“This is how humans are. We question all our beliefs, except for the ones that we REALLY believe, and those we never think to question.”
-Ender, Speaker for the Dead
I’ve read four books recently, and one of them was so good, the other ones pale by comparison. If you’ve read Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, but haven’t gone on to read the other books in the series… you have a treat waiting for you.
Ender’s Game was originally meant to be a prologue to the Ender Saga. The true story starts with Speaker for the Dead. This book is about philosophy, religion, how we treat people who are different from us, and it’s also a fascinating, compelling story.
The Ender Saga changed my views of science fiction in the same way Harry Potter changed my opinion of fantasy. If you told me I would be reading a book where people cast spells and fly around on brooms, I would have said it sounds ridiculous. But in the world of Harry Potter, it totally works. The same goes for Speaker of the Dead. Oh, this guy is three thousand years old due to relatavistic time of interstellar travel? Makes perfect sense.
I can’t really talk much about the plot of this without spoiling Ender’s Game. All I’ll say is- if you like (or even can tolerate) science fiction, READ IT. My son is finishing the next book in the series, and I’ll be reading it as soon as he’s done.
Anything after that would be anticlimactic, and unfortunately the next book I read was… not very good. I almost DNF’d after two pages because the writing was so poor, but I stuck it out because- I’ll admit it- the story was intriguing. The premise is that a couple finds out their sperm donor, for the baby the wife is carrying, is a serial killer. That alone was interesting enough to make me keep reading.
The problem was, as the story went on it became more and more preposterous. :Even a couple days later I find myself thinking back on it angrily: “The police wouldn’t do that! No one would act like that! No lawyer would say such a thing!” But I’ll say this- it was a quick read. I finished it in two days, so at least the experience wasn’t too drawn out.
The other two books fall somewhere in the middle.
The House on Mango Street is a beautifully-written book that I enjoyed, but I’ll be honest- not a lot of it stuck with me. I’m trying to think of something to say about it other than it was well-written, and I can’t. The Late Mrs. Willoughby is a MUST READ if you love Jane Austen. This is the second book in Claudia Gray’s Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney mystery series (the first one is The Death of Mr. Wickham, and they must be read in order!) If you don’t love Jane Austen, I don’t think these books are for you. The mystery alone isn’t enough to carry the book- but if you like hearing more about Marianne, Elinor, and characters from other Jane Austen novels, you would probably enjoy this.
Let’s move on to food! On Monday Birchwood Pie shared this recipe for braised tofu, and I knew I had to make it immediately.
Obviously, it was delicious! How could it not be? And, just to prove that we do eat something other than tofu, rice and broccoli, for Father’s Day my husband requested deep dish pizzas.
I use this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction, with the following modifications to make it vegan: Earth Balance instead of butter, Violife vegan mozzarella cheese, and my husband and son had Beyond Sausage on their’s (yuck.) Anyway, we all enjoyed it, and in the background you can see raspberry almond thumbprint cookies from Nora Cooks, which my husband requested for dessert.
Have you read any of these books?
What meal would you request if someone else were cooking?
31 Responses
I thought I’d read The House on Mango Street but apparently not – I do read a lot of those sorts of titles! I’ve just finished Nevada by Imogen Binnie which was a-maz-ing and it’s going to be hard to equal – I have started Alex Haley’s “Queenie” which looks at the other side of his family to “Roots” and is v engaging so far (but also 945 pages) (but also that got a big space made on my TBR, taking it off the shelf!). Love the look of the tofu, I’ve somehow never dared cook it but I suspect it’s easier this millennium than last, right? I remember friends’ parents battling with it in the 80s and my friends battling with it in the 90s!
Yes, tofu has come a long way!!!
I don’t think I’ve heard of Nevada but I’m going to look into it- that’s quite a review!
I read the Ender’s series when I was in high school I think, and I felt the same as you! The fact that I liked a sci fi book really surprised me, but not only did I love Enders Game, but I read the entire series. In fact, I do not keep very many books, but I kept my copy of Enders Game (and it is one of those small paperbacks just like yours!) Now I kind of want to go back and read them again, because it has been a while!
I have not read any of the others you mention, but I just read Hello Beautiful, which I see in your stack! I will be interested to hear what you think about it, as it really had a lot of hype and many people really loved it, but while I liked it, I was not gushing over it. I am looking forward to your report on that one!
Yes, I definitely have to read it. People have quite different opinions about Hello Beautiful!
It’s also surprising to me that I liked a sci fi book, but I guess it just goes to show you- a well-written book is great, no matter what genre.
That is true! And I think it’s good you are open to trying the different genre, as it is so easy to dismiss an entire genre due to one bad experience!
That Most Wanted book sounds like one I recently read, Hold My Girl, in that the premise was very interesting but I kept thinking THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN, NO ONE WOULD DO THAT, NO. I kept reading because I was invested enough in the story to want to know what happened, but it wasn’t great.
I love House on Mango Street and I loved that the author wrote it in short vignettes for people who want to read but don’t have time or are too tired.
I saw that recipe on Birchy’s blog and have been wanting to try it. Maybe I will next week.
Yes, you and Engie both loved House on Mango Street. I did like that format. I think I actually liked the introduction, where the author talked about her life, more than the actual book. And I did like that she wrote it that way specifically to be accessible to lots of people.
Yum! Now I want more of the braised tofu ASAP. I like the idea of adding in broccoli to bulk it up. Now that you mention it, I wouldn’t mind a nice pizza dinner so that might have to happen tonight.
I’m interested to hear your take on the William Landay book. It’s on my radar but I haven’t gotten motivated enough to get it yet. I’m keeping an open mind on Ender’s Game. I’m somewhat anti scifi but I also used to be anti dystopian until I read Station Eleven and Handmaid’s Tale. Like you say, all it takes is the right book to open up another genre. Without the variety there’s a good chance that I’d end up with only “oops my sperm donor is a serial killer” books.
Ha ha… yes, it’s good to have a little variety!
I’ve had the Landy book out of the library for a couple weeks now and I hope I get around to reading it before I have to return it. I read several good reviews, but somehow there always seems to be something else to read.
The food looks delish! We had a kid home sick (and vomiting) on Father’s Day, so I dropped the ball on that. I prepped my husband (and FIL’s) favourite dish yesterday for supper, though, by way of a delayed celebration and everyone loved it.
I don’t read much sci-fi, but do enjoy the genre, so I bet I’d like these books! I feel like I need to take a step back from reading over the summer because like is going to be kinda crazy, but I’m SO excited to re-read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn with Engie and the rest of her online book club. I bought the book with birthday money and it’s sitting in my bedside table drawer just begging to be read. CAN’T WAIT!
Yes, I also can’t wait for our book club! I’m getting the book from our library- I’m just waiting for it to be transferred to my branch.
Ugh- you have had more than your fair share of vomit this year, it seems! Hope everyone is healthy now.
I’ve heard good things about Hello Beautiful… it’s on my list.
I’m currently reading In my shoes by Jojo moyles
Not a tofu fan but that pizza looks delish…
I’m going to start Hello Beautiful soon! I read Me Before You by Moyles and really enjoyed it, but I haven’t read any of her other books.
Tofu dishes like that are staples for me. I change around the sauce to mix it up. My kids both read Ender’s game for a high school class. Admittedly, after reading the Odyssey with both of them I passed on that one.
You would be very happy at our house around dinnertime! We have been making tofu a lot this summer. For next week my son has requested to gochujang tofu I made a couple weeks ago. i feel like we’re basically eating the same meals over and over again, just with different sauces.
I haven’t read any of these yet! A family member recommended Scottoline several years ago and I had a similar initial experience to you. I ended up DNFing. It seems to me like her books sound like they have a good premise, but I don’t know if her writing style jives with me. I think of her as the mystery writer version of Jodi Picoult.
You have The Twyford Code in your stack — I will be interested in your thoughts. I read one of her books recently and enjoyed it, but the structure was so unique I don’t know if I could deal with another book using a similar conceit.
I’ve started The Twyford Code! Yes, the structure is unique. Usually I don’t like unusual structures like this, but so far it’s working for me. I’ll let you know what I think when I’ve finished it.
Of the stack at the top, I’ve read Piranesi (odd but great book) and Hello Beautiful. Hello Beautiful is my too read of 2023 so far. I loved it so much. I come from a big, catholic family so I could relate so the sibling dynamics, like how there are always alliances in families, etc. it was beautifully written and has stayed with me. I hope you like it!
I haven’t read Ender’s Game but your love of it and Kyria’s comment make me want to read it!
I’m intrigued to read Hello Beautiful because of the mixed reviews- the people who loved it, REALLY loved it. I’m reading it soon!
I AM SO HAPPY THAT YOU LOVE SPEAKER FOR THE DEAD.!!!! I think you’re the only person I’ve actually convinced to read this series and I’m so happy you’re part of the club now.
Other recs that you might like:
The Expanse series (there’s a completed book series and a tv series – they’re both excellent – you should both read and watch it in whatever order you like)
The Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman (I actually only read the first one, but if you liked Vita Nostra, this might work for you)
Oh, Jenny, this post made me so happy. I’ll be glowing for the rest of the day.
I’m glad I made you glow! Right now I’m impatiently waiting for my son to finish the next book so I can read it. And, we own the first book of The Magicians- it’s another book I got my son for Christmas. We will definitely read it.
Why yuck on Beyond Sausage? Is it all the Beyond products or just the sausage?
I don’t think I’ve read any of these, though I do have ‘Hello Beautiful’ on hold at the library. It’s a long wait, though. I just finished a book today, “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand”, and I adored the writing up until the end. The story was mostly charming, so I will still recommend it, but there was one scene that bothered me.
Oh, I also have ‘House on Mango Street’ on hold at the library. I’m looking forward to that one too!
I read the Murder of Mr. Wickham couple months ago and found it so charming! I have similar thoughts about that book, as you did about the sequel – I felt like the plot was kind of thin and most of the fun came from revisiting beloved characters.
The tofu looks delicious – I’ll have to bookmark that one!
I have not read The House on Mango Street and I don’t know why! It’s always been on my radar, being a Chicago-based book. I’m wrapping up my June reads and I’m a bit frustrated with most of them…
Hmm, I’ll be interested to read your next book review post. Last month you had so many winners!
Isn’t it so fun when you can read a book that impact you so much? But then the ensuing book slump is hard!
That Scottoline book sounds SO INTERESTING. And I am so bummed that it was so bad. Ugh.
I confess, after reading the back-and-forth between you and Engie on Ender’s Game, I actually think I might read it. I’m not averse to sci-fi, but I don’t seek it out. Given your rave reviews, though, I’m reconsidering that!
And yum. Tofu. I saved that recipe, too. 🙂
Oh good! Just know that Ender’s Game was originally meant to be a prologue to the “real” story, which starts with Speaker For the Dead. You have to read Ender’s Game to get the backstory, but IMO the next books are the really great ones. I guess a lot of people JUST read Ender’s Game (which my son absolutely loved) but the books just get better and better.
Ok, I NEED to make sure my son has read Ender’s Game because it definitely sounds like something he’d like, and this other one too. I feel like my oldest- who has always been a HUGE reader- has fallen off a lot lately with reading. He literally used to read constantly when he was ~7-12 years old or so. I hate to admit that the decrease in reading probably correlates to when he got a phone…. UGH. Do you feel like your son (or daughter) has gone through anything like this? Seems your son is still reading now, but did he ever sort of fall away from reading more and then come back to it as he got older?? Mine is almost 15. I know he still enjoys it, but it just isn’t his default activity anymore like it used to me and it breaks my heart a little! I was always SO proud and happy that he was such a huge reader. Now though like in the car, etc he often has his phone along, whereas when younger of course he didn’t….
Well actually, that exact same thing happened to my son, and he’s just now getting back to reading. He had to make a conscious effort to start reading again- he told me he wants to be “a person who reads” so he started reading for ten minutes every morning. Then when he got so into the Ender books, he started reading more and more. I hope he continues this new habit when he goes back to school and things get busy again. So- yes it happens, but don’t give up hope!