Dana Berglund > Recent Status Updates

I’ve never actually read Lovecraft, so I don't know what this is supposed to be referencing. But the tense atmosphere and blatant, exhausting racism is pretty terrifying.

I'm getting increasingly irritated at the complete lack of civility and logic coming from all of the minor characters, such as the in-laws and the police department. They read more like double-crossing villains in a Scooby Doo cartoon. I'm not sure this is worth reading just for Rose's sweet humor...

I'm not sure I can continue, because the abuse is so heartbreaking. Have any of my friends read it- is there hope?

I'm not sure i can stomach much more of the *meanness* in this children's book. It feels torturous right now.

This should be required reading for educators (particularly if they don't already have systems or PD on this topic already in place).

I'm barely into this book, and already I feel like the author actually knows Portland, instead of feeling like it was shoehorned in. Hooray!

Noa is perhaps the most annoying and self indulgent character I've met in a while, but other reviewers say this book picks up around the halfway point, so I'm going to keep trying....

They were right. It did pick up, and Noa did grow on me as I understood more about him and everything else. I'm glad I stuck with it!

Noa is perhaps the most annoying and self indulgent character I've met in a while, but other reviewers say this book picks up around the halfway point, so I'm going to keep trying....

DNF

Now it's mostly about girls being absolutely horrible to each other. it's Handmaid’s Tale meets Lord of the Flies, and not in a good way.

This isn't really the book I want to be reading now: another story of a society where females are second class citizens, just walking reproductive systems, yet somehow find some hope (or power? death?) during their coming of age time. But it's on the list for the mock Printz here in Oregon, so I'm going to try. Open mind, open mind.

So much love for this book.

The chapter Bookworm Problems basically describes my life. I want to Instagram every sentence. I laughed out loud, and felt like she knows me.

I finished chapter one and looked for information on the author... And was disappointed to find out she's not a Tanzanian or Rwandan. She was born and lives in Africa, but was a VSO volunteer in Rwanda. Not #ownvoices. :(

Everything else most be put on hold while I start this book...

“Optimism needs to become intellectually respectable again.” Yes!

Not loving this. Probably just going to let it go.

...because I needed a little Hope and Change (and more Hope) right now.

I think this is the saddest book I've ever read.

I seriously don't know if I can read this book. I have already gone through 2 kleenexes, and it takes twice as long as it should because of the eye wiping. This is not a book I can read when I have a few minutes of down time, or on my lunch break. Sigh.

This book is really long.

I'm not sure about this book. The opening chapters contain quite a bit of her musings on race and the relative merits and failings of different tribes. I keep taking deep breaths and reminding myself that she's a product of her times, but I'm not sure that I want to continue slogging through condescending racism and paternalism.