Prodigal Summer

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
I was not a huge fan of this book, but I can absolutely see what my sister-in-law loves about it, as she was a long time vegetarian and pursues the ambitious cause to help others as a social worker. To me, the theme was kind of overdone with nature one-ness and I didn't connect with the characters. I was disappointed, because I loved Kingsolver's other stories. I hope the next one strikes a better note for me.

Case in point, from this review:
Reviews of the novel have both praised and criticized Kingsolver for her political ambitions. The novel is never didactic: if anything, the tidiness of the resolutions that may frustrate some readers comes not from a singular political message but from the traditional aspect of storytelling style. As Jennifer Schuessler points out, "As in any ecosystem (and any soap opera), everybody turns out to be related to everybody else."

RATING: C

The final books of 2011

To wrap things up, I wanted to list the final books I read in 2011. I read nearly 30 books last year, and feel great about that accomplishment. Although I didn't make much progress on the Time list, I am glad to continue making slow (but steady) progress there.

My reading time is substantially reduced now that I am driving to work in a new city, so in 2012, I have only read one book so far! Plus, I'm getting adjusted to a new job, new Junior League, spending time with family and friends in Ohio, and spending tons of time house hunting. The Time list is on my backburner, but reading in general is just a slower pace. I have business books and a couple of intriguing novels ahead of me before I launch back into Time. Maybe I'll even get back into blogging on my books...

Now, onto my final reads of 2011...

• Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs - I saw this at Half Price Books many times, and I finally had to give in to the brilliant yarn on the cover. It was a simple story that I sometimes lost interest in, but it was an easy read, and I can see why it is a series. B
• The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield - A book club read, loved this haunting story! A-
• A Million Little Pieces by James Frey - Disturbing, but excellent as a story (even if it was embellished.) B
• The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver - Also a book club book (my last pick before leaving Minnesota). I loved the Freida/Diego tie in as I have been to many of the sites in the early part of the book. And I felt like the book followed the timeline of my trip to Europe when I read it - I learned so much in the museums that was fictionalized in the book - B+
• The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway - Amazing, inspiring, moving A-
• A Secret Gift by Ted Gup - The book felt too long, it would have been an amazing magazine article. Loved the Ohio connection and the heartwarming gift that made such a difference. B-

And here are my favorite books of 2011 (and links to my posts if you want to relive my enthusiasm for these stories):
Moloka'i
The 19th Wife
The Posionwood Bible


Here is my full 2011 reading list:
1 Books

A Million Little Pieces (1) A Secret Gift (1) Am American Tragedy (1) Birds of North America (1) Bossypants (1) Catch-22 (1) Catching Fire (1) Friday Night Knitting Club (1) Mockingjay (1) Moloka'i (1) Mudame Tussaud: A Life in Wax (1) Perfect Peace (1) Pretty in Plaid (1) Reading Lolita in Tehran (1) Room (1) Sex Drugs and Cocoa Puffs (1) The 19th Wife (1) The Disapparation of James (1) The Girl Who Fell from the Sky (1) The Happiness Project (1) The Hunger Games (2) The Lacuna (1) The Monster of Florence (1) The Poisonwood Bible (1) The Thirteenth Tale (1) Their Eyes Were Watching God (1) Unaccustomed Earth (1) Wench (1)

 Thanks for reading!