Vaclav & Lena by Haley Tanner
ISBN:  9780812981636
The Dial Press, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group
Fiction, 292 pages

FTC Disclosure: Got it in the mail and can’t remember if I asked for it, but after reading it I don’t care – I loved it.

Not many readers will know, and should not care, that this is Haley’ Tanner’s first novel. This is one of those sleepers that sneaks up and reminds you that excellent stories can come from unlikely places.

For the life of me, I can’t remember from whom or how I asked for this one, but yet it arrived in my mailbox and after reading the first chapter, I couldn’t stop.

The uniqueness of the story and it’s telling is what pulled me in and it was the characters that kept me interested long into the evening. On the surface, you could call this a love story. But at its core, is a story about “stories”. The ones we tell ourselves and others. Some of them are true. Some of them aren’t. Many seem to be a bit of both.

One of the hardest choices to make is how honest we have to be, and how honest we should be with the ones we love. Do we spare them and tell them what they want to hear, or tell them what they need to hear. In this unique story, Vaclav ends up accomplishing both.

Confused? Wondering what the hell I’m going on about? Read the book. Trust me, it’ll be worth it.

This is a perfect book to take on that trip, to the beach this summer, on a long flight, or to give as a gift to someone who loves to read, but is stuck in a reading rut.

I wish I could remember from whom I requested this book. I really want to thank them immensely for making me aware of Haley Tanner and her amazing debut.

Not that I dislike either, but I’m still not over that Grinch remake and I haven’t been enamored with any films coming from Mickeyland since Aladdin.

However, during one of my insomnia spells, I took a chance on Disney’s A Christmas Carol. I felt that between Colin Firth and Gary Oldman, I could get through it well enough.

I was wrong. And how.

I broke out my hard copy of the book just to be sure, and yes, there is was, all those wonderful lines spoken nearly word for word.

And to you Mr. Carrey, I owe an apology. Too many times I felt your performances over the top, at least for me – but here, your respect for Dickens classic work was evident and a joy to watch.

All the performances were stellar and remained as true to the original work as was possible.

The story is timeless and so will be this movie. Of all the versions, this is my choice to put in my library (next to the original version of the Grinch). Not that I dislike George C. Scott, or the Muppets, or Patrick Stewart – but something about this one got to me more.

To each his own I guess.

Regardless of the movie versions, the book itself remains a must read for the holidays. If you don’t already have a copy sitting next to the How The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, A Christmas Story (there is a book you know), and The Polar Express, please do yourself a favor and get one.

Of all of Dickens work, this brief, but powerful novella (which has never been out of print) will make you a permanent admirer of his gift for storytelling and social commentary.

Books mentioned in this post:

I didn’t put it back down until I finished it.  It’s well written, the story engaging, the characters ones you immediately care for. Basically, its core components were everything a good book should have, and then some.

Yet the subject matter at times was disturbing and the ending hopeful, but not happy or perfect. I loved it.

Room by Emma Donoghue
ISBN: 9780316098335
Little, Brown and Company
Fiction, 321 pages

FTC Disclosure: I own it baby!!

It seems I’m not the only fan:

• New York Times Best Books of the Year
• New York Times Notable Book of the Year
• Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize
• Alex Award
• ALA Notable Book
• Commonwealth Writers’ Prize

Many will see similarities to the Duggard case, and honestly, that’s why I decided to read a bit of it. However this story was inspired by the Fritzl case.

The narrator is five year old Jack and for the most part, I felt his voice reliable. However, there were a few times I questioned that. I overlooked it because it was the only way the telling worked. At times his unique view of the world stunned me.

In the world I notice persons are nearly always stressed and have no time. Grandma often says that, but she and Steppa don’t have jobs, so I don’t know how persons with jobs do the jobs and all the living as well. In Room me and Ma had time for everything. I guess the time gets spread very thin like butter over all the world, the roads and houses and playgrounds and stores, so there’s only a little smear of time on each place, then everyone has to hurry on to the next bit.

How do you re-introduce a person to the world? How do you do it with a child who has known nothing else? Jack is an alien in the world, but not in his own skin, which helps him adjust a lot better than his mother.

I can see why this would be a good choice for book clubs. The last part of the book begs to be debated and discussed. I’m not sure I liked how Jack’s mother came off. I can understand it, but it struck me wrong.

But that’s the great thing about books like this, these feelings you are left with to mull over and try to make sense of.  This is easily a book that begs – demands – too be reread. I don’t think I can give it a higher recommendation than that.