Strangely, I feel compelled to share my thoughts with you on these books. I'm not sure if any will interest you, but here are a few of them nonetheless.
A Mother to Embarrass Me
My oldest daughter went through this stage when she was in sixth grade. She was hotly embarrassed by anything family related. She acted as if our every foolish move was being filmed and broadcast into the homes of her peers. It was a terrible time to live through and nearly broke my heart.
Perhaps this is one reason I never fully enjoyed the story, aside from the fact that I am not a twelve year old girl embarrassed by my parents. Carol quite perfectly captured the negative misery of this young girl. Although her parents were undeniably embarrassing, the daughter was too bitter, and I never really liked her. I kept waiting for her to throw me a bone and give me a reason to root for her. She redeemed herself in the end, but for me the wait was just a bit too long.
Overall, however, I found the characterization wonderful, the narrative voice strong, and the story charming. If you have a daughter who wears dark sunglasses and a large hat every time she is in public with you, or is ashamed by your pregnancy, I imagine she would identify well with this book.
ADHD friendly? Yes. Short and sweet. Uncomplicated narrative.
Some entries were perfunctory and some brilliant. The lack of narrative and presentation of topics letter by letter made the book difficult for me to make time for. It is definitely a novelty item and of use only to two types of readers as far as I can see: those that read so much fantasy that they can appreciate all the clichés being ridiculed, and those writing a fantasy novel who want to avoid including aforementioned clichés.
This latter reason is why the book was recommended and why it may one day end up in my library. I found one cliché in my novel mentioned in this book. Magical jewelry. I love the idea so I'm going to still write about it, but I will readily admit I did not invent the idea. I can only hope I present it in a new and interesting way.
Some of the entries were truly inspired. I particularly loved the mocking of commerce, economy, and geography. The character types were spot on, down to plot sequences as the characters "develop". I'd give you examples except I returned the book and forgot to write down any relevant quotes. We can see I should not plan on a career as a book critic anytime soon.
ADHD friendly? A resounding "No!". Although I found entries here and there hilarious and insightful, I had a very hard time moving through the book. It was too disjointed presented alphabetically. This may just be me, however. Your mileage may vary.
The writing style was sumptuous, however, as Le Guin is famous for. I found myself fascinated by the world she created and intrigued by her ability to tie the story together through cascading narratives. It was masterfully written. I just wish the ending had been more satisfying for me. After so much adventure and intrigue, she ended the book with a slow slog through winter filled mountains, a sudden death, and an even more sudden ending. I was as unsatisfied as her main character. I don't need a happy ending, but I do need a good one. This ending was merely fair.
ADHD friendly? Depends. If you don't like books where the point of view changes from chapter to chapter, this book will drive you mad. Otherwise, it is a good read, and I couldn't put it down.
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