30B430 Book 20: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

I have had Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: A Novel on my list of books to read for quite some time. So I was very excited when our book club decided to read it next. Even better, my mom had two copies of the book, which meant I didn't have to buy my own copy.

It took me a few attempts to actually start and get into the book. The book rotates between a few different narrators, the main one being Oskar, a nine year-old boy, whose father died in the World Trade Center on 9/11. He is trying to solve the mystery of a key that he thinks his father left for him as a puzzle before he died. As he runs around the city, he meets a number of different characters, who each share a small piece of their own story with the young boy.

Jonathan Safran Foer does a great job of voicing the eccentric nine year-old's stream of consciousness, which is entertaining, but challenging to stick through. Sometimes I found myself laughing out loud at the funny things he says, like "Succotash my Balzac, dipshiitake." Other times, I was overwhelmed by sadness. Parts of the book are truly heartbreaking. It isn't wholly a sad book, it is a sweet story with very sad parts.

If you haven't read it yet, it is definitely worth checking out. Or you could always watch the movie. I would have to imagine that it is pretty fantastic with Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock. I think I will plan to do that next. But first, time to talk about the book at book club tonight!

30B430 Book 19: I Am Half-Sick of Shadows

After a speedy reading session, I have now finished all of the books currently written by Alan Bradley in the Flavia de Luce series. The latest, I Am Half-Sick of Shadows, is set over Christmas, and brings the murder mystery to Flavia's family mansion. A famous actress is killed there while a movie crew films at the house and the whole town is snowed in at the place, leaving many suspects. As always, Flavia finds herself right in the middle of the action, discovering clues faster than the local police. As an awesome side story, she also concocts a plan to catch Father Christmas by creating a very sticky chimney. Gotta love her hijinks.

I really enjoyed this book, although I felt like Flavia solved the mystery much faster than in the other books. It seems like there was more time building up to the murder, and less spent putting the clues together to figure out who dunnit. I couldn't decide if it was a different reading experience, because I actually read it, rather than listening on Audible, or because the book was just different. It wasn't bad different, just different.

Either way, I love Flavia. And can't wait for book five to come out. Plus, there is apparently an option out for a tv show based on the books. Sadly, now I  have to find something else to read...

Wipeout

Oh running.

I knew that it would come with some road injuries along the way. However I was not prepared for the major face plant that happened yesterday morning. 

That'll teach me to watch the cracks in the sidewalk rather than drifting off. 

I was doing my slow trot along Lake Drive, when I suddenly tripped and dove face first into the sidewalk. I was totally startled, and struggled to pick myself up. My first thought was to grab my chin because I have split it open twice before, both times requiring a nice row of stitches. I had scraped my knee, palms, and hit my chin and cheek hard enough that my glasses flew off. Thankfully there wasn't any gushing blood this time around. Just required quite a few bandaids.

I am very thankful to the woman who was also running, who stopped to make sure that I was okay. I was in such shock at the time that I didn't really even think about it. It wasn't until I started walking home that I burst into tears, out of both embarrassment and pain. My bruised pride was probably worse than my actual injuries. Although I definitely discovered some additional areas that lost the war with the sidewalk - my shoulder and hip have seen better days. 

Who wants to be the 29 year old with a bandaid on her face? I'm that girl. At least my chin is looking a lot better than yesterday. 

Oh well. Won't keep me from getting back out there on Sunday. Well, I'll probably run...