Monday, March 28, 2011

Zip zip quick read

So I had Rebecca Black's "Friday" stuck in my head literally all day yesterday. I even got my husband obsessed, which I truly feel bad about, but with lyrics like, "we we so excited," how could I not? But since yesterday was not in fact Thursday, and today is not Friday, but yesterday was Sunday, and Saturday came before, I just felt the need to blog today. Monday Monday. (oh, that reminds me of the Mamas and the Papas). So on with the books! And this one is so far from "Friday," even if you really couldn't care less about Ms. Black, you may just find this next book worth picking up. I can’t believe how fast Light on Snow by Anita Shreve went. If you want an author who writes emotionally charged dramas with a touch of nostalgia and beautiful prose, I would go with Anita Shreve. Okay, so here’s the story: It’s the 1970’s and a young girl and her father go out for a walk in their woods. As it gets dark and they are about to head home, they hear a noise and discover an abandoned baby in the snowy woods. Nicky and her father rush the baby to the hospital, where he is questioned by authorities in his involvement in the event. The plot thickens when the mother of the child visits their home in an attempt to move on. The story takes place in a matter of blistery days, but during this time, we get a pretty interesting psychological sketch of the characters. Nicky’s mom and sister were killed in a car accident several years earlier. Her father, in an attempt to run from the tragedy, moves himself and Nicky to an isolated New England town. Nicky forms a strong bond with the mother, even though her father is adamantly against the relationship. I know the characters grew and changed by the end of the story, but I think the point was more about them dealing with their past. Neither Nicky nor her father had moved passed their family’s death, but through this ordeal, they begin to. The experience for them is cathartic, if not dramatic, and we get a touching coming of age story as well. I browsed Anita Shreve’s collection with the intent of reading Sea Glass. I still may at some point, but I did enjoy and recommend Light on Snow.

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