Gilead

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Gilead
Marilynne Robinson
2004

The Summary
Originally begun with the intention of providing his son with a glimpse into their family history, Reverend John Ames quickly turns his letter into a memoir, in which he recalls memories from his childhood, experiences from his clerical life, and both the tragedies and triumphs he has faced.  More importantly, in his writing, he seeks to reconcile himself with his growing age and failing health.

The Good
Despite his designation as a member of the clergy, Ames is still flawed.  In his candid entries, he reveals he has instances of jealousy and distrust, moments of frustration with his congregation, fits of passion (especially around young Jack Boughton), and unmistakable encounters with his own doubts, much to his chagrin.

John Ames is not a perfect man - but he is a good man, and that's exactly what makes him so intriguing and Gilead so compelling to read.

Truly good men sometimes seem to come few and far between in literature.  As a man who has enjoyed his life, simple as it may be, Ames makes an interesting study into the life of an "average Joe" and clergyman.   His faith, his candor, his goodness, and his willingness to admit his own faults make him truly unique character in a world where the sin often makes the story.

The Bad
Marilynne Robinson made some unique stylistic decisions in writing her novel.  For one thing, she provides no chapters whatsoever in Gilead.  Aside from the occasional division between paragraphs and individual ideas, Robinson essentially leaves Ames to his own devices.  While this provides the novel with the illusion of being a legitimate journal, it can also leave you searching for a break between the pages.

More importantly, Robinson's lack of chapters does not necessarily diminish the quality and complexity of her novel.  But it can sometimes leave you frustrated and mentally winded by the lack of any discernible stopping points.

The Ugly
Ames, in writing this prolonged letter to his son, often times reveals the conditions of real life.  While the realism of Ames's character is not a terrible thing, sorrow and regret and guilt frequently permeate the novel.  So Gilead is not a spectacularly optimistic work, especially given that Ames anticipates his own death at any time from page one.

But, in that respect, Robinson's novel is quite beautiful in spite of its darker undertones - and Ames becomes more easily treasured for his temporary qualities and ephemeral nature.

Speak

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Speak
Laurie Halse Anderson
1999

The Summary
Written from the perspective of Melinda Sordino, Speak chronicles her freshman year of high school as she contends with school-wide animosity for calling the police and breaking up a summer party.

For her actions, she has become a social outcast - a pariah.

Withdrawing from her old friends, her family, and herself, she spends her school days hiding in a janitor's closet, which has become her new sanctuary, and hides from the truth.  No one knows the secret behind Melinda's silence, but, as the year progresses, she may just learn to speak again.

The Good
If you've ever been in high school, then you can relate to Melinda.  She thinks what any student would think.  She faces the same hazards.  She braves the same treacherous roads.  What she experiences, you may have experienced, at one time or another, in high school.

And, as Melinda braves her own trauma and flounders through the social hierarchy of high school, Laurie Anderson gives her narrator a clear and recognizable voice.  She provides an incredible depth and realism to Melinda, which makes her story all the more heart-wrenching and genuine.

More importantly, Melinda's journey to find self-worth and healing will resonate with you.  Her insight into tragedy, her thoughtfulness and candor make her story well worth reading.

The Bad
Anderson writes with a teenager's voice in mind.  Although I wouldn't say this is an entirely bad thing, since it makes Melinda seem realistic, her narrative occasionally borders on stream-of-consciousness.  So, you may want to reread a few passages to fully understand.

The Ugly
High school can be ugly - and what Melinda faces there couldn't be uglier.

In particular, I would mention sections involving "The Beast" (that is, Andy Evans), because many of these sections reveal the true torment and violent emotional distress Melinda undergoes in high school.

Some of these sections, I can almost guarantee, will be painful to read.

Storming Heaven

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Storming Heaven
Denise Giardina
1987

The Summary
Set during the earliest years of the twentieth century, Storming Heaven reveals the darkest side of the embittered battles between coal companies and coal miners.  In particular, it tells the stories of four individuals who were each influenced and, in some ways, damaged by the coal mines of West Virginia.

More importantly, the author, Denise Giardina, attempts to tell the long-forgotten story of Blair Mountain:  the location for one of the largest rebellions in America after the Civil War and the first (and only) time the American military dropped bombs on American citizens.

The Good
Giardina has an amazing capacity for combining historical fact and creative license, borrowing both from her skills as a writer and her indepth investigations into history.  Although her novel may occasionally deviate from the raw facts, Storming Heaven remains true to life.

Moreover, Giardina also has a unique skill for bringing her characters to life and giving them a distinct set of qualities all their own.  Whether you are reading the chapters of C.J. Marcum, a socialist newspaper publisher, or Rondal Lloyd, a dedicated union man, or Carrie Bishop, a gutsy young nurse, or Rosa Angelelli, a Sicilian immigrant, each provides a specific view on the conflict and invites you to spend a few moments in the middle of their lives.

The Bad
Giardina does tinker with dialect and speech in her novel.  Storming Heaven is, after all, set within the mountainous regions of West Virginia and Kentucky, so certain inflections of speech and quirks in spelling will inevitably occur.

And, for some readers, this may prove to be a formidable barrier.

Although decidedly not as difficult as trying to understand Jim, or even Huck, in Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, this novel may make you look twice.

The Ugly
In writing her novel, Giardina has no interest in remaining impartial or unbiased.  She ardently supports the position of the coal miner and the people most harmed by coal mining companies, as will become apparent from page one.

Additionally, Giardina intends no gentleness in chronicling the events leading up to the Battle of Blair Mountain.  Much of her book will rattle your faith in humanity, or perturb you to the very core of your being - or, yes, simply break your heart - for the sheer weight of misfortune visited upon these people facing the pure, unimpeded greed of mining corporations.

And I can guarantee Storming Heaven won't end on a note of great happiness.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

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The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Anne Brontë
1848

The Summary
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall reveals the story of the mysterious Helen Graham, a young female artist who has inhabited the lonely manor of Wildfell Hall with her young son.

Narrated in part by Gilbert Markham, a local farmer who finds himself enamored with the lovely newcomer, and by Helen Graham herself, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall uncovers the extent to which violence, abuse, excess, and tyranny were accepted in marriage and society - and the extreme measures one woman will take in protecting her child and declaring her own independence.

The Good
Anne Brontë creates an excellent novel with The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.  Besides investigating a topic rarely discussed in Victorian society - and causing quite a stir for her choice - Brontë crafts an amazing and compelling story that is sure to capture your attention.

Between the intimate glimpses into Helen's diary and Gilbert's candid confessions, this novel also presents an interesting set of characters who easily become immediate literary favorites.  Their emotions are raw, their thoughts are intimately depicted to the reader, their actions are occasionally impulsive, and their reasoning is sometimes flawed.

Both exist as imperfect individuals, which makes them all the more human and all the more precious.

The Bad
Gilbert plays a crucial role in the novel and he has his own merits as a kind, honorable man, especially when compared to some of the other, less savory individuals depicted; however, he generally pales in comparison to the brutal honesty and emotional stamina of Helen Graham.

Although he claims full and unfaltering loyalty to Helen, Gilbert frequently succumbs to the pressures of society.  Despite the love he confesses to have for her, he's a man very much shaped by gossip and social expectations - and, yes, his mother.  As such, he often seems to fall into the habit of embracing gender stereotypes and double standards, which make him appear frustratingly small-minded and narrow.

The Ugly
In her novel, Brontë doesn't shy away from even the most disturbing and unsavory subjects.  Emotional abuse, alcoholism, illicit sexual affairs, cruelty and violence, and much more appear within the pages of Helen's diary, as she reveals her history to Gilbert.  Certain parts of her confession may even break your heart, including her husband's apparent neglect of their marriage or her own child's passionate disregard.

It's a candid portrayal of a marriage on its worst terms, and Brontë isn't afraid to let the worst shine through.

Beloved

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Beloved
Toni Morrison
1987

The Summary
Beloved primarily tells the story of Sethe, an escaped slave, and recounts the horrors she endured at Sweet Home in Kentucky, the haunting recollections of her dead child, the strained relationship she has with her living daughter Denver, and the mysterious connection she has with a girl who names herself only as Beloved.

The Good
Based loosely on true events in the life of escaped slave Margaret Garner, Toni Morrison weaves a heart-wrenching tale of one woman's attempt to accept and live with - or, better yet, escape - the torments of the past.

It's rough, it's raw, and it's guaranteed to open your eyes on more than a few topics surrounding the treatment of slaves and the suffering endured even after the abolition of slavery.

The Bad
This novel often hops perspectives and backslides into the past, making the divide between characters - and time - a difficult thing to pinpoint.  Additionally, the ambiguity of Morrison's novel can often leave the reader questioning events, rather than acknowledging the impact it was meant to have.

There's no doubt Beloved will make you think twice, but, occasionally, thinking twice may require rereading certain passages to understand the whole context and meaning.

Moreover, Morrison occasionally dabbles modern speech with 19th century slave dialect, which makes Sethe's story a little less than "true-to-life."  Although it appropriately links Sethe's story to the Civil Rights movement and current conflicts, it can occasionally be frustrating to make the distinctions between historical fact and modern embellishment.

The Ugly
Many of the events in Sethe's life are tragic, including the gruesome death of her eldest daughter, the dark history she has with Sweet Home, the awful scars she carries on her back in the shape of a choke cherry tree, and the terrible abuse she faced under the vile Schoolteacher.

Rest assured, you may very well weep for Sethe and her children.  And, if Sethe's story doesn't break your heart, then Beloved's will.