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Irises
Two sisters discover what's truly worth living for in the new novel by the author of MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD. TWO Kate is bound for Stanford and an M.D. -- if her family will let her go. Mary wants only to stay home and paint. When their loving but repressive father dies, they must figure out how to support themselves and their mother, who is in a permanent vegetative state, and how to get along in all their uneasy sisterhood.
THREE YOUNG Then three men sway their Kate's boyfriend Simon offers to marry her, providing much-needed stability. Mary is drawn to Marcos, though she fears his violent past. And Andy tempts Kate with more than romance, recognizing her ambition because it matches his own.
ONE AGONIZING Kate and Mary each find new possibilities and darknesses in their sudden freedom. But it's Mama's life that might divide them for good -- the question of *if* she lives, and what's worth living for.
IRISES is Francisco X. Stork's most provocative and courageous novel yet.
THREE YOUNG Then three men sway their Kate's boyfriend Simon offers to marry her, providing much-needed stability. Mary is drawn to Marcos, though she fears his violent past. And Andy tempts Kate with more than romance, recognizing her ambition because it matches his own.
ONE AGONIZING Kate and Mary each find new possibilities and darknesses in their sudden freedom. But it's Mama's life that might divide them for good -- the question of *if* she lives, and what's worth living for.
IRISES is Francisco X. Stork's most provocative and courageous novel yet.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
22 people are currently reading
2006 people want to read
About the author
Francisco X. Stork
20 books55.5k followersFrancisco X. Stork was born in Mexico. He moved to El Paso Texas with his adoptive father and mother when he was nine. He attended Spring Hill College, Harvard University and Columbia Law School. He worked as an attorney for thirty-three years before retiring in 2015. He is married and has two grown children and four beautiful grandkids. He loves to discover new books and authors. His favorite books are those where the author's soul touches his. He does not read reviews to his books so you should feel free to write whatever you want. Also, he is genuinely interested in learning about books and life from his friends on this site. He would love it if you find his books worthy to be read, but that's not why he wants to be your friend.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
September 19, 2024
Some people are raised to believe that all matters are black and white. This is good, that is bad. This is acceptable, that is not. Someone is either alive, or he is dead. From the outside looking in, this may appear to be oppressive. On the other hand, these people already have all of the answers, they know what they can do, and what they cannot---it is that simple. Until it isn’t.
Kate and Mary are sisters, raised by a very strict Protestant Reverend and his dutiful wife. In their mother, they found joy. Kate and her mother shared a special, secret dream. Together, they talked of Kate attending Stanford and becoming a doctor. Mary also shared her dream with her mother, only it was no secret. Mary is an extraordinary artist, particularly for her young age. She sees a light around people and is able to subtly work that into her paintings. Mother is proud of Mary and she enthusiastically supports her younger daughter. Father thinks painting is a waste of time and he simply assumes that Kate will follow his plan; stay active in church, get married and raise a family. So, for a while, Kate and Mary have the simplicity of knowing what is acceptable and what is not and they experience joy and fantasies with their mother.
A terrible accident leaves their mom in a vegetative state with only a part-time nurse to help the girls care for her needs. Poor health has father meeting his maker while sixteen year old Mary sits by his side. Two years her senior, Mary looks to Kate to figure out how they will get by. Their house belongs to the church, Kate has Stanford waiting and Mary is too young to be on her own; but finding someone to take her and her mother in seems impossible.
Mr. Stork masterfully captures the stoicism and detachment that, at first, encompass the household. By sprinkling in bits of family history, he coaxes empathy from the reader. The girls’ characters develop as they struggle to leave the confines of their black and white world and make decisions they’ve never imagined. Kate’s use of her newfound freedom may amplify their troubles. The choices they are faced with could bring them closer, or forever rip them apart.
I found this story to be enlightening and compelling. I will certainly pick up another Francisco X. Stork book.
3.5 stars
Kate and Mary are sisters, raised by a very strict Protestant Reverend and his dutiful wife. In their mother, they found joy. Kate and her mother shared a special, secret dream. Together, they talked of Kate attending Stanford and becoming a doctor. Mary also shared her dream with her mother, only it was no secret. Mary is an extraordinary artist, particularly for her young age. She sees a light around people and is able to subtly work that into her paintings. Mother is proud of Mary and she enthusiastically supports her younger daughter. Father thinks painting is a waste of time and he simply assumes that Kate will follow his plan; stay active in church, get married and raise a family. So, for a while, Kate and Mary have the simplicity of knowing what is acceptable and what is not and they experience joy and fantasies with their mother.
A terrible accident leaves their mom in a vegetative state with only a part-time nurse to help the girls care for her needs. Poor health has father meeting his maker while sixteen year old Mary sits by his side. Two years her senior, Mary looks to Kate to figure out how they will get by. Their house belongs to the church, Kate has Stanford waiting and Mary is too young to be on her own; but finding someone to take her and her mother in seems impossible.
Mr. Stork masterfully captures the stoicism and detachment that, at first, encompass the household. By sprinkling in bits of family history, he coaxes empathy from the reader. The girls’ characters develop as they struggle to leave the confines of their black and white world and make decisions they’ve never imagined. Kate’s use of her newfound freedom may amplify their troubles. The choices they are faced with could bring them closer, or forever rip them apart.
I found this story to be enlightening and compelling. I will certainly pick up another Francisco X. Stork book.
3.5 stars
December 27, 2011
This is a book that asked something of me. I think reading the book quickly is inevitable, because it's well written, but when I forced myself to slow down I felt that I was rewarded with challenging characters and maybe even a little soul searching about the cost of doing something that seems at least, reckless, and at most, impossible. Children are always told to follow their dreams. But as soon as they are old enough to do just that, society gives very mixed messages about the ethics of passion and ambition. And why not? It's confusing. Stork is a master story teller, but he is also a bit of a unrepentant guru. If you are looking for a book that transcends the YA formula, this is it.
January 5, 2012
Originally Posted on IceyBooks
Irises was a book I picked up because of the cover. A hazy image of two girls, possibly sisters, overlooking moving water. Now that I've flipped over the last page, I've realized the cover depicts a type of sorrow that lingers through the pages.
Irises is a tale of love and hope. Two normal girls, sisters two years apart, left alone with nothing but their broken hearts and a shaky future. Irises is a type of story that would bring a smile to your lips while tears stream from your eyes.
Kate and Mary's father dies within the first few pages, leaving them with their mother who's been in a vegetative state for the past two years. She's as good as dead, though the girls still have faith that she may wake up one day. Kate longs to become a doctor, though not in nearby UT El Paso. She wants to go miles away to Stanford. Mary longs to bring back the love of painting she had before her mother's accident. Now, her days are simply mirrors of the day before, filled with hopelessness and lonely.
Francisco Stork's writing style is as simple as can be. To be honest, it first struck me as unprofessional, amateuristic. But as I flipped through, page after page, his simple style grew on me. The words held emotion, as I'm sure he wanted. Irises doesn't hold a world to be described, but emotions to be felt, hope to be mustered.
The prologue and epilogue ended up as my favorite. The prologue was cheerful, and sets the stage for the oncoming hardships. The epilogue held a certain wave of happiness, despite the pain the sisters had gone through.
Irises may not be for everyone. But if you enjoy the occassional contemporary that will leave you smiling with tear filled eyes, Francisco X. Stork's latest will deliver.
Irises was a book I picked up because of the cover. A hazy image of two girls, possibly sisters, overlooking moving water. Now that I've flipped over the last page, I've realized the cover depicts a type of sorrow that lingers through the pages.
Irises is a tale of love and hope. Two normal girls, sisters two years apart, left alone with nothing but their broken hearts and a shaky future. Irises is a type of story that would bring a smile to your lips while tears stream from your eyes.
Kate and Mary's father dies within the first few pages, leaving them with their mother who's been in a vegetative state for the past two years. She's as good as dead, though the girls still have faith that she may wake up one day. Kate longs to become a doctor, though not in nearby UT El Paso. She wants to go miles away to Stanford. Mary longs to bring back the love of painting she had before her mother's accident. Now, her days are simply mirrors of the day before, filled with hopelessness and lonely.
Francisco Stork's writing style is as simple as can be. To be honest, it first struck me as unprofessional, amateuristic. But as I flipped through, page after page, his simple style grew on me. The words held emotion, as I'm sure he wanted. Irises doesn't hold a world to be described, but emotions to be felt, hope to be mustered.
The prologue and epilogue ended up as my favorite. The prologue was cheerful, and sets the stage for the oncoming hardships. The epilogue held a certain wave of happiness, despite the pain the sisters had gone through.
Irises may not be for everyone. But if you enjoy the occassional contemporary that will leave you smiling with tear filled eyes, Francisco X. Stork's latest will deliver.
April 19, 2012
This was a strange book. The characters did not seem real, and the writing was choppy. The idea of whether or not to remove a parent from life support is interesting, but I had just read it in Jodi Picoult's Lone Wolf which had been done better. It is too bad because I liked Marcello in the Real World and love sister stories, but I didn't love this.
September 3, 2016
A beautiful book by a master of words! The evolving relationship between these two different sisters as they each find their path unfolds in a thought-provoking and lovely way.
January 23, 2013
S pokojným svedomím už teraz môžem Irises od Francisca X. Storka označiť za najemotívnejšiu knihu, ktorú tento rok prečítam. Po pravde si naozaj neviem predstaviť, čo by bolo emotívnejšie ako príbeh Kate a Mary.
Autor nám naservíroval príbeh plný snov a nájdenej slobody, ale aj beznádeje a ťažkých rozhodnutí. Keď už sa zdalo, že vznikne iskra nádeje na lepšie dni, Stork svojim postavám pridal ďalší životný údel. A tu sa to všetko začína. Po smrti otca zostávajú Kate a Mary samy, iba s matkou, ktorá je po vážnej autonehode už dva roky v bdelej kóme. Odkázané samy na seba sa pokúšajú vykľučkovať z tejto nepriaznivej situácie.
Keď som začala čítať túto knihu nečakala som od nej nič. Ale čím viac stránok mi ubúdalo, tým viac som sa zažrala do deja a nechcela som knihu odložiť, pokým neprečítam epilóg. Niekedy, takmer počas po čas celého čítania, som hľadela na stránky cez slzy. Kniha vás vtiahne a začína sa emočný kolotoč, ktorý neskončí, pokiaľ neprečítate posledné slovo. Autor vety skladá tak precízne, že aj najbanálnejšia situácia vo vás vyvolá explóziu pocitov.
Kate a Mary osud nadelil príliš. Každá sa s tým snaží vyrovnať po svojom, hoci nie vždy to vypáli tak ako si to predstavujú.
Zo začiatku som im obom držala palce, aby sa ich situácia zlepšila a ich život nebol taký krutý, aký ho autor vykreslil. Avšak už po niekoľkých stranách som si viac obľúbila Mary, pretože ona bola tá láskavá, tá, ktorá by sa najradšej aj rozkrájala, len aby všetci okolo nej boli spokojní. Od malička rada maľuje, ale to sa zmenilo po matkinej nehode. Akoby z nej vyprchalo to svetlo, ktoré videla, vždy keď na štetec nabrala farbu. Miestami som mala pocit, že Mary bola tá staršia a dospelejšia. Myslela skôr na ostatných ako na seba. Musela sa vzdať toho o čom snívala, len aby ulahodila Kate a tu je ten kameň úrazu. Mary sa musela vzdať prakticky všetkého, na rozdiel od Kate, ktorá sníva svoje sny a pevne verí, že sa všetko stane tak, ako si to predstavuje. Mary je tá, ktorá sa stará o ich matku. Snaží sa udržať sestry pokope, pretože má pocit, že sa jej Kate stále viac a viac vzďaľuje.
A je tu Kate, osemnásťročná študentka, ktorej najväčším snom je byť lekárkou a je ochotná pre to urobiť všetko. Najskôr som si myslela, že si obľúbim aj Kate, ale nebolo to tak. Po smrti otca je tá, ktorá má právo rozhodovať o všetkom, keďže je dospelá. Nie vždy boli tieto rozhodnutia správne, takmer nikdy. S klapkami na očiach si ide za svojím a občas som mala pocit, že jej je ukradnuté komu tým ublíži. Svojím egoistickým prístupom odohnala od seba nielen svoju najlepšiu kamarátku, ale aj priateľa, ktorý ju mal rád. Nedokázala som si k nej vybudovať pozitívny vzťah a často som nad jej konaním krútila hlavou, či to skutočne myslí vážne. Nemyslela na nikoho iného okrem seba, nebola schopná sa vzdať toho, o čom snívala, hoci to vyžadovala od Mary.
V knihe nebolo veľa postáv, ktoré by som si obľúbila, celkovo postáv bolo oproti iným knihám málo, ale aj tak niektoré stoja za spomenutie. Traja muži v životoch Mary a Kate, mi boli sympatickí. Marcos, Simon a Andy. Prvého z nich som mala najradšej. Hoci mal nepeknú minulosť a život sa s ním tiež zhral po svojom, dokázala som si ho obľúbiť, i keď v knihe sa nevyskytoval často. Najskôr som nevedela, čo si o Simonovi myslieť. Prišiel mi taký nijaký, ale ku koncu knihy som si ho celkom obľúbila hlavne, pretože povedal Kate pravdu o tom aká v skutočnosti je. A potom je tu Andy, ktorému som ani za ten svet neprišla na chuť a vždy vo mne vzkypela žlč, keď tlačil Kate do hlavy tie svoje kaleráby. Nakoniec je tu teta Julia, o ktorej som si takmer počas celej knihy nevedela, čo myslieť, pretože sa k dievčatám nesprávala práve ukážkovo. Ale ako sa vraví, za všetkým treba hľadať dôvod a ani pri tete Julii to nebolo inak. Hľadela som na stránku, či si zo mňa autor nestrieľa. Bohužiaľ, nestrieľal.
Všetky postavy boli reálne, čo Storkovi naozaj kvitujem, pretože v dnešnej dobe som našla len málo kníh, kde boli postavy takéto reálne. Lepšie som sa s nimi dokázala zžiť a prežívať ich údel.
Irises vám dá veľa. Hoci je kruto reálna, pretože udalosti v nej sa stávajú aj v normálnom živote, nájdete v nej štipku nádeje. A kúsok romantiky. V takmer beznádejnej situácii vám tieto pasáže prídu ako balzam na dušu. Priznám sa, že pri knihe som naozaj veľa plakala. Pre mňa nebola depresívna, len ako som už písala, kruto reálna. I keď musím sa priznať, že by mi nevadilo, ak by kniha bola o niekoľko desiatok strán dlhšia. Niektoré veci, ktoré ma zaujímali autor neopísal a skočil rovno do epilógu. Možno to je tak lepšie. Ani táto skutočnosť neubrala knihe na geniálnosti.
Francisco X. Stork má dar slova a pri ňom každá veta vyznie akoby kúzelník čaroval. Kniha sa aj napriek ťažkej téme číta ľahko a rýchlo. Zhltla som ju za dva dni a to som sa snažila čítať pomaly, aby mi vydržala, čo najdlhšie.
Irises odporúčam všetkým, ktorí majú radi príbehy z reálneho života a nevadí im, keď si pri knihe poplačú.
Autor nám naservíroval príbeh plný snov a nájdenej slobody, ale aj beznádeje a ťažkých rozhodnutí. Keď už sa zdalo, že vznikne iskra nádeje na lepšie dni, Stork svojim postavám pridal ďalší životný údel. A tu sa to všetko začína. Po smrti otca zostávajú Kate a Mary samy, iba s matkou, ktorá je po vážnej autonehode už dva roky v bdelej kóme. Odkázané samy na seba sa pokúšajú vykľučkovať z tejto nepriaznivej situácie.
Keď som začala čítať túto knihu nečakala som od nej nič. Ale čím viac stránok mi ubúdalo, tým viac som sa zažrala do deja a nechcela som knihu odložiť, pokým neprečítam epilóg. Niekedy, takmer počas po čas celého čítania, som hľadela na stránky cez slzy. Kniha vás vtiahne a začína sa emočný kolotoč, ktorý neskončí, pokiaľ neprečítate posledné slovo. Autor vety skladá tak precízne, že aj najbanálnejšia situácia vo vás vyvolá explóziu pocitov.
Kate a Mary osud nadelil príliš. Každá sa s tým snaží vyrovnať po svojom, hoci nie vždy to vypáli tak ako si to predstavujú.
Zo začiatku som im obom držala palce, aby sa ich situácia zlepšila a ich život nebol taký krutý, aký ho autor vykreslil. Avšak už po niekoľkých stranách som si viac obľúbila Mary, pretože ona bola tá láskavá, tá, ktorá by sa najradšej aj rozkrájala, len aby všetci okolo nej boli spokojní. Od malička rada maľuje, ale to sa zmenilo po matkinej nehode. Akoby z nej vyprchalo to svetlo, ktoré videla, vždy keď na štetec nabrala farbu. Miestami som mala pocit, že Mary bola tá staršia a dospelejšia. Myslela skôr na ostatných ako na seba. Musela sa vzdať toho o čom snívala, len aby ulahodila Kate a tu je ten kameň úrazu. Mary sa musela vzdať prakticky všetkého, na rozdiel od Kate, ktorá sníva svoje sny a pevne verí, že sa všetko stane tak, ako si to predstavuje. Mary je tá, ktorá sa stará o ich matku. Snaží sa udržať sestry pokope, pretože má pocit, že sa jej Kate stále viac a viac vzďaľuje.
A je tu Kate, osemnásťročná študentka, ktorej najväčším snom je byť lekárkou a je ochotná pre to urobiť všetko. Najskôr som si myslela, že si obľúbim aj Kate, ale nebolo to tak. Po smrti otca je tá, ktorá má právo rozhodovať o všetkom, keďže je dospelá. Nie vždy boli tieto rozhodnutia správne, takmer nikdy. S klapkami na očiach si ide za svojím a občas som mala pocit, že jej je ukradnuté komu tým ublíži. Svojím egoistickým prístupom odohnala od seba nielen svoju najlepšiu kamarátku, ale aj priateľa, ktorý ju mal rád. Nedokázala som si k nej vybudovať pozitívny vzťah a často som nad jej konaním krútila hlavou, či to skutočne myslí vážne. Nemyslela na nikoho iného okrem seba, nebola schopná sa vzdať toho, o čom snívala, hoci to vyžadovala od Mary.
V knihe nebolo veľa postáv, ktoré by som si obľúbila, celkovo postáv bolo oproti iným knihám málo, ale aj tak niektoré stoja za spomenutie. Traja muži v životoch Mary a Kate, mi boli sympatickí. Marcos, Simon a Andy. Prvého z nich som mala najradšej. Hoci mal nepeknú minulosť a život sa s ním tiež zhral po svojom, dokázala som si ho obľúbiť, i keď v knihe sa nevyskytoval často. Najskôr som nevedela, čo si o Simonovi myslieť. Prišiel mi taký nijaký, ale ku koncu knihy som si ho celkom obľúbila hlavne, pretože povedal Kate pravdu o tom aká v skutočnosti je. A potom je tu Andy, ktorému som ani za ten svet neprišla na chuť a vždy vo mne vzkypela žlč, keď tlačil Kate do hlavy tie svoje kaleráby. Nakoniec je tu teta Julia, o ktorej som si takmer počas celej knihy nevedela, čo myslieť, pretože sa k dievčatám nesprávala práve ukážkovo. Ale ako sa vraví, za všetkým treba hľadať dôvod a ani pri tete Julii to nebolo inak. Hľadela som na stránku, či si zo mňa autor nestrieľa. Bohužiaľ, nestrieľal.
Všetky postavy boli reálne, čo Storkovi naozaj kvitujem, pretože v dnešnej dobe som našla len málo kníh, kde boli postavy takéto reálne. Lepšie som sa s nimi dokázala zžiť a prežívať ich údel.
Irises vám dá veľa. Hoci je kruto reálna, pretože udalosti v nej sa stávajú aj v normálnom živote, nájdete v nej štipku nádeje. A kúsok romantiky. V takmer beznádejnej situácii vám tieto pasáže prídu ako balzam na dušu. Priznám sa, že pri knihe som naozaj veľa plakala. Pre mňa nebola depresívna, len ako som už písala, kruto reálna. I keď musím sa priznať, že by mi nevadilo, ak by kniha bola o niekoľko desiatok strán dlhšia. Niektoré veci, ktoré ma zaujímali autor neopísal a skočil rovno do epilógu. Možno to je tak lepšie. Ani táto skutočnosť neubrala knihe na geniálnosti.
Francisco X. Stork má dar slova a pri ňom každá veta vyznie akoby kúzelník čaroval. Kniha sa aj napriek ťažkej téme číta ľahko a rýchlo. Zhltla som ju za dva dni a to som sa snažila čítať pomaly, aby mi vydržala, čo najdlhšie.
Irises odporúčam všetkým, ktorí majú radi príbehy z reálneho života a nevadí im, keď si pri knihe poplačú.
November 5, 2012
Originally published at Book Harbinger.
Reverend Romero’s daughters Kate and Mary couldn’t be more different. Ambitious, self-centered Kate is determined to become a doctor, while sweet, giving Kate is an aspiring artist. Where their fates align is in the mutual limitations of their strict upbringing. Because of their father’s beliefs, they don’t drive, use slang, own cell phones, or dress fashionably. But when he dies suddenly, Mary and Kate’s life becomes even more complicated. First, how will they afford the medical care for their mother, who’s been in a persistent vegetative state since the accident four years ago? Secondly, how will they find the time to care for her? There is no question that Mary will give up her studio time after school, and Kate’s secret dream of attending Stanford may not come true. With the help of Simon, Kate’s long-time boyfriend, and Reverend Soto, the charming new minister, Kate attempts to reconcile her ambition with her family. In all of this Kate also has a new friend, artist cum gang member Marcos, who helps her see painting in a new light. But hardest of all, how will they determine what makes life worth living? How do you give the right love to those closest to you, and how do you live with the consequences of your decisions?
After reading the unforgettable Marcelo in the Real World earlier this year, I knew I wanted to read more from Francisco X. Stork, but I didn’t know what to expect from his most recent novel Irises. If it seems full of real, serious, and grave issues from the premise, then you are correct. It is. Religion and death and vegetative states to name a few. Understandably I was hesitant to pick it up. But what is quickly apparent after the first few chapters is the thought-provoking moral questions it will raise on universal themes such as love, light, and what it means to really live. It was how I related to Kate and Mary personally and my curiosity at seeing how these questions drove their actions that kept me engaged from beginning to end. Despite its weightier subject matter, Irises is thoughtful, well-paced, and best of all, hopeful, and I feel like a better person for having read it.
For me, it wasn’t love at first sight for either Kate or Mary. I had a hard time keeping their characters straight in the beginning. Although I related more to Mary’s kind, easygoing nature, I connected to the protective, driven older sister in Kate. Kate’s inner conflict is very true-to-life. Is wanting something like Stanford selfishness of the most unloving kind, or can it be a way of being courageously true and loving to yourself and those around you? I also connected to Mary, whose never-ending sacrificing for her family has left her spent. Her inability to see and paint the light in others after her mother’s accident is incredibly sad. The prologue, which offers a brief glimpse of Mark and Kate pre-accident, works well as a contrasting reference point to the sisters’ current dire circumstances, especially Mary’s. As in Marcelo, Stork knows how to bring religion into his books subtly and without being obtrusive, focusing on the broader, universal beliefs that many religions share. I am not a minister’s daughter, but I am religious and maybe that helped me to invest so deeply in the main themes of love/denial of self in Irises. Needless to say, from the thoughtful themes to the lighthearted scenes with Mary’s sweet romantic lead Marcos, cute but sketchy Reverend Soto, and Kate’s devoted friend Bonnie, I couldn’t put this book down. It’s been awhile since I’ve been so completely absorbed by a book, and for that I want to say thank you, Francisco Stork. I don’t know why I waited so long to read another of your books. I promise I’ll do better in the future. The Last Summer of the Death Warriors, here I come.
Reverend Romero’s daughters Kate and Mary couldn’t be more different. Ambitious, self-centered Kate is determined to become a doctor, while sweet, giving Kate is an aspiring artist. Where their fates align is in the mutual limitations of their strict upbringing. Because of their father’s beliefs, they don’t drive, use slang, own cell phones, or dress fashionably. But when he dies suddenly, Mary and Kate’s life becomes even more complicated. First, how will they afford the medical care for their mother, who’s been in a persistent vegetative state since the accident four years ago? Secondly, how will they find the time to care for her? There is no question that Mary will give up her studio time after school, and Kate’s secret dream of attending Stanford may not come true. With the help of Simon, Kate’s long-time boyfriend, and Reverend Soto, the charming new minister, Kate attempts to reconcile her ambition with her family. In all of this Kate also has a new friend, artist cum gang member Marcos, who helps her see painting in a new light. But hardest of all, how will they determine what makes life worth living? How do you give the right love to those closest to you, and how do you live with the consequences of your decisions?
After reading the unforgettable Marcelo in the Real World earlier this year, I knew I wanted to read more from Francisco X. Stork, but I didn’t know what to expect from his most recent novel Irises. If it seems full of real, serious, and grave issues from the premise, then you are correct. It is. Religion and death and vegetative states to name a few. Understandably I was hesitant to pick it up. But what is quickly apparent after the first few chapters is the thought-provoking moral questions it will raise on universal themes such as love, light, and what it means to really live. It was how I related to Kate and Mary personally and my curiosity at seeing how these questions drove their actions that kept me engaged from beginning to end. Despite its weightier subject matter, Irises is thoughtful, well-paced, and best of all, hopeful, and I feel like a better person for having read it.
For me, it wasn’t love at first sight for either Kate or Mary. I had a hard time keeping their characters straight in the beginning. Although I related more to Mary’s kind, easygoing nature, I connected to the protective, driven older sister in Kate. Kate’s inner conflict is very true-to-life. Is wanting something like Stanford selfishness of the most unloving kind, or can it be a way of being courageously true and loving to yourself and those around you? I also connected to Mary, whose never-ending sacrificing for her family has left her spent. Her inability to see and paint the light in others after her mother’s accident is incredibly sad. The prologue, which offers a brief glimpse of Mark and Kate pre-accident, works well as a contrasting reference point to the sisters’ current dire circumstances, especially Mary’s. As in Marcelo, Stork knows how to bring religion into his books subtly and without being obtrusive, focusing on the broader, universal beliefs that many religions share. I am not a minister’s daughter, but I am religious and maybe that helped me to invest so deeply in the main themes of love/denial of self in Irises. Needless to say, from the thoughtful themes to the lighthearted scenes with Mary’s sweet romantic lead Marcos, cute but sketchy Reverend Soto, and Kate’s devoted friend Bonnie, I couldn’t put this book down. It’s been awhile since I’ve been so completely absorbed by a book, and for that I want to say thank you, Francisco Stork. I don’t know why I waited so long to read another of your books. I promise I’ll do better in the future. The Last Summer of the Death Warriors, here I come.
August 11, 2016
I rounded up from 3.5 stars. Also, I read an uncorrected proof copy that someone added to the book exchange shelf at work. One of the things I think I liked best about this book is that the characters are religious, but not in-your-face preachy about it; they don't walk around going "God will show me the way"; they don't run from the mall shrieking that make-up is a sin (though I avoid it myself, I don't think it's sinful; just impractical); and they don't strike me as snooty in their religiosity. Their peers seem to believe that they're snooty, and I can kind of see where they might get that impression, but they aren't. They're just normal girls, who grew up with a stricter-than-normal parent, trying to succeed, be happy, and achieve their dreams. Like everyone else. That's about all I've got to say.
I do feel that I should mention that, though I focus on the characters' religiosity, this is very not "Christian fiction," so it should appeal to all except the most ardent atheists. You know, the ones who are so resolute in their belief that there is no higher power that they dislike anyone who believes there is a higher power. Well, those ardent Christians who are so convinced of God that they dislike any atheist might not like this either, if they like in-your-face, God-is-all-and-loves-you books. But I'm generalizing. I propose making your own evaluation.
I do feel that I should mention that, though I focus on the characters' religiosity, this is very not "Christian fiction," so it should appeal to all except the most ardent atheists. You know, the ones who are so resolute in their belief that there is no higher power that they dislike anyone who believes there is a higher power. Well, those ardent Christians who are so convinced of God that they dislike any atheist might not like this either, if they like in-your-face, God-is-all-and-loves-you books. But I'm generalizing. I propose making your own evaluation.
May 30, 2012
When their minister father dies unexpectedly, sisters Kate and Mary must figure out a way to take care of their mother who is in a persistent vegetative state as well as themselves. Kate has a scholarship to Stanford, and Mary is a talented painter, but their lives have been restricted by their controlling father and their concern for their mother. As with Stork's previous two titles, this one explores questions about family, faith, and joy, but the exploration seems a bit more heavy-handed than in the previous books. Some of the language and the sisters' lack of worldliness give the book a dated quality, and difficult as their plight might seem, it's clear what decisions they will ultimately make. I particularly like how Stork's books do not shy away from hard questions or offer easy answers, but this title simply didn't captivate me, possibly because other books have addressed some of the same issues.
February 2, 2012
Francisco X. Stork is my literary hero. He is such a fine writer and each of his three YA novels takes on such different topics and themes. His newest book isn't as "magical" as the first two. It is quieter without the flamboyant, unique characters. However, the question of the quality of life and the decision to end life is something I have been discussing with both of my daughters. I certainly haven't seen another book take on this essential conversation. And it is a great book.
January 30, 2019
With their father recently dead and their mother in a permanent vegetative state for the third year with no hope of waking up, just paying rent is a challenge for sisters Kate and Mary. Kate is graduating this year, and has dreams that extent out of El Paso--she's applied for Stanford, though everyone expects her to stay home and attend UTEP (University of Texas at El Paso for all you non-Texan folks) and marry her long-term boyfriend Simon and look after her sister and mother. Mary just wants to be able to paint, wherever she is. Their father's retirement money is running out fast. Their lease from the church is running out, too, with a new minister ready to move in. Something has to be done, and soon.
The blurb on the inside flap touts an intense romantic subplot, one for each of the sisters: Kate torn between the new minister Reverend Andy Soto and good old Simon, who has proposed and will offer much-needed stability for the family with the restaurant he owns; Mary drawn to Marcos, but conflicted as, well, he's in a gang and sort of sketchy (see, that was another pun, because they're artists--I'll stop now). Most of this whole subplot felt as canned as the inner flap would suggest, unnatural--like the author decided each sister needed to have a man in their life now that their (vastly overprotective) father had died. Kate's dilemma I'll buy. Andy might be older, but he has an understandable appeal--whereas everyone else tries to put her down and say it's selfish for Kate to even think about going to college anywhere but UTEP, Andy feeds her ambition and opens her eyes to possibilities her family, best friend and Simon would never suggest. Andy becomes her confidant, and his non-traditional approach of leaving God out of the equation ends up bringing her closer to the faith she's left behind. Mary's situation, not so much. She's warm to most everyone we see, but abruptly cold and hard when she meets Marcos, something he hints is normal. Either the author was remarkably subtle about it, or half of Mary's deal with not dating anyone or whatever was made up to give her something to grapple with. Neither of these issues are really resolved, either, contributing to their tacked-on, half-hearted feel.
A definite high point for Irises is the dialogue. Each character speaks in a distinct style, but it doesn't feel put-on or fake. Bonnie, Kate's best friend, speaks in a vastly different tone from Mary, but each sounds genuine--or at least not so fake I noticed. Subtly is also a strong point, writing-wise, and though there is a line to be drawn between 'subtle' and 'leaving it out but mentioning it later so it looks like you just forgot about it' (see: Mary's deal with boys), Stork usually leans towards the former. We find out the details of the girls' mother's accident slowly, as well as their father's life. It cuts out the long, boring explication passages I abhor, which makes reading much more pleasant and keeps my walls from receiving unnecessary dents. Overall, reading the book was pretty pleasant, really.
Except that while I wasn't throwing the book across the room, I did have to let out some verbal frustration as the "problems" piled on. This book, like so many others, suffers from what I have decided just now to call Excessive Setback Syndrome. ESS is characterised by the plot involving minor issue after minor issue piled on, which causes the characters to all freak out and the reader to sigh in defeat because while these "problems" keep coming up, nothing bad ever happens. Often symptoms include characters who are completely overwhelmed and minor issues blown up to an enormous scale by the characters who aren't. For example, Kate going to college. I can understand her family not being terribly supportive of the idea. But it wasn't consistently spread--some people, like Simon and her Aunt Julia, decided that it was the most horribly selfish thing she could ever come up with, akin to, I don't know, selling Mary to a circus. Perhaps I lack perspective, not being a first-generation college hopeful, but it wasn't so much the negative reactions as the inconsistency of the reactions. Some people were excited for her. Kate's mother was the one who suggested she go to Stanford rather than UTEP. And then a few characters decided wanting to go to Stanford on full scholarship was like wanting to sell her sister to the circus.
Though labelled for grades nine and up, I'd widen that up to middle school. It's a decent read, tame (the romance frustratingly so) and family-friendly. The most controversial thing, I think, would be the heavy Christian focus, which seems at times out-of-place and deliberate. Overall, three stars, and a recommendation to pick it up if you're bored, but not go search on Amazon to get it here by Christmas.
The blurb on the inside flap touts an intense romantic subplot, one for each of the sisters: Kate torn between the new minister Reverend Andy Soto and good old Simon, who has proposed and will offer much-needed stability for the family with the restaurant he owns; Mary drawn to Marcos, but conflicted as, well, he's in a gang and sort of sketchy (see, that was another pun, because they're artists--I'll stop now). Most of this whole subplot felt as canned as the inner flap would suggest, unnatural--like the author decided each sister needed to have a man in their life now that their (vastly overprotective) father had died. Kate's dilemma I'll buy. Andy might be older, but he has an understandable appeal--whereas everyone else tries to put her down and say it's selfish for Kate to even think about going to college anywhere but UTEP, Andy feeds her ambition and opens her eyes to possibilities her family, best friend and Simon would never suggest. Andy becomes her confidant, and his non-traditional approach of leaving God out of the equation ends up bringing her closer to the faith she's left behind. Mary's situation, not so much. She's warm to most everyone we see, but abruptly cold and hard when she meets Marcos, something he hints is normal. Either the author was remarkably subtle about it, or half of Mary's deal with not dating anyone or whatever was made up to give her something to grapple with. Neither of these issues are really resolved, either, contributing to their tacked-on, half-hearted feel.
A definite high point for Irises is the dialogue. Each character speaks in a distinct style, but it doesn't feel put-on or fake. Bonnie, Kate's best friend, speaks in a vastly different tone from Mary, but each sounds genuine--or at least not so fake I noticed. Subtly is also a strong point, writing-wise, and though there is a line to be drawn between 'subtle' and 'leaving it out but mentioning it later so it looks like you just forgot about it' (see: Mary's deal with boys), Stork usually leans towards the former. We find out the details of the girls' mother's accident slowly, as well as their father's life. It cuts out the long, boring explication passages I abhor, which makes reading much more pleasant and keeps my walls from receiving unnecessary dents. Overall, reading the book was pretty pleasant, really.
Except that while I wasn't throwing the book across the room, I did have to let out some verbal frustration as the "problems" piled on. This book, like so many others, suffers from what I have decided just now to call Excessive Setback Syndrome. ESS is characterised by the plot involving minor issue after minor issue piled on, which causes the characters to all freak out and the reader to sigh in defeat because while these "problems" keep coming up, nothing bad ever happens. Often symptoms include characters who are completely overwhelmed and minor issues blown up to an enormous scale by the characters who aren't. For example, Kate going to college. I can understand her family not being terribly supportive of the idea. But it wasn't consistently spread--some people, like Simon and her Aunt Julia, decided that it was the most horribly selfish thing she could ever come up with, akin to, I don't know, selling Mary to a circus. Perhaps I lack perspective, not being a first-generation college hopeful, but it wasn't so much the negative reactions as the inconsistency of the reactions. Some people were excited for her. Kate's mother was the one who suggested she go to Stanford rather than UTEP. And then a few characters decided wanting to go to Stanford on full scholarship was like wanting to sell her sister to the circus.
Though labelled for grades nine and up, I'd widen that up to middle school. It's a decent read, tame (the romance frustratingly so) and family-friendly. The most controversial thing, I think, would be the heavy Christian focus, which seems at times out-of-place and deliberate. Overall, three stars, and a recommendation to pick it up if you're bored, but not go search on Amazon to get it here by Christmas.
March 6, 2012
I am a bit of a fan girl for Francisco X. Stork's books. His first novel, Marcelo in the Real World is one of my all time favorite books, and I really enjoyed his second book, Summer of the Death Warriors . I found out about this book from Scholastic's Librarian Preview (http://www.scholastic.com/librarianpr...) and I was beyond excited to read it.
And it met my expectations -- and exceeded them.
Kate and Mary are two sisters living in El Paso. Since their mother was in an accident, they have grown apart, focused on caring for their mother, who is in a permanent vegetative state. When their father dies, leaving them alone to care for their mother and fend for themselves, the girls find themselves having to make tough decisions. Mary loves painting, but she feels that since Mother died she has lost the "light" that allows her to paint. Kate dreams of being a doctor and attending Stanford University, but she worries that she won't be able to go. As the girls contemplate these decisions, they are helped by a group of three young men. But the final, most important choice is hanging over their heads: what should they do about their mother? Should they let her go?
The first thing I want to note about the plot is the use of the mother being in a vegetative state. I have read several books about mothers being in very serious comas, ie it is not believed they will ever wake up, but none about people being in vegetative states. I thought that was an interesting perspective to bring, and I liked how Stork interwove questions about the girls' choices about their mother, and whether or not they should let her go and detach her from her feeding tube, or continue to care for her.
Also regarding the plot, for a while I was confused about the three romantic interests in the story: Marcos, Simon, and Andy. Marcos and Mary's relationship really was quite sweet, and they seemed to be a good couple. I was less sure about Simon and Andy, Kate's love interests. I didn't really understand what happened with Kate and the two boys at the end, since their relationships seemed to be really up in the air, but they did help move the plot along and force Kate to make hard -- albeit interesting -- choices.
A thing to note: the faith element in the story is very strong (the girls' father works at a church and one of Kate's love interests is her father's replacement after his death) so if you aren't interested in faith-based stories this probably isn't one for you.
The plot was interesting and very sweet, with enough twists and turns to keep me interested. I also very much enjoyed the girls' final choice about their mother and how they ended the novel.
The characters were interesting. Kate and Mary were both very unique and well rounded characters, with their own personalities, hopes, dreams, and questions about life and faith. I sympathized with both of them and understood their choices and longing, as well as their feelings towards both of their parents. The other characters were just as well rounded, including all three of the love interests. When Marcos was entered in to the story as "a bad boy" I was a little worried that the story would take a stereotypical route. But he turned out to be just as well rounded and interesting as the rest, with good dreams and initiative.
The writing is the one part where I struggled a bit and redacted half a star, and I think some others will do the same. Stork's writing is very easy to read and clear, but it's a bit stiff. Sometimes it was hard to read the sentences because they seemed to stiff and fake. It doesn't make for an easy reading experience. I understand the stylistic choice, since the girls talk like this (and, cleverly, Marcos talks to Mary about this) but it was hard to read. I think maybe the story could have been written in a less stiff way. Instead the book could have been written with the characters speaking in a stiff way and not the narrative itself. I know that I can't change the book, obviously, but I disliked that stylistic choice.
Overall, Irises is a great read for fans of Francisco X. Stork, fans of contemporary fiction, and fans of faith-based stories.
Four point five stars.
And it met my expectations -- and exceeded them.
Kate and Mary are two sisters living in El Paso. Since their mother was in an accident, they have grown apart, focused on caring for their mother, who is in a permanent vegetative state. When their father dies, leaving them alone to care for their mother and fend for themselves, the girls find themselves having to make tough decisions. Mary loves painting, but she feels that since Mother died she has lost the "light" that allows her to paint. Kate dreams of being a doctor and attending Stanford University, but she worries that she won't be able to go. As the girls contemplate these decisions, they are helped by a group of three young men. But the final, most important choice is hanging over their heads: what should they do about their mother? Should they let her go?
The first thing I want to note about the plot is the use of the mother being in a vegetative state. I have read several books about mothers being in very serious comas, ie it is not believed they will ever wake up, but none about people being in vegetative states. I thought that was an interesting perspective to bring, and I liked how Stork interwove questions about the girls' choices about their mother, and whether or not they should let her go and detach her from her feeding tube, or continue to care for her.
Also regarding the plot, for a while I was confused about the three romantic interests in the story: Marcos, Simon, and Andy. Marcos and Mary's relationship really was quite sweet, and they seemed to be a good couple. I was less sure about Simon and Andy, Kate's love interests. I didn't really understand what happened with Kate and the two boys at the end, since their relationships seemed to be really up in the air, but they did help move the plot along and force Kate to make hard -- albeit interesting -- choices.
A thing to note: the faith element in the story is very strong (the girls' father works at a church and one of Kate's love interests is her father's replacement after his death) so if you aren't interested in faith-based stories this probably isn't one for you.
The plot was interesting and very sweet, with enough twists and turns to keep me interested. I also very much enjoyed the girls' final choice about their mother and how they ended the novel.
The characters were interesting. Kate and Mary were both very unique and well rounded characters, with their own personalities, hopes, dreams, and questions about life and faith. I sympathized with both of them and understood their choices and longing, as well as their feelings towards both of their parents. The other characters were just as well rounded, including all three of the love interests. When Marcos was entered in to the story as "a bad boy" I was a little worried that the story would take a stereotypical route. But he turned out to be just as well rounded and interesting as the rest, with good dreams and initiative.
The writing is the one part where I struggled a bit and redacted half a star, and I think some others will do the same. Stork's writing is very easy to read and clear, but it's a bit stiff. Sometimes it was hard to read the sentences because they seemed to stiff and fake. It doesn't make for an easy reading experience. I understand the stylistic choice, since the girls talk like this (and, cleverly, Marcos talks to Mary about this) but it was hard to read. I think maybe the story could have been written in a less stiff way. Instead the book could have been written with the characters speaking in a stiff way and not the narrative itself. I know that I can't change the book, obviously, but I disliked that stylistic choice.
Overall, Irises is a great read for fans of Francisco X. Stork, fans of contemporary fiction, and fans of faith-based stories.
Four point five stars.
November 22, 2011
Richie's Picks: IRISES by Francisco X. Stork, Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic, January 2012, 304p., ISBN: 978-0-545-15135-1
"Every night, before Kate went to sleep, she poured rubbing alcohol on her palms and massaged Mama's legs so they would not atrophy. When she first started doing this, she kept expecting Mama to open her eyes, to sit up, say thank you, hug her. But as time went on, the nightly hope gave way to a sense that the limbs she was touching were devoid of energy, that life would never come back to them.
"The bus passed a sign pointing toward Ascarate Park and she remembered suddenly her mother playing volleyball during a picnic game. It was a school outing, and Mother had volunteered to serve as a chaperone. The rest of the mothers sat together talking, but not Mama. She saw that players were needed for a volleyball game and she jumped in uninvited. Kate remembered her bare feet and how she ran to get the ball, laughing with all the joy of an eight-year-old lost at play.
"'Mama, we need to let you go,' she whispered.
"But the thought that she wanted to let Mama go for her own convenience stuck in her head like a painful splinter she could not remove. She's no longer alive. Reverend Soto's words kept coming back to her. Andy's words. The images of her mother's limp legs as she massaged them and of her chasing a volleyball, full of life, whirled together in her head one after another. And she saw Andy's soft hands, his fiery eyes and thick black hair. She tried to shake the feelings that came with the thought of him, but then she remembered his sermon and the way he gave it, the emphasis he placed on certain words. This is crazy, Kate kept telling herself, hoping she could regain her senses. But it was no use. She felt like a rock hit by a sledgehammer and now there were pieces of her scattered all over the place."
Kate Romero is a gifted student and her younger sister Mary is a gifted painter. Their repressive but well-meaning father is the pastor of El Paso's Church of God.
Years ago, before the automobile accident that left Mama lying at home in a permanent vegetative state, Kate and Mama had traveled to northern California to visit Mama's sister, Aunt Julia. During that trip they also visited nearby Stanford University. Mama's hope for Kate was that after high school Kate will have the opportunity to study at the notable institution and fulfill her childhood dream of becoming an M.D.
Now, with Kate's dream possibly becoming real, their father dies suddenly and the girls are alone, needing to care for Mama, needing to soon move out of the church-owned parsonage, needing to figure out how to stay afloat.
In contrast to those breezy young adult romps about teens at home without parental supervision, IRISES is a dramatic home-alone story about love and dreams and reaching for one's real potential.
"Claim denied
misrepresentation
false statements
medical records
preexisting cardiac condition
not disclosed at time of application
Fraud"
During this time of crisis, Kate and Mary will each be affected by young men who come into their lives. For Kate, it is the handsome and ambitious young minister who is chosen to replace their father. For Mary, it is Marcos, a young gang member from school who has a kind heart and budding artistic talent.
It is the often laugh-out-loud interaction between Mary and Marcos that makes this book a winner for me. I would love to read a couple of hundred more pages so I could learn all about this young man and his challenging life.
Given the tenuous circumstances of Kate and Mary's situation, is it possible for each of the sisters to achieve their respective individual goals? How might faith, hope, and love help them solve their problems?
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
"Every night, before Kate went to sleep, she poured rubbing alcohol on her palms and massaged Mama's legs so they would not atrophy. When she first started doing this, she kept expecting Mama to open her eyes, to sit up, say thank you, hug her. But as time went on, the nightly hope gave way to a sense that the limbs she was touching were devoid of energy, that life would never come back to them.
"The bus passed a sign pointing toward Ascarate Park and she remembered suddenly her mother playing volleyball during a picnic game. It was a school outing, and Mother had volunteered to serve as a chaperone. The rest of the mothers sat together talking, but not Mama. She saw that players were needed for a volleyball game and she jumped in uninvited. Kate remembered her bare feet and how she ran to get the ball, laughing with all the joy of an eight-year-old lost at play.
"'Mama, we need to let you go,' she whispered.
"But the thought that she wanted to let Mama go for her own convenience stuck in her head like a painful splinter she could not remove. She's no longer alive. Reverend Soto's words kept coming back to her. Andy's words. The images of her mother's limp legs as she massaged them and of her chasing a volleyball, full of life, whirled together in her head one after another. And she saw Andy's soft hands, his fiery eyes and thick black hair. She tried to shake the feelings that came with the thought of him, but then she remembered his sermon and the way he gave it, the emphasis he placed on certain words. This is crazy, Kate kept telling herself, hoping she could regain her senses. But it was no use. She felt like a rock hit by a sledgehammer and now there were pieces of her scattered all over the place."
Kate Romero is a gifted student and her younger sister Mary is a gifted painter. Their repressive but well-meaning father is the pastor of El Paso's Church of God.
Years ago, before the automobile accident that left Mama lying at home in a permanent vegetative state, Kate and Mama had traveled to northern California to visit Mama's sister, Aunt Julia. During that trip they also visited nearby Stanford University. Mama's hope for Kate was that after high school Kate will have the opportunity to study at the notable institution and fulfill her childhood dream of becoming an M.D.
Now, with Kate's dream possibly becoming real, their father dies suddenly and the girls are alone, needing to care for Mama, needing to soon move out of the church-owned parsonage, needing to figure out how to stay afloat.
In contrast to those breezy young adult romps about teens at home without parental supervision, IRISES is a dramatic home-alone story about love and dreams and reaching for one's real potential.
"Claim denied
misrepresentation
false statements
medical records
preexisting cardiac condition
not disclosed at time of application
Fraud"
During this time of crisis, Kate and Mary will each be affected by young men who come into their lives. For Kate, it is the handsome and ambitious young minister who is chosen to replace their father. For Mary, it is Marcos, a young gang member from school who has a kind heart and budding artistic talent.
It is the often laugh-out-loud interaction between Mary and Marcos that makes this book a winner for me. I would love to read a couple of hundred more pages so I could learn all about this young man and his challenging life.
Given the tenuous circumstances of Kate and Mary's situation, is it possible for each of the sisters to achieve their respective individual goals? How might faith, hope, and love help them solve their problems?
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_...
http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...
June 3, 2013
I love Francisco Stork's books. Long time readers of this blog know that, I adored Marcelo in the Real World and was quite fond of The Last Summer of the Death Warriors. Unfortunately I found Irises to be my last favorite Stork book thus far. Granted, this was bound to happen but the summary was so good that my hopes were quite high. All this being said, it was difficult for me to put my finger on why I did not like this book. It just didn't work for me. Part of the issue was that Stork raises juggles so many balls in the air, in a way that I did not find effective. I wish he had stuck to two or three issues (such as the issue of whether or not to pull the plug and how to cope with their new-found independence) and focused on really fleshing out the secondary characters (such as Simon and even Mary). I found the issue of life support inadequately explored, even though I had thought that was at the whole heart of the book. I did find it interesting that the girls (especially Mary since she was younger) did not go crazy or at least engage in more normal teenage acts that their father had previously forbidden. Of course most people don't immediately go party after the death of a parent, but I was surprised that very little mention was made about bigger temptations of Mary and Kate (such as going to the mall, an act their father did not allow).
Both girls seem to be losing their way where their Christian faith is concerned and I felt that Mr. Stork did a good job of subtly addressing the questions that arise when one has a crisis of faith and whether or not you can return to your faith. I also found it really interesting that the author made the girls Protestant. This was a note of interest to me because the girls are Latino and I'm Latino, and I have grown up around mostly Catholic Latinos so I found this new world of Protestant Latinos quite intriguing (of course not all experiences are the same but the book gave me a basic idea). I thought the idea of marriage-as-an-escape was an issue well-explored, even if its a concept many people do not realize is prevalent. Kate was also a great multidimensional character as was the pastor, Andy Soto. I found their interweaving storyline to be the best in the book (it is mostly Kate's story) and very believable.
Ultimately Irises left me indifferent, I certainly don't hate it but I did not love it or even enjoy the book all that much. However the writing is mostly strong, with a few secondary characters left underdeveloped. The book mostly suffers from having too many plots and setbacks occurring. Its strength lies in the simple, effective writing and the realistic dialogue. The issue of faith was portrayed in a respectful, non-preachy manner which made the book more compelling.
Both girls seem to be losing their way where their Christian faith is concerned and I felt that Mr. Stork did a good job of subtly addressing the questions that arise when one has a crisis of faith and whether or not you can return to your faith. I also found it really interesting that the author made the girls Protestant. This was a note of interest to me because the girls are Latino and I'm Latino, and I have grown up around mostly Catholic Latinos so I found this new world of Protestant Latinos quite intriguing (of course not all experiences are the same but the book gave me a basic idea). I thought the idea of marriage-as-an-escape was an issue well-explored, even if its a concept many people do not realize is prevalent. Kate was also a great multidimensional character as was the pastor, Andy Soto. I found their interweaving storyline to be the best in the book (it is mostly Kate's story) and very believable.
Ultimately Irises left me indifferent, I certainly don't hate it but I did not love it or even enjoy the book all that much. However the writing is mostly strong, with a few secondary characters left underdeveloped. The book mostly suffers from having too many plots and setbacks occurring. Its strength lies in the simple, effective writing and the realistic dialogue. The issue of faith was portrayed in a respectful, non-preachy manner which made the book more compelling.
December 10, 2011
This a book many teens will want to find under the Christmas tree or, since it comes out January 1st, as a last present to open. The two main characters in this book are sisters, Kate and Mary. Both are gifted in their own way. Kate is a super student and Mary is an impressive artist, especially with painting. Their father is a reverend whose strict views can sometimes hinder his daughters' dreams. Their mother, due to a horrible accident, was left in a vegetative state with her daughters to care for her.
Kate's dream is to become a doctor. Her dream is very real and very possible. She learns that she just might get into her first choice, but one thing holds her back: her mother. With the rather sudden death of their father, the daughters must decide how to care for their mother. The story takes off from there.
Kate's character was practical, intelligent, and calm. She is more of the rational one of the two. Mary is gentle, sweet, and clever as well, but she can be more impetuous. Naturally, the two have differing ideas of what to do with their mother. Will the decision tear them apart? The secondary characters play a fairly large part in the story. Their father's death leads to the hard decision concerning their mother. Their mothers; vegetative state forces the girl to decide. Kate's new friend has potential to become more than that...but not while she has a boyfriend. Marys' friends may guide her...too much. The author does a terrific job of forming and interweaving these relationships together.
Overall, the book was fast-paced and will hold the readers' attention. The reader may take Mary or Kate's side or even become ambivalent, a great way to engage the reader. The ending was unexpected and interesting. This book is recommended to young adult/teen readers.
Kate's dream is to become a doctor. Her dream is very real and very possible. She learns that she just might get into her first choice, but one thing holds her back: her mother. With the rather sudden death of their father, the daughters must decide how to care for their mother. The story takes off from there.
Kate's character was practical, intelligent, and calm. She is more of the rational one of the two. Mary is gentle, sweet, and clever as well, but she can be more impetuous. Naturally, the two have differing ideas of what to do with their mother. Will the decision tear them apart? The secondary characters play a fairly large part in the story. Their father's death leads to the hard decision concerning their mother. Their mothers; vegetative state forces the girl to decide. Kate's new friend has potential to become more than that...but not while she has a boyfriend. Marys' friends may guide her...too much. The author does a terrific job of forming and interweaving these relationships together.
Overall, the book was fast-paced and will hold the readers' attention. The reader may take Mary or Kate's side or even become ambivalent, a great way to engage the reader. The ending was unexpected and interesting. This book is recommended to young adult/teen readers.
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January 29, 2013Please check out Electrifying Reviews for more reviews like this, plus giveaways, interviews, and more!
In all honesty, I didn't have any clue what Irises was about before I started reading it. What I found, however, was a touching contemporary novel that I ended up enjoying a lot. Not the best--definitely not--but it's hard for me to not really enjoy any contemporary book I read.
Irises deals with some heavy topics. Death, money, family, and love. As a whole, I liked how it dealt with these topics. Well, as much as one can enjoy such heartbreaking themes in a novel. However, Irises didn't really hit me emotionally like I was hoping. It's probably because, even though I did enjoy this book, I never felt a strong connection to it or its characters.
Prior to listening to Irises, I had never experienced Francisco X. Stork's writing. I can see now, however, why he is such an acclaimed writer. Even though I wasn't totally infatuated with Irises, I can easily see how Stork would be capable of writing really powerful literature. I'll definitely try another Stork book in the future, if the opportunity presents itself.
Kate and Mary, the stars of Irises are simple, yet complex characters. Their struggles made me sympathize with them, but I never felt a strong connection with them. There was just an element that made them too distant. All of the characters were like that in Irises, actually: not dimensional enough for me to connect to.
I don't really have too much to say about Irises. It's a simple, though complex book. It deals with some heavy topics, but even despite that I never connected to it in the way I wanted to. Listening to Irises was a nice way to pass the time, but I never fell in love with this book.
In all honesty, I didn't have any clue what Irises was about before I started reading it. What I found, however, was a touching contemporary novel that I ended up enjoying a lot. Not the best--definitely not--but it's hard for me to not really enjoy any contemporary book I read.
Irises deals with some heavy topics. Death, money, family, and love. As a whole, I liked how it dealt with these topics. Well, as much as one can enjoy such heartbreaking themes in a novel. However, Irises didn't really hit me emotionally like I was hoping. It's probably because, even though I did enjoy this book, I never felt a strong connection to it or its characters.
Prior to listening to Irises, I had never experienced Francisco X. Stork's writing. I can see now, however, why he is such an acclaimed writer. Even though I wasn't totally infatuated with Irises, I can easily see how Stork would be capable of writing really powerful literature. I'll definitely try another Stork book in the future, if the opportunity presents itself.
Kate and Mary, the stars of Irises are simple, yet complex characters. Their struggles made me sympathize with them, but I never felt a strong connection with them. There was just an element that made them too distant. All of the characters were like that in Irises, actually: not dimensional enough for me to connect to.
I don't really have too much to say about Irises. It's a simple, though complex book. It deals with some heavy topics, but even despite that I never connected to it in the way I wanted to. Listening to Irises was a nice way to pass the time, but I never fell in love with this book.
March 28, 2012
I was really intrigued by this book when I had came across it awhile back. From the description, it really sounded like it would be a great story. In some ways it was, but it just wasn't what I had pictured it being. I didn't really have high hopes, because I am so use to that backfiring on me.. But I did hope it would live up to my thoughts of the description of the book, since it's essentially a basic overview of what you will be reading. This isn't going to be a very long review, just want to express my thoughts. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for a book like this, but I really felt like there was something missing.
I just wasn't very impressed with the story at all. I tried so hard to get into it, but after the first 100 or so pages I just didn't feel like it was going happen. I kept going though, and there were a few parts later on that were good but for the most part I just couldn't get into the story. I don't know if it was some of the subject matter, or if I just wasn't able to connect to it but it really didn't do it for me.
I felt that the characters were extremely bland, I would of loved to have had more of a connection with the characters. Maybe that would of made the book more enjoyable for me, but I just couldn't build that connection with any of them no matter how hard I tried to like them.
While this book wasn't one of my favorites, it's not bad by many means. It just didn't live up to what I thought it would be. I do strongly believe that it will appeal to some readers out there though, if it's one that you think you might enjoy then by all means check it out. My opinion on a book is just that, my opinion. I just really hoped I would of got more out of this book than I did.
I just wasn't very impressed with the story at all. I tried so hard to get into it, but after the first 100 or so pages I just didn't feel like it was going happen. I kept going though, and there were a few parts later on that were good but for the most part I just couldn't get into the story. I don't know if it was some of the subject matter, or if I just wasn't able to connect to it but it really didn't do it for me.
I felt that the characters were extremely bland, I would of loved to have had more of a connection with the characters. Maybe that would of made the book more enjoyable for me, but I just couldn't build that connection with any of them no matter how hard I tried to like them.
While this book wasn't one of my favorites, it's not bad by many means. It just didn't live up to what I thought it would be. I do strongly believe that it will appeal to some readers out there though, if it's one that you think you might enjoy then by all means check it out. My opinion on a book is just that, my opinion. I just really hoped I would of got more out of this book than I did.
January 8, 2012
This review is hard to write because it is not what I hoped it would be. Does that make it a bad book? Not necessarily, but when something is so built up in your mind, it is hard to stop comparing the actual book to the book that was made-up in your head.
The novel takes off with Kate and Mary, two sisters, who find themselves in an extremely difficult situation. Their father passes away and they are left alone with the burden of their mother who is in a vegetative state, not really living at all. The two girls must decide whether to do what is expected of them, for the good of their family, or to do what they feel they should do, for the good of themselves. What makes a person selfish? What kind of life is worth living? Who decides these things?
The premise of the novel interested me and I really enjoyed seeing the confusing and changing dimensions of the sister relationship. However, this novel is very religious. I am Catholic myself, so religion does not usually bother me... But it was like I was reading a Christian novel, that is how prevalent the religion theme is. This book is not really marketed that way, so I was surprised to find this.
The atmosphere, overall, was suffocating. I felt stuck just reading it. This is something that is hard to explain... What I kept thinking of is like a scene in a movie: no background music, drab carpeting, uncomfortable couches, a deep feeling of awkwardness and the overwhelming sense that the characters don't belong but they have no choice but to stay. I was eager to find out how the ending was, but I was also eager to get out of the stifling nature of that world.
The novel takes off with Kate and Mary, two sisters, who find themselves in an extremely difficult situation. Their father passes away and they are left alone with the burden of their mother who is in a vegetative state, not really living at all. The two girls must decide whether to do what is expected of them, for the good of their family, or to do what they feel they should do, for the good of themselves. What makes a person selfish? What kind of life is worth living? Who decides these things?
The premise of the novel interested me and I really enjoyed seeing the confusing and changing dimensions of the sister relationship. However, this novel is very religious. I am Catholic myself, so religion does not usually bother me... But it was like I was reading a Christian novel, that is how prevalent the religion theme is. This book is not really marketed that way, so I was surprised to find this.
The atmosphere, overall, was suffocating. I felt stuck just reading it. This is something that is hard to explain... What I kept thinking of is like a scene in a movie: no background music, drab carpeting, uncomfortable couches, a deep feeling of awkwardness and the overwhelming sense that the characters don't belong but they have no choice but to stay. I was eager to find out how the ending was, but I was also eager to get out of the stifling nature of that world.
March 28, 2012
I'm a sucker for sister stories because my sister and I are tight so I am intrigued about portrayals of sisters. This one was tender. I was attracted to the struggle these two sisters Kate and Mary found themselves to face at a fairly young age. Raised strict by a preacher father who soon dies at the beginning of the book. Left with a vegetative mother to take care. Kate and Mary had to be adults rather quickly (though Kate at 18yo was technically an adult). Making hard decisions for the welfare of their present and future. The struggle of deferring dreams or being ambitious came to play. How do they properly take care of themselves and their mother? They had to go beyond the black and white thinking thus the matter of sinking deep to understanding the division of living life vs living in sacrifice took a huge toll on the sisters. Should they let their mother go?
The two sisters had different views about their struggles. They hoped their aunt would be able to help more but come to find that she had sad issues as well. Then, the men of their lives showed promise of semblance of a future. Ultimately Kate took charge to search out facts and legal help. What she found she shared with Mary and together they decided their future. Bittersweet.
An emotionally draining and insightful story. A tender accolade to bonds of family, particularly sisterhood.
Jinky is Reading
The two sisters had different views about their struggles. They hoped their aunt would be able to help more but come to find that she had sad issues as well. Then, the men of their lives showed promise of semblance of a future. Ultimately Kate took charge to search out facts and legal help. What she found she shared with Mary and together they decided their future. Bittersweet.
An emotionally draining and insightful story. A tender accolade to bonds of family, particularly sisterhood.
Jinky is Reading
September 18, 2023
Trigger warnings: Death of parents, grief and loss depiction
5/10, after I read some science fiction and fantasy books I wanted to take a break from them and decide to read a realistic novel instead but I was so underwhelmed by this and where do I even start since there are so many problems with this. Irises by Francisco X. Stork starts with sisters Kate and Mary who just lost their father and their mother is in a coma for quite a while, they're hoping that she will recover from that but I will see her fate later on. To pass the time one of the sisters decides to make some more art and they both go to school and live the best life they can though they have harder lives than others due to that devastating loss however I felt that all of the characters were quite flat and I ended up not caring for them at all since they weren't fleshed out nor developed and I especially didn't like Kate and Mary as much since they were cold and spoke unrealistically since they forced themselves not to use slang and sometimes that works but in this case, it didn't. Towards the end of the book, the sisters ponder on whether to take off life support from their mother and they eventually let her die, now they are orphans but it doesn't matter anyways since one sister is 18 and can take care of the other sister who is 16. If you like books about grief skip this one and try Where the Road Leads Us by Robin Reul or Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley.
5/10, after I read some science fiction and fantasy books I wanted to take a break from them and decide to read a realistic novel instead but I was so underwhelmed by this and where do I even start since there are so many problems with this. Irises by Francisco X. Stork starts with sisters Kate and Mary who just lost their father and their mother is in a coma for quite a while, they're hoping that she will recover from that but I will see her fate later on. To pass the time one of the sisters decides to make some more art and they both go to school and live the best life they can though they have harder lives than others due to that devastating loss however I felt that all of the characters were quite flat and I ended up not caring for them at all since they weren't fleshed out nor developed and I especially didn't like Kate and Mary as much since they were cold and spoke unrealistically since they forced themselves not to use slang and sometimes that works but in this case, it didn't. Towards the end of the book, the sisters ponder on whether to take off life support from their mother and they eventually let her die, now they are orphans but it doesn't matter anyways since one sister is 18 and can take care of the other sister who is 16. If you like books about grief skip this one and try Where the Road Leads Us by Robin Reul or Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley.
July 2, 2012
This was my first novel by Francisco X. Stork. If I hadn't already bought Marcelo in the Real World, due entirely to the wonderful reviews here, I doubt I'd read more of his work.
I think, well I hope, that a lot of my unhappiness with the book was the narrator. I can't pinpoint if it was her emphasis and style or if it's how the book was written but it was a struggle to listen to. Narration aside, I definitely wanted more. There was so much, perhaps too much to work with. There was abundance of BIG issues that were introduced and many ended up being glossed over or not dealt with at all. I found the characters came across as blah, and bland.
Their father was a minister and although they talked a lot about faith, I didn't find it preachy or forced.
From the description I expected a heart-wrenching, life altering story but what I was given were characters I didn’t connect with. A story that was too much and still not enough. I will say that I enjoyed the prologue and the epilogue despite the rush to ‘get there’ in the end.
I like where the Author was trying to go; I understand I’m much older than his target audience and I wouldn’t dissuade anyone from reading this but I might try and discourage them from listening to it. I’m still going to read Marcelo in the Read World…
I think, well I hope, that a lot of my unhappiness with the book was the narrator. I can't pinpoint if it was her emphasis and style or if it's how the book was written but it was a struggle to listen to. Narration aside, I definitely wanted more. There was so much, perhaps too much to work with. There was abundance of BIG issues that were introduced and many ended up being glossed over or not dealt with at all. I found the characters came across as blah, and bland.
Their father was a minister and although they talked a lot about faith, I didn't find it preachy or forced.
From the description I expected a heart-wrenching, life altering story but what I was given were characters I didn’t connect with. A story that was too much and still not enough. I will say that I enjoyed the prologue and the epilogue despite the rush to ‘get there’ in the end.
I like where the Author was trying to go; I understand I’m much older than his target audience and I wouldn’t dissuade anyone from reading this but I might try and discourage them from listening to it. I’m still going to read Marcelo in the Read World…
March 27, 2012
Two sisters, who along with their father have been caring at home for their mother who is in a vegetative state after a car accident, must chart a new course after their father dies and they are left alone.
I LOVED Marcelo (and listened to it too), so I was really excited to "read" this one. I was sooooo disappointed however... I'm not sure if it was the narrator, or just the style of writing - which is completely different from Marcelo. The two sisters have been raised by their very conservative, minister father, so they don't use teen speak or think like regular teens, and I found myself getting impatient with the way they talked and acted. They're both very sheltered and naive, and as intrigued as I was with their predicament, I had to force myself to finish listening.
I LOVED Marcelo (and listened to it too), so I was really excited to "read" this one. I was sooooo disappointed however... I'm not sure if it was the narrator, or just the style of writing - which is completely different from Marcelo. The two sisters have been raised by their very conservative, minister father, so they don't use teen speak or think like regular teens, and I found myself getting impatient with the way they talked and acted. They're both very sheltered and naive, and as intrigued as I was with their predicament, I had to force myself to finish listening.
dnf
November 20, 2014When I first stumbled upon this one I fell in love with the cover. I was really captivated by the synopsis of this one, but to be honest I could not get past the writing style of this one…it seemed incredibly choppy with lots of incredibly short (3-5 word) sentences strung together. I just could not even get past the style to get far enough into this one to judge the plot.
January 26, 2012
Franciso X. Stork's "Marcelo in the Real World" was much better than "Irises." That's all I really have to say about this book.
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November 12, 2012Audio book free download from: http://www.audiobooksync.com/ . Book available from 6/21/12 - 6/27/12.
OK, I tried. The audio book just didn't do it for me. This is a did not finish audio book.
OK, I tried. The audio book just didn't do it for me. This is a did not finish audio book.
April 1, 2017
Velká emoční ždímačka, ještě teď se třesu. :)
May 30, 2018
More than two years ago Kate and Mary's mother was left in a permanent vegetative state after a car wreck that was their father's fault. So in addition to trying to get through high school they have to help provide for their mother's daily care.
Then their tyrannical father dies suddenly. He was the preacher of a small congregation who kept them on a tight leash (plucking their eyebrows was sinful in his book). Suddenly Kate is 18 and has to take charge of the aftermath. Their maternal aunt comes to help but is more of a force of destruction than assistance (the first time she meets Kate's boyfriend she pressures him to propose to Kate so she can be married and taken care of).
The problem is that Dad always assumed that if she went to college it would be at nearby UTEP so she could continue to help out. But years ago her mother had taken her to visit her aunt in California, shown her Stanford, and encouraged her to strive to get accepted there. However, she had to keep the plan secret because Mom knew Dad would object. So she worked hard without ever telling anyone except her BFF her plan (including her sister).
Kate was frankly pretty selfish. She kept her boyfriend dangling even though she knew she didn't plan to have a life with him (he worked for his family's restaurant and planned to take it over in a few years; she was a waitress there). And her wants always came first. She backed out of a promise to let her sister go to an art exhibit because she wanted to study with her boyfriend (someone always had to be home with Mom). And she figured she could dump Mary and Mom on their Aunt so she could waltz away to college.
Mary had to give up her art studies after school because Kate decided they needed the income from her working so she had to be the one at home. Mary has faith that their mother will one day recover, although Kate and their aunt say all the medical evidence points otherwise.
They get hit with the bad news that Dad's life insurance claim was denied, depriving them of the money they need. Then the elders inform them that they need to be out of the house within two months so the dynamic young preacher taking Dad's place can have it. The dynamic preacher who appears to be batting his eyes at Kate...
So in the midst of everything falling apart Kate gets accepted to Stanford, but Mary blows up when she discovers that BFF knew about it but she didn't. Kate tries to weasel out an explanation but it doesn't work with either Mary or her boyfriend when he discovers she's been planning to ditch him all along. Much drama ensues, including their aunt having issues of her own...
It finally comes down to what they think their mother would have wanted. Mary thinks Kate just wants to kill off Mom to make her life more convenient without the responsibility, while Kate claims that their mother was such a free spirit she would never have wanted to be trapped in her current state and them trapped having to give up their lives like that to care for her.
MINOR SPOILERS
One nitpick I had was that their father supposedly bought a $100k life insurance policy a decade ago and named Kate as the sole beneficiary. It doesn't say that it was CHANGED to make Kate the sole beneficiary, which it should have. Otherwise that would mean he bought an insurance policy and named an eight year old girl as the sole beneficiary instead of his wife, which hardly makes sense.
The other has to do with the resolution of the claim. It was denied because the insurance company claimed that their father failed to submit evidence that he had a preexisting heart condition when the policy was written. The social worker she meets with says they're just trying to weasel out of paying the claim, and if nothing else she can get them to refund all the premiums he's paid over the past decade. But there's no mention of how it gets resolved, which makes a $100k difference in their future.
Then their tyrannical father dies suddenly. He was the preacher of a small congregation who kept them on a tight leash (plucking their eyebrows was sinful in his book). Suddenly Kate is 18 and has to take charge of the aftermath. Their maternal aunt comes to help but is more of a force of destruction than assistance (the first time she meets Kate's boyfriend she pressures him to propose to Kate so she can be married and taken care of).
The problem is that Dad always assumed that if she went to college it would be at nearby UTEP so she could continue to help out. But years ago her mother had taken her to visit her aunt in California, shown her Stanford, and encouraged her to strive to get accepted there. However, she had to keep the plan secret because Mom knew Dad would object. So she worked hard without ever telling anyone except her BFF her plan (including her sister).
Kate was frankly pretty selfish. She kept her boyfriend dangling even though she knew she didn't plan to have a life with him (he worked for his family's restaurant and planned to take it over in a few years; she was a waitress there). And her wants always came first. She backed out of a promise to let her sister go to an art exhibit because she wanted to study with her boyfriend (someone always had to be home with Mom). And she figured she could dump Mary and Mom on their Aunt so she could waltz away to college.
Mary had to give up her art studies after school because Kate decided they needed the income from her working so she had to be the one at home. Mary has faith that their mother will one day recover, although Kate and their aunt say all the medical evidence points otherwise.
They get hit with the bad news that Dad's life insurance claim was denied, depriving them of the money they need. Then the elders inform them that they need to be out of the house within two months so the dynamic young preacher taking Dad's place can have it. The dynamic preacher who appears to be batting his eyes at Kate...
So in the midst of everything falling apart Kate gets accepted to Stanford, but Mary blows up when she discovers that BFF knew about it but she didn't. Kate tries to weasel out an explanation but it doesn't work with either Mary or her boyfriend when he discovers she's been planning to ditch him all along. Much drama ensues, including their aunt having issues of her own...
It finally comes down to what they think their mother would have wanted. Mary thinks Kate just wants to kill off Mom to make her life more convenient without the responsibility, while Kate claims that their mother was such a free spirit she would never have wanted to be trapped in her current state and them trapped having to give up their lives like that to care for her.
MINOR SPOILERS
One nitpick I had was that their father supposedly bought a $100k life insurance policy a decade ago and named Kate as the sole beneficiary. It doesn't say that it was CHANGED to make Kate the sole beneficiary, which it should have. Otherwise that would mean he bought an insurance policy and named an eight year old girl as the sole beneficiary instead of his wife, which hardly makes sense.
The other has to do with the resolution of the claim. It was denied because the insurance company claimed that their father failed to submit evidence that he had a preexisting heart condition when the policy was written. The social worker she meets with says they're just trying to weasel out of paying the claim, and if nothing else she can get them to refund all the premiums he's paid over the past decade. But there's no mention of how it gets resolved, which makes a $100k difference in their future.
September 22, 2024
My enjoyment - 2 or 3 stars. I rated this book much more highly (4 stars) because the topic is important. I have worked with patients in PVS, and more importantly, with their families. Mr. Stork was brave in even attempting this book. Another point of departure for mass-market contemporary books: depicting religious characters, and to some extent their community.
I am torn, though: are the author's sentences simple? Or are they simplistic? Are the characters complex? Or are they merely inconsistent?
Contrasting my reaction to this book with "Marcelo In the Real World" to which I gave an unreserved 5 stars.
The book kept me reading because I didn't know where it was going - no telegraphing of plot or character development. I wanted to know what happened next.
I had trouble with the following, though: (spoiler alerts)
1. In the twenty-tens, no straight clergy person is going to meet alone with a young person of the opposite sex, much less hold her hand in public, much less bring her back to his apartment.
2. Mama/Catalina is ignored by the author (not by the characters) for much of the book, and only trotted out when her existence is required. We are told over and over that she is a burden, but not shown. Believe me, the care of her body is not shown. Talita and Mrs. Guerney always show up? Always?
3. The small church community would never have left the sisters alone to fret about their financial future, much less add to their worries. Only very late in the book does a minor character happen to mention such a thing as social services.
I had absolutely no problem with the decision of the sisters. (I applaud it.) I did think, though, that the burden of making that decision was inexcusably skimmed over.
I am torn, though: are the author's sentences simple? Or are they simplistic? Are the characters complex? Or are they merely inconsistent?
Contrasting my reaction to this book with "Marcelo In the Real World" to which I gave an unreserved 5 stars.
The book kept me reading because I didn't know where it was going - no telegraphing of plot or character development. I wanted to know what happened next.
I had trouble with the following, though: (spoiler alerts)
1. In the twenty-tens, no straight clergy person is going to meet alone with a young person of the opposite sex, much less hold her hand in public, much less bring her back to his apartment.
2. Mama/Catalina is ignored by the author (not by the characters) for much of the book, and only trotted out when her existence is required. We are told over and over that she is a burden, but not shown. Believe me, the care of her body is not shown. Talita and Mrs. Guerney always show up? Always?
3. The small church community would never have left the sisters alone to fret about their financial future, much less add to their worries. Only very late in the book does a minor character happen to mention such a thing as social services.
I had absolutely no problem with the decision of the sisters. (I applaud it.) I did think, though, that the burden of making that decision was inexcusably skimmed over.
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April 24, 2020Kate's father, who is the minister of their Church of God in El Paso, Texas, asks her to come outside with him for a talk. That's never a good thing, right?
Inside is her younger sister, Mary, who loves to paint, and their mother who lies in a vegetative mental state due to injuries caused in a severe car accident. Kate is anxious to get away from whatever her father has to say to her, just as anxious as she is to find out if she has gotten the scholarship she's hoping will let her fulfill her dream of studying medicine at Stanford University.
Read p. 4: "Okay but let me finish telling you what I want to tell you ... All right, I'm ready to go now."
Hours later, Kate and Mary's father is dead from a heart attack.
Now these sisters, Kate age 18 and Mary age 16, have to keep their lives going. How will they do that without Father's salary as a church minister? How can they continue to pay for the expensive in-home care that their mother requires?
Three men have sway over the sisters' lives: Simon, Kate's dependable boyfriend asks her to marry him; Marcos, a gang member whose artistic flair draws Mary's attention; and Andy, the church's new young pastor whose ambition matches Kate's personal dreams.
Inside is her younger sister, Mary, who loves to paint, and their mother who lies in a vegetative mental state due to injuries caused in a severe car accident. Kate is anxious to get away from whatever her father has to say to her, just as anxious as she is to find out if she has gotten the scholarship she's hoping will let her fulfill her dream of studying medicine at Stanford University.
Read p. 4: "Okay but let me finish telling you what I want to tell you ... All right, I'm ready to go now."
Hours later, Kate and Mary's father is dead from a heart attack.
Now these sisters, Kate age 18 and Mary age 16, have to keep their lives going. How will they do that without Father's salary as a church minister? How can they continue to pay for the expensive in-home care that their mother requires?
Three men have sway over the sisters' lives: Simon, Kate's dependable boyfriend asks her to marry him; Marcos, a gang member whose artistic flair draws Mary's attention; and Andy, the church's new young pastor whose ambition matches Kate's personal dreams.
January 27, 2025
Mary and Kate are sisters whose father has just died and whose mother is in a persistent vegetative state. Shortly before his death their father tells Kate, who is incredibly smart and has been accepted to Stanford to study pre-med, that her own needs are less important than those of her mother and younger sister. Mary, who is a gifted artist, struggles to maintain her natural artistic talent due to her inability to see the light that emanates from living people, creatures, and vegetation since the accident that caused her mother’s vegetative state. The characters are likable enough but the story lacks a clear setting in time and that leads to confusion for the reader. One is led to believe that these beautiful, talented and intelligent girls have never been to a shopping mall or used a cell phone and still use words like “geek” and “gee” with regularity. This is in startling contrast to the world around them and their peers who are noted to cuss, drink, be in gangs, have sexual relationships, etc. the story implies, and sometimes states explicitly, that their father was a minister and didn’t want to spoil his girls. However, the story also centers around how Mary is selfish for wanting to pursue her higher education. It’s a weird mix of enjoyable and frustrating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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