Category Archives: 2010

Little Bee, by Chris Cleave

Posted on May 30, 2010 by Thistle

This is the story of two women. Little Bee is a refugee from Nigeria in Britain. Sarah is a wife, mother, and magazine editor, also in Britain. This is the story of how their lives collide and intertwine. I’ve seen … Continue reading →

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Matched, by Ally Condie

Posted on May 29, 2010 by Thistle

Cassia lives in a future world where the government controls all aspects of life, from your job to the number of kids you can have to the date of your death. Most importantly, the government is also responsible for choosing … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010, Prose, Young Adult | Tagged | 3 Comments

Nana, by Émile Zola

Posted on May 24, 2010 by Thistle

Nana doesn’t really have a plot I can describe. It involves a woman named Nana, a cheap “tart” as she’s called who sells her body for money but not on the streets like a prostitute. She’s picked up by a … Continue reading →

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The First Part Last, by Angela Johnson

Posted on May 20, 2010 by Thistle

Bobby is a sixteen year old parent, struggling to take care of his newborn daughter, Feather. He wants to do the right thing for her, but he’s not perfect. All he can do is keep trying. I loved this book … Continue reading →

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Carnet de Voyage, by Craig Thompson

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Thistle

Carnet de Voyage is Craig Thompson’s illustrated travelogue/travel journal over two months visiting France, Spain, and Morocco. He was partly doing research for his upcoming book Habibi (which I’m very much looking forward to) and partly on tour for international … Continue reading →

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Lost At Sea, by Bryan Lee O’Malley

Posted on May 17, 2010 by Thistle

In Lost at Sea, four teenagers are on a road trip through California. Raleigh is the outsider, picked up almost by random, and she’s suffering through a problem: she thinks she doesn’t have a soul. As the trip goes on, … Continue reading →

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Shortcomings, by Adrian Tomine

Posted on May 16, 2010 by Thistle

I hardly know how to describe this graphic novel. I suppose it’s about two Asian-Americans who are dating each other, Ben and Miko. Ben is cynical and pessimistic. He’s also obsessed with non-Asian culture (ie he likes to fantasize about … Continue reading →

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Voodoo Season, by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Posted on May 14, 2010 by Thistle

Marie Levant moves from Chicago to New Orleans during her medical residency. Once there, she begins to have strange dreams that haunt her, and her knowledge of the patients that come into the emergency room border on sixth sense. Indeed, … Continue reading →

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Seeking Sara Summers, by Susan Gabriel

Posted on May 13, 2010 by Thistle

Sara’s life as a middle-aged mom, wife, and teacher is thrown into upheaval when she gets breast cancer. Over the last year, she’s fought the illness, continually apologized to her husband for being sick, and downplayed the seriousness of the … Continue reading →

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Little Children, by Tom Perrotta

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Thistle

Sarah doesn’t fit in. She takes her daughter to the playground near her home in an upper-middle class suburb, but she knows she’s different from the other moms there. While they talk about fatigue, sex, and their daily schedules, conversation … Continue reading →

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