Book Three: The Secret Life of Bees

A popular author's first book.

Sue Monk Kidd hit a home run with her first novel. I have to go buy one of her other novels to read now! This book is magnificent, beautiful, strong, inspiring, emotional, enlightening, charming and so much more. I don't know enough words to describe the beauty of The Secret Life of Bees. The pacing, voice, story, transitions, and characters are all perfect. The writing can be very painful and yet breathtaking. Every chapter has its own pocket full of wisdom. The Secret Life of Bees is a real treasure.

The title of the book I feel leads people astray. Don't get me wrong. The book discusses bees a lot, but it only enriches the story. My interpretation of the purpose of The Secret life of Bees is the fight for acceptance and forgiveness. To find acceptance and forgiveness from others and from yourself. The main character, Lily Owens, is haunted by a memory of when she was four years old (I won't give any spoilers). Lily struggles to forgive herself and others and to except life. Lily is in search for is acceptance and for someone to love her. She meets the Boatwright sisters (August, June, and May), who become her teachers about life and make her feel loved. She finds her family with the calendar sisters.

“Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here.” -August Boatwright 

I pray that this story gets told again and again. So that its beauty never dies.

Book Two: A Wrinkle in Time

A book you can finish in a day.

As I mentioned in my post before I have just gotten my wisdom teeth removed this week. Besides laying around in bed all day there has not been much for me to do. With that being said it was extremely easy for me to finish A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle in a day. Even on a normal day it would be very hard for me to put this book down. I could finish it in a day (any day!)

This book really surprises me. A Wrinkle in Time is written under the assumption that children are capable of understanding some fairly deep physics. L'Engle doesn't just state that the characters are able to time travel. L'Engle actually goes into an explanation on how time travel might be possible. When I read this as a kid I don't think I fully understood the science, but I still loved it. Even without the audience fully grasping the scientific details, the readers are able to proceed with the storyline easily. I love this book because after reading it I felt like L'Engle respected me as an intelligent reader.

Another shock I received from A Wrinkle in Time was when I realize how terrifying it is. There is a pure evil and darkness. Its existence feeds off of the fear and terror of the characters. This book can really send shivers up and down your back!

“Life, with its rules, its obligations, and its freedoms, is like a sonnet: You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. - Mrs. Whatsit”

This quote is probably one of my favorites in all of history. Life is a sonnet. You alone can write it.

Character Sketches: Ella

When you get your wisdom teeth removed there is a whole lot of nothing you are able to do. Nothing. Nadda. Zip. Laying around finishing the entire forth season of Gilmore Girls is how my past two days have played out. Seems like such a waste of a day. I have the week off from working and I can't drive anywhere so I decided to try to make the most of my sick days! I cracked out my sketch book and drawing pencils!

Something I have alway wished was that there was an illustrated edition of Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. I think it would make the loveliest book. So, I decided to do a little bit of sketching. I have never really sketched a cartoon character before. This is my first time. So here you all go! My first character sketches of Ella! And of course she resembles a Disney character (maybe because I have always wanted to work for Disney as an animator ). Which I don't know how I feel about that. I plan on trying again. For now though it is a good start! Enjoy!

Book One: Ella Enchanted

A book from my childhood.

I remember reading Ella Enchanted for the first time. I can't remember my age (third grade?), but I remember sneaking the book out of my sisters bedroom (it belonged to her) and hiding it under my pillow to read at night. Once the rest of my family went to sleep I would read it. Obviously it wasn't worth the risk to just ask my sister if I could borrow the book to read. Besides, staying up to read a book in secret was part of the fun. 

Incase any readers have not read Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine or seen the movie (which is nothing like the book) here is a brief/quick synopsis. Don't worry I won't include any spoilers.

Ella Enchanted is an untraditional retelling of the classic fairytale Cinderella. However this Cinderella has a twist. The heroine of our story, Ella, was given the gift/cruse by the fairy Lucinda to always be obedient. The result of the curse is that Ella must obey every command that is given to her despite any harm it might cause to herself or to others. 

There are many reasons why Ella Enchanted is one of my favorite books. I definitely encourage everyone to read it. If readers love a book thats is a page turner, has wit, cleverness, magic, friendship and happily ever afters, than Ella Enchanted is the perfect book. For starters, this book is filled with great role models for young girls. Ella is not the typical fairytale, good princess who sits around and waits for the handsome prince to take charge and save the day. The novel is narrated in Ella's voice, so it is easy to see how strong her character is. Ella is a real, live and spunky character. Her personality is rebellious yet down-to-earth. She uses her playfulness to endure the torment and abuse she receives from her step family. Mandy relates to the mother like figure in everyone's lives. She is caring, bossy, wise, and motherly. Prince Char is goodhearted and charming (of coarse).

In addition to the lovable characters, Levine created an authentic, magical, and compelling world with in the pages of Ella Enchanted. Levine paints a vivid picture of magical land where magical creatures live (elves, giants, centaurs, and gnomes). She also gives the reader a vivid description of the different languages spoken by each creature, or a detailed description of customs of each magical creature. An example is, the reader receives background knowledge on the customs and ceremony of a giant's wedding. After completing the book, the reader feels as if he/she has just returned from vacationing from the magical land of Kyrria. The readers are satisfied when Levine has beautifully brought the story a close. And they all lived happily ever after.

For each book I read and blog about I am going to pick one or some of my favorite lines from the book. I will discuss why I liked, disliked, or how I interpreted the line.

For Ella Enchanted my favorite lines were written in Ella's words in a letter addressed to Char. Char confined in his friendship with Ella about a mistake he has once made. A mistake he fears makes him not a worthy future king.

Ella's words read: "Mandy says there are two sorts of people in the world: those who blame everyone else and those who blame only themselves. I place myself in the third category: among those who know where the blame really lies."

As a child this line really had no affect on me and I continued reading without thinking twice. As I got older I stopped to ponder Ella's words. I was surprised by how much truth I found in a children's book. We are all human and we fear of things that make us weak. I feel that many adults struggle with pointing fingers to dodge the blame for their own actions. It is simpler than coming to terms with where to blame really lies. Which in some cases is with themselves. Then there are the people who always feels as if they are never good enough and only ridicule and blame themselves. That if only they would have done something different in a situation the outcome would have been altered. Some people feel obligated to take the blame for others. They feel that it is their duty to watch after others. And when something bad happens they had failed their responsibility. Everyone becomes a victim of each type of blaming at one point or another. After reading Ella's letter to Char I want to strive to be placed in Ella's third category. To know where the blame really lies. Whether is it lies with myself or another.

Some stories stay with you forever. Here I am. Twenty years old still staying up at night to finish Ella Enchanted. When I am fifty I will still read it. When I can no longer read from failing eye sight and old age someone will read it aloud to me . "I am to old for fairytales" will never be words I will say. 

As Ella would say: "Iqkwo pwach brzzay ufedjeE." Which translates as "until we dig again" in Gnomic. 

Ready. Set. READ!

Bonjour mes amis! Welcome to Sophie's library!

New years are great! There are endless possibilities of things that the new year could throw your way.  It is a time for new beginnings. On January 1st you can make the decision to be in control of the kind of year you wish to have.

This year of 2015, I have accepted a reading challenge as my new year resolution. One thing I knew I wanted to change this year was that I wanted to read more. I have always loved reading. Although, between work and school the only useful thing my books have been doing is collecting dust. Terrible. I know. Hey! At least I know where to clean! I have also an infinite number of books that I have been meaning and wanting to read.

While browsing Pinterest (more like wasting away on Pinterest) I came across a pin that gave me a wide range of reads. Instead of giving me a list of specific books it lists different genres, ears, and requirements for each book. Examples are "a book your mom loves" and "a book you were supposed to read in high school but didn't." I have many options for the second example. Considering I never read any of the required books from high school.

Here is the pin. I encourage you all to accept the 2015 reading challenge with me! It is only 50 books!  Well, technically 52 books since one of them is a trilogy. I wish you all luck on your new year resolutions and wish me luck on mine! Au revoir!