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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
When I won this book in the giveaway, I thought it was going to be an interesting read, especially since it dealt around WWII. At first I thought it was interesting, but the more I read, the more confused I got with the two different stories going on, the real life of Frankie and the ghost telling the story. I much rather would have read it as a novel from Frankie's POV with what was going on in her life. The ghost telling the story didn't do much for me instead make me confuse as to why it was important. The whole time I thought it was a family member of Frankie's that was the ghost, but I felt it unnecessary.
My review of this book appears in Historical Novels Review issue 90 (November 2019):
This luminous, moving novel by an award-winning YA novelist is a genre-defying achievement. Part ghost story, part feminist history, part love letter to the city of Chicago, this narrative jumps back and forth between the 1940s and earlier years, as it follows the coming-of-age trials of Frankie Mazza, a sensitive adolescent who lives with her siblings at the Angel Guardian Orphanage.
Like many of their fellow inmates, the Mazzas aren’t actually orphans, but have been left in the dubious care of the nuns by parents who cannot care for them for various reasons. Their days are not as desperate as Oliver Twist’s, but the banality of their existence is not livened much by their friendships and field trips though Chicago neighborhoods. Frankie is a talented artist whose grief over her father’s abandonment, and separation from her first love by World War II, keep her from attempting to follow her own dreams.
What makes the story unforgettable is the voice of its narrator, a spirit who haunts the orphanage and has become fascinated with Frankie. Pearl is a fierce, sarcastic ghost whose own tragic history is revealed in tiny bits as she travels around the city, spying on the living and the dead and trying to determine where she’s supposed to be. Her observations are both funny and poignant and provide a vivid counterpoint to Frankie’s search for love and purpose, which spans most of the decade of the 1940s. While the secrets and revelations both Pearl and Frankie discover about their own pasts are not unexpected, they are rendered with raw emotional power.
This is a book to be savored for its gorgeous prose as well as its memorable characters. It has already been long-listed for a National Book Award and is sure to appear on many other 2019 award lists.
This luminous, moving novel by an award-winning YA novelist is a genre-defying achievement. Part ghost story, part feminist history, part love letter to the city of Chicago, this narrative jumps back and forth between the 1940s and earlier years, as it follows the coming-of-age trials of Frankie Mazza, a sensitive adolescent who lives with her siblings at the Angel Guardian Orphanage.
Like many of their fellow inmates, the Mazzas aren’t actually orphans, but have been left in the dubious care of the nuns by parents who cannot care for them for various reasons. Their days are not as desperate as Oliver Twist’s, but the banality of their existence is not livened much by their friendships and field trips though Chicago neighborhoods. Frankie is a talented artist whose grief over her father’s abandonment, and separation from her first love by World War II, keep her from attempting to follow her own dreams.
What makes the story unforgettable is the voice of its narrator, a spirit who haunts the orphanage and has become fascinated with Frankie. Pearl is a fierce, sarcastic ghost whose own tragic history is revealed in tiny bits as she travels around the city, spying on the living and the dead and trying to determine where she’s supposed to be. Her observations are both funny and poignant and provide a vivid counterpoint to Frankie’s search for love and purpose, which spans most of the decade of the 1940s. While the secrets and revelations both Pearl and Frankie discover about their own pasts are not unexpected, they are rendered with raw emotional power.
This is a book to be savored for its gorgeous prose as well as its memorable characters. It has already been long-listed for a National Book Award and is sure to appear on many other 2019 award lists.
I somehow missed in all the hype around this one that it was historical fiction, not my usual go-to, and it took me a minute to get past that. But Laura Ruby is so good and the back half of this really sang for me.
I loved this book and then read the author's note and loved it even more.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is my second book by Laura Ruby and I loved it as much as the first one. Her writing style and emotion is so beautiful.
When I won this book in the giveaway, I thought it was going to be an interesting read, especially since it dealt around WWII. At first I thought it was interesting, but the more I read, the more confused I got with the two different stories going on, the real life of Frankie and the ghost telling the story. I much rather would have read it as a novel from Frankie's POV with what was going on in her life. The ghost telling the story didn't do much for me instead make me confuse as to why it was important. The whole time I thought it was a family member of Frankie's that was the ghost, but I felt it unnecessary.
Wow I expected to like this book but I was caught off guard with how much I ended up absolutely loving it. I am not surprised, and glad, that it won the Printz and was a National Book Award finslist. 100% deserved it.
It is a weird book for sure, and I am not sure everyone would love it the way I did, but I will nonetheless throw it at everyone I know. It is similar in vibes to Ruta Sepetys as far as the style of storytelling goes. As well as the ghostly aspect in the Book Thief. If you like either of those books/authors, then you’ll enjoy this for sure.
What did I love about it? I loved that it was kind of third person omniscient, since we get the dead girl’s thoughts, memories, and narrative on what’s going on in the living realm still. And then the (alive) sisters’ POVs at their orphanage and father’s house as they grow up. It was all very atmospheric and quite sad, and the writing was excellent. The strength and endurance of sibling bonds, the intensity of heartbreak and tragedy at a young age. Everything was executed well. I knew it was a WWII book going in, but did not realize it would take place in Chicago, which was sort of a fresh take, for my own reading experience at least. I also loved the title and the phrase it comes from. It feeds into my bittersweet and dark side, but I think anyone planning to read this will not expect anything good to happen. Don’t worry, it doesn’t.
It is a weird book for sure, and I am not sure everyone would love it the way I did, but I will nonetheless throw it at everyone I know. It is similar in vibes to Ruta Sepetys as far as the style of storytelling goes. As well as the ghostly aspect in the Book Thief. If you like either of those books/authors, then you’ll enjoy this for sure.
What did I love about it? I loved that it was kind of third person omniscient, since we get the dead girl’s thoughts, memories, and narrative on what’s going on in the living realm still. And then the (alive) sisters’ POVs at their orphanage and father’s house as they grow up. It was all very atmospheric and quite sad, and the writing was excellent. The strength and endurance of sibling bonds, the intensity of heartbreak and tragedy at a young age. Everything was executed well. I knew it was a WWII book going in, but did not realize it would take place in Chicago, which was sort of a fresh take, for my own reading experience at least. I also loved the title and the phrase it comes from. It feeds into my bittersweet and dark side, but I think anyone planning to read this will not expect anything good to happen. Don’t worry, it doesn’t.
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
For other reviews and more, please visit my blog: What's She Reading?
I thought this book was so interesting the way it was narrated! It kind of reminds me of [b:The Book Thief|19063|The Book Thief|Markus Zusak|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1522157426l/19063._SY75_.jpg|878368] in some ways. I liked that we learned things about Pearl and her life along the way even though she wasn’t our classic “main character”. This book felt like a slice of life from Chicago during WWII and I really enjoyed getting that view. A lot of this story is just quiet and slow, but it’s so well-written (even though I think the imagery with doors kind of went over my head). The ending made me want to go straight back to the beginning to reread the prologue. I would definitely recommend this book, but it may be something that you have to be in a specific mood for. With that being said, I think these fall/winter days coming up will create the perfect atmosphere for this book.
Overall Rating: 4
Language: Mild
Violence: Mild
Smoking/Drinking: Mild
Sexual Content: Mild
I thought this book was so interesting the way it was narrated! It kind of reminds me of [b:The Book Thief|19063|The Book Thief|Markus Zusak|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1522157426l/19063._SY75_.jpg|878368] in some ways. I liked that we learned things about Pearl and her life along the way even though she wasn’t our classic “main character”. This book felt like a slice of life from Chicago during WWII and I really enjoyed getting that view. A lot of this story is just quiet and slow, but it’s so well-written (even though I think the imagery with doors kind of went over my head). The ending made me want to go straight back to the beginning to reread the prologue. I would definitely recommend this book, but it may be something that you have to be in a specific mood for. With that being said, I think these fall/winter days coming up will create the perfect atmosphere for this book.
Overall Rating: 4
Language: Mild
Violence: Mild
Smoking/Drinking: Mild
Sexual Content: Mild