Today is a good day to….read a book! I was just thinking that no matter the time of year, books always come in handy. They are great for curling up inside and escaping the world when it’s snowy and cold. They are a fabulous companion on a warm sunny day as you relax and bask in the sunlight. Any day is a good day for a story that takes you somewhere else for just a little while.
My recommendation this month is actually part of a quartet of books. It happens to be the last in the four, but each one can easily stand alone. Did anyone ever read, “The Giver,” when they were young? I wasn’t so young when I read it but I absolutely loved it as I was taken on the adventures in its pages as an adult. It’s the first of the four. The last book, and the one I recommend you also venture into is, ‘Son‘ by Lois Lowry.
“Son” just came out last year but it, like each of the books, takes you into a world much different from our own. It starts out in the same community as “The Giver;” one without color or emotion but with strict rules and procedures where everyone contributes and everyone’s needs are met. Claire, a young teenage girl who has been assigned as a “vessel,” or birth mother is the main character that we follow. She has no idea what it really means to be a vessel but soon finds out. When young girls like herself give birth they are blindfolded so that they are unable to see their babies before they are taken away and assigned to couples who have applied for children.
Claire’s first labor is unique as it is suddenly accompanied by some difficulties. This causes her curiosity to expand, something not really allowed in the community. She somehow escapes the lack of emotion and ignorance that the rest of the community shares and she eventually seeks to find the child that she was a vessel for. The rest of the book is devoted to her journey as she escapes to find her child, figure out life and what is most important therein, and to discover who she really is.
New York Times author Robin Wasserman recommended the book for all saying, “Claire’s desperation to reclaim a missing piece of herself is universal. Readers of any age will be hard-pressed to stop turning the pages in the hope that her son might await her on the next.”
The book has everything that I think a good book should have. First of all, it’s a really easy read (I like to switch off with some more difficult ones as well though) which can be nice if you have a busy life and just need a quick relief through the pages of a great story. Even though I enjoy books that may be an easy read, I always appreciate one with purpose and deeper meaning which “Son” clearly has. It’s creative and it has adventure, emotion, and purpose. Definitely worth taking a look at.
Finally, ‘Son‘ is a great book for book clubs. It definitely lends itself to deep discussion. Any of you in book clubs? If not, here are some things to consider anyway:
What do you value most in life and to what lengths will you go to keep it/them a part of your life?
What do you take for granted in the life you live and how can you create deeper appreciation for the things that you have?
What are the advantages of living in a free society like ours as opposed to the perfectly organized community in “Son?”
How can you show more courage in your life?
How can you participate more fully in standing up for what you believe in and deem necessary in your life?
I always love a little discussion on here through your comments as well! Happy reading!