Book Report

Another book report already? Unfortunately it means I haven't written a lot of fanfic in the past 2 weeks. But at least these books were good! 

Agatha of Little Neon by Claire Luchette – I need to find the right words to describe this novel. Quirky. Sweet. Sad. Insightful. Real. Poignant. Filled with little details and moments that show that all the characters are fully-realized. The story takes place in modern times, and Agatha is a nun in a small order. The Catholic church is facing serious financial woes, and the woman who is like their Mother Superior is getting old and moving to a retirement home where they can take more care of her. So Agatha and her three sisters take a position at a live-in rehab place. Agatha is also asked to teach geometry at a local all-girls’ school, and she starts learning more about herself and realizing she has changed. Lovely, easy read and I think the book will stay with me for a bit. Grade: 8

 

Carville’s Cure: Leprosy, Stigma, and the Fight for Justice by Pam Fessler – I’ve never thought much about the topic of leprosy before. I remember it mentioned in the Bible a lot, and as a kid I once asked a teacher about it and she said the disease was pretty much eliminated in modern times. It is now called Hansen’s disease (and needless to say, the term ‘leper’ is not cool and not to be used). This book is a very intriguing, well-documented history of a place in Louisiana where many people with the diseases were taken to against their will and warehoused for the rest of their lives. It starts out as a horrible, run-down institution, but it gradually improves. The Catholic nuns who run it get better at treating people with the disease, and the conditions improve somewhat, and it becomes like a family for many.  People of all races lived and worked together here at a time when that was very uncommon. This was the best sort of journalistic book; the author tells the stories of individuals who were touched by Hansen’s and how they were treated by society at large. She’s a great storyteller who has documented and researched everything. Grade: 7

 

Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Results by Rebecca Bell. Illustrated by Hugo Martinez. – This is a graphic memoir. The author researches woman-led slave revolts, not an easy undertaking as so much of the history is buried. She visits libraries from New York to London to try to get her hands on tidbits of information. Like this company in England, which is still in business today, profited from the slave trade so she tries to get at their records – but is thwarted. She also covers how mentally agonizing it is to research this, being the descendant herself of enslaved people. And she imagines the stories of these fighters, best as she can. Fascinating note: slave ships that had more women on them had more revolts than those that had fewer. Sad topic but well done here. Grade: 8

 

A Song of Flight by Juliet Marillier – This is the third and last book in a series by the historical fantasy writer who I love. I won’t go into the details since I’ve gushed about this author enough already in here!  And this one is overall similar in theme to her others (taking place in ancient Ireland…there are beings that we might call ‘fey’ who interact with the main characters, though they never dominate events, there is action and mystery and romance). I am sad that the series is over. In fact, this trilogy is actually a continuation of another trilogy she wrote (two of the major characters are children of the main characters from the last one…..Oh man I’ve gotten attached to these people!!) Extra shout-out for there being a same-sex couple in this book. The author hinted back in the first book that these two were more than friends, and confirmed it here – though they didn’t get much “camera time” here, they did still play a good role. And I always say this but Juliet Marillier is in her 70’s and I just hope she keeps writing (if she wants to!) Grade: 8

 

Just Ash by Sol Santana – This was a great, fast-paced novel taking place in modern times. Ash is intersex and identifies as male. His parents are jerks who don’t accept him, especially now that he’s started to menstruate and grow breasts. A quick, gripping read by an author who is also intersex. Grade: 7