The Rook by Daniel O'Malley

  Myfanwy (rhymes with Tiffani) wakes up in a park bruised and battered, surrounded by dead bodies, and no memory of who she is or how she got there. Fortunately there is a letter in her pocket to help her figure out who she is. The new MyFanwy will have to figure out the rest.

Myfanwy is an agent for her majesty's secret, secret service, the Checquy, whose job is to protect the UK from supernatural threats. Myfanwy has a supernatural power but her greatest power is administration and organization. She learns that she rose through the ranks of the Checquy based on her ability to efficiently run a large organization (which truly is a talent not possessed by many). If this all sounds crazy, well it does to Myfanwy too. She goes along with it because what else can she do? Someone tried to kill her and she doesn't know who or why or if they'll try again. She must figure out what happened to her without letting anyone know that she has her memory. After all, she was/is a high ranking member of a secret government organization and if her colleagues knew she had amnesia they might deem her a liability.

Half the story is told in letters written by the old Myfanwy to the new Myfanwy. As I read I couldn't help but think about the role memory plays in our lives. Who are we if we can't remember who we used to be? Can one truly become a new person?

This was not at all what I expected. I was expecting a more straightforward international spy story (and yes I realize a straightforward spy story is something of an oxymoron but maybe you know what I mean). It is rare to be truly surprised by a story and for that alone I recommend this book.

Bookish Events and Other Bookish Goodness

Free Comic Book Day

Saturday, May 3rd is Free Comic Book Day!  Participating Comic Book Stores around North America will be giving away free comics.  There will be comics for kids, comics for adults, and comics for everyone in between.  It is a great way to get introduced to comics.  It is also a wonderful way to get young reluctant readers interested in reading.  You can find more information about this event, including a list of the comics and participating stores near you, here.

Levar Burton thinks Free Comic Book Day is pretty great too:

Here is an even better video from the Reading Rainbow pioneer.

California Bookstore Day

This Saturday is also California Bookstore Day.  Celebrate at your local independent bookstore with readings, prizes, and other treats.  I have never participated in an event like this before and don't know what to expect but any event that celebrates bookstores sounds good to me!  Look here for information including a list of participating bookstores near you.

The Underground New York Public Library

I just think the Underground New York Public Library is cool.  It is a collection of photos of people reading on the subway.  I used to live in New York and remember getting quite a bit of reading done during my commute to and from work.  I miss living in a city with a truly massive transit system that could you most places in the city limits and that enabled me to read while doing it.  Plus seeing people read makes me happy.  So does seeing people running when I'm running.  Whenever I see people doing either (not at the same time, that would be dangerous as is walking and reading which I see people do all the time) I just think how great it is people are doing something to keep their minds and bodies as strong and healthy as possible.

Happy Reading!

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I first read The Perks of Being a Wallflower in 2001 and fell in love with it.  I don't know how to describe this book without sounding trite.  Yes it is about a teenager named Charlie who feels like an outsider, but that description barely scratches the surface.  Charlie is quiet and anxious and spends a lot of time in his head. You know something is wrong, that Charlie isn't just dealing with normal teenage angst, but it takes awhile to find out that that something is.  But Charlie keeps trying, which is one of the things I liked about this character.  He reaches out and make friends, and it helps, but that doesn't make everything alright or solve all his problems.

When I heard this beloved book was being made into a movie, I was worried.  This is one of my favorite books of all time and I didn't want a movie adaption to ruin it.  Turns there was nothing to worry about.  The movie was fantastic.  I loved it almost as much I loved the book.  Chbosky wrote the screenplay which is probably why the movie turned out so well.  The acting was great, and the music was perfect.  Seriously, read this book.  Watch this movie.  They're amazing.

Dr. Who - Epilogue About Rory's Dad

Fans of Doctor Who watched as the Doctor and the Ponds said their farewells a few weeks ago.  Here is a brilliant epilogue about what happened to Rory's dad.

Dr. Who - The Ponds are Leaving

As fans of Dr. Who probably already know, Amy and Rory will be leaving this season and the Doctor will have to find a new companion.  Amy and Rory have been two of my favorite companions and some of their episodes are among the best in my opinion.  (The Van Gogh episode might be favorite episode of all time; it's definitely in the top five.)  In this video from the Nerdist the cast talks about the impending exit of the Ponds.  Though I'm sad to see Amy and Rory leave, it looks like this season of Dr. Who is going to be an exciting one.

Nerdist News Exclusive: The Pond Farewell

How Roots Influenced Reading Rainbow from Oprah

I never saw Roots but I loved, absolutely loved Reading Rainbow!  My favorite part of the show was when kids got to talk about and recommend a book they liked.  It was educational, interactive in a way and so much fun.

The Joy of Books

http://typebooks.ca/


Check out this awesome video from Type bookstore in Toronto!