome--Dane is paralyzed. The good news, 75% of patients with GBS recover and gain back use of their bodies. Dane is past the worst--he's now able to breathe on his own. But the rest--control of his body from simple things like turning one's head, moving his arms, hands, fingers, sitting up, standing, walking, etc.--is all beyond him. For Dane, an active teen guy--a skier to be exact--this disease has crippled him mentally and emotionally.

The narrative is fractured, told in two parts--then and now. The now is March through May; the then is February. In just a few months, his life has changed--everything has changed. We meet his parents, his girlfriend, his friends through these passages. And what we see is not pretty. Dane is a jerk--pure and simple. But we are also seeing Dane in the present. We understand--or I suppose that should be I understood--why he was bitter and angry and cold. Why he put up such a defensive stand. He's angry at himself. Angry at his body. Frustrated with everybody including himself. He doesn't know how to trust. He doesn't know how to be patient. He doesn't know how to accept help.

The book is well-written. Very authentic. Even when Dane is acting like an a**, it feels like he's an authentic one. His coming-of-age story is powerful in its vulnerable honesty. This one's definitely worth sticking with, the pay off is very satisfying. One of my favorite aspects? The characterization. Everyone has depth. The story and characters are intricately done. Loved it.

Set in Florida and New York.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Kilbourne, Christina. 2008. They Called Me Red.

It's been about a week since I read They Called Me Red, and I'm still not quite sure what to make of it. It had my attention--I'm not saying it didn't. But it was so unique, so different--in a way--that I'm not quite sure how to sum it up without giving too much away. (I don't know if that will make sense to others or not.) They Called Me Red is the novel of a father and son divided. First divided because of the father's attentions to a woman--a wicked stepmother type--and then divided by death. Devon, our young hero, endures a lot within the pages of the novel. Much more than you're probably expecting. It's an ugly story in many ways. But it's not without glimmers of hope either.

Because of the subject matter--a child being sold into the sex industry (a male brothel) in another country, a foreign country--it won't be for everyone. Also because of the content, it's impossible to say that I "enjoyed" this one. But just because I didn't enjoy it, doesn't mean it was poorly written--far from it. It was an engaging story, but one that will take a certain kind of reader to appreciate.


© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Buckley, Michael. 2008. Tales From the Hood.

Tales from the Hood is the sixth novel in The Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley. This is a series that is fun and exciting. A series that I would have absolutely loved if it had been around when I was a kid. One that I still love now even as a grown up. It focuses on Sabrina and Daphne Grimm and their grandmother, Granny Relda, and on their sibling-of-sorts Puck. (Puck isn't a real relation mind you, but he has been unofficially (in a way) adopted into the family by Granny Relda.) Sabrina is beginning to grow up, not mature necessarily, but grow up. In other words, she's starting to get to that age. That difficult age. And as such she's not always the easiest person to get along with. She's not really "listening" or "obeying" the rules laid out for her by Granny Relda and Uncle Jake. This time is difficult for Daphne as well. Daphne has always loved and looked up to her older sister, but now....now her sister is unrecognizable at times. So weird, so mean.

I won't really get much into the plot. It's exciting enough that it will keep you reading. But if I talk about book six, then it would probably spoil some things from earlier books--especially book five--and that just wouldn't be any fun at all.

I like this series a lot. I like how the fairy tales are woven together in a fun, topsy-turvy way. The characterization and the plot twists are just really well done.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

My true love gave to me--- oodles of requested material to send out (hey, I'll take it).

Doing the last of my follow ups today, will finish up initial submissions over the next two days, might call a potential client about starting marketing the first of January. What am I going to do with myself once that's done?

Start on my pile of queries and manuscripts I've asked to see, my little beasties. So, if you've sent something my way, like, ages ago, look for that reply to come soon.

Why do we close down to subs until March? Quite simply, it takes me that long to go through all of the queries and material I request, sign new clients and get them on their way. By the time I finish the last reply, it's time for me to take queries once again.

I'm actually a bit ahead of schedule this time around, so I MIGHT open up in February (depends on how good those requested fulls are, hence how many new clients we sign). I can say the Young Adult is slim pickings for us. We simply have sooo many great clients producing new stuff to market.

What can you submit to me even though we're closed to subs? A beautifully put together literary story, though I'm not keen on literary romance. We already have a work somewhat similar to Lovely Bones, but could handle another like it. How about some real thrills?

It’s that time of the year again. It is finally starting to get cold (if you are worried about the global warming maybe you should become carbon-neutral) and the New Oxford American Dictionary is preparing for the holidays by making its biggest announcement of the year. The 2007 Word of the Year is (drum-roll please) locavore.

The past year saw the popularization of a trend in using locally grown ingredients, taking advantage of seasonally available foodstuffs that can be bought and prepared without the need for extra preservatives.

The “locavore” movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers’ markets or even to grow or pick their own food, arguing that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better. Locavores also shun supermarket offerings as an environmentally friendly measure, since shipping food over long distances often requires more fuel for transportation. (more…)

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