Archive for May, 2010

I think I should rename myself the indecisive and infrequent blogger.  I come in and out your lives bringing with me a few reviews, a lot of comments, and an open heart.  Sound good?

I’m revamping my blog.  Because the world of academia has become too incredibly hectic and unexpected for me to really plan much of anything into a day, I’m going to stop pretending that I’ll have even semi-frequent reviews of any interest to you.  Instead, I’m going to just start blogging about my life.  This inevitably will include posts on books, because books are an integral part of my existence.  I hope that in some strange way this might actually increase my readership instead of decrease it, but I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what the effect ends up being.

I am currently in bed with another cold/flu/whatever.  I’ve been sick for the past three days meaning that I haven’t been doing much of anything aside from sleeping and barely dragging myself to class.  Luckily, I only have two full weeks of classes left.  It does not seem like nearly enough time to get through all the assignments I have left.  Getting sick this late in the game definitely puts me at a huge disadvantage, one that I’m hoping will a little extra hard work, I’ll find a way to overcome.

Stay tuned for more to come.  Soon.  I promise.

Title: The Girl Who Chased the Moon
Author: Sarah Addison Allen
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Bantam Books
Year: 2010
Pages: 265
Acquired via Barnes and Nobles.  I had to have this book in my personal collection.

“We get to chose what defines us.” (114)

In her newest novel, Sarah Addison Allen does not disappoint.  As usual, Allen’s brilliant characters and amazingly magical writing leaves me in complete awe.  Her writing reminds me why I want to be a writer.  Her brilliantly flawed characters make you want to believe in the impossible.  Even more, her descriptions of apple stack cakes and milky way cakes make you want to quit any diet plan you might have been sticking to.  Reading her books sometimes make me want to drop out of school and open up a bakery of my own.

Told from various viewpoints, Allen makes sure that every character has voice and agency.  This book is all about overcoming the past and finding the courage to make your own choices, to break out of vicious cycles and decide your own future.  No one in this story is a victim.  Every character has opportunities for change; they all have the chance to move on from whatever it is that haunts them.  This book definitely reminds me that even my own life is filled with the possibility of change.

Julia was ultimately my favorite character.  A little darker than some of Allen’s other character, I couldn’t help but fall in love with her edgy rebelliousness.  Her pink streak of hair and dark past were refreshingly realistic in the midst of the magical town of Mullaby.  She resonated with me: her unique flair, sarcastic bite, and love for baking.

Like all of Allen’s books, there is a beautiful lesson to be learned about fitting in and moving forward.  After all, we are all outcasts at some point in our lives.  I highly recommend this book whether you’re an Allen fan or just discovering her.  It is an amazingly magical treat that you won’t regret biting into.