A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles 🔖🔖🔖

First published September 6, 2016

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Literary Awards:  Kirkus Prize Nominee for Fiction 2016, Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Historical Fiction 2016, Book of the Month Book of the Year Award Nominee 2016, Dublin Literary Award Nominee 2016

Mentions: 

• A favorite of Queen Camilla during the pandemic (Camilla Parker Bowles' favourite books - Duchess of Cornwall releases list of favourite books)
• On a list of President Barack Obama's favorite reading list from 2017. (All Barack Obama's Reading Lists for Summer 2024 and Beyond)

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A Gentleman in Moscow immerses us in another elegantly drawn era with a story of Count Alexander Rostov.

When, in 1922, the thirty-year-old Count is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, he is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. An indomitable man of erudition and wit, Rostov must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors.

Unexpectedly, the Count's reduced circumstances provide him entry to a much larger world of emotional discovery as he forges friendships with the hotel's other denizens, including a willful actress, a shrewd Kremlinite, a gregarious American, and a temperamental chef. But when fate suddenly puts the life of a young girl in his hands, he must draw on all his ingenuity to protect the future she so deserves.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the Count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose. (Source: goodreads)

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This has been on my TBR for quite a while. I can see why this might be a favorite of some people, yet I would not say it is a favorite of mine. I did not hate it and did not feel I wasted my time; it just doesn't make my top shelves. 

This was a slow one, sometimes to the point of boring. I didn't see a lot of character development of the Count throughout until the very end, and it seemed more out of character than a development. Maybe I didn't notice the subtlety.

The Collected Works of Edgar Allan Poe 🔖🔖🔖

First published November 1, 1849

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The Complete Tales & Poems of Edgar Allan Poe contains every know tale written by the famous gothic American writer. His often macabre and dark works, which span the years from 1827 to his death in 1849, include "The Raven," "The Black Cat," "The Tell-Tale Heart," and "Annabelle Lee."

For Poe fans worldwide, this elegant collector's edition includes over 70 of Poe's  short stories , more than 40  melodious poems , and  his only full-length novel ,  The Narrative of A. Gordon Pym.

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I wanted to love Edgar Allan Poe. He was influential as a critic in his lifetime, and influential since that time upon other authors. Some of his works were enjoyable to me - The Black Cat, Never Bet the Devil Your Head, The Pit and the Pendulum, and The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Feather. The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket was amazing. Yet, I do prefer the style of Lovecraft over Poe - and I might be lambasted due to Lovecraft's racism. 

When it comes to poetry, I have never been the best audience. In this case, I enjoy Whitman so much more than Poe. Different styles all together, and Whitman's just wins me over.

I think reading Poe is an admirable venture and I recommend it to anyone who loves literature and the history thereof. 

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton 🔖🔖🔖🔖🔖

First published October 1, 1920

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Literary awards: Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 1921 

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I had to sit on this one once I finished reading it. I was initially not happy with how it ended, yet when I spent more time thinking it through, I realized the brilliance in it. I enjoyed the character development, the ways in which Edith Wharton misdirects, and how clever her points are once one ponders the novel as a whole. Once again, Edith Wharton wins me over. 

When I'm Dead by Hannah Morrissey 🔖🔖

First published October 31, 2023

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On a bone-chilling October night, Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp investigates the death of her daughter’s best friend. Hours later, the tragedy hits even closer to home when she makes a devastating discovery—her daughter, Chloe, is gone. But, not without a trace.

A morbid mosaic of clues forces Rowan and her husband to question how deeply they really knew their daughter. As they work closely to peel back the layers of this case, they begin to unearth disturbing details about Chloe and her secret transgressions…details that threaten to tear them apart.

Amidst the noise of navigating her newfound grief and reconciling the sins of her past, an undeniable fact rings true for Rowan: karma has finally come to collect. (source: goodreads)

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I had a hard time with a few things about this, mostly about style and choice of words. While I finished this one in just a few days due to wanting to see how it tied up, it is not one I need to follow up on any previous or further installments in the series. 

The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera 🔖

First published January 1, 1984

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Literary awards: Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction 1984, Prix Aujourd'hui 1993

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In The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera tells the story of a young woman in love with a man torn between his love for her and his incorrigible womanizing and one of his mistresses and her humbly faithful lover. This magnificent novel juxtaposes geographically distant places, brilliant and playful reflections, and a variety of styles ... (source: goodreads)

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I did not enjoy this one. Maybe it's because I am just *not* a philosopher and there was much philosophy in this book. Maybe it's because I could not relate to any of the characters and I didn't like any of them. Maybe it's because said characters didn't develop or grow at all. Either way, not my cup of tea.

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe 🔖🔖🔖🔖

First published May 28, 2019 

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Literary awards: Stonewall Book Award Nominee for Non-Fiction 2020, ALA Alex Award 2020, Lincoln Award Nominee 2023. Most challenged book 2021, 2022, 2023. 

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In 2014, Maia Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, thought that a comic of reading statistics would be the last autobiographical comic e would ever write. At the time, it was the only thing e felt comfortable with strangers knowing about em. Now, Gender Queer is here. Maia's intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over erotic gay fanfiction, and facing the trauma of pap smears. Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity—what it means and how to think about it—for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere. (source: goodreads.com)

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This is an important piece of literature for teens and young adults struggling with their feelings and identities. It offers a safe and inclusive, accepting and open way to discuss such matters. Ideally, this would be read with parents or guardians so frank discussion about some of the matters discussed and represented could be fully explored and worked through. Unfortunately, we don't live in that world for the most part. I do plan to have this on my shelves and my teen can read it if he so chooses, though I may put a note on the front that I'd like to be a part of this experience and am open for discussion. As many parents will not be supportive of this kind of journey for their kids (or anyone else's for that matter) I think this should be available to kids who need to have this representation to diminish the feeling of being broken, bad, a freak, an abomination, or alone.

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Why this was banned: "obscene" sexual activities and sexual nudity; alternate gender ideologies; and profanity.

"Obscene" sexual activities and nudity: 

• There is a depiction of a partner giving oral sex to the main character wearing a strap on. The character did not enjoy it and they both determined to "try something else". 
• There are other pages where kink is discussed (autoandrophilia) and setting a boundary about "penetration is a hard no for me" and being "grossed out" by "some bodily fluids." 
• Sexting is depicting wherein the partner of the main character describes the strap on, dildo, blow job, and wanting the strap on inside them. 
• There is discussion between the main character and the doctor using accurate terms like vaginal canal, cervical cancer, clitoris, and penis. 
• Representation of sex ed classes with accurate terms, a banana with a condom, and discussion of STIs. 
• The main character imagines what it would be like to have a penis in underwear resting against eir thigh. 
• The main character goes to a doctor and changing into a gown is shown, depicting frontal female nudity. 
• The main character discusses with sister about "putting something into your vagina" and suggested a finger, and then tasting "yourself." The drawing continues to show the character with "vagina slime" on eir finger and then refusing to do it. 
• Depictions of a bloody pad during eir period, and blood on eir legs while in the bathroom. 
• There's a page depicting masturbation through pants, and two male presenting people apparently nude (you can see no clothing and the top of buttocks), one laying on top of the other kissing. 
• There is a representation of apparent Greek art (Plato's symposium) with two nude male presenting people, one who is holding the penis of the other. 

Alternate gender ideologies: 

• Obviously. This is a personal journey shared by a human experiencing "an alternate gender".  

Profanity: 

• Very minimal. Four curse words, three said once, and the S word said 6 times.

The challenges were also concerned about references to other things "curious kids might look up." 

• Autoandrophilia the proposed paraphilic tendency of a biological female to be sexually aroused by the thought of becoming a male.
• Sexting
• Lesbian/Gay Porn
• Pleasure & Heart- sex toy store
• "Oh Joy Sex Toy"  webcomic by Erika Moen
• "Fake" series by Sanami Matoh
• "The Last Herald Mage Triology" by Mercedes Lackey

Would I let me kid read this book? Yes. Especially if he were having questions about his identity, or if we needed to have a conversation about it. If he did read this, I would want it to be with discussions with us. 

It's important to point out two things:  All nudity is not pornography. Not all discussions about body parts are nefarious. 

The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed 🔖🔖🔖🔖

First published October 10, 2017

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Literary awards: Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award Nominee 2018

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Three misfits come together to avenge the rape of a fellow classmate and in the process trigger a change in the misogynist culture at their high school transforming the lives of everyone around them in this searing and timely story.

Who are the Nowhere Girls?

They’re everygirl. But they start with just three:

Grace Salter is the new girl in town, whose family was run out of their former community after her southern Baptist preacher mom turned into a radical liberal after falling off a horse and bumping her head.

Rosina Suarez is the queer punk girl in a conservative Mexican immigrant family, who dreams of a life playing music instead of babysitting her gaggle of cousins and waitressing at her uncle’s restaurant.

Erin Delillo is obsessed with two things: marine biology and Star Trek: The Next Generation, but they aren’t enough to distract her from her suspicion that she may in fact be an android.

When Grace learns that Lucy Moynihan, the former occupant of her new home, was run out of town for having accused the popular guys at school of gang rape, she’s incensed that Lucy never had justice. For their own personal reasons, Rosina and Erin feel equally deeply about Lucy’s tragedy, so they form an anonymous group of girls at Prescott High to resist the sexist culture at their school, which includes boycotting sex of any kind with the male students.

Told in alternating perspectives, this groundbreaking novel is an indictment of rape culture and explores with bold honesty the deepest questions about teen girls and sexuality. (Source: goodreads)

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I thought I might enjoy this one based on the information on the back of the book. I was not disappointed. Though, I have to point out that no one "suspects she may actually be an android" as much as she wanted to be an android. I loved that the three main characters were so vastly different and yet this did not inhibit friendship and connection. I liked that the main traits presented for each girl (Christian, lesbian, autistic) were not part of a need to change any of those characteristics. No one was made fun of by the other and each was allowed to be who they happened to be. Each individual way they dealt with their angst was given equal space without diminishing that is how some people experience the world. There was good character development as well.

The biggest drawback for me may be a spoiler, so I'll just say that "single" is also an acceptable part of life.

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Why was this banned?  obscene sexual activities including rape involving minors; alcohol use; and excessive/frequent profanity

My take -- 

Obscene sexual activities including rape involving minors:  I would hope we would think rape was obscene. There are other sexual activities among minors that appeared to include consent which some may consider "graphic", though I would not put it in the "obscene" category. 

Alcohol use: there are some high school parties where alcohol is included. Some of the girls are "encouraged" to become drunk so they are easier to take advantage of. 

Excessive/frequent profanity: 47 F words, 22 S word. Minor use of the B word. Mention of some body parts using technical terms, such as "clit".  I recall one use of "dick", followed by "pic". 

What I thought would be part of the ban .... slurs such as "dyke" and "spic" against one of the main characters. Abortion is also mentioned in passing. Lastly, a reference to a boy who raped a girl and "Even with eyewitnesses, even with video evidence, he still only got three months. Because he was rich. Because he was white."

Would I want my kid reading this? Absolutely. Then we can have great discussions about consent and how to treat others, and hopefully teach him to be one of the guys who stops gross behavior amongst his peers.