Sunday, August 10, 2008

How I Saved My Father's Life (and Ruined Everything Else) by Ann Hood

(adapted from previous e-mail posting sent July 28)
Madeline believes she performs miracles. She saved her father from an avalanche, and is convinced she should be a saint. She writes a lot of letters to the Pope, focuses on her next tremendous (or not so tremendous) miracle and discovers she needs to be Catholic...and dead...to be named a saint.

The most jarring thing about this book was that Madeline's new favorite song was on a cassette tape. Where would a girl today acquire a cassette tape of Catholic chants? (Backstory on how/why she acquired a cassette of nuns singing liturgical songs might have emphasized her misplaced zealousness to become a saint. She doesn't seem savvy enough to find it herself ....).

I would give this book to a young person searching for self, going through parents' divorce, needing a different slant on a parent's perspective/experience. Not engaging enough. I just didn't feel sufficient empathy for Madeline's obsession or self-blame. NAY

2 comments:

Allison said...

This just seemed like another a book about a girl dealing with her parents divorce. Not bad but not TU. I vote nay too.

Pat said...

Voting NO. Too unbelievable in certain areas. Doesn't have the universal appeal that I think Thumbs Up books should have.