Move Over Lady MacBeth....

Calculating, Ambitious, Ruthless...oh, and mesmerizing.  Sounds intriguing, right?  Ron Rash's new novel, "Serena", is sure to pack a powerful punch in more ways than one. Set in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina during the Great Depression, “Serena” begins with lumber baron George Pemberton bringing his new wife, Serena, back to town. The opening scene is just too good to paraphrase:

“When Pemberton returned to the North Carolina mountains after three months in Boston settling his father’s estate, among those waiting on the train platform was a young woman pregnant with Pemberton’s child. She was accompanied by her father, who carried beneath his shabby frock coat a bowie knife sharpened with great attentiveness earlier that morning so it would plunge as deep as possible into Pemberton’s heart.”

From that moment on, the reader is thrown into a world unlike any I have ever visited.  Knowing virtually nothing about Appalachia or the people that hail from that region, simply meeting the characters and their culture was interesting enough. Add the element of environmental destruction via The Boston Lumber Co. and innocent lives in danger and what you end up with is a novel wracked with one startling event after another.

It is clear early on that Serena and Pemberton are to be viewed as the ultimate power-couple. He is the one in charge but it doesn't take long to see that she is calling all the shots.While he seems to believe that he has ingratiated himself by getting down and working with them a time or two, his inability to even recall the name of the girl he has impregnated illustrates his overall carelessness of the people who work for him.

And work they do....filled with harrowing descriptions of the dangers and perils of the logging industry, Rash describes an environment filled with a multitude of fears; snapping cables, wayward axes, frostbite and snakebites. These weary workers endure hellish conditions six days a week in all types of weather. Accident upon accident ensures that employees are constantly killed or mangled.  "If you could gather up all the severed body parts and sew them together, you'd gain an extra worker every month.", the doctor morbidly proclaims.  But as the Depression soldiers on, the camp is never lacking in willing bodies to work.

The book progresses as Serena and her husband work diligently to make sure plans for a  National Park do not come to fruition, knocking off anyone who stands in their way. As the bodies pile up, Rash manages to keep the tone terrifying without ever being overly graphic...most of the murders take place off the page and are simply talked about later.  But when Serena sets her sights on Rachel (the mother of Pemberton's child) and her son Jacob, it all takes a bone-chilling turn.  By the time Rachel and her son begin fleeing for their lives, the cold-blooded ways of the ironically named Serena had me so bewildered and flabbergasted that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Serena quickly establishes herself as a disturbing and intense villain, though even at her worst I was captivated. Unlike Lady Macbeth, however, blood stained hands are not a cause for guilt and certainly no reason for pause....a conscience, Serena does not have.

I think the best part of this novel was the way it was set up.  It seemed odd to me at first the character for which the book was named, is not front and center at all times....or that the story was not told from her perspective. We never really get to know Pemberton although a few short glimpses of human decency do flicker through right before being snuffed out by an unsettling loyalty to his wife. For me, it seemed that the unifier of the many plot lines came via the lunchtime conversations of the lead logging crew. Their simple and yet often profound discussions served to offer comic relief along with sage wisdom. Additionally, these conversation gave depth to characters that were no more than bystanders to the mayhem around them. They simultaneously lent a hand to the characterization not only of the people of the area but of the time.  As they quietly go about their daily business, they are all too aware of the underlying danger that Serena represents and they keenly understand what she is capable of. As one sagely states, “I’d no more strut up and tangle with that eagle than I’d tangle with the one what can tame such a critter”, referring to the eagle that Serena has managed to tame and is rarely seen without."

If all the mayhem, murders and chaos sounds like alot, trust me it is. The final culmination of it all is as riveting as the rest of the ride and leaves nothing left to question. Ron Rash's use of elegant language and graceful descriptions weave together themes of greed, lust, and conservation in a story sure to stay with you once the final page has been turned.

Getting It Done in the Twenty One One......

The above statement is my new mantra.  Notice I used the word 'mantra' and not resolution.  I am feeling more optimistic and hopeful about this phrase and somewhat less than resolute. I am ok with this.  Therefore, I will not feel like such a failure should something be left undone.  I am embracing my erratic and infrequent bouts of blogging and hope that you will simply bear with me.  So, here we go...no more whining about goals or messy houses or unemployment (largely because I am now employed, no longer attempting to goal set and have just come to terms with the domestic skills I so desperately lack). Without further ado.....

"The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen

Prior to this summer, I had never heard of this author.  But the release of his much-acclaimed novel, "Freedom" garnered so much attention, I knew I had to read it.  I ran out, bought Freedom, put it on my nightstand and proceeded with my summer.  I completely forgot all about it until September when I realized that he was going to be a guest author at the Library of Congress Book Festival.  Simultaneously, I recognized that he would be speaking at the same time as Suzanne Collins and we can all guess whose tent I was happily occupying. I never thought about this author again until I stumbled across a used copy of "The Corrections" and decided to read it first.  I have been composing this entry in my head ever since I started this novel and can say with certainty that the thoughts I would have expressed during this novel, differ vastly from what I have to say upon completion.  This almost never happens to me...I either like it, or I don't.  In this case, I spent 500 some odd pages in complete loathing of a family with whom I did not like or care to befriend.  Upon reflection, I realize that my dislike was so intense because Franzen so thoroughly delves into the lives and relationships of this fictional family, that you can't help but fidget uncomfortably and/or laugh while also falling for them regardless.

The novel follows the Lamberts, a mid-western family of five through events leading up to the possible occurrence of one, final Christmas together.  The three children have all grown and gone their separate ways, one of them with a family of his own. The elderly parents, Alfred and Enid, are struggling to come to terms with Alfred's increasingly difficult "affliction", Parkinson's.  It is Enid's one and only wish that the family spend one Christmas together, as a whole, in the house they grew up in.  With their own lives moving at rapid and dramatic paces and familial relationships in a constant state of bend and fray, this wish is harder to grant than it would seem .  Franzen chose to break the book down into segments with each segment focusing on a particular family member.  I felt that this was an integral part in the understanding and empathy (or initial disgust, in my case) the reader ultimately develops for the characters. 

As the novel progresses through a year of cruise-ship mishaps, psychedelic drugs, bouts of depression, illegal Internet fraud and illicit sexual affairs, I gradually found myself warming up to this dysfunctional family and falling in love with Franzen for the subtleties he felt compelled to include in his narrative.  From the contents of a laundry room cupboard to the character traits of consumers who frequent medical supply stores, Franzen creates a world that is morbidly comedic and all too closely related to our own. Both a fictional narrative and a wry  societal commentary, I was constantly in awe of the nuances he refused to omit as well as the breadth of knowledge he appears to possess about everything. Additionally, it is the relationships this family has with one another and the possibility that they could eventually parallel my own, that kept me going to the finish.

I have to wonder, though, if my age has something to do with my perception of this family. This family has long ago dispersed, each member molded into their lives, for the most part. Because my family is still in a state of flux, with siblings still in school and those yet to be married, the stagnation and boredom these characters were experiencing were altogether unfamiliar. Enid's focus on Christmas and her tangible excitement of the holiday was one of the few traits with which I could relate. Christmas tradition is the one topic on which my family unilaterally agrees. My parents and siblings, along with my spouse and my children always spend Christmas together at my Grandmother's. It has always been this way. Christmas tradition is the one element that I will not ever be willing to sacrifice.  The idea that we may never all be together on Christmas, or that my children will not want to be with me on Christmas, is one that makes my stomach tighten.  Enid and her devotion to the the way things were and the hope that they can be re-created was heart wrenching to read. No parent wants to envision a future with children who merely tolerate them.

Also, my parents are not anywhere close to the physical and mental deterioration of Albert and Enid. By most standards, they are still considerably young. Although I was unable to connect with the characters in this regard, the knowledge that day may actually arrive is painful enough. You can't help but wonder how you will react when the parent-child dynamic begins to shift. Alfred's deterioration amid his children's claims that "he is fine" is yet another example of the astute observations that have made me a Franzen fan. It is these observations, these nuances and questions, these relationships and these emotions that made "The Corrections" a novel not only worth reading but Jonathan Franzen worth remembering.

Getting Started...

So, I started this blog at the insistence of my sister who, as a blogger herself, thought it would be a good way to share the stories I so enjoy reading.  "A blog", I thought, "that could be a good idea." Having just completed my undergrad degree and full-time employment being an ever elusive idea thanks to the economy, I envisioned free time with time to spare.  The books on my nightstand suddenly became a possibility, as did the books on the coffee table, in the computer room and in a stack on the stairs (becoming a book hoarder is not unlikely in my future and shelving them is clearly unheard of).  The list of things I did not consider is almost as long as my "to-read" list.

One, I am the mother of two small children and the wife of a husband who has just started working on his MBA. I find that my men are generally warm and pleasant people, especially when they are fed and have the love and attention of their mother/wife bestowed upon them.  Life is easier for everyone when their basic needs are tended to and for the most part, I enjoy the tending. While I may find the time to read, it is not always easy to find the time to talk...er, write about it.

Two, my house does not maintain itself.  Actually, I chuckle as I type this because even though it does not maintain itself, to claim that I maintain it is a bit of a stretch.  I do what I need to...laundry, groceries, bills, etc.  But finding enough dust on the table to write your name in would not surprise me in the least.  Generally speaking, if my house is clean, I am either:
      a.) expecting company I do not know well (or my grandmother whose housekeeping skills rival no one) 
      b.) nesting (which has only happened exactly twice in my life...have I mentioned my two boys?)
      c.) reading something so excruciatingly dull that cleaning is a reprieve from whatever literary catastrophe I am trying to get through.

 But I digress....the third reason that I have not blogged lately is because although everyone is doing it and the topics range from ordinary to bizarre, I am finding that this whole blogging thing is a lot harder than it looks. Sometimes what I want to say about a book is hard to put into words, sometimes it is not worth mentioning, and sometimes I just can't find the gray area in the middle.  Most importantly, when I decided to do this I decided that above all, I did not want this blog to contain spoilers.  Nothing irritates me more than when someone, inadvertently or otherwise, ruins the end of a book for you (yes, woman at B&N, I am talking to you).   Telling someone to "grab a tissue, the end is a real tearjerker" or "I just loved it when...." really awakens a part of me that only wants to react one way: violently.  I will hit you before I will let you ruin a book for me. Seriously. I am not kidding. The flip side of that is that when I am trying to share a book that I think you should read, explaining why without divulging information only privy to the reader is a feat I am still trying to overcome.

Having said that, I recently attended a seminar on goal setting.  That's right, goal setting and trust me, this is relevant.  I attended this seminar because when I read the title of said seminar I could not think of one single, solitary goal I have ever set for myself.  Sure, there are things I would like to try/do and things I have tried/done.  But I can honestly say that I have never knowingly set a specific goal and then set out to attain it. Thinking that baby steps are surely necessary in both endeavors, goal setting and blogging, I have decided to combine the two and therefore hone two skills at once. (Wow, you can take the girl out of college but you can't take college out of the girl!)  My goal: to blog immediately upon completing a book, which in my case boils down to at least once a week. Shouldn't be too difficult, this goal should be an easy one to work with, right? (said Sisyphus to the rock..ha) I have said it, I have typed it, I have put it out here for all to witness....we shall see.

End of the Game

From where I sit, it is easy to survey the damage. The dishes in the sink remain untouched from breakfast this morning.  My empty coffee cup sits on the ledge of the sink, right next to my cup from yesterday morning.  The mail from this week is rapidly accumulating and balances precariously on top of the papers Mr. B brought home regarding the school's fundraiser. Dust coats the table tops and toy cars are lined up across the couch, evidence of a traffic jam that lies uninterrupted.  Upstairs, the chaos continues. Laundry, although clean, waits patiently to be folded and beds are haphazardly made. This house is in a state of turmoil; tasks left unfinished, chores completely untouched.  The culprits lie silently in front of me at the kitchen table. Red, Black and Baby Blue, they sit innocently on a place mat oblivious to the upheaval they have wreaked these past few days. As my heart continues to beat wildly, the effects of these little three, I wipe the tears from my eyes and prepare for damage control.  Somewhere in Connecticut, I hope that Suzanne Collins is basking in her glory, a smug expression on her face.  The Hunger Games trilogy is over and its aftermath is brilliant.

I stumbled across The Hunger Games shortly after the first book was published.  Looking for something that didn't involve vampires, werewolves and whiny teenage girls, The Hunger Games appeared to be a safe bet.  What I discovered was a strong, independent teenager in a world of violence, poverty and government control. Published as a Young Adult trilogy, The Hunger Games is nothing short of brutal, disturbing and amazing.  The lead character, Katniss Everdeen emerges as an unknowing source of hope in a world where hope is almost nonexistent. Formerly North America, the country of Panem has grown out of the ruin left from the Dark Days (frustratingly, the hows, whens, and whys of this ruin are not delved into).  Divided into twelve districts and ruled by the all-powerful Capitol, order is maintained by an annual 'reaping' which is designed to serve as a reminder of the control the Capitol possess over all who reside in Panem.  Using the children of each district to enforce this reminder, two children (1 boy and 1 girl) from each district are sent to the arena where in the face of man-made creatures, poisonous plants and Capitol controlled natural disasters, they will fight until only one is left standing.  Yes, these children will kill one another. Oh, and I almost forgot the most important part: it is all televised for the citizens' viewing pleasure.


Repulsed by the violence, overcome by interest in these characters and curious about the mind of Ms. Collins, it does not take long for the reader to become the typical Capitol viewer...engrossed in the tragedy of the players. But it doesn't end on the last page...she leaves us wondering, "what happens next?" Catching Fire, the second book in the series, does not disappoint either with drama, romance, and suspense at every corner.  Unsure whether I wanted Katniss to fall for Peeta or Gale, I alternated between the two of them much like she did. After the whole Team Edward/Team Jacob ordeal, I was not sure that I had the energy to invest in a teenage romance and was worried that Collins would succomb to the pressure and have this love triangle become the central storyline.  I greatly underestimated this author. Catching Fire proved to be as much of a ride as the first book and leaves you wondering at the end. (it should be noted, that these books are best read back to back...for your own sanity as well as that of your loved ones).


Going into Mockingjay I held conflicting emotions.  One, I had absolutely no idea where it was going.  Two, I had absolutely no idea where I wanted it to go. Three, I was saddened by the knowledge that with each page turned, I was heading closer to the end. I devoured each page, having to reread passages just to savor each one. Like a meal you don't want to finish, I wanted this book to last forever. At 400 some odd pages, it sometimes feels like it might.  The plot twists and turns, alliances are forged and broken, trust is given and betrayed. Love is sought...and found. (Sorry, I will not divulge any more as I refuse to be the one to completely spoil the end for you)

Fraught with themes of waste vs. limited resources, communism vs. democracy, and war vs. peace, Suzanne Collins has given us a trilogy that gives one pause and is unforgettable.  Needless to say, this is a story that sticks with you, one you will want to share with your friends. Even though its over, I find myself mulling over the message that it sends, the statements that are inferred about our society and our gruesome need to follow "reality" for our own entertainment.  But above all, I find myself contemplating the traits that make us human, how we reveal ourselves when our backs are against the wall. The survival skills of Katniss, the inherent goodness of Peeta, the fight in small and determined Rue (oh, Little Rue, you have truly stayed with me). How would we respond to a world like Panem and really, how far are we from it?   A feel-good read this is not.  If you are looking for light and fluffy, stay away.  But if you are looking for a book you can't pull away from (and some housework you would rather not do), then I highly, highly recommend this series.