Book-It 'o13! Book #25
The Fifty Books Challenge, year four! (Years one, two, three, and four just in case you're curious.) This was a library request.
Title: Body of Water by Sarah Dooley
Details: Copyright 2011, Feiwel & Friends
Synopsis (By Way of Front Flap): "Twelve-year-old Ember’s trailer home has been burned in a fire set most likely by her best friend, a boy whose father believes Ember’s family are witches. Yes, Ember’s mom reads Tarot cards as a business. Ember’s friend set the fire to warn the family before his dad did something worse to them. The friend never intended to do so much damage.
Now the family is homeless, and living in a campground. They have no money. Ember’s beloved dog is missing. School is going to start, and Ember and her sister have no clean clothes, no notebooks. The only place Ember feels at peace is floating in the middle of the lake at the campground. She has to make a fresh start.
Can she?"
Why I Wanted to Read It: I'm always on the look out for Pagan fiction that isn't some Mists of Avalon rip-off, and it's hard work. This came up under "Wiccans+fiction" and I was intrigued.
How I Liked It: The book has an extremely "self-published" feel to it, possibly because the author could so clearly have used an editor.
The story is bleak and stark in its portrayal of homelessness and poverty, and its protagonist is frequently made unlikable in an attempt to portray her as spurned and troubled. Still, the book is immensely compelling, if for no other reason than you find yourself wanting something good to happen to these characters.
Around the middle of the book, it needs an editor the most. Characters crops up and intertwine and it seems too much is left out and yet too much is left in. Still, the ending is surprisingly rewarding.
It's a decent book to educate and de-mystify Paganism for both adults and children alike and promotes a generally positive message about diversity and acceptance.
Notable: The book's depiction of Paganism is one of the most realistic I've seen, if bleak to see it in this context (a struggling homeless family clings to their rituals). The main character crafts spells in a moderately accurate way and this would be a decent book for kids to gain a better understanding of Paganism, particularly with the themes of persecution and misunderstanding of one's religious beliefs.
Title: Body of Water by Sarah Dooley
Details: Copyright 2011, Feiwel & Friends
Synopsis (By Way of Front Flap): "Twelve-year-old Ember’s trailer home has been burned in a fire set most likely by her best friend, a boy whose father believes Ember’s family are witches. Yes, Ember’s mom reads Tarot cards as a business. Ember’s friend set the fire to warn the family before his dad did something worse to them. The friend never intended to do so much damage.
Now the family is homeless, and living in a campground. They have no money. Ember’s beloved dog is missing. School is going to start, and Ember and her sister have no clean clothes, no notebooks. The only place Ember feels at peace is floating in the middle of the lake at the campground. She has to make a fresh start.
Can she?"
Why I Wanted to Read It: I'm always on the look out for Pagan fiction that isn't some Mists of Avalon rip-off, and it's hard work. This came up under "Wiccans+fiction" and I was intrigued.
How I Liked It: The book has an extremely "self-published" feel to it, possibly because the author could so clearly have used an editor.
The story is bleak and stark in its portrayal of homelessness and poverty, and its protagonist is frequently made unlikable in an attempt to portray her as spurned and troubled. Still, the book is immensely compelling, if for no other reason than you find yourself wanting something good to happen to these characters.
Around the middle of the book, it needs an editor the most. Characters crops up and intertwine and it seems too much is left out and yet too much is left in. Still, the ending is surprisingly rewarding.
It's a decent book to educate and de-mystify Paganism for both adults and children alike and promotes a generally positive message about diversity and acceptance.
Notable: The book's depiction of Paganism is one of the most realistic I've seen, if bleak to see it in this context (a struggling homeless family clings to their rituals). The main character crafts spells in a moderately accurate way and this would be a decent book for kids to gain a better understanding of Paganism, particularly with the themes of persecution and misunderstanding of one's religious beliefs.