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Ireland is one of the most beautiful places I've visited. It is a country in which I felt very at home. When I saw a book set in Ireland on the N shelves of my library, I was quite excited. I had my choices narrowed down to two and of course went with the Irish book. My selection for my N book is Christopher Nolan's "The Banyan Tree".
Before I get started with the review of the book, I'm going to tell you a bit about the author. From the back inside cover, I read that Christopher Nolan was deprived of oxygen at birth and therefore was paralyzed and mute. Despite this, he was able to use a stick attached to his forehead to type. It took Nolan over a decade to write "The Banyan Tree". Nolan was working on a second novel when in 2009, he choked on a piece of fish and died.
Now that you know a bit about the man who wrote this book, let me say jabberwocky! This is what I felt I was reading for nearly 400 pages. I've never liked "Through the looking glass" for that reason. I don't like jabberwocky! There was a wonderful story in "The Banyan Tree," but it was so hard to find. I realize that the author was Irish and the English of the Irish and the English of the American are not always the same. I get that. He used different words for common things. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the long, rambling sentences that were placed in the novel for no apparent reason. I remember one paragraph, toward the end of the novel, that was one very, very, very long sentence. There were probably over 100 words in the one sentence. Sometimes it went from jabberwocky to sounding like a bad poetry jam. Despite the annoying way Nolan wrote, I loved the story and I truly loved the main character.
This is the story of Minnie O'Brien of Drumhollow in Ireland. Minnie is the wife of Peter and the mother of Brendan, Sheila and Francis. She is a passionate woman, a loving woman and an incredibly strong woman. As we turn the pages, we see Minnie go from young bride to middle aged widow to old, sometimes senile, woman waiting to hand down her farm to her favorite child. We read of the highs and lows of this strong Fenian woman. This is truly Minnie's story though we do get to make acquaintance with Minnie's parents, the neighboring family the Fortunes, the town midwife and we learn a secret about Minnie's husband Peter.
Like many mothers, Minnie sees her children leave the fold one by one. Her oldest Brendan is called at a young age to be a priest. We follow Brendie from afar as he leaves for seminary, is ordained, goes to Africa and eventually returns home wearing the ring of a Bishop. Sheila, the only daughter feels her calling to be a nurse. She lands in Dublin as the wife of an overbearing, over-protective wealthy man who traps her in a sad and oppressive marriage. Then there is Francis, the favorite. Minnie's youngest child is the reason she lives. Frankie, as he's called, is expected to care for his mother and their farm when his father dies suddenly. Frankie has other ideas though and can't wait to leave Ireland. Minnie holds on day after day, year after year knowing that Frankie will come walking through the gate at any time. One of the mysteries of this novel is whether Frankie will return and if he'll return in time to see his mother one last time.
"The Banyan Tree" is a beautiful story hidden in the rambling (though many reviewers call it lyrical) writing of Christopher Nolan. While I never got on the same page as those who adore his writing style, I loved the story. I turned the pages to see if Frankie would come home, to hear the sometimes hilarious ramblings of Minnie and to lavish in the green sod of Ireland. Recommending this book is hard for me. If you love abstract paintings, you would likely enjoy the novel. If you see swirls and paint splatters on canvas as swirls and splatters, you probably won't.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
M is for Martel
Here we are just entering the sixth month of 2010 and I am half-way through my journey. I am really enjoying reading through the alphabet. For a spur of the moment decision, it has sure been a fun journey so far. I've left my comfort zone and though I do look to return to the thrills and chills of the cold war espionage novel, I'm loving the glimpse into more literary novels.
As you would expect, there were dozens and dozens and dozens of "M" books from which to choose. I again went in blindly, allowing the book titles to speak to me. I looked at several, pulled a few just far enough out that I could find them again and put many more back where I found them. One of the few I pulled out for a return visit was the novel I ended up checking out of the library. Usually when I pick a book, it's based on the title and the inside dust cover. That is where you find the summary and possibly a review. This is all I found when I opened this book,
"A boy
A tiger
And the vast Pacific Ocean
This is a novel of such rare and
wondrous storytelling
that it may, as one character claims,
make you believe in God.
Can a reader reasonably ask for
anything more?"
How could I pass it up?
Yann Martel wrote a wonderful novel that won the Man Booker Prize. This novel is our "M" book, "Life of Pi".
As the dustcover promised, it's the story of a boy, a tiger and the Pacific Ocean. Piscine Molitor Patel is a young Indian boy living at the zoo his family owns. You've probably already stumbled over his first name. You are not alone. Friends, enemies and even teachers did the same thing to young Piscine. He finally had enough and began introducing himself as Pi. With a much more suitable name, Pi continued his journey in life.
Young Pi fell in love, but not with a girl, but rather with religion. Pi was raised in a Hindu home, but not an overly religious one. Still, he felt the desire to know a Higher Power. He learned more about his Hindu religion, but still longed for more. On holiday with his family, Pi gathered the courage to enter a Catholic church. In this church, he met a wonderful priest who introduced him to the stories of Jesus. Pi was enthralled and filled with questions. He never had heard of a God who became a man. Pi still longed for more. He searched further and met a Muslim mystic, a Sufi. This humble baker of bread introduced Pi to Islam. Having three religions would be tough on anyone, but especially a teenage boy. Pi suffered under this weight of religion and question. Still, he believed. Though told by his father to choose one, Pi could not. It was this openness which likely saved Pi on his harrowing time on the Pacific.
Pi's father decided to sell the zoo and move the family to Canada. Pi and his brother were not happy about leaving India, but they were obedient children and got ready for the journey. It was the journey to Canada aboard a cargo ship where everything changed. The Patels were on the cargo ship with dozens of the zoo animals they were selling to other zoos. A loud explosion was followed by water flowing into the ship. Pi abandoned ship. He landed in a large lifeboat and waited for his family or the ship's crew. Instead of those companions, he found himself with a male hyena, a female orangutan, an injured zebra and Richard Parker. Though the name sounds like just another man, Richard Parker was actually a Bengal Tiger. These animals were not meant to be together, especially with a teenage boy on a lifeboat in the Pacific.
There were times reading "Life of Pi," where I almost quit and returned it to the library. This was not a cute story of bunnies and kittens. There were gruesome scenes of predatory animals making sure they did not go hungry. I often had to remind myself that this was indeed a novel, not a true story. For a true animal lover, this was not an easy read. It was though, a great read. Yann Martel is a wonderful story teller. His writing draws you in and hangs on to you chapter after chapter. You root for your hero or heroes. You worry, you get thirsty and hungry and wonder how anyone will ever survive. You know you are reading a good story when you actually care what happens.
I recommend "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel for anyone who has ever doubted the existence of God. I recommend it to those who wonder how much one person can take. I recommend it for those who think Job had it easy. If you can get past some of the graphic images of the animal kingdom, it is a wonderful and fascinating read. Enjoy "Life of Pi" and see if you can finish it not believing.
As you would expect, there were dozens and dozens and dozens of "M" books from which to choose. I again went in blindly, allowing the book titles to speak to me. I looked at several, pulled a few just far enough out that I could find them again and put many more back where I found them. One of the few I pulled out for a return visit was the novel I ended up checking out of the library. Usually when I pick a book, it's based on the title and the inside dust cover. That is where you find the summary and possibly a review. This is all I found when I opened this book,
"A boy
A tiger
And the vast Pacific Ocean
This is a novel of such rare and
wondrous storytelling
that it may, as one character claims,
make you believe in God.
Can a reader reasonably ask for
anything more?"
How could I pass it up?
Yann Martel wrote a wonderful novel that won the Man Booker Prize. This novel is our "M" book, "Life of Pi".
As the dustcover promised, it's the story of a boy, a tiger and the Pacific Ocean. Piscine Molitor Patel is a young Indian boy living at the zoo his family owns. You've probably already stumbled over his first name. You are not alone. Friends, enemies and even teachers did the same thing to young Piscine. He finally had enough and began introducing himself as Pi. With a much more suitable name, Pi continued his journey in life.
Young Pi fell in love, but not with a girl, but rather with religion. Pi was raised in a Hindu home, but not an overly religious one. Still, he felt the desire to know a Higher Power. He learned more about his Hindu religion, but still longed for more. On holiday with his family, Pi gathered the courage to enter a Catholic church. In this church, he met a wonderful priest who introduced him to the stories of Jesus. Pi was enthralled and filled with questions. He never had heard of a God who became a man. Pi still longed for more. He searched further and met a Muslim mystic, a Sufi. This humble baker of bread introduced Pi to Islam. Having three religions would be tough on anyone, but especially a teenage boy. Pi suffered under this weight of religion and question. Still, he believed. Though told by his father to choose one, Pi could not. It was this openness which likely saved Pi on his harrowing time on the Pacific.
Pi's father decided to sell the zoo and move the family to Canada. Pi and his brother were not happy about leaving India, but they were obedient children and got ready for the journey. It was the journey to Canada aboard a cargo ship where everything changed. The Patels were on the cargo ship with dozens of the zoo animals they were selling to other zoos. A loud explosion was followed by water flowing into the ship. Pi abandoned ship. He landed in a large lifeboat and waited for his family or the ship's crew. Instead of those companions, he found himself with a male hyena, a female orangutan, an injured zebra and Richard Parker. Though the name sounds like just another man, Richard Parker was actually a Bengal Tiger. These animals were not meant to be together, especially with a teenage boy on a lifeboat in the Pacific.
There were times reading "Life of Pi," where I almost quit and returned it to the library. This was not a cute story of bunnies and kittens. There were gruesome scenes of predatory animals making sure they did not go hungry. I often had to remind myself that this was indeed a novel, not a true story. For a true animal lover, this was not an easy read. It was though, a great read. Yann Martel is a wonderful story teller. His writing draws you in and hangs on to you chapter after chapter. You root for your hero or heroes. You worry, you get thirsty and hungry and wonder how anyone will ever survive. You know you are reading a good story when you actually care what happens.
I recommend "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel for anyone who has ever doubted the existence of God. I recommend it to those who wonder how much one person can take. I recommend it for those who think Job had it easy. If you can get past some of the graphic images of the animal kingdom, it is a wonderful and fascinating read. Enjoy "Life of Pi" and see if you can finish it not believing.
Friday, May 21, 2010
L is for Lansens
If you are like me and are fortunate enough to have a sister, you know it's a unique relationship. A sister knows you like no one else does or can. She's been there your entire life and remembers what it was like when you were a goofy little kid. She loves you because of who you are and despite who you are. As children, sisters may fight, feud, pull hair, call each other names and tease each other mercilessly, but as adults, you find your best friend in your sister. Now imagine your sister being by your side every day, every minute, every second. No matter how much you love your sister, can you fathom being attached to her at the head? That is the story of Rose and Ruby in "The Girls" by Lori Lansens, my choice for my "L" book.
Ruby and Rose are born one night during a tornado. They are the daughters of a 15-year-old girl who runs away as soon as she sees them. Fortunately for "the girls," as they come to be known in their small Canadian town, they are adopted by the nurse who was there when they were born. Aunt Lovey, as they call her, and her Slovac husband Stash raise the girls in a dilapidated farm house where they can be as normal as possible. The novel is written in the girls own words. It is their autobiography as they face their 30th birthday and the possibility of being the oldest living craniopagus conjoined twins. It's a funny, touching story of the the love between sisters, overcoming daunting obstacles, living life and facing death.
Though forever joined at the head, the girls are as different as night and day. Rose is able to walk, but because of Ruby's shortened legs and club feet, must carry her sister all the time. Rose is a sports fan who loves to watch all the games with Uncle Stash. She dreams of being a writer some day and decides she needs to write the story of her life. She realizes that her autobiography must include her sister Ruby because they are after all inseparable. Ruby is the pretty one despite her short legs and the constant hold she has around her sister's neck. Ruby likes TV, but not sports. Ruby also is intrigued with the Native Neutral Indians who once lived on the land that is now their home. She collects artifacts for the local museum. Like other girls coming of age, Rose and Ruby want to know about boys and love. Their crush on a high school classmate opens that door for the girls, but with an outcome neither could have seen coming. We follow the girls into their adult years where they get jobs at the local library. They have their own duties and their own schedules. Yes, they both have to be there whenever either is scheduled, but they want to do things on their own.
"The Girls" is a wonderful story filled with lots of laughs and many tears as well. Lansens really shows the differences between the girls as she writes chapters from each girl's perspective. Rose, the writer, is effusive in her chapters, leaving nothing behind and trying to sound deep and philosophical. Ruby, on the other hand, is simple with the style of someone writing in their journal or diary. Their closeness creates a bond unlike any other while their differences make them learn and grow beyond anything anyone would have thought possible.
Read "The Girls" if you love your sister, but can't imagine being joined to her every second of the day. Read "The Girls" if you don't have a sister, but know the bond of best friends. Recommend "The Girls" to a teenage girl who is trying to fit in and maybe trying to hide all the things that make her unique and special. Read "The Girls" if you want to laugh and cry and consider just how truly blessed each and every one of us is.
Monday, May 10, 2010
K is for Kallos
I can't believe it's May already and I can't believe that I'm already up to K in my trek through the alphabet. I was surprised at the great selection of K books. As I looked through the titles, one jumped out at me, "Broken For You" by Stephanie Kallos. When we take communion, we often hear a part of I Corinthians 11:24, "And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me." While the novel has nothing to do with that scripture, I'm so thrilled that the title was strong enough to draw me in.
This is another first novel by an author. "Broken for You" took Kallos seven years to write. She truly put her life and heart and soul into this work. It is beautifully written and deeply moving. The novel brings to the reader those "what would you do if" questions that can bring better understanding of ourselves. At the heart of the story are two women, 76-year-old Margaret and 34-year-old Wanda. Margaret has just learned she has a brain tumor and must decide whether she wants treatment or not and if not, how to live what's left of her life. Wanda has just moved across the country following a man who left her. Their lives intersect through a roommate wanted ad. As Margaret tears down long-standing walls to free herself to live and die, Wanda puts together small pieces of glass to make art and build bridges.
"Broken for You" deals with the guilt one woman feels because of the sins of her father and the loss another feels over the desertion of hers. A wonderful cast of characters join Margaret and Wanda as they break china, drink champagne and learn to love themselves and others again. While Margaret and Wanda are the stars of this novel, don't overlook the charm of Wanda's handsome assistant Troy, the charming Scot Gus, the fantastic chef Bruce and Margaret's nurse Susan. They all bring their own personalities and stories to Margaret's house. There is also the side story of M.J. Striker and Holocaust survivor Irma Kosminsky. The story of M.J. and Irma is ever so important while it's soft, warm and funny.
Stephanie Kallos put seven long years into writing this novel and I took my time reading it. "Broken for You" is a beautifully written, deeply touching story. It's a wonderful read. I recommend "Broken for You" to all who have loved and lost, all who are facing tough decisions in life, all who want to laugh and cry and feel. Read "Broken for You" and go break a plate! You'll get that when you read it.
This is another first novel by an author. "Broken for You" took Kallos seven years to write. She truly put her life and heart and soul into this work. It is beautifully written and deeply moving. The novel brings to the reader those "what would you do if" questions that can bring better understanding of ourselves. At the heart of the story are two women, 76-year-old Margaret and 34-year-old Wanda. Margaret has just learned she has a brain tumor and must decide whether she wants treatment or not and if not, how to live what's left of her life. Wanda has just moved across the country following a man who left her. Their lives intersect through a roommate wanted ad. As Margaret tears down long-standing walls to free herself to live and die, Wanda puts together small pieces of glass to make art and build bridges.
"Broken for You" deals with the guilt one woman feels because of the sins of her father and the loss another feels over the desertion of hers. A wonderful cast of characters join Margaret and Wanda as they break china, drink champagne and learn to love themselves and others again. While Margaret and Wanda are the stars of this novel, don't overlook the charm of Wanda's handsome assistant Troy, the charming Scot Gus, the fantastic chef Bruce and Margaret's nurse Susan. They all bring their own personalities and stories to Margaret's house. There is also the side story of M.J. Striker and Holocaust survivor Irma Kosminsky. The story of M.J. and Irma is ever so important while it's soft, warm and funny.
Stephanie Kallos put seven long years into writing this novel and I took my time reading it. "Broken for You" is a beautifully written, deeply touching story. It's a wonderful read. I recommend "Broken for You" to all who have loved and lost, all who are facing tough decisions in life, all who want to laugh and cry and feel. Read "Broken for You" and go break a plate! You'll get that when you read it.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
J is for Jordan
I love finding author's first published novels. I guess that's because of that desire I have to write and be published. The "J" stop on our journey is with Hillary Jordan who has written an intriguing and very sad story of the Mississippi Delta during the 1940's.
"Mudbound" is a haunting tale of two families trying to survive the hardships of cotton and soybean farming in Mississippi. This is the story of the white farm owners, the McAllans and one of their black farm families, the Jacksons. Henry McAllan has dreamed of being a land owner and farmer since his father sold the family farm when he was young. He worked hard and saved to buy a farm in the tough Delta. Henry is married to city-born Laura who is not thrilled with her husband's sudden announcement that they are leaving Memphis to work the farm. Henry, Laura and their two young daughters pack up everything and head to Mississippi where they land on their new farm which Laura and the girls quickly name Mudbound. Henry's father, Pappy, also moves with the family. Saying Pappy is cantankerous would be a very nice thing. He is a mean, ugly racist who makes life miserable for Laura and for Florence Jackson, who helps Laura around the house. When the war winds down, Henry's brother Jamie joins the family on the farm. He brings smiles to the little girls and a completely different feeling to Laura.
"Mudbound" is about two families scraping their way on the farm, but it's about so much more. It's about the attitudes of people towards people of color in America. In 2010, we don't think much about the ugliness, the evilness that was spewed at blacks in America just a few decades ago. We think we're above it and beyond it. I think "Mudbound" reminds us that it wasn't that long ago that a crazy man in Germany was trying to eradicate an entire race while here at home, we were making another race of people ride in the back of the pickup, use the back door and never, ever look us in the eye. Even the supposed good people in "Mudbound" followed the norms of the day. This book made me angry for what happened, sad for those to which it all happened and fearful that if we do not remember history, we will repeat it.
Hillary Jordan wrote a powerful first novel. I think readers, like me, who never attended a segregated school or saw a whites only water fountain will learn a great deal from the novel. I enjoyed the story, loved the writing style and was reminded of what terrible things we as humans are capable of doing. I recommend "Mudbound" to those who need a refresher course in why all men and women are truly created equal.
I is for Ishiguru
When I was browsing the "I" section of the Reidsville Public Library, the title of this book caught my attention. When I grabbed it, I noticed that the author had also written "Remains of the Day." I was intrigued, so I checked it out. For our "I" stop on the journey through the alphabet, I read "When We Were Orphans," by Kazuo Ishiguro.
"When We were Orphans" is the story of Christopher Banks, an Englishman born in Shanghai in the early 20th century. Sounds good so far, right. Banks is just a regular privileged kid living in a very sheltered area of what was apparently a pretty rough and tumble city. Shanghai took everything from the young Banks. The city took his father, then his mother. Banks was forced to move to England to grow up with his aunt. All he dreamed of was finding his parents and became a detective to do just that. Banks solves several high profile cases in England before bowing to pressure to return to Shanghai to solve the one case which has haunted him since he was a boy.
The story sounds so intriguing, but honestly, I kept feeling like I was missing some inside story. I felt throughout the book that I was hearing two separate conversations and trying to make them into one. While the writing was good, I just never could get into the story. Did I want to find out what happened to Banks' parents, yes; did I care how he found out, not really. I hate when I don't bond with any character in a novel, but I never bonded with Banks or any of the peripheral characters. Maybe it was me. The reviews on the book are great, but it just didn't click with me.
"When We were Orphans" is the story of Christopher Banks, an Englishman born in Shanghai in the early 20th century. Sounds good so far, right. Banks is just a regular privileged kid living in a very sheltered area of what was apparently a pretty rough and tumble city. Shanghai took everything from the young Banks. The city took his father, then his mother. Banks was forced to move to England to grow up with his aunt. All he dreamed of was finding his parents and became a detective to do just that. Banks solves several high profile cases in England before bowing to pressure to return to Shanghai to solve the one case which has haunted him since he was a boy.
The story sounds so intriguing, but honestly, I kept feeling like I was missing some inside story. I felt throughout the book that I was hearing two separate conversations and trying to make them into one. While the writing was good, I just never could get into the story. Did I want to find out what happened to Banks' parents, yes; did I care how he found out, not really. I hate when I don't bond with any character in a novel, but I never bonded with Banks or any of the peripheral characters. Maybe it was me. The reviews on the book are great, but it just didn't click with me.
Friday, April 9, 2010
H is for Hyde
I am one of probably a handful of Americans who has never seen the movie "Pay it Forward." I think I've seen bits and pieces on TV, but I've never sat and watched the entire thing. I do know it starred that little "I see dead people" kid. I think it also starred Kevin Spacey. Since I've not seen the movie, I can't compare it to our "H" novel on which the film is based. I do know I wish it were not a novel, but rather a reality. Our "H" author is Catherine Ryan Hyde and her novel is Pay it Forward.
Trevor McKinney is your typical 12-year-old boy or at least what you want your typical 12-year-old boy to be. He is industrious, he's smart and he really loves his mom. His mother, Arlene is an over-worked recovering alcoholic who is trying to raise her son alone, again. The boy's father has vanished. His wrecked truck has been found and hauled back to Arlene's house. She co-signed the loan on the truck and has to make the payments despite it just being a shell of a vehicle. It wasn't like he was ever much of a father for Trevor or a man for Arlene, but she did love him. She won't give up on him, though she's the only one in the world who thinks he's ever coming back.
A new teacher arrives at Trevor's Junior High. His name is Reuben St. Clair and he's a Vietnam veteran. Mr. St. Clair has a face no one can forget, actually, it's only half a face. Reuben returned from Vietnam with scars to his face and his soul. He is a good teacher though and immediately bonds with young Trevor. In a teaching assignment for extra credit, Mr. St. Clair encourages his students to come up with an idea to change the world. Only a few students take him up on the extra credit offer and most of those have pretty pedestrian ideas. Only Trevor's idea really seems to fit the bill, though Trevor thinks it's a failure.
Trevor's idea to change the world is to do something really nice for three people. In return for his good deeds, those three people would pay it forward and do good for three people each. Trevor sees this as a true way to change the world. His plan doesn't come together to easily though. His first act of good seems to fail when his person goes back on drugs and ends up in jail. In his second attempt, his person dies before he believes she can pay it forward. The third person he chooses is Mr. St. Clair, who he decides should fall in love and marry his mom. How does this one work out?
If you've seen the movie, you know that the ending is not a happily ever after kind. If you've not seen it, I won't ruin it for you. Do be prepared for tears. I really enjoyed Pay It Forward for the ideas it put in my mind. Wouldn't it be a wonderful world if everyone paid it forward, if people weren't selfish and went above and beyond the Golden Rule? Where would we be if when we saw someone in need, we actually did something about it? This is supposed to be a book review, so I'll stop with the moral aspects of the book. The writing is just ok, but the ideas are so good, they get you past some lackluster characters.
Enjoy Pay It Forward for the ideas, if not for the stellar writing. Learn from Trevor and even from Mr. St. Clair and Arlene. Check out Pay It Forward even if you've seen the movie. I'm sure there will be some surprises.
Trevor McKinney is your typical 12-year-old boy or at least what you want your typical 12-year-old boy to be. He is industrious, he's smart and he really loves his mom. His mother, Arlene is an over-worked recovering alcoholic who is trying to raise her son alone, again. The boy's father has vanished. His wrecked truck has been found and hauled back to Arlene's house. She co-signed the loan on the truck and has to make the payments despite it just being a shell of a vehicle. It wasn't like he was ever much of a father for Trevor or a man for Arlene, but she did love him. She won't give up on him, though she's the only one in the world who thinks he's ever coming back.
A new teacher arrives at Trevor's Junior High. His name is Reuben St. Clair and he's a Vietnam veteran. Mr. St. Clair has a face no one can forget, actually, it's only half a face. Reuben returned from Vietnam with scars to his face and his soul. He is a good teacher though and immediately bonds with young Trevor. In a teaching assignment for extra credit, Mr. St. Clair encourages his students to come up with an idea to change the world. Only a few students take him up on the extra credit offer and most of those have pretty pedestrian ideas. Only Trevor's idea really seems to fit the bill, though Trevor thinks it's a failure.
Trevor's idea to change the world is to do something really nice for three people. In return for his good deeds, those three people would pay it forward and do good for three people each. Trevor sees this as a true way to change the world. His plan doesn't come together to easily though. His first act of good seems to fail when his person goes back on drugs and ends up in jail. In his second attempt, his person dies before he believes she can pay it forward. The third person he chooses is Mr. St. Clair, who he decides should fall in love and marry his mom. How does this one work out?
If you've seen the movie, you know that the ending is not a happily ever after kind. If you've not seen it, I won't ruin it for you. Do be prepared for tears. I really enjoyed Pay It Forward for the ideas it put in my mind. Wouldn't it be a wonderful world if everyone paid it forward, if people weren't selfish and went above and beyond the Golden Rule? Where would we be if when we saw someone in need, we actually did something about it? This is supposed to be a book review, so I'll stop with the moral aspects of the book. The writing is just ok, but the ideas are so good, they get you past some lackluster characters.
Enjoy Pay It Forward for the ideas, if not for the stellar writing. Learn from Trevor and even from Mr. St. Clair and Arlene. Check out Pay It Forward even if you've seen the movie. I'm sure there will be some surprises.
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