Read-along | Book Chatter

The Space Between Us

Welcome to Thrity Thursday, also known as “The Space Between Us” read-along. We’ll be reading the book over the next few weeks. Thanks to Lisa for putting it together and thanks to these other bloggers for joining in on the fun!

Dar at Peeking Between The Pages
Staci at Life In The Thumb
Kathy at Mommy’s Reading
Booksync at Book In The City
Bailey at The Window Seat Reader
Mari at Bookworm With A View

Chapters 1-11

My Synopsis:

I am playing catch-up since I was supposed to post about the first six chapters last week, so I will keep this short.

Bhima and Maya live in the slums of Bombay. Bhima is Maya’s grandmother and makes her living working for Sera. Sera has money and lives with her daughter Dinaz and her husband, and they are expecting their first baby. Maya is also expecting her first baby, but it’s a baby produced out-of-wedlock, and the pregnancy promises nothing but shame for Maya and her grandmother.

The two families, although tied together by Bhima’s employment to Sera, have their own history. Both have shared disappointment and grief and both bear their own burdens. Sera’s money is what puts Maya through college, so it’s only normal for Sera to feel some resentment when Maya becomes pregnant. Bhima shares in that resentment and is grateful when Sera once again, comes to their aid, but there are hurt feelings as each struggle with what they’ve been given.

My Thoughts:

When I read The Weight of Heaven, I was charmed by Umrigar’s talent as a storyteller. I had no problem getting into the story and the same can be said with The Space Between Us. I worried about being able to catch-up with the others since I was so far behind in my reading, but over one, lovely day I opened the book and before I knew it, I was already eleven chapters in.

The difference in class is great, yet the two families respect one another and often find themselves baffled over their differences. Sera manages to be fascinated and repulsed at the same time while visiting Bhima in her slum hut. Bhima realizes that although Sera’s family has money, that there are secrets there as well. No family is perfect.

I am so taken with these characters, that reading about them, takes no effort at all. I look forward to the second half of the book and from what I’ve read, this would make a fabulous book club pick.

The Stand Graphic 2

One of King’s best books to date is (in my opinion), The Stand. In my college days, I read them all. Some were more readable, but The Stand is the one that stayed with me all these years. After reading The Passage, which arguably was very similiar in theme, I just found myself wanting to read The Stand again, so I am kicking off the start of summer by re-reading this epic novel and today is the day!

I’m not alone. Two other bloggers are doing it with me (Jill and Michele). This isn’t a formal read-along because sometimes with a book of this size, a formal read-along just seems like too much work. I just want to have fun re-living the world that King created. I will blog about my thoughts here and there but what I’m hoping, is that the book is just as wonderful as it was when I read it in my much younger days.

There probably won’t be too many nights where I stay up all night to read it because let’s face it, those days are gone, but I look forward to getting to know King again. So pardon me if I spout off about King for the next month or so. For those that have never read King before, perhaps you’ll want to, after our little, summer rendezvous. You think?

Chatting with friends about books and life…