Right off the bat, I must admit that I'm not an Austen devotee. I also must admit that I REALLY ENJOYED this book! Prep is one of my all time favorite novels, and Sittenfeld delivered this version of Pride and Prejudice with the same witty dissection of social norms and issues (of feminism, family, class and race to name a few) through a hilarious modern update.

If you are very loyal to Jane Austen, I'm not sure how it will go over. I've made several attempts at reading her classic novels, and they are just not to my liking. But, oh, how I love the stories! She was a master storyteller. Sense and Sensibility is one of my most favorite films, and who doesn't love Clueless?? Reading the dated dialogue puts me in a trance, but to see it performed is something else entirely. And this book is also something else entirely, and equally wonderful. I was reminded of last year's fun romp The Royal We while reading Eligible. Sure, you know how the story is going to go, but it's fun reading a different interpretation - and a sharp, whip smart one at that.

One of the things I love about Sittenfeld's writing is the uncanny, seemingly small - yet important, details she delivers of the minutiae of life. There's a tiny scene in the book where Liz asks Kitty's boyfriend where he went to high school and there's this immediate understanding/insinuation on Kitty's behalf that it's a sort of Midwestern way of discerning someone's class or background. It made me laugh out loud and also nod my head. This is something she nails in Prep, with the spot on descriptions of being an overwrought teen, and what it's like to be a mother of small children in Sisterland. The world she created is so fully realized and I could relate so much more to Elizabeth and Jane in this retelling. For some, it might be considered a sacrilege, but I am now looking into all the other novels included in The Austen Project: including Sense & Sensibility , Northanger Abbey , Emma: A Modern Retelling.

This was a quick and compelling read. I thoroughly enjoy novels with parallel plots of historical fiction paired with events set in present day. (see also: The Girl You Left Behind, A Fall of Marigolds.) It was heartbreaking and fascinating to learn about the Orphan Train riders of the late 1800s/early 1900s. Some of the plot turns seemed predictable, but it satisfyingly ticks off all the boxes of a great story.

This was a quick read, although not as moving and emotional as I hoped it would be. I liked getting a glimpse into the life of an Irish immigrant in the 50s and all the intricacies of her relationships with her romantic interests, her family, and most of all, her country. I appreciated the author's unfussy, subtle writing style. But as much as I empathized with Eilis, a great character, she didn't leave an indelible mark on my heart. I also wanted more out of the ending. However, I am still excited to check out the film!

This book was too cool for school! It reminded me of so many great stories. (As current YA/fantasy tends to do these days, they all seem to borrow from each other.) There are hints of Ender's Game, Wool, Game of Thrones, Hunger Games and, a more recent novel, An Ember in the Ashes (which I also loved). Yet, Brown has a very distinct voice. The world building, imagery, and emotional heft of this David vs Goliath themed story is STRONG. The high drama that unfolds around our hero Darrow (which must be a nod to Clarence Darrow, methinks) of the low mining class on Mars (the Reds), working to infiltrate the highest class of politicians and military leaders (the Golds) was edge of my seat stuff. I'm so glad I picked it up after the entire trilogy has been published, so that I don't need to wait terribly long to burn through the set.

Oh dear, this book was just not at all to my liking. There was to much 'telling' the story and not enough 'showing' or putting the reading in the action. Most bio-terror apocalyptic novels (like the beginning of Station Eleven) have my heart RACING. And this was just so... boring. I really don't know how she pulled that off. Maybe just too much teen introspection? It's hard to even give a small plot summary: there were too many conspiracies, too much going on, and the pacing was just bad. There were a few poetic passages in there, and I could see the important themes she was trying to comment upon. It just didn't come together for me.

Pretty good dystopian fare; good enough that I'll want to get the sequels. Loved that it was set in Chicago :)

From the get go, the story of these two families is utterly absorbing. Patchett is a master of 'show, don't tell.' The story seamlessly opens in California in the 60s with an amazing scene of adults getting drunk on gin n' juice (made from the oranges in the backyard) during a christening party. Patchett just plucks you right into the scene and pulls you in with these nuanced and fascinating character portraits. After being introduced to the Cousins and Keatings, at the fateful moment their families are thrown together, the narrative takes big jumps around in time giving glimpses into the lives of the grown children. And as the ailing Keating patriarch dotes on the past, or we get an evocative glimpse into the summers the children spent together, something sinister seems to lurk just beneath the surface.

Since the chapters don't necessarily go in chronological order, it can get a little jarring - especially since there are so many characters within this blended family. But having those big gaps gives us a front row seat into the absolutely essential parts of this family's life, which is so compelling, forcing the reader to want MORE. A small scene, such as my favorite when the children spend their first summer at a lake and the eldest daughter shows off her ability to pick a car lock, gives us a perfect window into how each child feels about one another, their parents, the world at large. It's full of such indelible moments among family, and the ties that bound these characters were so fascinating and real. Patchett is deft with the little details and they are suffused with such meaning, even down to the fateful oranges that grace the cover.

Some authors with similar styles tend toward plots that are languid, or lacking plot altogether. Patchett manages to create a sophisticated, atmospheric novel filled with symbolism and still maintains a page-turning urgency that builds at a perfect pace. The ensemble cast of Commonwealth will stay with me for a long time. If you love a good family drama, or just a great novel, this is up there with the absolute best of them.

(For more reviews and bookish musings: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/)

This was one of those novels that started out a little slow for me, but then completely bowled me over by the end. I felt that the first half of the book was somewhat tedious and frustrating. It starts with Lib, the nurse sent to ascertain the validity of this miracle, trying to catch someone lying about Anna's ability to live without food. She doesn't, and we get little bits of her back story as well as the O'Donnell's as she goes to and fro her shift watching over the girl and taking aimless walks about the countryside to vent her irritation. The hamster wheel of rather repetitive scenes was frustrating, but I suppose that is EXACTLY how Lib felt. I then was 100% on this journey with her. Because by the time the house of cards finally starts to fall in this crazy situation, I was riveted, stunned, and feeling desperate. She is caught in a terrible position between the family, the church, the reporter and the doctors, while trying to do the best for this young girl. Without giving spoilers, all I can say is that it becomes a horrifyingly fascinating tangle of loyalty and morality with some jaw dropping secrets that come to light in the final, white-knuckle, moments.

It's honestly very, very reminiscent of the novel she is best known for: Room. Whereas Room sets into a fever pitch pretty early in the novel, The Wonder has a slow build. But the indelible aspects are so similar: What would you do? How would you feel? What would you do for the love of a child? The depth of subject matter to pore over with a book club would be VAST. I also found the historical fiction angle, regarding the cases of 'Fasting Girls' beginning in the sixteenth century, fascinating. It is definitely worth checking out and it certainly made me curious to check out her other historical fiction novel Frog Music.

(For more reviews and bookish musings: http://www.bornandreadinchicago.com/)