gift 1: a notable capacity or talent 2: something voluntarily transferred by one person to another 3: the act, right or power of giving
After feasting, exchanging presents and walking a couple of times on brilliant winter beaches, I was home again this weekend. And my gift to myself was time to read one of my presents, The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson.
I had put it on my wish list after it was recommended by Beth Revis, who paid homage here to fiction that inspired her own work.
I don't want to spoil this story for anyone, so I won't give the mystery away. Jenna awakens from a long coma and searches to recover who she was. She struggles to define words and relationships. I suspected the secret long before she did but that didn't matter, because the story is about her peeling away layers of concealment to discover the truth. It is about ethics and fierce parental love. It's learning to be comfortable in your skin, no matter how different you are.
I consider this book a gift from the author, who has written a story that is as thought-provoking and meaningful as it is entertaining, and I thank Beth for noting it and my daughter for giving it to me. Consider gifting this to yourself.
While on the subject of gifts, I can't let this go by. My friend, Donna, gave me one of the neatest surprises of my life. She found old nesting boxes at an estate sale and filled them with goodies, including books and oddments addressed to the main characters of two of my novels-in-progress. I had a most glorious time discovering what was hidden in the boxes, which, by the way, deserve a story of their own. Flash fiction, perhaps?
And I have more good reading! What can be better than that? Hope you have had a grand time whatever you did, wherever you are.
27 comments:
The nesting boxes sound like a great gift! Especially since they were addressed to some of your characters. Very thoughtful!
The boxes sound all kinds of awesome! I love that they were addressed to your characters!
Looking forward to some good reading...
Christmas was marvelous!
I love the boxes, I'm sure your characters appreciated the thoughtfulness. They do feel so real don't they?!
Mary Anne and Vicky: It was made of thoughtful and awesome!
Liza: Great--hope you enjoy.
Tamika: It's true. Characters feel real but sort of in an alternate reality. Glad you had a lovely Christmas, too.
Time to read. What a glorious gift to yourself. I'll have to get this book!
What a wonderful gift, the nesting boxes, still overflowing into your home, adding imagination and creativity everywhere you are! Merry Yuletide, and may your 2010 also be centered around a happy writing life.
Mel: Yes, do! It's amazing.
Hi Pat! How nice to see you here and thanks for the special wishes. May your New Year be filled with good things, too.
Hmmm...gifts for my characters. Maybe I should have done something similar. Perhaps they would be more cooperative:) The gifts sound loverly. Christmas is such a happy time.
That book sounds like a good one. And the gifts from Donna? Divine. I hope your characters enjoyed them.
I have read The Adoration...intense, thought provoking. Those nesting boxes with nothing inside, would have been a wonderful present all by themselves, but to have things inside them, things for your characters...what a treat!
I love a good mystery! I'll definitely have to read this one. Thanks for the review!
Tina: What a great idea--make your characters cooperate by giving them things! I've interviewed them before, and they like that chance to spout off at me. ;)
Terresa: Enjoyment was had by all!
Bish: Adoration will stick with me for some time, because there was so much to ponder in it.
You are right, the boxes were a treat in themselves--I felt well-treated, indeed.
Nisa: It's a dandy, to be sure.
I feel like my writing has gotten much better after I started thinking of my own work as a gift to people. So often, I think good writing comes from the act of being generous. Caring about the reader means that I take the time to write things clearly and emotionally so that I'm not wasting my readers' (or reader's) time.
A great review, sounds interesting :-)
Thanks fellow writer!
THAT is a rockin' cover and your review is causing me to add it to my "to read" list on Goodreads. Thanks for the heads up!
YAY!!! I am so glad that you got this one and liked it. It really is brilliant! :) Merry Christmas!!!!
I like the flash fiction idea. Go for it!
BTW, I have a surprise for you over at my blog.
Davin: Beautifully said. The best writing comes from the heart, which is definitely a gift.
JMay: Welcome, and thanks!
MGray: Welcome, as well! Isn't it a great cover? That's the paperback cover, which is different than the HB was. Hope you enjoy it.
Beth: Oh yeah, I sure did. I'm so excited for where your book is going! Loved that you shared the evolution.
Laurel: I want to write more flash--just give me a little time, ;) Ok, I'm coming over for a visit!
Oh, that is so thoughtful! What a fun and creative idea.
This is such a great book. I totally loved the story. I have the HB with the butterfly cover which didn't make sense to me until I read the story. The paperback cover seems more appropriate, but I do still love the butterfly :)
The book sounds terrific, and flash fiction about the boxes would be too cool.
Corey: Creative. Fun. :D That's it, for sure.
Sherrie: That is a book to remember for some time. I'm so glad I read it.
Donna: Hmmm, now I'm going to have to come up with something. ;)
Time to read. What a glorious gift to yourself. I'll have to get this book!
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Cheers to Donna! What a wonderful gift. A friend who not only reads your work but gives gifts to your characters is a friend indeed. ; )
I loved The Adoration of Jenna Fox. One of those special reads, for sure. I did a shout out to the author on my blog after reading it.
Thanks for thinking of me for the blog award. I'll post it in the new year.
Suzanne: Yes, it's wonderful to have such a friend. Let's raise a glass to good friends!
Elle: Ithought it was amazing and can only hope to tell such a compelling story someday. Happy New Year!
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