This book was a bit of a connundrum to me. At times, I felt myself feeling like maybe I didn't really like it and at other times I felt like this could be a favorite book. I definitely flip-flopped back and forth. Even the segments that "weren't a favorite" were interesting elements to the story and provided great added detail.

The book starts out with a very intriguing and engaging "hook" to draw you right in. As mentioned in the summary, the book is about a young child living in a graveyard after the murder of his family...the first chapter of the book is about that murder and how the baby boy escaped the same fate as the rest of his family. The boy is named "Nobody" and called Bod. As the book goes on, we learn along with Bod the various intricacies of "life" in the graveyard and how to interact with the other supernatural beings there.

The overarching plot of the story has to do with the murder of Bod's family and solving that mystery and confronting the murderer. But each chapter of the book has its own set of mini-adventures as Bod deals with different trials and adventures that come because he's living between the world of the living and the dead. The book also puts forth a number of interesting ideas about what it really means to be alive and the ways different people interact with each other and see the world.

By the end of the book, I really loved it. I thought the story was very engaging. The writing was very vibrant and enticing. The characters were interesting. The small adventures were fun. And the overall mystery was rather intriguing. I especially liked the way knowledge and details came to the reader piecemeal in the same way and at the same pace that Bod was learning about things. It left a lot of gray area to ponder.

Thinking back over the book I had a hard time picking out the segments that I had been "iffy" about when first reading. Everything fit together nicely like a very cool jigsaw puzzle that may have areas that are frustrating or "less fun" when trying to piece them together but when the overall picture is finished, every little area is vital and very fulfilling.

One thing that was VERY interesting to me came as I read the author acknowledgements in the back of the book (yes, I read those). Gaiman's first mention was his gratitude to Rudyard Kipling for The Jungle Books. I suddenly felt like a dunce...being an English major who read the Jungle Books only a couple of years ago and even discussed them in a college class. I couldn't believe I'd missed the connection. As I went back and thought through each book, I was stunned at the parallels between the Graveyard Book and the Jungle Books. I certainly wouldn't call this book a "retelling" of the Jungle Books, but there are many direct similarities as well as a lot of peripheral comparisons. If you've read the Jungle Books (not just 'watched' the Disney movie), you should think about it while reading...or at least after reading.

This book won a Newbery Award which is a reward for distinguished American literature for Children. While I certainly think it's worthy of the award, I'm a little nervous about how appropriate this book would be for younger children. Most of the time, it's not too over-the-top scary or terrible, but there are some moments where the story is a bit grisly and I'd be worried giving it to anybody under ten years old. Still, I think a ten year old definitely qualifies as a child and thus warrants this being a Newbery recipient.

Overall, I really did like this book. It was an intriguing, thoughtful mystery-adventure with a lot of good fun and moments of psychological/human analysis. It has some nice "life lessons" about how we need to make the most of our lives, set goals and work to achieve them, strive to build good relationships with other people. As an English major, I'm very interested to re-read this book alongside the Jungle Books to explore similarities. Maybe that will be a class assignment once I finally start teaching English. ;)

Give it a try and let me know what you think.


4 out of 5 stars

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Here's my running list of books read in 2010. Last year I made it to 43. This year I'm shooting to at least match my reading list from last year, but I'd rather surpass it.

1. The Hunger Games
2. Sea of Monsters
3. Great Work Great Career
4. Archenemy
5. The Drug of the New Millennium
6. The Sorrows of Young Werther
7. The Hourglass Door
8. A Tale of Two Cities
9. The Maze of Bones (The 39 Clues Book 1)
10. Right Ho Jeeves
11. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
12. Soulless
13. A Monstrous Regiment of Women
14. Catching Fire
15. The Four Loves
16. Magic Kingdom For Sale | Sold!
17. One False Note (The 39 Clues Book 2)
18. The Black Unicorn
19. The Titan's Curse
20. The Great Divorce
21. The Amulet of Samarkand (The Bartimeus Trilogy Book 1)
22. The Sword Thief (The 39 Clues Book 3)
23. To Kill a Mockingbird
24. Beyond the Grave (The 39 Clues, Book # 4)
25. The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson
26. Those Extraordinary Twins
27. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
28. Mockingjay
29. The Holy Man
30. The Search for Delicious
31. The Battle of the Labyrinth
32. Chains
33. Foucault's Pendulum
34. The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch
35. A Charmed Life: Growing Up In Macbeth's Castle
36. Dracula
37. The Turn of the Screw
38. Fablehaven
39. The Dain Curse
40. The Lord of the Flies
41. The Maze Runner
42. The War of the Worlds
43. The Last Olympian
44. The Graveyard Book

Here's my "to read" list as it stands now...though I often just grab books as they appeal to me. If you have some suggestions, let me know.

Happy Reading.

Welcome to my weekly "Wednesday Writing" post. These weekly exercises serve as motivation to ensure that I spend at least 30-60 minutes each week doing some creative writing. In the ideal week, I will write every day. But at the very least, I will do at least one writing segment which I will share here on my blog.

These are very quick 'free write' sessions without editing, planning, etc.

I invite and love feedback - criticism, praise, whatever.  Just let me know what you think.

I do this equally for myself and to share.

Enjoy.

---

This all would have been so much easier if James had died. He was expected to die. He was SUPPOSED TO die.

The wind outside is rattling the glass in the windows. I'm sitting in this chapel on this hard wooden bench, surrounded by people I don't know and don't care about listening to this old man speak about hell fire and damnation.

The wind gusts again and tree branches scrape across the stained glass. I try not to smile as the entire congregation cringes at the screeching sound. I glance around the room, careful not to hold eye contact for more than a split second with anyone.

Everyone seems so pious. So holy. But when I really look at them, I can tell that some of them are like me. Like James. Just waiting for the inevitable. Sitting here. Listening. Because it seems like the thing to do. The RIGHT thing to do. When in reality, our mind is elsewhere. Outside. Rushing around outside like the rain and the wind. Wandering from adventure to adventure. Free and aimless.

The woman in front of me erupts in a fit of coughing that shakes her damp hat off of her head and onto my lap. Her umbrella clatters to the floor loudly as she turns around and mumbles something that's supposed to be an apology as I hand her hat back. Her face is spotted and streaked with makeup sent swirling away in a rainstorm. Her smile is awkward and missing at least one tooth.
As she takes her hat back, she stretches her fingers out to pat my hand. As I look up at her she smiles, winks and does some half-kiss thing with her mouth. I struggle to show no emotion. I fight down the grimace and look of horror. At the same time, I make sure I don't smile. Don't show anything that could be interpreted as either acceptance, or worse, reciprocation of her intentions, whatever they may be.

She continues to stare at me. I break eye contact and stare hard and steely at the man standing at the pulpit. He had stopped talking about damnation and had transitioned to salvation.

Although this in a church, I don't really know who the man is or what his position is. This isn't a church service specifically. Rather it's a multi-denominational gathering of thoughtful and concerned members of the community. In spite of all the publicity and the excitement around this meeting, I wouldn't have come. Not if I didn't have a specific duty to perform.

I checked my watch.

7:23 PM

Nearly there. I'd survived nearly half an hour without falling apart. Without bursting out of the building. Tom had asked if I'd like to be taken off this assignment. I'd told him NO. He even offered to let me wait outside and be called in when the moment came. Again, I turned him down. Part of me wanted to see the whole thing unfold. To witness the entire drama. And yet, as I sat here now, I wasn't really witnessing anything. I was so distant from the procedings that I couldn't give an accurate report to anyone if my own life depended on it.

Just a few more minutes and it would be my turn.

I checked the small pamphlet I'd been handed on entering. It outlined the program. The current speaker must be 'The Honorable Professor Samson Jones visiting from Upland University.' I'd never met a Samson before but I was pretty sure this man didn't look like any Samson I'd ever meet again. He was a frail looking man, probably in his late 70s with whisps of white hair wildly flying in all directions on the top of his balding head. He gesticulated with his long bony fingers as he spoke which made his whispy hair fly even more frantically and also showed just how baggy his flowing black robes were. His wrinkled skin was nearly as white as the translucent candles burning on either side of the pulpit. His voice was gravely and harsh. When he pounded on the pulpit for emphasis, which was frequently, it looked as if the force of his action was about to throw him off balance and onto his back. Yet somehow he continued preaching.

The program indicated that after he concluded speaking, the congregation would sing the hymn "The Strife is O'er, the Battle Done." It made me wonder who had come up with the program and how well they knew James or knew the events to come. I wondered if perhaps the program was chosen before or after they knew James was still alive.

The honorable professor finished his speech and hobbled awkwardly back to his seat, fighting off the hands of the youthful aides who offered to help him. The organ chimed in and everyone stood and belted out the words. In spite of the words surrounding me I knew that my own personal strife and battle were far from being over. In fact, this hymn was a mere prelude to the war I was about to wage.

I looked up at the chairs seated behind the pulpit. Tom stared me down and, when he was sure he had my attention, he nodded softly and patted the empty chair next to him. I swallowed hard and then stepped out into the aisle and walked up to the front of the chapel. I could feel the eyes of those people who had noticed me and were staring as I walked up the few steps at the front and took the seat next to their Mayor. Looking back, I saw a few people whispering to one another and pointing my direction.

The song ended and everyone took their seats. The arbitrator of the meeting stood and announced that their own Mayor Thomas Andrews would now address the congregation. The crowd burst into applause. Tom patted my knee and then stood and walked to the pulpit. He glanced back at me over his shoulder and gave what was meant to be a reassuring smile but really just made me feel worse about what he was about to say.

I tried hard to focus on Tom as he spoke. To block out everyone and everything else. To ignore the emotion of the speech. To ignore the hundreds of eyes staring accusingly at me as he spoke. I felt the air swimming around me as I listened. The words blurred and slurred through the air around me as my gaze flew from face to face of the hundreds of people in the audience staring up at me.

"Thank you.....are difficult times and we all......never fully understand......assure you that everyone in my office.....full confidence that every precaution was......I know him to be a good and honest.....hearts go out to the family.......pray that the right thing can be done......that forgiveness can be found..........David. David? David?"

I suddenly realized Tom had finished his speech and was now calling me forward.

I stood. Aware suddenly of the silence in the chapel. I looked around the room. Every head. Every eye. Was focused on me. I slowly stepped forward and stood beside Tom. He placed his arm around me. Clasped his hand on my shoulder. And continued talking.

"Now, by now, you've all heard of David. I've known David since he and his family moved to this town nearly ten years ago. He's worked his way up through the ranks. He's served this town with all his heart and with more effort than half the people in my own office. For the past three years he's been the best darn sherrif I've ever known."

Some sort of murmuring burst out in the back corner, followed by muffled shouts. Tom raised his hand for silence.

"Now, I know some of you are a might riled up and you have every right to be. Since this whole thing happened, I've been flooded with calls and letters. I've been ambushed at the office. Even at my own home. Everyone has an opinion. Tomorrow morning we'll be having an open town hall meeting to let each of you voice your opinion or submit it formally. We'll compile the information and have it evaluated and on hand for the official court hearing on Friday.

"But tonight, we are here in a spirit of compassion. Of love. Of peace. There are only two men who know what happened in that field. Only two men on earth can shed light on what has happened and why. One of them stands beside me now, ready to face whatever fate and justice has in store for him. And the other..."

"THE OTHER'NE'S ON DEATH'S DOOR BEHIND FIVE ARMED GUARDS!"

The interruption came from the shadows far to my left. I recognized the voice as belonging to Paul Chartle. Paul was James's brother-in-law and the most outspoken against me.

"WHY! HIS OWN KIN AIN'T BEEN LET IN TO SEE 'IM! MEANTIMES THIS FELLER WALKS TOWN FREE AS NOTHIN' STILL WAVIN' HIS GUN AN' BADGE FOR ALL TO SEE!"

Shouts burst out around Paul. I could see at least a dozen men near him shouting and waving their hands in the air. I took half a step backwards but Tom held his arm firm over my shoulders and pulled me back beside him.

"Quiet! Quiet! All of you. Paul. As has been explained to you many times, you are more than welcome to visit James. Any of you are. But there are certain protocols to be maintained not only for the integrity of the case. But also for his personal health and safety so the doctors can do their job to save him."

"MORE'S SO ALL Y'ALL CAN MURDER HIM OFFICIALLY. FINISH THE JOB WHAT DAVEY BOTCHED UP!"

More people came to their feet. Some shouted in agreement and looked accusingly at me. Others shouted at Paul and his crew to sit down. I felt my stomach churn. I wanted to bolt. I knew it was good form to have me make a public appearance. To show my own sense of right and innocence. But this was a hard town with hard people. And when I'd shot James that night, I'd fired a bullet into the heart of some of the hardest members of the town.

If he'd just died outright, gun in hand, things might have gone better. But the way it happened. With him struggling and fighting for his life. With him attacking me and pouncing on me so I had to fire another shot. And another. It just made things look bad. And feel worse.

The whole crowd was shouting now. It was impossible to distinguish who was shouting at who or what anyone was saying. Tom leaned over and whispered some apology to me then motioned back to the main host of the event who raced to the choir and organist. Over my shoulder I heard the pipes of the organ flare to life, trying to drown out the cacaphony of men with the music of God.

Then a sound cut through the air and somehow made it to my ears. A sound I'd heard many times. Through the loud noise of the crowd, the sound was just a quiet popping. Then it came again, slightly louder, but this time followed by an outburst of screams. The third pop was definitely louder and rang with the common metallic burst such that anyone could easily distinguish it as a gunshot.

Looking to the back of the chapel, I saw James Cano leaning against the frame of the chapel door, his rifle dangling awkwardly from his hands. My hand instinctively went to my hip to pull my own gun. As I stepped forward, I felt Tom's arm pull against me. At first I thought he was pulling me back to safety but he was pulling me down to the ground. I turned and looked and he was falling. His hand clutched his chest, blood already trickling over his fingers.

I looked back to James just in time to see the rifle grow steady in his hands, pointed straight at me. Even at the distance, I swear I saw the faint flash of the muzzle as he pulled the trigger. Saw the pellet fly from the barrel through the air. Straight and true I watched the bullet pass over the heads of the frantic mob in the church. My eyes trained on the piece of metal as it passed over the pulpit and embedded itself in my left shoulder.

I looked back up at James across the room and suddenly noticed another gun at the edge of my vision. I hardly even recognized it as my gun. In my hand. I don't know when I pulled the trigger. Or when I had found the confidence to know I was aiming at James. But I watched as the bullet from my gun found its place right over his heart.

I felt myself falling to the floor but kept my eyes focused on James. His eyes were filled with shock and sorrow. Just as I fell behind the pulpit, I saw him stumble and fall as well. I lay my head back on the floor and saw the tall candle flickering above me. Craning my neck, I tried to make out the distorted upside down scenes in the stained glass window in the wall behind me. Then I closed my eyes. The noise became a blur and I let myself drift away to sleep.

And I thought once again just how much easier all of this would have been if James had just died like he was supposed to.

I've been reading through the Percy Jackson series with my kids as their bedtime reading for the last year+. There have been times where I've wanted to skip ahead but I've forced myself to let myself be surprised/anxious/excited right along with them. As we read the Last Olympian, it became even harder for me to not read ahead.

Speaking of personal difficulties, I had a hard time deciding how to review this book...I debated whether to stay "high level" and talk in generalities or to dig deep and reveal potential spoilers. I finally decided to stay kind of high level since I think it's more fun to stumble on the revelations through reading rather than through a review. Don't let the high level review make you think this book was missing the detail and depth of the previous novels. In some ways the plot was a little less complex than previous books...but in other ways it was a little more engaging.

The Percy Jackson series spanned 5 books. In each of the previous books we were given a single stand-alone adventure that Percy and his friends had to take on. In the background of each book, there were always a couple of parallel storylines going on which were intriguing and fun to follow. Behind all of the books, there was the story of a "Great Prophecy" that basically suggested that Percy, on his 16th birthday, would be part of a decision that would make or break the existence of Olympus and the Gods. In the Last Olympian, we're thrown neck deep into the war that's at the crux of the Great Prophecy.

Right from the onset of the book, we are thrown into some serious action and tension alongside Percy. The immediate danger, disaster and intrigue sets adrenaline and emotion at high levels early on. And for most of the book, the story doesn't let down on that intensity. There are moments of "downtime" where the characters are talking about the situation, investigating leads, or planning for future battles, but the large majority of this final book is action, Action, ACTION.

In addition to the main battle and the unraveling of the Great Prophecy a number of other loose threads and subplots are resolved over the course of this book. Some interesting new revelations are given that shed light on previous 'back burner' topics. There's also an interesting resolution to the potential "love triangle" that's been created through the last couple of books in the series.

I really enjoyed the fast paced almost non-stop-action ride in this conclusion to the series. As in many conclusions, the final wrap up to me felt a little anti-climactic and even a little forced in some points. But generally I was very pleased with the way this series wrapped itself up and I really enjoyed the overall story and the tension of the conclusion.

If you're just starting into the world of Percy Jackson and you're enjoying it at all, I definitely recommend you push through and read the entire series. The reading level and general content stays at the same level throughout the series which is a good advantage in a kid's series since you don't have to wait for the kids to mature before going on to future books. The final book does take on Percy's adolescence a little bit with peripheral references to romance but nothing over-the-top or off-putting to young readers.

Overall, I really enjoyed the series. It's not without its flaws, but it's definitely a lot of fun. We've already jumped headlong into the next Riordan book in the Olympian world....The Lost Hero....and I'm looking forward to seeing how Percy and friends have evolved.



4 out of 5 stars

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I've listened to the radio drama. I've seen a couple of movie/tv versions. But I'd never read the book. I've read a little bit of Wells but have never gotten around to this one. My son saw it on our shelf and wanted to know if he could read it so I decided to preview it for him first to be sure. After finishing it, I told him he could read it. He hasn't started it yet, but I'm curious to see what he thinks.

The writing style is definitely late 19th-century. There's a lot of the "high" language style present in a lot of other 1800s literature. It's a very descriptive and thoughtful writing style paying careful attention to even small details and drawing the reader in with intricate attention to the characters's emotional attachment to surroundings and events.

Additionally, H.G. Wells does an exquisite job in supplying fabulous details for the "science" portion of his science-fiction. He provides concrete information regarding astronomical studies of the day including references to astronomers, scientific magazines, various studies, and more. I didn't bother to cross-reference all of the details he provided. But they all had a definite ring of veracity. Some of them I was fairly certain I've read or at least heard reference in other documents I've read. Wells did a fabulous job of mixing the truth of science with the intense fiction of an invasion from Mars.

I also really enjoyed the psychological analysis of the humans and the Martians. The narrator often takes a moment to ponder the motivations and beliefs of the Martians and compares those to our own human beliefs during our own conquests (whether of other humans or of "lower life forms"). It provided an interesting parallel line of thought to think of the Martians as doing the same thing we had done...simply fighting for survival/expansion and exterminating/controlling life forms deemed to be inferior.

Overall, this was an engaging read and a lot of fun. While some of the writing and the details are antiquated, nearly all of the story and its concepts can be almost immediately dropped into our own 21st century world and be just as stark and terrifying (as shown in recent movies).

As for a recommended reading audience, I'm not really apprehensive about having my 11 year old read it. There were a handful of characters who "cursed" and there was one reference to sexuality (though in a very scientific means...discussing the apparently asexual reproduction method of the Martians). As to be expected, there was a lot of violence and death, but it was generally distanced and when it was "in your face", it was presented more analytically than grotesquely. More than the actual content, I think the language and writing style will be more likely to slow down a younger reader.

If you haven't read this one, you really should. I keep intending to read more Wells and other early sci-fi. It's a lot of fun..especially when it holds up so well even after a century or more.


4 out of 5 stars

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I've read blurbs saying that this was an action-packed adrenaline ride and I have to agree. While there are definitely moments of introspection and some expository narrative, there are HUGE segments of non-stop adventure. The reader is truly RUNNING through this book and the maze along with the characters.

Summary

The story is told in a close 3rd person following closely the adventures and interactions of young Thomas. He wakes in a darkened elevator with no distinct memories of himself, his past, or his future. He remembers his name and has very vague memories about things of the world (he knows what an elevator is and general concepts like that, for example) but is totally oblivious as to his current situation. The elevator finally arrives in the Glade where he's welcomed by a group of boys no older than him (and many are younger). He quickly learns that they all came up through the elevator in the same way with the same amnesia and that none of them really have any sense of an overall purpose for the Glade or, the larger mystery, of the large maze surrounding the Glade from which there is apparently no exit. The 'Gladers' have organized a routine by which they sustain life through farming and they explore the maze through the use of 'Runners' who search each day for a way out. After 2 years, they haven't yet found an exit. Still confused and trying to understand things, the next morning brings another teenager in the elevator…the first girl ever to arrive at the Glade and she brings a message with her that "things are going to change."

Characters

Thomas is the central character that we follow on the journey. We get his thoughts and analysis along the way and we unravel the mystery along with him. We experience a sense of amnesia along with him as we try to figure out what could be going on and why. As various elements unravel that confront Thomas with some potentially harsh truths about himself, I found myself feeling some of the pressure on him as though the accusations were coming at me and I didn't understand why. I guess what I'm saying is that it was pretty easy for me to relate to Thomas…not just because he's a male protagonist but also because the presentation allowed me to learn along with him and to feel very close to his confusion and his emotions.

We don't get as close to the other characters but we do learn a lot about their personalities through their interactions with Thomas and the other Gladers. Even though the various leaders in the Glade have distinct personalities they felt largely the same to me in two main categories…those who were pro-Tom and those who were anti-Tom. I often lost track of which Glader was speaking/acting at a certain time because apart from those two main groupings, a lot of their behaviors/dialogue/actions were very similar. Still, many of them did do very unique things at key moments in the story which set them apart, but generally, the Gladers fit into these key groups.

The one Glader who was different was Chuck. Chuck was the seemingly out-of-place Glader who was almost an outcast among this group of outcasts/exiles/whatever-they-were kids in the Glade. He didn't have many (any?) friends. His skillset was low. Early on, Thomas was easily annoyed by Chuck, but as the book went on, Chuck became the enduring and sympathetic character.

And finally, there was Teresa, the girl who arrived and brought on the major changes. She spends a large chunk of the book in a coma but we still get to know about her through the various snips of memories and implications that come as well as her connection with Tom. When she starts taking part in the action, it's quickly apparent that she's strong willed and maybe a bit cocky. I'm interested to see how she plays out in the next book as well.

My Thoughts

The idea for this plot and this world is very interesting to me. It's a strange dystopia world where adults are absent and children are fighting for their lives and their future.

The intriguing twist comes in the amnesia that plagues the group. Nobody knows why they're in the Glade/Maze, who put them there, what the world's like outside the Maze or any other key details. Even after two years of searching and making maps, the kids haven't found an escape nor have they gotten any closer to answers. And now, with the arrival of Thomas and Teresa, their entire existence within the Glade has changed and their forced to find answers and escape or die.

As the overall mystery is slowly revealed, it becomes more intriguing and each answer brings more questions.

My two main complaints with the unraveling of the mystery are both related to the intelligence of the kids.

1. As smart as all these kids are and as much comparing of the maps as they made, it seems odd to me that either out of desperation or just pure luck, they hadn't yet made the discovery that Thomas and Teresa help them make.
2. Again, with the intelligence of these kids, it was frustrating just how long the acronym (WICKED) remained a mystery…even once Thomas started asking the question, it still told half or two-thirds of the book before he made the connection.

So, although the kids are very intelligent, so much so that their conversation and thoughts seemed very mature at times (don't worry, there's still enough balance of immaturity to realize they are just kids/teenagers), it seems that there were a couple of things that these smarty-pants should've figured out sooner.

Overall

This was a very engaging story. Even though the mystery is thoughtful and intriguing, it's not so deep as to overwhelm the tween/teen reader.

The story is very action packed and should appeal to an action-hungry reader. However, if you're looking for a deep book large amounts of character and plot development…a sort of literary classic…this isn't the book for you.

The book is part of a series with the second book already released. While this main segment is self-contained as a single story, it still definitely leaves you not only wanting more, but needing to discover what happens next. I'm not sure if the hardcover came with the "WICKED files" or not, but the version I did had various office memos/emails/etc at the end of the book that shed some more light on the mystery while also creating more questions. In addition, it had the first few pages of book two which helped whet my appetite.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more. I've got a couple of brothers (who aren't huge readers even) that I'm thinking of giving this to as a gift.

I can certainly recommend this as a good adrenaline filled adventure book.


4 out of 5 stars

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In lieu of my normal weekly "Wednesday Writing", I figured I'd play a little catch up since I haven't posted any family events/news yet in December.

Naturally, we're prepping for Christmas and doing all sorts of holiday cheering. Throughout the month we visited Temple Square to see the lights, the nativity and the Christus. We went up to Ogden to see their Christmas village. Both of these were great fun and are a great annual tradition. We went with cousins to each one and had a good time.

Then back in Salt Lake we attended the Dickens Festival (in its first year back in operation after many years of absence). The kids were unsure of what to expect but they had a ball stepping back into 18th century London for a good old fashioned Christmastime and a meeting with Father Christmas.

We also went up to a baptist church up in Layton to take their Journey to Bethlehem where we walked from location to location with a 0 B.C. Jewish family dealing with Romans as we journeyed to Bethlehem to pay our taxes. Along the way, we learned of a new star, saw shepherds and even angels and finally ended our journey with a stop at the manger.

We've also had our ward Christmas party and a family Christmas party with Lynette's mom's extended family which was fun since we hardly ever get to see them anymore.

Julia had her Christmastime dance presentation which was very low key and fun.  She loved showing off what she's learned so far.  They're still working on their dance for the big recital in May, so they were a little rusty, but still very cute.

Later in the month, we had our Cub Scout Pack Meeting which was a special treat because Jason earned his Arrow of Light badge. They had a couple of bird & indian enthusiasts come in and give a very cool presentation. A hawk flew into the room with the Arrow of Light badge in its talons and dropped it on the table for the presentation. Jason got to hold a falcon later in the meeting. It was a good time. He also got a commemorative arrow to hang on his wall.


All in all it's been a good month so far. It's hard to believe that we're just a couple of days away from Christmas. Everybody's pretty excited and looking forward to this weekend. And that's the basic wrap up for the month…with more pictures and fun to come after the holidays.

Lord of the Flies is another one of those classic English novels that I somehow made it through school without ever reading. It was often referenced in other book discussions in classes and I had a very general feel for the overarching plot of the book, but I'd never actually read it. So, I finally did.

For those who somehow haven't heard of the book or know anything about the story, it basically involves a bunch of British schoolboys (probably aged 6 or 7 through early/mid-teens). During wartime evacuation, the kids all crash land on a deserted island and are the lone survivors (no adults). Timeframes are somewhat ambiguous but over time, one of the kids, Ralph, becomes a "chief" of the group and comes up with plans for survival (shelters, food, etc) and escape (keeping a signal fire going with green wood/leaves nearby to send up a flurry of smoke). As time goes on, order is pulled apart either from youthful desire for fun over work or from coercion from Jack Merridew and his group of boys, "the choir."

The general plot of the story is interesting and reminded me a little bit of Robinson Crusoe and his desire to bring civilization and order to his little island. This book had more psychological themes going on though since there were many people on the island and they were all either very young kids or young teenagers pushing into self-consciousness and evaluation.

The book provides interesting insight into the thoughts and desires of kids as they work towards adulthood. These kids are generally younger than what one might consider a "young adult" but they're forced into a very adult situation. We get to see a number of different reactions. These range from the strong desire to maintain order and civility by creating and enforcing rules based on ideas from the adult world to the youthful desire for fun unbridled now that there are no adults to stifle entertainment to the completely savage nature of play as the kids revert back to their savage natural state in the wild.

Most of the people who saw me reading this book were quick to let me know how much they disliked it. I can see the reasons for distaste. The themes are harsh and uncomfortable. The end result of the story, even though it has a "happy ending", are does not provide a happy, enthusiastic view towards humanity.

A lot of the writing style was very descriptive and evocative and just plain lovely to read. A lot of the theme and tone of the book was very unsettling and hard to read. This juxtaposition left me feeling mixed about the book. While I may not like the story or what it proposes to say about humanity, I can certainly appreciate the message it's trying to convey and the way it does it.

There's a lot going on in this book and I certainly don't feel like I've unpacked it all. At the same time, I'm not particularly eager to go back and read it again to try and unpack more. I saw some definite commentary on humanity, on "civilization", on war, on psychology, religion, etc. I can see why it's taught in schools and see how it could provide intense discussions.

However, I worry that some of the themes and concepts may be lost on too young a reader. And it may not even be an "age" thing as is shown by some of the events in the story. Just like some of the kids in the story were not ready for what they were forced to undertake, I would worry that if a child is too young or emotionally/intellectually immature, they may not recognize the message and allegory in the story and will either leave thinking it's just a fun adventure and (who knows) will strive to go out hunting boars themselves, or they could come away emotionally troubled without a good outlet to deal with it.

I'm glad I read this. Not one of my favorites, but very thought provoking. I have no intention to hand it to my 11 year old to read (even though he's begged me to let him) but I'll gladly discuss it with him if/when it's assigned to him in High School.


3.5 out of 5 stars

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The Dain Curse is my second excursion with the Continental Op. I read Red Harvest about a year ago and really enjoyed it. In Red Harvest, the Op is battling gangsters in a mess of a town. Part of me expected the same sort of thing from the Dain Curse. While there were similar gangster-like elements, the overall plot structure was fairly different.

The Dain Curse plot is, at its heart, what you might expect from a robbery/murder mystery story. It involves a lot of intrigue, misdirection, suspense, etc. At the same time, it's not your standard mystery novel a la Sherlock Holmes. It's definitely gritty and "hardboiled" in the same style as the earlier Hammett I'd read.

One thing I noticed quickly was just how twisty the path was along the story arc. Things start out simple enough with our Op investigating a small scale jewel robbery as a representative for the insurance company who will have to pay the claim on the missing diamonds. The Op's detective nature shines as he questions the surface value of the facts and doesn't accept the "easy answer" that the suspects and the insurance company would like him to take. Instead, he keeps digging and before long, the jewel theft gets forgotten as murder becomes the primary crime…and then another murder…and another.

The language, imagery and pacing of Hammett's novel was fabulous. It was very easy to get caught up in the action and the adventure of the story. The depth and intrigue of the mystery was very impressive. In the end, I could follow the unraveling of the mystery but there were constant wild cards thrown from seemingly out of nowhere that threw into a spin any theories I had already come up with.

The biggest downside of the book were the times when everything was spelled out. While it was very interesting reading the entire plot unraveled so the whole mystery was exposed, the segment where this happened was a somewhat drudgerous read. Still, I was compelled to read it to make sure I didn't miss anything. The main drudgery of the explanation was due to its length and intricacy. The final mystery had layer upon layer of detail and a whole stage of characters. As a result, the wrap up took a long time to get out and part of me wanted to skip past it, while the other part wanted to make sure I understood everything.

While not as action packed as the gangster hunting events of Red Harvest, the mystery and intrigue level of The Dain Curse were taken up a notch. Once again, I found myself really enjoying the minimal, course, gritty, blunt style of Hammett and I look forward to reading more.


4.5 out of 5 stars

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Being Disney fanatics and having young kids, it seemed only natural that we would go to see Tangled. From the previews, it looked like good Disney-fied fun. One of the boys thought he'd rather go see Megamind but really he was just glad to be going out to a movie and in the end he enjoyed it as well.

I'd read the Grimms Fairy Tales version of Rapunzel a few years ago and also had recent memories of Rapunzel's Revenge (the recent graphic novel adaptation by a trio of Hales). I knew this version would be slightly different than both but wasn't entirely sure what to expect.


There were certainly similarities to these other versions. Yes, we have a girl trapped in a tower by Mother Gothel as in the Grimm. Yes, she can wield her hair around like a multifunctional whip, as in the Hale story. But the differences were pretty unique and fun. Through pure Disney magic and imagination, Rapunzel's hair is not only long and beautiful, but it is actually magic. It's for this magic that Gothel kidnaps and imprisons Rapunzel rather than out of vengeance against her parents or some other reason.

Plot Breakdown

Once the backstory is set, we join Rapunzel on a fun filled adventure. Instead of a prince climbing her hair, a rogue of of a thief climbs her tower. She ends up overpowering and capturing him (out of fear and through use of her hair and a frying pan) and in the end he really just wants to leave as opposed to seeking her hand in marriage or something similarly romantic. She, instead, convinces (forces/coerces) him into taking her out of the tower to see the mystical lights that float through the sky each year. He reluctantly agrees although along the way he does things to try and convince her to just go back to her tower. Naturally they grow to like each other along the way and romance starts to bloom Disney style.

General Thoughts

I found the modified story here to be cute, fun and entertaining. It definitely had predictable moments but it had some intriguing turns and twists along the way.

I thought the voice acting was done very well and that the characterizations and writing was a lot of fun. There was plenty of witty dialog and humorous interactions.

The art was gorgeous, especially the scenery/backdrops/locations. The characters were well done also although I personally would have preferred hand-drawn animation to CGI work. Still, it was well done and worthy of the Disney name.

The music was nice. Unlike a lot of Disney films, the music felt like it took a back seat on this one. There was a kind of creepy song from Mother Gothel and the romantic love song between Rapunzel and Flynn, but if there were other songs, they weren't really memorable. Still, the background music set the tone nicely and helped create a nice atmosphere.

And finally…

Will this film will become a definitive classic in the Disney collection? I doubt it. It's hard to compete with some of the old classics like Sleeping Beauty or the modern classics like Beauty and the Beast. Still, I think this movie is definitely worth watching and was quite a lot of fun.



4 out of 5 stars