Rosa’s Comments (group member since Jun 18, 2018)

Rosa’s comments from the smithies reading books! group.

Challenge: Finish an entire book in one day - 5 pts
Book: Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
Thoughts: Not a good book, but I'm glad I didn't spend more than one day on it. It is very problematic in so many ways (lgbt-shaming, rape culture undertones, heavily molest-y, lots of graphic sex and weird kinks, I could go on....). I understand what this book is trying to do, but the whole thing just made me very uncomfortable and sometimes kind of angry.

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. This is a historical fiction book set in biblical times that follows the story of Dinah. If you're familiar with her story already then this is a really fun book to read, but in no way is that a requirement for enjoyment.

Also disclaimer: yes it is set in biblical times, no it really doesn't have much to do with Christianity.

That being said, this is a really sweet book that focuses on a strong woman throughout her entire life. In the beginning, there's a lot about family dynamics and women supporting and taking care of each other, which is really beautiful. It also weaves in themes of romantic love and familial bonds. The society portrayed in this book is so vastly different from today and isn't often seen in literature, so I thought it was really interesting. Not to mention that the story itself is engaging and the characters are all unique and intriguing.