Still Life With Rice

I am taking a Korean History class, and as part of the work for the course, we are assigned to read a book about Korea. We were given great liberty in what we could read, and a good friend of mine recommended Still Life With Rice by Helie Lee.

I really liked the book, and I highly recommend it to anybody who is interested in learning about how the role of a Korean woman has changed in the past 100 years. Actually, I would recommend it to just about anybody. It covers the life of the author’s grandmother, from her birth during the Japanese occupation, through the liberation of Korea and the Korean war, and up to her life in America.

I liked the book for two reasons. First, it reminded me of how much the Korean people have gone through in a relatively short period of time. Second, it made me realize how much life and society can change in the course of a lifetime. It made me wonder what life will be like when I am 80.

The Austere Academy

by Lemony Snicket

Well, I struck out with Book the Fourth, but The Austere Academy was almost a page-turner. This was the first time that I felt like the ending compelled me to go check out the next book as soon as possible. And no disgusting death scenes, either!

I was glad the Baudelaire orphans finally had someone their own age to talk to, and I’m sure the new characters will reappear in later books. I’ll let you know when I find out.

Until then, I plan to keep reading!

The Miserable Mill

by Lemony Snicket

I know that trains killing people in cars, herpetologists being murdered, and old widows mysteriously dying are not really topics for children’s books, but the Series of Unfortunate Events present such things in a way that kids might conceivably ok reading about (especially after Harry Potter). That’s why I was a little surprised that in Book the Fourth, The Miserable Mill, someone is actually sliced up by the lumbermill saw. Not just surprised — totally grossed out. Honestly, who puts that in a kid’s book?

I might even go so far as to say that this is my least favorite of the books I’ve read so far. The gruesome death wasn’t all that did it; the plot seemed too contrived this time. It didn’t feel like it flowed “naturally” (insofar as these unfortunate events are natural) as did the others, although there were, as always, hilarious remarks from the narrator.

Since at this point — having read Book the Fifth — I don’t recall anything in Book the Fourth that is crucial to the plot, I might say skip it. But then again, it’s a quick read, it probably won’t ruin your life, and I think you could really go either way.

Sorry, Lemony Snicket.