books 2011 #8-10

A Scattered Life by Karen McQuestion

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Interesting characters, but I wish there were more depth to them. I think Audrey is the most well-developed, but she seems more peripheral to the story than Roxanne, Skyla and Thomas.

I liked the ending – any ending where people realize the good people/things in their lives and resolve to appreciate them more is good in my book.


The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was really surprised by how much I loved this book. I might even give it 4.5 stars. Enzo the dog narrates, and he is determined to educate himself through watching television and listening closely to human conversation, particularly that of his owner, Denny.

I thought I would be bored by the sections about race car driving, but I actually found it to be well done and interesting.

There is heartbreak and cruelty here, but also beauty, hope, and redemption.

Man, I love that Enzo.


Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


4.5 stars. Aminata Diallo is a wonderful narrator, a woman of true grit who was stolen from her African village and sold into slavery. She lives in Charles Town, Canada, New York, and London. Through her own intelligence and ingenuity, she manages to elevate herself far beyond the station in which her captors would keep her.

Orphaned at a young age, snatched from her homeland, and relocated many times, she has to make a new life for herself repeatedly. She finds ways to earn money and trade, she teaches other Africans to read and write, and she earns the respect of many. She finds hope and happiness, despite living in deplorable conditions and enduring terrible trials. Truly an inspirational character.

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