Awesome Author Challenge, Quarantine

In early December of 2009, I participated in a Christmas Reading Challenge. At the time I thought "what better way to get ready for the Christmas Season than to be inspired by wonderful literature", unfortunately, as you all may have guessed I'm heavily attracted to murder mysteries. So too many of the books I read for this challenge was such, not so Christmas Like. I did however manage to read "the Magi", which was the only "seasonally appropriate" choice. So now that we are heavily into Lent, I thought I'd try to make up for my shortcomings with the Christmas Challenge. I'm participating in a number of reading challenges this 2010 and I am so amazed at the authors I knew nothing about. So...


Alyce from "at home with books" is the hostess for this challenge.

My choice was "Quarantine", Jim Crace. This was a recommendation by Nise, from the A-Z Wednesday Gang. (I think).



My thoughts:
I liked that the writing style set each chapter clearly and coordinated it with each character, and the happenings at the moment. The next chapter would give a view of the same occurrence from the perspective of another character, very easy to read and follow. I often find myself making a web to keep characters straight, but here there were only a few, and their placement was clear.

I'm going to assume from the back cover, that the intended main character was Jesus, but in all reality Musa was an equally prominent character. What did I like about Musa, well nothing, he's the guy who makes it easy to hate him, and yet he's amazing. Jesus' character on the other hand, to me was a new look. I need not tell you I love Jesus, but his portrayal in this novel was unusual.

I felt that Jesus, the intended main character, was vulnerable, I love the fact that the author emphasizes his humanity and then reminds us of his magnificence. Even the evil Musa realizes his significance.

Each of the characters in the book have their own strengths in securing our attention.I was drawn to compassion for the Miri, Musa's wife. To be horrified by his actions towards Marta, and Shim, surprised by the abilities of "the badu", and the endurance of Aphas the elderly, sick Jew, and yet surprised at their naivety, or perhaps I should say at Musa's skills as a salesman/merchant.

Each of the "Quarantined" rely so heavily upon each other it is amazing that they really come from different worlds beyond the desert. Marta, who would normally have stoned the likes of Miri, wants to take her in and be her sister. Shim also a higher class than the badu, relies on him for his safety from Musa. Aphas, quite probably a man of some importance in his own town, is equal to the others. It is amazing how the desert levels out the classes.

I found the ending curious, and surprising, and yet I knew there could not have been a different one.
I'd love to pass this book on to one of the priests I know, just to see the reaction, It's a little contemporary for Catholics.
I recommend this book to those who wonder what the world was like back then, and who like me need a little drink at the fountain of faith.

I'd like to thank Nise for her recommendation of this book, I can't seem to find her review, (quite probably it was someone else, sorry if it is, please correct me.)

I borrowed this copy from my local library, and am looking forward to reading yet another of the this authors works.

OH! Donna

When my parents came to Canada some 60 years ago, they tried very hard to become part of the communities they lived in. But no matter how hard you try it's hard not to remember your homeland. As more and more immigrants from Poland came to the Hamilton area a real sense of Polish Community

Que Sera Sera

I was born in the early 50's. In my profile you'll see that I love to listen to Doris Day Weird huh! I'm nothing if not weird. I just felt like listening to Que Sera Sera the other day and when I Googled it, I got all kinds of interesting facts about Doris. I have a dear friend named Doris. Haven't seen her for awhile, but she always puts things in perspective for me re: my boys. Being the mother of 3 adult boys she is so calm I sometimes want to shake her up and say get mad. I'm sure she does. I met Doris during World Youth Day. Doris and I volunteered at our Parish. We were then permitted to attend many of the attractions, of course I was on the security committee, (I don't know why, but people assume your a cops wife, you must know everything there is to know about security)anyway, I arranged a security pass for Sasha since he was too young to participate, and Daniel was working and off Doris, Sasha and I went downtown, on the bus. She nearly died when I suggested it, having driven everywhere all the time. Well when we got off the subway at Parliament, it was very crowded, and I was not sure about the direction, so I went to ask one of our boys in blue, (leaving Sasha with Doris, you know Sasha often wears orange so I thought no problem I'll find them even in a crowd>) Well! when I got my directions straightened out I got turned around and panic set in, here I was a responsible mom, leaving my child with a woman I hardly knew and she TOOK him, (did I mention Doris isn't very big, and if push came to shove Sasha could beat her up if need be.) Anyway that orange head and shirt came through and I found them, my heart jumping out of my chest, they were just where I left them waiting patiently. We had a wonderful evening together and Doris has been my friend since, and both my boys have grown to really care for her.

See how easily I am distracted. Back to Doris Day. I'm sick of my hair. So I thought I'm going to look for a new do. I love the way Doris Day always had her hair so groomed. We don't see that in our young actors anymore. Look at Jennifer Aniston, a lovely young lady, but don't you just want to comb her hair. So I'm checking out Doris hairdos for inspiration. I even think I'm going back to being a blond, I truly think I have more fun. Sometimes I don't recognize myself in the mirror with this brownish tone.

What does this have to do with my romance novel you ask? I'm trying to do a physical profile of my heroine. Doris Day it's you! Maybe a little spicier, but definitely with combed hair. ().

May comes to an end...

When I was growing up in Hamilton, ON Catholic Schools were quite an elite group. You had to pay for your children to attend a Catholic high school. Of course my older sisters both attended, apparently my parents ran out of money when I got to that point. I do remember the whole city coming to a complete halt, when it was the Marian Day Parade. The Catholic High Schools would do a huge Marian Day Celebration at what is now Ivor Wynne Stadium. Traffic would be re-routed, parking was limited and you would just walk. The buzz equaled that of the Ti- Cats at their peak. The Cathedral Girls School would do the Living Rosary. At the end of this beautiful prayer the stadium would sing wonderful hymns and crown Mary with a crown of flowers.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_crowning. I don't know when this actually stopped in Hamilton, probably when we got public funding. We then had to be politically correct and let boys into the girls school and vise versa. One of the things we lost as a faith community in our funding deal. I know that the honoring of Mary the Mother of Jesus has not gone out of fashion as a matter of fact, one of the gardening newsletters I read had quite a article in it, with names of particular flowers that were inspired by Our Lady. The students at our elementary school planted a Mary Garden.

This Sunday at Mass the Legion of Mary Crowned Mary during our service. Many of the parishes in Toronto still do a Marian Day Parade, nothing as grand as Hamilton but none the less a wonderful celebration. I always feel we should honour our mothers not just on Mother's Day but everyday, so too I hope we as catholics will remember Our Mother in Heaven. A few days ago Leslie wrote about music. A song by Amy Grant called Breath of Heaven always makes me feel great. Check it out.

During the ongoing controversy of Catholic Education once again fingers are pointed at the waste of Catholic Schools. Let's remember that waste occurs everywhere, not just at "Catholic Boards" we just happen to notice it more, or so it seems. As a person who missed out, I have spent my adult years trying to catch up to the education my sisters got at the Catholic High School. It would certainly be economical to eliminate Catholic Schools, or so we are told. Dig a little deeper to be sure you are aware of the reason Catholic Schools exist. It really is a significant historical journey, not necessarily one of faith, but certainly one of commitment. I suppose I feel so strongly about this because I missed out, I made sure my children didn't. I don't know that it matters to them at the moment, but it will when they are dads. I'm sure of it. Keep the Faith.

My Heart goes out to siblings of ...

Being the middle child in my family I understand being compared to my siblings. I've tried really hard not to compare my children to each other however, it is really hard not to say, "why can't you just do this as well as your brother". Well imagine the dark shadow siblings of missing children must live under. Friday, I was at an event at which we prayed for a young woman who went missing a year ago in Rainbow Falls Park while hiking. I met her mother, who then introduced her son as Christine's brother. I don't know if she told us his name. I was just so taken aback about, what will I say to this family. How do you treat the child you still have at home, when your other child is missing? Mothers don't get instructions on these feelings do we. I also have a friend who's niece Nicole (http://vienneau.livejournal.com/) is missing, since March of 2007. Her brother has done so much to help find her, that I can only hope that my sons would make that tremendous effort for each other, God forbid, it was needed. It is the most awkward feeling to talk to parent/ relative of a missing child. What do you say? I truly don't know. I think of both these girls daily, and pray that their families might find some closure soon. Please keep them in your prayers also. And hug your kids.

In celebration of friends

It's almost the end of May. Spring is here. For a number of years, 18 to be exact, I have been a volunteer in my children's school. Even when my boys went on to Secondary school and then on to university I stayed with the elementary school. I just didn't want to grow up. I was involved first in library, then arts, gardening clubs, and lately in faith development. I'm not sure if any of the activities were meant for the students. I loved them all. I think I read most of the books in the library, I certainly entered them into the data bank, I glued, painted and stapled everything I wanted to. The pizza day moms and I planted a wacky garden in the front, that by the way is doing beautifully, it has no order or rhyme or reason, it just blooms with only the heavens looking after it. As far as the faith development goes. Well, I have met some wonderful people. We sort of loose touch through the school year but come May we all seem to reconnect, not on purpose. Some wonderful event brings us together, we celebrate our faith, with the students, some of them grown up. We sing, we hug, we laugh, we even work our butts off. But a glorious time. Tomorrow is a time for celebration with my friends. I am so looking forward to our day. Bravo for friends.