Just two books again this week and one other thing:
At the moment I’ve decided to cut back Scranton Page Turner to twice a month. The First Tuesday and the last Tuesday of every month. We will see if I stay on this schedule but for at least the next two to three months that’s what I will be doing.
Her Monster
Jeff Collignon
This book may be challenging to locate at the moment as I believe it is out of print, however if you can lay your hands on a copy, I highly recommend reading it. Part fable, part gruesome tale of friendship. A physically damaged man who can no longer take care of himself lives alone and apart from humanity and when his mother can no longer care for him either a young girl stumbles upon him.
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Knowing he can no longer care for himself, the young girl, Katherine agrees to help him survive, bringing him food and other necessities. A friendship develops between Katherine and her monster. This was a touching book and harkens back to all the ostracized “monsters” of lore:
The Beast of Beauty and the Best
Frankenstein’s Monster
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
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All misunderstood and all simply wanting a place at the table. Do your best to find this book. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Alice Hoffman
Second Nature
Second Nature was my inaugural Alice Hoffman book. In fact, immediately following Her Monster. I discovered Second Nature in a box of books in the cellar of my Mom’s house. After reading the jacket, I KNEW I found my next book. What I didn’t know at the time was that I was about to launch a love of Ms. Hoffman’s entire collection.
Second nature tells a similar tale as Her Monster and I quickly discovered why Hoffman is such a master storyteller.
From the book’s jacket:
Robin Moore never wanted to be anyone’s savior. But when she sees a beautiful and innocent man mistaken for a beast she rescues him and takes him home with her.
Thus starts this retelling of Beauty and the Beast and someone else who just wants to fit in.
From Second Nature, I devoured EVERY Alice Hoffman book and look forward to each successive book from this favorite author.
Until next time…
Turn the page.
–
Chris
