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!

Tears Tuesday: A Review of The Book Thief

"I have hated the words and I have loved them, 

and I hope I have made them right." 

- Markus Zusak, The Book Thief 

The Book Thief is about the power of words in the face of death. Zusak shows the reader this throughout the novel not only by the characters using powerful words, but by using words in a powerful way himself. He also took a subject that almost seems overdone or predictable and does something completely new with it. 

 

The use of Death seemed like a cliché to me when I first heard the novel described, but it is woven into the story in a way that is both natural and fitting. 

There are points to be given on the feminist side of things as well. Liesel is surrounded mostly by men, but she is not defined by them. She loves and cares for them but the story is her own. She is the one with the power. Though they help shape that power and her personality, they do not make her who she is. She does. 

The amount of moments in this book that make you cry will shock you. If you know about Germany, WWII, and the Holocaust you will (like me) think it won’t faze you. You might think you’ve read, seen, or heard about every possible Nazi Germany story before. But Zusak does something with this book I’ve never read before. It is those words and all the impact they hold. Zusak uses them to slice you open and pour in emotion you’ve never felt. 

Overall report: read this book. I went in thinking I would give it a 3 but after closing the book with tear streaked cheeks, I’d give it a 5.