Extremely Flawed Characters

I know... I know... I've hinted in my last book post that I bought The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, and I was perfectly fine with waiting until the end of the month to recap.... UNTIL... I went to the most amazing book club meetup tonight!

First, let me backup by saying that I had met with this group a year and a half to two years ago and kind of wrote it off as not being for me, plus I got super busy at work, and broke due to the holidays... blah blah blah.

Well, one of my oldest friends, Eden, asked me to join an online book club with her that was reading this book.  I happened to look at the Boulder meetup group and found they were also reading it, so I took it as a sign.

The online meeting group did not really get much of a discussion going outside of "I like this book", or "I didn't because the characters are shitty people".

I have to state that I personally, LOVE this book!  And after tonight's meeting I realized why!  I am completely head over heels in love with characters who have bad things happen to them and they spend their lifetime trying to get over it, they make mistakes, they make their situations worse by the choices they make, and in the end they've finally come to terms and they've accepted their lot in life and then the story just ends.  No pretty bow.  No riding off into the sunset.  It's realistic and it's raw and I LOVE IT!

I also, have to say there were two pretty amazing realizations I had at this meeting.  Someone asked, "What did you guys think of the mother in the book?"  Of course, everyone loves this character, if you read it you know what I'm talking about.  How could you not?  She is the main character's world and since it's written from his perspective, of course you too, will love his mom!  Then someone asks, "What do you think about his dad?"  I was one of the most firm responders, "I hated him, there's no excuse to be that kind of person, ugh!"  And some people were trying to show sympathy, be empathetic!  What?!?!?!?  The man is a raging alcoholic, his kid goes through his life walking on pins and needles never knowing what's going to set his dad off next, what kind of mood is he coming home in?  Even the reader feels this anxiety.  Or is that just me and my own daddy issues?!?  Someone even stated how they thought it was unrealistic that this woman would stay with this man.  Hello!  You must have never been the receiver of an alcoholic's apologies and how they guilt you in to loving them more, or giving them one more chance, or how they sway you to believe they want to change.  I thought the author handled this relationship between an alcoholic parent and a child flawlessly... so good!  All the emotions that come with a relationship like that, goodness.

Some of these people in this book club just could not get over why Theo (the kid, the main character) has such a hard time being a good person, getting his act together, making the right choices.  It's called ADVERSITY!!!!  And I don't expect people who have had smooth sailing lives to get it.

I mean, I get that we all have "stuff", we all have "baggage" or "ghosts in our closets", but let's be real... some people get dealt a way shittier hand in life... and it's frigging hard to surmount.  It's hard to grapple with.  And sometimes the best a person can come up with is just accepting all the bullshit for what it is.  And sometimes that is the happy ending.  The moment when the character is doing the best they can, while keeping every finger and toe crossed that some other huge event isn't just waiting around the corner to knock them on their ass again.

*I know this post probably doesn't make much sense... but in a world where we are sold happiness in every way possible, in a world where we are constantly told "to fake it till we make it" or that "God never gives us more than we can handle" or that "Your life will change, when you change the way you tell your story to yourself, stop playing the victim"... If you just meditate more, work out more, keep pushing... it will all get better.  It's exhausting.  And I love those characters that force the beautiful, positive people of the world to be uncomfortable.  The character that looks you straight in the eye, and the sheer amount of wounds and brokenness makes most want to look away.  I relish those empty, dark, sad parts of people.  That is where the meat is.  Most people are afraid to go there.

I love these people (even the fictional ones).  The broken and downtrodden.  I get them.  I celebrate them.

Let's Talk About Books Baby!

June

Books Bought:

Hard Choices- Hillary Rodham Clinton

The Goldfinch- Donna Tartt

Books Read:

Suite Francaise- Irene Nemirovsky

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Fire and Ice #2) (audiobook)- George R.R. Martin

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life- Thich Nhat Hahn

Greenwich Village Stories: A Collection of Memories- various contributors

Ok... let's start with the amazing fact that I bought and got my copy signed by the one and only SECRETARY HILLARY CLINTON!  Wow!  Some of you may know that I just adore meeting powerful political people at book signings (in the past I've met President Clinton, Vice President Gore, and Secretary Albright), I am now seeing Hillary as the link that will lead me from the Clinton Administration into the Obama era of book signings!  Plus, I can say that I met the future first woman President (hopefully)!

As for The Goldfinch, I finished that one in July so stay tuned!

Suite Francaise actually took me awhile to finish reading (actually June may as well be called "loose ends" month... I was tying up a few books that I couldn't wait to be done with).  Nemirovsky's book is amazing!  The first few pages I found myself thinking I was in for a masterpiece of a treat.  But the book did start to lag for me in places.  First, one cannot discuss this book without touching on the history behind it.  Nemirovsky was from the Ukraine, and was a Jew.  Nemirovsky's family fled during the Russian Revolution and ultimately settled in France where she converted to Roman Catholicism.  As the Nazi occupation of France was happening, Nemirovsky began what was ultimately going to be a sweeping novel about the very history that the citizens of France were living through.  However, her Jewish roots caught up with her and Nemirovsky was taken into custody only to die a brief time later in Auschwitz.  Knowing the author's own story which is placed out in the appendices of the book is what makes Suite Francaisse that much richer.  The story (at least the part that was told and later preserved by her daughters) has only two sections (though many more were outlined).  The first is a hodge podge of many Parisians who have fled to the countryside, they encounter bombings, and shortage of food, gasoline, and places to sleep.  Some of the characters are likable but most I found to be either not that interesting or kind of disdainful.  However in this section, it was the descriptions that kept me hooked.  The second section depicts a town where the Germans are staying in the homes of the local people.  This story I liked much more, you got to really know the people more.  Ultimately, it would have been interesting to see how the various sections were all going to tie together, but due to the author's sad ending we will never know... and even THAT leaves what we do have of the book with a much deeper meaning.

A Clash of Kings- Oy!  I have never been so happy for a book to come to an end.  I think I'm going to leave it to the TV show from here on out.  Enough said.

Savor was a nice book with a few little gems that I highlighted (gasp- yes, the only books I highlight are diet books!)  And just like all the other books, most of the information I already know, which leads me to think I'm going to these books for motivation or inspiration... but I'm beginning to learn that I'm not going to get what I need from a diet book.

Greenwich Village Stories- Loved this!  It featured many contributors, all residents of the village at one time or another and it really painted a picture of what the village means.  It's probably one of the most culturally significant neighborhoods in our nation's history.  The people that have flocked to it are always looking for something more, and they always find it... there!  

All in all, June was good, I got to put some books to bed and do a little more research.  July is shaping up to be most excellent... so tune back in then! Toodles!