Trash Talk Tuesday: Review of Susan Straight’s Between Heaven and Here

“It’s a thin line between heaven and here.”

-Bubbles, The Wire

It may be because I took a class with Susan Straight, or maybe she writes differently than I typically read, but I expected more out of this book. She is the second professor I’ve had a class with that I actually read the book for. One professor required it, and that was okay because his book was gorgeous and I cried reading it. Though I think the man is cocky for making his classes read it. But Susan, I expected more out of you. 

I believe my main source of complaint comes from there being too many characters. I couldn’t keep track of who was who, and who was related to who, and who saw what and when. This made all the point of view shifts difficult for me, and I generally love changes in narration. Almost all of my writing has at least two narrators. 

My main source of awe was the words. Straight is a hilarious woman, gifted in the craft of fiction (that was the title of the course!). There were moments that were clear and beautiful. I enjoyed the read. But would I recommend? Not to most people. 

I love characters and plot. This book had both, but I wasn’t connected to any of it. The plot mattered but I felt that we, the readers, knew more than we should too soon. 

The best part of the book, and the time that I felt most connected with the plot and characters was the last two sections/chapters. They were what I expected when she mentioned the book in her class. A boy who finds out his druggy mother is dead before his last chance to take the SATs; his last chance to get out of his shitty life and the shitty town. The opening and the middle weren’t about this, but some were, of course. But the book was mostly about a town and how this woman’s death shows the connection between all the people. Which sounds great, right?

But then my stupid ass brain couldn’t remember character names and even if some characters were a male or female. And in a book that has prostitutes, rape, and family, the genders matter a little. 

I plan to read other reviews of the book. The “about” section of the book states that some of the sections/chapters were originally short stories. Honestly, I’m sure they were better stand alone. 2 out of 5. 

If you read this Professor Straight, don’t hate me! I loved your class!

No Trash to Talk Tuesday: Jay Gatsby says 'old sport' at least 40 times. I counted.

I saw The Great Gatsby on Monday, and the music was the best part. The music made that movie. I don't even like Lana Del Rey but I love "Young and Beautiful" and I loved all the music. I've always loved Jay-Z but now I love him even more. I understand people finding the music random, but the music really did capture the craziness of the party, and it showed the timelessness of the story.

Jay Gatsby in the movie, is more likeable to me than he ever was in the book. In the book, he seemed emotionless and more obsessed with the idea of winning Daisy than actually in love with her. I never trusted his love of her in the book. But Leo's face in the movie proved his love of her. I'm a little smitten with Leonardo DiCaprio though... I might be biased.

Apparently, some think whether you like Daisy in the movie makes or breaks whether you like the movie at all. I don't agree. I didn't love or hate Daisy. Carey Mulligan did a very faithful job to who Daisy is in the books. A beautiful, little fool.

Overall, I would give The Great Gatsby a 4. Judge me all you want for that score, but Jay-Z deserves an Oscar.

Writing Wednesday: Writing feminist children's books

To get news from a source other than Facebook, I often look at the website for Bitch Magazine. After reading these two articles: How do you find feminist children's books? and "Mad Men" actresses reluctant to call Peggy and Joan "feminists" I have this to say: we need to stop allowing feminism to be a bad word.

I'm sorry but from my view of feminism Peggy and Joan ARE feminist. And what the hell is wrong with that? The association that this means they hate men, and they don't shave their legs? That's not feminism exactly. I find feminism to be about equality, and Peggy and Joan prove and fight to be seen as equal in the workplace and in the home. I don't think feminists hate women who want to be mothers either. It is about the choice to do so, rather than an obligation.

As a writer, I want to combat this problem by writing for younger audiences with a feminist intent. My hope is to write YA novels, and children's book that are about being yourself and having the choice to live life the way you want. Not the way society tells you are supposed to live your life.

Interestingly enough, a short story I wrote for children has a main character named Peggy. I started writing it before I new anything about Mad Men other than it being a show about the 1960s.

Now my question to the blog world:
What do you believe 'feminist' means?
Have you read any books for children you find to be 'feminist'?

Throwback Thursday: Hold on to your butts.

"Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the earth."

-Dr. Ellie Sattler, Jurassic Park

Nothing more accurately captures my love but laughter at Jurassic Park than the video above. Though I seriously judge the need to make movies all be in 3D, I saw Jurassic Park on April 5th. I found the 3D to be well done, and it was a great excuse to allow the film to be on the big screen once again. The more "scary" scenes were better on the bigger screen, and I loved hearing John Williams' music in surround sound. This was also my first time watching the movie since I read the novel  by Michael Crichton for the first time. I had never realized that he had a hand in writing the screenplay! 

I would say it is only worth going to seen in 3D if you already love the film. If you love Jurassic Park including all of its ridiculousness, you will love seeing it bigger and louder. 

In a future Throwback Thursday post I plan to update my review of the book, look for that in the coming weeks!  

The next movie I plan to see in theaters? 

Iron Man 3

Trash Talk Tuesday: More than a love story

"You gotta pay attention to signs. 

When life reaches out with a moment like this,

it's a sin if you don't reach back..." 

- The Silver Linings Playbook, Matthew Quick

 I was sold when the trailer for the movie version of this book featured Bradley Cooper throwing A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway out of a window. He was so upset by the outcome of the novel, that I laughed even though the ending to that same book made me cry hysterically. 

The movie version of the book was great, and after reading the novel almost all of my internal writing critic questions and judgements of the film were resolved. Being an avid lover of both film and novels I always pay attention to the differences and likenesses made in the process of adapting a book into a film. In general, the biggest change for The Silver Linings Playbook is that the novel is not a love story. It is a man overcoming and facing his mental illness and what led him into a mental breakdown. His breakdown has to do with love, and his ability to "move-on" from the breakdown has to do with love but it is not Tiffany (played by Jennifer Lawerence in the film) who solves the problem. It is not falling in love that saves Pat Peoples. In the movie, the problems of his past relationship is basically healed with a new one. But that's not the case in the novel, and I really appreciated that change. There is something that annoys me about that mindset, its like giving yourself an injury to distract yourself from an injury. 

My rating of Quick's The Silver Linings Playbooks would be a 3.5. I don't believe an English teacher would want to teach a class on the novel but overall I'm not embarrassed to mention my having read the novel to a professor. Feel free to argue my rating if you have read the book yourself. My reviews are completely my opinion, and I do not see myself as "all-knowing" in the realm of rating books, movies, or television. 

If you haven't read the book but you enjoyed the movie, then READ THE BOOK. 

Currently reading: Watchmen and Philosophy: A Rorschach Test edited by Mark D. White
and Watchmen by Alan Moore