Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Mockingjay and Promises

Sorry this post is so late, but I had to go into town. Why? Because Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins came out today.



I had to get it. It wasn't a question of want. It was more like breathing. You must, or you will die. If anyone out there is shaking their head and saying, you won't die, you obviously don't know how serious this is.

I rushed into Costco and headed straight to the books. There it was, a large stack of beautiful blue, calling to me like a siren. Well, it started out as a large stack, but each new shopper gnawed at it, chewing away at the pile. I grabbed my two copies and then stood back to watch. Every person who passed the dwindling pallet stopped and added a blue-bound promise to their cart. And everyone of them sported a wistful smile. Why? Because that's what a good book is. It's a promise.

Of What? Of oh so many things. Adventure, romance, danger, anger, sorrow, death, blood, heroes, heroins, struggle, lessons learned, triumph, and above all emotions galore. Because that's what reading is. It's emotion packed between page one and the end. Gobs of it. Good and bad, sweet and harsh. It's life, sped up and consumed, in 400 pages. And the author promises the reader that life, that emotional experience--all the rush of first love, the terror of death, the soft, silent moments, and the triumph of surviving it all and maybe even winning--all from the safety of our easy chairs.

I can't wait to sink into the softness of my couch and disappear into Katniss's world. Because as I said, it's like breathing. I must.

11 comments:

Mary E Campbell said...

oh I'm so jealous. I want that wistful look. I'm rereading the other two right now.
Also I've sent off your gift card to B&N - sorry it took so long.

Hermana Maw said...

Mary, B&N. *Rubs hands together while grinning* I can't wait. Thanks and I hope you get your wistful look soon. :)

Catherine T. said...

Alas, I'm going the library route. I think I'm #56 in the queue. NO SPOILERS, blogosphere!!

ali cross said...

I'm leaving on vacation early tomorrow morning with lots of flights involved. Of course I needed to bring books! And of course I wanted one of them to be Mockingjay! I was stressed because I wouldn't have time today to run out and get one (and risk they'd be sold out) so I happily downloaded it to my iPad and now I only have to bring one "book" but I can START with Mockingjay and then move on to my "second string" books, lol!

Hermana Maw said...

Catherine, number fifty-six? Oh you poor, poor girl. I feel for you.

Ali, have fun on your vacation and enjoy Mockingjay!

Matt M said...

#56 is nothing. My wife was like #814 for Hunger Games. Still, when you want it now... Books are great, I'm reading The Vaccine Book and The Three Musketeers. I prefer The Three Musketeers, The Vaccine Book just makes me shake my head in frustration. Enjoy Mockingjay!

Matt M said...

#56 is nothing. My wife was like #814 for Hunger Games. Still, when you want it now... Books are great, I'm reading The Vaccine Book and The Three Musketeers. I prefer The Three Musketeers, The Vaccine Book just makes me shake my head in frustration. Enjoy Mockingjay!

Jonene Ficklin said...

Oh, yes! Have a great read and don't forget to eat, sleep and breathe a little, too.

The Huffies said...

I finished it in the wee hours last night and it left a depressing feeling! My least favorite of all 3 books...your thoughts?

Hermana Maw said...

Matt, the vacine book? Sounds deep. Let me know how it is.

Jonene, who needs to eat? And sleep? Pshhhah. Sleep is for wimps.

Carol, the least favorite? Hmmmm. I'll give you a call. ;)

Matt M said...

The vaccine book is Dr. Sears attempt at an unbiased description of all things vaccine related...captivating. It is pretty informative and mostly unbiased. He is a doctor after all.

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