Tuesday, 8 September 2015
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm.
To play along just do the following:
This Side of Salvation by Jeri Smith-Ready.
Without delving too deeply into religious matters, because a) it’s not my place and b) you don’t want to know about my opinion, this book is really great no matter what your point of view is ... well unless you were really disappointed that the world didn’t end at some point during the last few years. But with that exception, there is no one I wouldn’t recommend this book to as the topic of religious beliefs is dealt with in a very nuanced way. (I almost wrote critically, but the cultural conses at the moment seems to be that criticism is always negative and trying to tear someone/something down ... no, to examine something critically actually means to look at it from all angles without a pre-defined opinion ... but that’s a different kettle of fish so therefore nuanced).
What I really admire about this book are the two timelines at work that perfectly dovetail. Just not at the point where you think they would and I think this is very clever. And I love the slow unravelling of two mysterious plots in each timeline even if they are directly connected and one cannot exist without the other.
So do not balk at this book just because there is religion in it. In the end it’s just a book with a really good story. And quite a bit of baseball, which can also be a sort of religion I suppose.
In accordance with the main character’s misdeed (as he is basically late to get home and therefore misses the moment of salvation): Which is the single most important or memorable thing you have ever been late for? Share your stories and teasers in the comments.
To play along just do the following:
- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
This Side of Salvation by Jeri Smith-Ready.
 |
| This Side of Salvation – Simon Pulse |
That first year, while my family wandered around in the fog of grief, was the best of any year since. We were all lost together in the same way. During the Fog Year, nothing made sense to anybody.
— Chapter 4
“Ugh, is it possible to have a hangover without ever going to sleep?”
“You’re asking the wrong guy.”
“Yes, because for once you are the B-E-T-T-E-R child. Congratulations.”
— Chapter 7
Without delving too deeply into religious matters, because a) it’s not my place and b) you don’t want to know about my opinion, this book is really great no matter what your point of view is ... well unless you were really disappointed that the world didn’t end at some point during the last few years. But with that exception, there is no one I wouldn’t recommend this book to as the topic of religious beliefs is dealt with in a very nuanced way. (I almost wrote critically, but the cultural conses at the moment seems to be that criticism is always negative and trying to tear someone/something down ... no, to examine something critically actually means to look at it from all angles without a pre-defined opinion ... but that’s a different kettle of fish so therefore nuanced).
What I really admire about this book are the two timelines at work that perfectly dovetail. Just not at the point where you think they would and I think this is very clever. And I love the slow unravelling of two mysterious plots in each timeline even if they are directly connected and one cannot exist without the other.
So do not balk at this book just because there is religion in it. In the end it’s just a book with a really good story. And quite a bit of baseball, which can also be a sort of religion I suppose.
In accordance with the main character’s misdeed (as he is basically late to get home and therefore misses the moment of salvation): Which is the single most important or memorable thing you have ever been late for? Share your stories and teasers in the comments.
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8 comments:
This sounds like a really interesting read. I especially like the first teaser; that's exactly what grief is like.
That sounds intriguing, and I liked the second quote. here's mine: http://earthianhivemind.net/2015/09/08/teaser-tuesday-september-8/
I can relate to the first teaser. Here is mine
http://totallyaddictedtoreading.blogspot.com/2015/09/teaser-tuesday-26.html
Sounds pretty deep.
sherry @ fundinmental My TT
I find that I enjoy books with two stories going at the same time. This sounds like a good one.
By the way, I agree with you about "criticism." I'm in a couple of writing "critique" groups, and what I get is a lot of support and positive feedback. Not negative at all.
My Tuesday post features Shadow of the Hawk.
Sounds interesting.
This does sound like an interesting book. I do not mind religion in what I read (as you said, it's about a good story in the end), as long as it doesn't feel like I'm being preached to. I actually enjoy books that look critically at faith and religion or any belief system for that matter. Doing so through fiction is my favorite way to do it.
Definitely sounds like an interesting read. And, to answer your question, it wasn't really something I was necessarily "late" for, really, but I had fallen asleep in the emergency room cubicle assigned to my mom waiting for the results of more tests to see why she had been so out of breath ... and woke up only when one of the nurses came to take me into the scary little "comfort" room to tell me that she had unexpectedly flatlined. I don't think I'll ever stop beating myself up for that even though deep down I know that nothing would have been any different had I stayed awake.
And on THAT depressing note, the book I'm reading right now is a "cozy" mystery http://wellreadpiratequeen.blogspot.com/2015/09/teasertuesday-27-janet-finsilvers.html
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