Thursday, October 22, 2015

The Uninvited

I read The Uninvited after attending a lecture by the author, Tim Wynne-Jones. I enjoyed his presentation, particularly his focus on place, and wish I had read The Uninvited beforehand because he referred several times to the young adult novel. As I read the book, though, I was much more interested in the plot. Mimi runs from New York City to Canada to avoid a bad relationship. When she arrives, she learns family secrets and finds out she has a stalker. The story is intriguing and kept me reading. I wanted to know what was going to happen. However, there is also an overt theme of incest that I found both uncomfortable and interesting, but I also question whether a young reader would be sophisticated enough to differentiate the shades of familial relationships that Wynne-Jones paints.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

P.S. I Still Love You

In P.S. I Still Love You, the sequel to Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Lara Jean and Peter navigate a real relationship, including exes, physical intimacy, and unexpected friendships. Once again, the characters are flawed but likable. I shed a few tears, wanting the best for Lara Jean and remembering how difficult dating can be. I look forward to next installment in the series.