5/27/2008

:: it's getting good ::

I liked So Brave, Young, and Handsome straight away, but late last night, around page 37, I thought, "Uh oh. Leif Enger did it again. How will I ever be able to put this book down?" Since I was weary to the bone, I found a way, but needless to say, whatever Enger writes - be it the phone book, grocery lists, etc. - I will read it.

Here's one quote that I read over and over, just for the sheer beauty:

"And so I rose each day and dipped my nib. I filled my hopeless quota. I was the Dickensian halfwit who composes letters by the hour, only to make them into kites and fly them up to God."
[page 22]

And, here's a description I found to be charming:

"It pleased Glendon to make shiny inlaid sections in the small foredeck of his Dobie Swifts. He generally shaped copper or bronze to the profile of a bird in flight - aglow with polish, they were pretty and simple as sonnets."
[page 26]

To entice you a little further, some of the character's names (so far) are Monte Becket, his wife Susannah, Redstart (their son), and Glendon Hale. It's fun to meet new characters, huh? Leif Enger's second book is getting good, folks.

And oh, yeah - the ending of Christ the Lord: the Road to Cana choked me up. Anne Rice did it again, too. Andrea, you gotta read it ASAP so I can say more. No pressure.

8 comments:

Megan said...

I'm glad you are hooked. I'm having a hard time "getting into" this one. I get hung up on the fact that he uses the adjective ropy so much. Ropy? It seemed unique in Peace Like a River and now it sort of seems like the only word he knows.

Harsh, huh? The story is definitely picking up, but I'm not reading it nearly as fast as I read the other.

jenni said...

Give it a chance! I don't think Leif Enger will let us down. I haven't noticed "ropy," but I have noticed that I type "might've" and "would've" (etc.) on my blogs a bit too much after reading Enger.
:)

Andrea said...

Don't wait on me. No telling when I'll get a chance to read that book. It could be weeks. Go ahead and post. I'm really bad about skipping ahead to the end of books and spoiling them for myself anyway, so it won't hurt if you do it ahead of time.

Cainan & Ryker said...

Jenni, I just got my prizes in the mail. Thanks so much. I've enjoyed the tea and so has my husband. How did you know Earl Grey was his favorite?

Anyway, I'm adding the Anne Rice Christ series and Enger's new book to my lengthy reading list for the summer. I'll keep checking in for updates.

Great Blog!!

jenni said...

Crystal, your husband has great taste (I love Earl Grey, too). I hope you enjoy the books ~ let me know!

jenni said...

Andrea ~ I just might then, though right now I'm trying to figure out how to describe the brilliance of The Road to Cana (my brain is currently dead).

Robin said...

Oh my gosh I really need to read it! I'm waiting for my friend to lend me hers sometime...I suppose it's probably worth buying though?

jenni said...

I do believe it's worth a purchase, especially since you might read it again.
:)