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This was the last of my Canada Reads list for this year. It was possibly one of the strangest books I have read. Overall, this list was a bit disappointing. No 5 star reads. Still, an interesting group of books.
This was the last of my Canada Reads list for this year. It was possibly one of the strangest books I have read. Overall, this list was a bit disappointing. No 5 star reads. Still, an interesting group of books.
Canada Reads. Book 2. I can‘t decide if this is brilliant or absolutely awful. It was like reading five stories in one, all jumbled together. I often felt like I was lost in Etta‘s dementia filled mind. Was it a dream? A jumble of thoughts and memories? What was real? Or could it just as simple as a little magical realism? Maybe that was the point. But it was all kinds of confusing. I kinda can‘t wait for the debates.
Throwback to yesterday, when I ate more brown food while I read my penultimate book from the Canada Reads shortlist. I should finish it today. While I like it a lot, I‘m not sure if it‘ll cross the line into love territory. It all depends on how the ending comes together. Still, it should lead to some interesting discussions during the debates.
ETA: I found the ending deeply unsatisfying. Sadness.
My second book read for #CanadaReads, and I wanted to love this one so much more than I did. The narrative that fractured into an almost dream-like state SHOULD have been totally my jam, but I just felt disconnected and confused. I think there are about five different books here, and they don't quite come together in any cohesive way. I'm left wondering why? Why tell this story in this way? Why leave certain alleys unexplored?
May was another month of less than exciting books, so I pulled my 2nd favorite of December. Octogenarian Etta decides to walk from Saskatchewan to the Atlantic Ocean, leaving her husband Otto behind. He's been overseas for war and understands that she needs this experience. Their neighbor Russell is concerned, both by Etta's decision to leave and by Otto's indifference. Along the way, Etta picks up an unexpected companion in James.
New episode just posted! This week we're discussing the successful debut from Rachel Joyce, “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.“ A charming, sad, and poignant novel that surprised and pleased us greatly. We had a great time discussing this novel...spoilers ahead!
This book would be an excellent addition to a classroom library. However, I would not use it in a classroom lesson because I would be concerned that it would confuse students, especially newer readers about which way we were supposed to read books from.