Howdy,
The most recent book I finished was Wonder.
Reading, not writing, unfortunately, because it was a great book. (Now, there’s a writer-author’s dream—to think of the possibility of having written the good books read.)
I finally got around to reading Wonder by R.J. Palacio after having it highly recommended to us by (let’s see how this goes) my brother’s wife’s sister’s husband, Orlando. Relative or friend, he’s a cool guy and an enjoyable and insightful conversation and a year or two ago made a good reading recommendation. Before a recent move up to college, Lando used to read and teach Wonder to fifth graders, and he said that the students really loved that book, that he enjoyed bringing that one to them, that they responded to it, a good time in the classroom.
That’s probably about as high a praise as you’d look for in a story, capturing the attention of kids and a whole classroom at that.
For me, reading “fifth-grade” literature (which is the range you’re supposed to write, right?) serves as a good reminder to not be afraid to make the straight-forward, clean choice in words and structure sometimes. Not to say the book was low-level writing: it wasn’t. It was great. It’s just that a story, or segments of a story, can be told—not always having to be over crafted.
And the book Wonder did come in segments, creatively giving various characters voice with portions of the novel. I didn’t know that was coming, so it surprised me, but I thought it worked well once it was underway. After starting with the main character, August, or Auggie, an incoming fifth grader embarking on attending a school for the first time (since he has serious and extraordinary physical and facial deformities), readers get sections from his older sister, her boyfriend (with the treat of lack of proper punctuation and usage without dissolving into a mess—the perspective of a thankful and active young mind displayed helps with that), other friends and characters, which brings storytelling together from various and unique angles and timeframes, building something wonderful. (Right? How could I not?)
A note on the deformities: I don’t think I’m giving too much away, because it’s the premise given at the start and by now you may have seen the preview for the movie to be released in November. Word is, the on-screen version of the boy isn’t nearly as disfigured as the character in the book describes himself—but, then, I don’t think he much could be.
I’ll let you read the book, but just a warning the end may have made me cr—ahem—tear up—I mean, my eyes got dusty—BUT real dust! It’s been dusty and smoky, the air heavy and noticeably oppressive with shimmering heat and floating particles, and that made me choke up and a tear or two roll down. Air quality’s been terrible, please see my Books page for Recommended by the Author, under Palacio, R.J.: Wonder.
The reader in me enjoyed the story and the author in me is inspired it’s Palacio’s first novel—so you never know! Maybe I’ll write one that catches fire … and the smoke can make someone’s eyes itchy for a cleansing.
—Billy
Reading. Writing. Living.
P.S. It’s not easy to research brother’s wife’s sister’s husband. Still don’t know the term, if there is one. But I like the idea of being related. Good people, all my in-laws, all the way out.
Word Count: 183,570 / On Pace: 182,050 / Year’s Goal: 200,000
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