The Tiger's Wife

The Tiger's Wife by Téa Obreht

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tea Obreht writes a very strange story. I started this book months ago and put it down as I couldn't get involved. However, in light of the fact I had nothing to read, and that it was lent to me, and I really need to return it, thought I'd give it another go. If you don't like stories within stories, you may not like this book. In some ways, it reminds me of "Life of Pi", which was also very strange (in my opinion).

This story reads like a dream to me. You know how you can have dreams and they can seem so real, but are yet surreal, and seem so fantastic, and don't always make a lot of sense? That's what this book feels like to me. As I moved forward in the story I became more intrigued about the title and the story within the story. I don't feel like I have a complete understanding of the end, but, like a strange dream that sticks with you, the story is sticking with me. I want to come to terms with it. For this reason, it seems like a good book club pick to me--perhaps if I can talk about it with another reader or group,it will become clearer.

This is a rather nebulous review, so I'll just close with the fact that once again I am reminded of my naivety and innocence as far as my place in this world. What fortunate people we are to live in a country in which we don't live in the chaos and uncertainty of a war torn nation or to come to grips with the facts that the boundaries of our homelands can change as a result of wars and/or treaties. Although our men and women serve, we, in America, have relative security and peace. We can choose not to get involved in the difficulties of getting medicine, food, water even, because we have been blessed to be born here.

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Human Extremes

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Human beings can fall on such extreme ends of the spectrum--cruel and ruthluss, grace-filled and forgiving. You get to experience both in "Unbroken".

I am always amazed, when I read true life stories, how ignorant I am of historical events. I am also amazed at how evil human beings can be.

"Unbroken" started kind of slow for me, but a few chapters in I became intrigued and involved with the story of Louis Zamporini and his experiences as a POW interred in a Japanese camp. I'm intrigued by several things. One, it is so difficult for me to comprehend how people derive pleasure from hurting and demoralizing other people. In so many ways, my brain just cannot grasp this. What sort of sickness drives a person to demand that person eat excretement, or beat a person for really no reason at all.

In fiction from the old days, people were sometimes referred to as souls. I like that. It implies to me, that you see not just a person's body, but their heart, their person. It says, you are a person, you are worthwhile, you are so much more than just a race, or a body. You're real, you have value. I don't know that we see each other like that anymore, and Rudy's experience, as well as the other POW experiences, attest to the fact that they are really, even less than invisible to their captors. In some way, their captors see them as deserving of mistreatment. Truly, I find this so hard to fathom.

And then the "souls", the people whom they are abusing, they have a quality that is also difficult to comprehend. They survive. They have hope. They remain human. Would I be able to hold on to these qualities in similar situations, or would I give in to hopelessness and despair? Would I give up?

Louis's story has a happy ending. He survives. He has angry and bitter years, but, through God's grace, he forgives, he is absolved of the demons of anger, and lives his life. Just that simple statement should be enough to astound us. He's a testament to God's power to change lives. His story humbles me in my small struggles to live a life of grace.

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Your Heart: The Well-Spring of Life.

When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reading is such a great escape from life. While waiting for a book on hold from the library I reread this book by Charles Martin. I really need to try some of his other works as I really love this book.

When Crickets Cry could be categorized as Christian fiction, but, for the most part I think the story would appeal to all. A gifted heart surgeon has run away from his practice due to a tragedy in his life. He runs into an endearing little girl, Annie, who is in need of a new heart. Through a series of circumstances his personal tragedy and her story begin to overlap. It seems only he can heal her heart, and only she can heal his. I liked how the author blended the scientific knowledge of the heart, with the emotional aspect of the heart. I remember I had tears at the end of the story the first time I read it. It fit the bill for this Sunday afternoon.

One of my favorite things in this story is how the main character, Reese, throws in quotes throughout his conversations with Annie. One such quote by Augustine:

"You stir man to take pleasure in praising You because You have made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in You."

I had to look up this quote: "What the hand dare sieze the fire, and what should and what art, could twist the sinews of the heart? And when thy hart began to beat, what dread hand, and what dread feet? When the starts threw down their spears and water'd heaven with their tears, did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lame make thee? (William Blake: The Tiger--a poem I know, but had forgotten)

An example of some of the author's prose that resonated with me:

"There's a gold mine in salvageable wood draped in kudzu, pine needles and acorns is someone is willing to peel back the vines and plane the wood. It's a slow process, and you're bound to uncover a few snakes, but maybe lie is like that--you never know when something that's been hidden is going to rise up and bite you, or glow with a golden hue."

Even though this was a re-read, it still captured my heart and imagination.

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