Fiction | Book Chatter

The House of Tomorrow
By Peter Bognanni
(Berkley Trade, Paperback, 9780425238882, March 2011, 368pp.)

The Short of It:

Brilliant, beautifully written and touching in a way that surprised me.

The Rest of It:

After losing both parents in an accident, sixteen-year-old Sebastian Prendergast lives with his eccentric grandmother Nana in a geodesic dome. Nana, who studied with the infamous R. Buckminster Fuller (architect, philosopher and futurist), continues to share his teachings by conducting tours of their very unique home.

Most people visiting Iowa come for other reasons, but every once in awhile they have a visitor or two, and that’s enough to keep Nana happy. Sebastian spends his days polishing the dome and as he’s gazing down upon the town below, it occurs to him that he hasn’t seen much of it, or the rest of the world for that matter. You see, the dome acts as a barrier to all things. It protects him, yet it also imprisons him. In his sensible shoes and conservative outdated clothing, Sebastian finds pleasure in simple things, but he secretly desires more. When his Nana falls ill, he meets a family that helps him realize how special he really is.

This is a wonderful story and includes the most interesting cast of characters I’ve encountered in a long time. They are terrifically flawed. I seriously loved them all, which I almost never say. Bognanni manages to make them vulnerable in beautiful, subtle ways. The story is funny and sad and touching without being overly worked. The transitions were effortless, or seemed so anyway.

I adored this book and this is Bognanni’s first novel! It blows my mind. You know that feeling you get after reading a page or two of a new book? The feeling where you just know that it’s going to be great? I had that feeling throughout the book and the ending did not disappoint. There is so much more to say, but it would be better to experience it on your own.

Source: Purchased

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If I Stay
By Gayle Forman
(Dutton Juvenile, Hardcover, 9780525421030, April 2009, 208pp.)

The Short of It:

A short but riveting story about the importance of family, the ability to let go and the impact that change can have on one girl’s life.

The Rest of It:

After surviving a horrific crash, Mia finds herself in an “in between” state. As she hovers between life and death, she reminisces over the life she’s lived thus far.

In just a few pages, Forman has you walking in Mia’s shoes. My heart was in my throat the entire time. You know the injuries are serious, and you know that she might not make it, so the suspense alone has you turning pages but at the same time, you sort of don’t want to know the outcome. The implications of her staying, are explained to a degree but what you imagine is far worse. I can’t say more about the plot because I would be giving the story away.

Beautifully written, with just enough detail. This is easily a YA book that will appeal to adult readers as well (such as myself!)

While reading it, I was told that there is a sequel. It’s called Where She Went and it’s out now. So if you want to read them together (and you will), you can pick both of them up.

Source: Borrowed from the library.