Search
The Bandersnatch (199 KP) rated The Hunger Games in Books
Nov 7, 2019
The Hunger Games is a trilogy of YA dystopian novels written by American author Suzanne Collins. The story is set in an unspecified future, in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic nation of Panem located in North America. The country consists of the Wealthy Capital surrounded by the twelve (Originally thirteen) poorer districts, each one in various states of poverty. The story follows Katniss Everdeen as she takes her sisters place in the annual Hunger Games. The games are a televised event created as punishment for a past rebellion. Over the course of the books Katniss and the rest of Panem are plunged into Civil War thanks to Katniss inadvertently fuelling a hidden rebel fraction led by President Alma Coin of (the previously thought to be destroyed) District 13. After going through hell, loosing friends and the sister she tried to protect Katniss is eventually tried for killing Coin at the execution of Ex-President Snow and sent back to District 12. Katniss eventually marries fellow tribute Peeta Mellark (whom she was tied to during the games as the pair of star-crossed lovers) and eventually have two children a boy and a girl. Author Suzanne Collins stated that the inspiration for the story came to her after channel surfing through TV channels, having seen a reality show on one channel then saw footage of the Iraq invasion. The two began to blur in an unsettling way and the idea started to form. The Greek myth of Theseus also served as a basis for the story, with Collins saying that Katniss could be called a future Theseus and The Hunger Games being an interpretation of the old gladiatorial games.
The Hunger Games the titular book was released on September 14th 2008 under the publishing house Scholastic Press. The book had an initial print run of 50,00 copies eventually being bumped up twice to 200,000 copies. By February 2010 the book had sold 800,000 copies and rights to the novel have been sold in 38 territories. In November 2008 The Hunger Games was placed on the New York Times best seller list where it would remain for 100 weeks (just over three months). By the time the books film adaption released in march 2012 the book had been on USA Today's best seller list for 135 weeks (Four months) and sold over 17.5 million copies. The book received several awards and honours such as Publishers Weekley's “Best book of the year 2008”, the New York Times “Notable children's book 2008” and was the 2009 young adult fiction category winner of the Golden Duck award. The book also received the California Young Reader medal in 2011.
Catching Fire, the second book was published on September 1st 2009 under Scholastic. As the sequel to the Hunger Games book it continues the story of Katniss Everdeen and the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem as rebellion begins. The book received mixed reviews but was placed on Time Magazines Top 100 fiction list of 2009. Catching fire had an initial print of 350,00 copies but was (Like its predecessor) had grown to 750,00 by February 2010. The book has sold over 10 million copies.
Mocking-jay the third and final book in the Hunger Games Trilogy and was published August 24th 2010 by Scholastic. The book had a 1.2 million copy print that was bumped up from 750,000 copies and in its first week sold over 450,00 copies. Reviews were favourable with the book and notes that it thoroughly explores the themes of the other books.
I really love the books and regularly read them. Whenever I do read them I tend to read all three of them in the space of a week. To be fair whilst I had heard of them before the first movie release I didn't start reading them until I'd seen the first movie. I did read Catching Fire and Mockingjay before their movie equivalents hit the screens. Whilst The Hunger Games was a brilliant opener and Mockingjay was a brilliant ender, I agree with a few reviewers that Catching fire had a delayed start and it took a bit of time to get into the action of the story at large.
Suzanne Collins was born in Hartford Connecticut on the 10th of August 1962 as the youngest fourth child to Jane Bradley Collins and Lt. Col. Michael Jon Collins a decorated U. S. Air Force officer. As a daughter of a military man she was constantly moving with her family and spent her childhood in the eastern united states. Collins went to the Alabama school of fine arts in Birmingham 1980 as a theatre arts Major. Collins went on to complete a Bachelor of arts from Indiana University in 1985 and telecommunications and in 1989 Collins earned her M. F. A. in dramatic writing from NYU Tisch school of arts. Collins began her career in 1991 as a writer for children's television shows and won a nomination in animation for co-writing the critically acclaimed Christmas special Santa, Baby!. Collins after meeting James Proimos whilst working on a children's show felt the urge to write children's books and spent the early 2000's writing five books of the Underland Chronicles; Gregor the Overlander, Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane, Gregor and the curse of the Warmbloods, Gregor and the Marks of Secret and Gregor and the Code of Claw. The influence for those books came from Alice in Wonderland. During the late 2000's she ends up writing the Hunger Games trilogy which went onto a famous movie trilogy. As the result of the hunger games trilogy popularity Collins was named one of Times Magazine's most Influential people of 2010. On June 17th 2019 Collins announced she was writing a prequel to the Hunger Games and is scheduled to be released on 19th May 2020, the book is to focus on the failed rebellion 64 years before the Hunger Games trilogy.
I highly respect the Author Suzanne Collins for both her work as a writer of Children's media and for her creativity in creating both the Hunger Games and the Underland Chronicles. Her creativity has been awarded with her books popularity and being announced amongst Time Magazine's 2010's most influential people and Amazons best selling Kindle author in 2012.
In March 2009 Lions Gate Entertainment entered into a co-production agreement with Nina Jacobson's Production company Color Force for the Hunger Games. Novel writer Suzanne Collins adapted the book in collaboration with screenwriter Billy Ray and Director Gary Ross. Actors Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutchinson and Liam Hemsworth were hired for the roles of Katniss, Peeta and Gale respectively. Lawrence was four years older than Katniss was in the books but Collins said she would rather the actress be older than the character since it demanded a certain maturity and power. Collins also liked Lawrence stating she was the “only one who truly captured the character I wrote in the book”. The Hunger Games Movie was released on march 23rd 2012. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was released on November 22nd 2013 with Francis Lawrence being hired as Director and actors Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Jena Malone and Sam Claflin being hired as Plutarch Heavensbee, Johanna Mason and Finneck Odair respectively. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay was split into 2 and Part 1 was released on November 21st 2014 and part 2 on November 20th 2015 Francis Lawrence remained Director for the final movies with Actor Julianne Moore joining the cast as President Alma Coin.
I loved the movies point blank and whilst it has its flaws like most movies often do I think its redeeming quality has been it faithfulness in sticking to the books as closely as possible and the actors representation of Suzanne Collins characters such as Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Donald Sunderland and President Snow, Stanley Tucci as Ceaser Flickerman, Woody Harrelson as Haymich Abernathy and Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinkett. Whilst all the actors were very good and were chosen well for their characters. These actors in particular I feel did exceptionally well in bringing their characters to life especially Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci and Woody Harrelson but then I am a very big fan of theirs so I may be a little biased.
The Hunger Games the titular book was released on September 14th 2008 under the publishing house Scholastic Press. The book had an initial print run of 50,00 copies eventually being bumped up twice to 200,000 copies. By February 2010 the book had sold 800,000 copies and rights to the novel have been sold in 38 territories. In November 2008 The Hunger Games was placed on the New York Times best seller list where it would remain for 100 weeks (just over three months). By the time the books film adaption released in march 2012 the book had been on USA Today's best seller list for 135 weeks (Four months) and sold over 17.5 million copies. The book received several awards and honours such as Publishers Weekley's “Best book of the year 2008”, the New York Times “Notable children's book 2008” and was the 2009 young adult fiction category winner of the Golden Duck award. The book also received the California Young Reader medal in 2011.
Catching Fire, the second book was published on September 1st 2009 under Scholastic. As the sequel to the Hunger Games book it continues the story of Katniss Everdeen and the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem as rebellion begins. The book received mixed reviews but was placed on Time Magazines Top 100 fiction list of 2009. Catching fire had an initial print of 350,00 copies but was (Like its predecessor) had grown to 750,00 by February 2010. The book has sold over 10 million copies.
Mocking-jay the third and final book in the Hunger Games Trilogy and was published August 24th 2010 by Scholastic. The book had a 1.2 million copy print that was bumped up from 750,000 copies and in its first week sold over 450,00 copies. Reviews were favourable with the book and notes that it thoroughly explores the themes of the other books.
I really love the books and regularly read them. Whenever I do read them I tend to read all three of them in the space of a week. To be fair whilst I had heard of them before the first movie release I didn't start reading them until I'd seen the first movie. I did read Catching Fire and Mockingjay before their movie equivalents hit the screens. Whilst The Hunger Games was a brilliant opener and Mockingjay was a brilliant ender, I agree with a few reviewers that Catching fire had a delayed start and it took a bit of time to get into the action of the story at large.
Suzanne Collins was born in Hartford Connecticut on the 10th of August 1962 as the youngest fourth child to Jane Bradley Collins and Lt. Col. Michael Jon Collins a decorated U. S. Air Force officer. As a daughter of a military man she was constantly moving with her family and spent her childhood in the eastern united states. Collins went to the Alabama school of fine arts in Birmingham 1980 as a theatre arts Major. Collins went on to complete a Bachelor of arts from Indiana University in 1985 and telecommunications and in 1989 Collins earned her M. F. A. in dramatic writing from NYU Tisch school of arts. Collins began her career in 1991 as a writer for children's television shows and won a nomination in animation for co-writing the critically acclaimed Christmas special Santa, Baby!. Collins after meeting James Proimos whilst working on a children's show felt the urge to write children's books and spent the early 2000's writing five books of the Underland Chronicles; Gregor the Overlander, Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane, Gregor and the curse of the Warmbloods, Gregor and the Marks of Secret and Gregor and the Code of Claw. The influence for those books came from Alice in Wonderland. During the late 2000's she ends up writing the Hunger Games trilogy which went onto a famous movie trilogy. As the result of the hunger games trilogy popularity Collins was named one of Times Magazine's most Influential people of 2010. On June 17th 2019 Collins announced she was writing a prequel to the Hunger Games and is scheduled to be released on 19th May 2020, the book is to focus on the failed rebellion 64 years before the Hunger Games trilogy.
I highly respect the Author Suzanne Collins for both her work as a writer of Children's media and for her creativity in creating both the Hunger Games and the Underland Chronicles. Her creativity has been awarded with her books popularity and being announced amongst Time Magazine's 2010's most influential people and Amazons best selling Kindle author in 2012.
In March 2009 Lions Gate Entertainment entered into a co-production agreement with Nina Jacobson's Production company Color Force for the Hunger Games. Novel writer Suzanne Collins adapted the book in collaboration with screenwriter Billy Ray and Director Gary Ross. Actors Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutchinson and Liam Hemsworth were hired for the roles of Katniss, Peeta and Gale respectively. Lawrence was four years older than Katniss was in the books but Collins said she would rather the actress be older than the character since it demanded a certain maturity and power. Collins also liked Lawrence stating she was the “only one who truly captured the character I wrote in the book”. The Hunger Games Movie was released on march 23rd 2012. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was released on November 22nd 2013 with Francis Lawrence being hired as Director and actors Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Jena Malone and Sam Claflin being hired as Plutarch Heavensbee, Johanna Mason and Finneck Odair respectively. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay was split into 2 and Part 1 was released on November 21st 2014 and part 2 on November 20th 2015 Francis Lawrence remained Director for the final movies with Actor Julianne Moore joining the cast as President Alma Coin.
I loved the movies point blank and whilst it has its flaws like most movies often do I think its redeeming quality has been it faithfulness in sticking to the books as closely as possible and the actors representation of Suzanne Collins characters such as Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Donald Sunderland and President Snow, Stanley Tucci as Ceaser Flickerman, Woody Harrelson as Haymich Abernathy and Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinkett. Whilst all the actors were very good and were chosen well for their characters. These actors in particular I feel did exceptionally well in bringing their characters to life especially Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci and Woody Harrelson but then I am a very big fan of theirs so I may be a little biased.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Craftsman in Books
Mar 12, 2019
Complex, compelling, and complicated tale
The year is 1999 and Assistant Commissioner Florence Lovelady returns to Lancashire for the funeral of Larry Glassbrook, a murderer she arrested 30 years ago. Larry killed three children, burying them alive in caskets he made himself. He also kidnapped and tortured Florence while she was investigating his case. Thirty years ago, Florence made a name for herself with the Glassbrook case, which changed her life forever. Clay effigies were found with each of the children's bodies, suggesting an element of witchcraft. Now, when Florence returns for the funeral, she finds a fourth: of herself. Does this means Florence is in danger? And what does the message Larry sent her from prison mean? Is there still a killer out there?
"I wonder what words his headstone might carry: Loving husband, devoted father, merciless killer."
I'm a huge Sharon Bolton fan, so I was excited to read this one. I hadn't really read the description in a while, so I didn't realize so much of the narrative took place in the late 1960s. I'm usually more of a modern fiction fan, but I found the 1960s portion--narrated by Florence--to be surprisingly engaging and enjoyable. It offered a really detailed look at how women were treated, especially on the police force, and was a true testament to Florence's strength. She was a fascinating, nuanced character who drew me in from the beginning. The book really revolves around her, but she makes it worth it.
The novel is certainly creepy--definitely a good spooky read for the month of October. It can be dark and gruesome. There's a witchcraft portion that sometimes seems a little unbelievable, but I thought it worked well within the confines of the story. There's even some funny moments--made even better by what a great heroine Florence is.
There's an excellent mystery here, which will keep you guessing from the start. The story skips between 1969 and 1999, and the two portions work together seamlessly. I found the tale to be complex, complicated, and just really compelling. There's something about this book that simply keeps you reading. Florence is an awesome character, the story is fascinating and different, and it's just a really enjoyable (if somewhat dark) read. Definitely recommend.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
"I wonder what words his headstone might carry: Loving husband, devoted father, merciless killer."
I'm a huge Sharon Bolton fan, so I was excited to read this one. I hadn't really read the description in a while, so I didn't realize so much of the narrative took place in the late 1960s. I'm usually more of a modern fiction fan, but I found the 1960s portion--narrated by Florence--to be surprisingly engaging and enjoyable. It offered a really detailed look at how women were treated, especially on the police force, and was a true testament to Florence's strength. She was a fascinating, nuanced character who drew me in from the beginning. The book really revolves around her, but she makes it worth it.
The novel is certainly creepy--definitely a good spooky read for the month of October. It can be dark and gruesome. There's a witchcraft portion that sometimes seems a little unbelievable, but I thought it worked well within the confines of the story. There's even some funny moments--made even better by what a great heroine Florence is.
There's an excellent mystery here, which will keep you guessing from the start. The story skips between 1969 and 1999, and the two portions work together seamlessly. I found the tale to be complex, complicated, and just really compelling. There's something about this book that simply keeps you reading. Florence is an awesome character, the story is fascinating and different, and it's just a really enjoyable (if somewhat dark) read. Definitely recommend.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Bunny Finds a Friend in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Cara Jong is working as a process server when she delivers a summons to a Santa. Except this Santa is a gorgeous woman, who immediately strikes a chord with Cara. The two share a "moment," which stays with Cara for some time. She eventually tracks down said Santa, who turns out to be Jude Donovan, a well-known children's book author. The two "meet cute," so to speak, at a reading of Jude's and sparks fly. They begin dating, but it seems like things just aren't meant to be. Will Cara's flighty nature and lack of commitment (all well-documented by her older sisters) doom the relationship? What about Jude's ex and her young daughter Zoe, who doesn't seem happy to have her Mom dating again? Can Cara and Jude overcome these obstacles and find happiness?
This was a cute book, with fairly realistic characters leading a fairly realistic life--something that's harder to find than one would think in lesbian literature. Cara's a regular gal, with a typical lack of commitment found in a myriad characters in literature, gay and straight. Perhaps the biggest issue with this book is that it sort of seems like a sketch of what could have been an even more fully-developed and even more enjoyable novel. We don't get to see a lot of Cara and Jude's actual relationship development, for instance. Their courtship and issues are quickly glossed over. I would have liked to have seen more of what led them to fall for each other--and fall apart. After all, those sorts of things (falling in love, struggling to maintain a relationship while juggling exes and children and jobs) are what we all have in common.
Cara's sisters are also supposed to add a bit of comic relief, perhaps, to the novel, but they sometimes come across as harpy and annoying. While several of them are dealing with complex issues, they don't get the full attention they truly deserve.
Still, this was a fun, quick read. It's always refreshing to read lesbian fiction with normal characters navigating life. I liked Cara, sympathized with her on a multitude of levels, and did enjoy reading about her journey. Overall, 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley - thank you!
This was a cute book, with fairly realistic characters leading a fairly realistic life--something that's harder to find than one would think in lesbian literature. Cara's a regular gal, with a typical lack of commitment found in a myriad characters in literature, gay and straight. Perhaps the biggest issue with this book is that it sort of seems like a sketch of what could have been an even more fully-developed and even more enjoyable novel. We don't get to see a lot of Cara and Jude's actual relationship development, for instance. Their courtship and issues are quickly glossed over. I would have liked to have seen more of what led them to fall for each other--and fall apart. After all, those sorts of things (falling in love, struggling to maintain a relationship while juggling exes and children and jobs) are what we all have in common.
Cara's sisters are also supposed to add a bit of comic relief, perhaps, to the novel, but they sometimes come across as harpy and annoying. While several of them are dealing with complex issues, they don't get the full attention they truly deserve.
Still, this was a fun, quick read. It's always refreshing to read lesbian fiction with normal characters navigating life. I liked Cara, sympathized with her on a multitude of levels, and did enjoy reading about her journey. Overall, 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley - thank you!
izneo BD Comics Manga
Book, Comics and Entertainment
1.0
Rate It
App
Izneo BD Comics Manga is the best app for French-Belgian comics, with thousands of digital comic...
StarTracker Lite-Mobile SkyMap
Reference and Education
App
Hey, get outdoor with your friends and start star gazing! Let StarTracker guide you to explore the...
How to Improve Study Habits
Book
For students 13 through college graduation, Christine Reidhead's guide to building study skills is...
Young Adult Non Fiction
Debbie (52 KP) rated Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground in Books
Aug 24, 2018
Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground By: T.R. Simon
Children's Fiction Middle Grade 272 Pages Release Date September 11, 2018 Publisher: Candlewick Press
<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/9a41056d7201c045d3f9e5c161f9569494687ae1"; width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>
#ZoraAndMe#NetGalley
Okay now that I got all the information that Net Galley wants me to put onto each of my reviews I can now review this book.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I gave it 4.5 stars.
This book is about two girls named Zora and Me(Carrie Brown). They learn a lot about their little towns history in this story. The town is called Eatonville, Florida. This town is a color town meaning only color people live here. The town was established in around 1887.
This story takes place in the summer of 1903
Carrie is staying with Zora and her family while her mom is off working with a sick baby. One night it is raining and the neighbors horses get loose. This is unusual so the girls go to check on the neighbor, Mr. Polk who is a mute. They find him beaten up and go to find the healer who people claim to be a witch. They soon discover that Mr. Polk is able to talk but in a foreign language and not very often. The healer is Old Lady Bronson.
Here is the reason why I only gave the book 4.5 stars it went into a flash back and I it took me almost half way through the book to figure out why.
The story turns to the year 1855 and talks about a little girl called Lucia. This little girl is friends with a white girl named Prisca. Prisca Dad brings them both to Florida to marry a lady Miss Caroline. Lucia is made into a slave and having to learn about a new of way life. The book keeps flashing back every now and then to keep you informed about what happened.
I could tell you about the book but then you want to read it and I highly recommend that you do. Ms. Simon does a wonderful job telling the way the country was back in that time that needs to be told.
You will enjoy the twist and turns this story tells. You will not want to put the book down.
Zora loves adventures and can get into a lot of scrapes. They see a ghost or two and that is unnerving to them. One quote that I liked is when Zora says "I know you go anyway, even though you're scared and you're right it doesn't make you a scaredy-cat. It makes you brave."
You must read this book to your children and help them learn about our history because the schools are slowly fading out this part of history.
Children's Fiction Middle Grade 272 Pages Release Date September 11, 2018 Publisher: Candlewick Press
<img src="https://www.netgalley.com/badge/9a41056d7201c045d3f9e5c161f9569494687ae1"; width="80" height="80" alt="Professional Reader" title="Professional Reader"/>
#ZoraAndMe#NetGalley
Okay now that I got all the information that Net Galley wants me to put onto each of my reviews I can now review this book.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I gave it 4.5 stars.
This book is about two girls named Zora and Me(Carrie Brown). They learn a lot about their little towns history in this story. The town is called Eatonville, Florida. This town is a color town meaning only color people live here. The town was established in around 1887.
This story takes place in the summer of 1903
Carrie is staying with Zora and her family while her mom is off working with a sick baby. One night it is raining and the neighbors horses get loose. This is unusual so the girls go to check on the neighbor, Mr. Polk who is a mute. They find him beaten up and go to find the healer who people claim to be a witch. They soon discover that Mr. Polk is able to talk but in a foreign language and not very often. The healer is Old Lady Bronson.
Here is the reason why I only gave the book 4.5 stars it went into a flash back and I it took me almost half way through the book to figure out why.
The story turns to the year 1855 and talks about a little girl called Lucia. This little girl is friends with a white girl named Prisca. Prisca Dad brings them both to Florida to marry a lady Miss Caroline. Lucia is made into a slave and having to learn about a new of way life. The book keeps flashing back every now and then to keep you informed about what happened.
I could tell you about the book but then you want to read it and I highly recommend that you do. Ms. Simon does a wonderful job telling the way the country was back in that time that needs to be told.
You will enjoy the twist and turns this story tells. You will not want to put the book down.
Zora loves adventures and can get into a lot of scrapes. They see a ghost or two and that is unnerving to them. One quote that I liked is when Zora says "I know you go anyway, even though you're scared and you're right it doesn't make you a scaredy-cat. It makes you brave."
You must read this book to your children and help them learn about our history because the schools are slowly fading out this part of history.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Pink Bonnet: True Colors in Books
Jul 2, 2019
Cecile Dowd is a single mother, just trying to keep life together in 1933 for her and her three year old daughter Millie. Cecile is a widow and it's the great depression. Without her husband, it's difficult to always control Millie's behavior and make sure there is enough food on the table. Cecile decides she needs to get another job to help make things easier. While she goes out looking, she leaves Millie with a neighbor. When she returns to pick up Millie at the end of the day, Millie is gone. The neighbor says, that Cecile can't handle the child and has given her to someone who can help, Georgia Tann the head of the Tennessee Children's Home. They "help" parents find loving families for their children. But Cecile didn't ask for this and neither did a lot of other parents. Ms. Tann is taking children from parents she deems unfit and sending them to other families in the area. Ms. Tann has most of the Tennessee government in her back pocket and no matter who Cecile goes to for help, it's to no avail. Will she be able to find Millie before she's gone forever? With people trying to stop her at every turn, Cecile is determined, no matter what the cost.
Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This book is based on a true story. Georgia Tann was a real woman who really ran an adoption agency in Tennessee for over 25 years. During her tenure, it is believed that approximately 5,000 children were taken unwillingly from their parents and sold in adoptions to whoever would pay the highest price.
This book hit my heart hard. I can't imagine what I would do, if I left my child with a friend or neighbor for a little bit and then when I came back they had forged my name on documents to allow my child to be taken for adoption. Or if they were just snatched from the street on their way home from school. This was happening to hundreds of families during the depression. People were doing anything they could to make ends meet, but for Georgia Tann that didn't matter. One parent should be with the child at all times. That is the only way to show that you really love and are able to take care of the child.
I would love to read more about this lady. I hope there was a warm seat in hell waiting for her and all her cohorts when she passed away. Throughout the story, you can feel the love for Millie that Cecile has and she risks her life and the lives of those that are helping her in order to get to her daughter. No matter what she does, though it never seems like enough, Millie is always just beyond her grasp.
If you like historical, true crime fiction, you will enjoy this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This book is based on a true story. Georgia Tann was a real woman who really ran an adoption agency in Tennessee for over 25 years. During her tenure, it is believed that approximately 5,000 children were taken unwillingly from their parents and sold in adoptions to whoever would pay the highest price.
This book hit my heart hard. I can't imagine what I would do, if I left my child with a friend or neighbor for a little bit and then when I came back they had forged my name on documents to allow my child to be taken for adoption. Or if they were just snatched from the street on their way home from school. This was happening to hundreds of families during the depression. People were doing anything they could to make ends meet, but for Georgia Tann that didn't matter. One parent should be with the child at all times. That is the only way to show that you really love and are able to take care of the child.
I would love to read more about this lady. I hope there was a warm seat in hell waiting for her and all her cohorts when she passed away. Throughout the story, you can feel the love for Millie that Cecile has and she risks her life and the lives of those that are helping her in order to get to her daughter. No matter what she does, though it never seems like enough, Millie is always just beyond her grasp.
If you like historical, true crime fiction, you will enjoy this book.
Naomi Forrest (42 KP) rated The Missing Barbegazi in Books
Jan 4, 2019
This is Helle Norup's debut novel and was featured as a Sunday Times Children's Book of the Year. It is magical and the perfect book to read as you curl up in your pyjamas with a cup of hot chocolate.
A Barbegazi, in case you are wondering as I did, is a type of Swiss mountain/snow elf with a long beard that can only live in freezing conditions and has a severe intolerance to iron. The story is told from the point of view of Tessa, a young skier and Gaiwon, a barbegazi who is hunting for his missing sister. No-one believes the barbegazi exist anymore except Tessa. The only other believer was her recently deceased opa (grandad) and a professor who wrote about them years before. The barbegazi, for their part, rescue humans who have been trapped and injured in avalanches, erasing their memories afterwards. They are extremely mistrusting of humans.
. Norup's passion for skiing, the Alps and magic are clear throughout the novel and I think this is what makes the story so captivating. I loved the development of Tessa from grieving for her grandfather and wanting everybody to believe he was right about the barbegazi to realising that fame and proving a point are less important than trust and friendship. She never wavers in her faith that the barbegazi still exist and is a headstrong and loveable character.
The highlight for me was definitely reading about the barbegazi themselves. I particularly love that despite being more than a hundred old, Gaiwon's parents still treat him like a child. I loved the argument between Gaiwon and his father as Gaiwon shouts "I cannot wait to get my own cave" and his father retorts: "You can build one right now. And take your sesquicentennial hormones with you." This highlights that Norup doesn't 'write down' to the target audience but includes wide ranging vocabulary, as well as her own inventions, such as 'potzblitz', an emphatic expression of the barbegazi.
There is peril throughout the book though this is very mild. Tessa learns that people are not always as trustworthy as they seem. I always love the text-book sections that punctuate the novel (see photo below), describing features and traits of the barbegazi. This is really effective with ambitious vocabulary for children and introduces them to another style of writing, combining fictive and non-fiction styles. The book is set between Boxing Day and New Year's Eve, that magical time when you don't know what day it really is and we are all enjoying the post-Christmas days where we live in our pyjamas, eat too much and don't really do much of anything except relax and catch up. It was simply the most perfect time to read this book and imagine I was in a gorgeous Alpine ski lodge, surrounded by magical folk who will keep me safe in the snow. This is a fantastic debut novel and I really can't wait to see what Norup offers up next. Thanks for making my Christmas even more magical, Helle!
A Barbegazi, in case you are wondering as I did, is a type of Swiss mountain/snow elf with a long beard that can only live in freezing conditions and has a severe intolerance to iron. The story is told from the point of view of Tessa, a young skier and Gaiwon, a barbegazi who is hunting for his missing sister. No-one believes the barbegazi exist anymore except Tessa. The only other believer was her recently deceased opa (grandad) and a professor who wrote about them years before. The barbegazi, for their part, rescue humans who have been trapped and injured in avalanches, erasing their memories afterwards. They are extremely mistrusting of humans.
. Norup's passion for skiing, the Alps and magic are clear throughout the novel and I think this is what makes the story so captivating. I loved the development of Tessa from grieving for her grandfather and wanting everybody to believe he was right about the barbegazi to realising that fame and proving a point are less important than trust and friendship. She never wavers in her faith that the barbegazi still exist and is a headstrong and loveable character.
The highlight for me was definitely reading about the barbegazi themselves. I particularly love that despite being more than a hundred old, Gaiwon's parents still treat him like a child. I loved the argument between Gaiwon and his father as Gaiwon shouts "I cannot wait to get my own cave" and his father retorts: "You can build one right now. And take your sesquicentennial hormones with you." This highlights that Norup doesn't 'write down' to the target audience but includes wide ranging vocabulary, as well as her own inventions, such as 'potzblitz', an emphatic expression of the barbegazi.
There is peril throughout the book though this is very mild. Tessa learns that people are not always as trustworthy as they seem. I always love the text-book sections that punctuate the novel (see photo below), describing features and traits of the barbegazi. This is really effective with ambitious vocabulary for children and introduces them to another style of writing, combining fictive and non-fiction styles. The book is set between Boxing Day and New Year's Eve, that magical time when you don't know what day it really is and we are all enjoying the post-Christmas days where we live in our pyjamas, eat too much and don't really do much of anything except relax and catch up. It was simply the most perfect time to read this book and imagine I was in a gorgeous Alpine ski lodge, surrounded by magical folk who will keep me safe in the snow. This is a fantastic debut novel and I really can't wait to see what Norup offers up next. Thanks for making my Christmas even more magical, Helle!
The Man Who Walked Through Walls
Marcel Ayme, Sophie Lewis and Yann Kebbi
Book
A collection of funny and fantastical short stories, Marcel Ayme's The Man Who Walked through Walls...