Uh oh for all you superstitious types, Friday the 13th is upon us. Let’s combat the bad juju with a good old fashioned book review. Scroll to the end of J-Dub’s Grin & Bear It (if on desktop) to see the link up to my Goodreads review for more details. Not sure what is the view on the WP app. You know what, just in case, here is a copy paste …
We find out why the book is titled The Candy House over half way through. Like Hansel & Gretel. Very fitting for this cautionary tale with a watch what you wish for theme. Nothing is ever as it seems. A moral take on society without being preachy. Multiple stories within the story where people are connected sometimes briefly & other times for life. I want to be like Alfred thinking up “projects” and screaming in public. Absurd but understandable. At least to me.
I highly recommend this book because it was pure escapism. At the time, I was desperate to leave my troubles behind. Don’t you just love when a good story can do that. Linda G Hill wrote about her constellation of characters for #JusJoJan & I replied The best characters from books are the ones that help us sort out our own stuff. I collect more every time I read! I like thinking of this rag tag band in my brain as a constellation.
From The Candy House, that character was Alfred. I swear I’m going to scream in public just to see what happens. I’m not really going to scream in public, maybe in my car with the windows rolled up but dang it I want to scream Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! Okay now that I got that out of my system, here are some commonplace book quotes.
Jennifer Egan in The Candy House
- Pouring over a volume with carnal transport as if it were a tub of ice cream.
- If my life has taught me anything, it’s that curiosity & expediency have a sneaky inexorable power.
- People don’t have to smile to be happy – sometimes they smile to hide unhappiness.
- Experience leaves a mark, regardless of the reasons & principles behind it.
- The world is cruel & irrational, the strong thrive at the expense of the weak, and happy endings are purely a matter of framing.
See what I mean?!? That first bullet though, definitely how I read. LOL. Good stuff, words painting pictures & all that jazz.
As always, more to come.
J-Dub's Grin and Bear It 
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