Words for Wednesday: Catching Fire and House of Happy Endings

(written on Wednesday May 23)

I finished the Hunger Games awhile ago and began reading the sequel, Catching Fire, right after ( this is mostly because they are on my Kindle and I had them at work).  Though the book almost felt like it was two different stories, I liked it a lot better than the first.  In discussing it with a friend, he said, "The characters had more motivation in this one."  I agree.  I said in my similar blog post that I liked Battle Royale better than The Hunger Games because I knew what the characters were thinking and why they were acting the way they were.  Though I didn't necessarily know why the different characters in Catching Fire were acting the way they were (we are made to suspect the have hidden motives), at least I had some back story and got to see more of their personalities.

 

At first with the main plot twist in Catching Fire, I felt a little like, "Really?  Again?" but I soon came to enjoy the change and was drawn into the story more after it.  I had heard others say the book wasn't as good as the first, but I strongly disagree.  I think it was because since I don't know of a sequel to Battle Royale, I could get over my "comparison" and just enjoy the story.

 

I started the third book, Mockingjay, but due to family drama and being sick, I didn't really finish it.  The nice thing about the Kindle is that it keeps my place in case I want to come back.

 

Last night I started House of Happy Endings by Leslie Garis.  I think this book was sent to me by my late mother, but I am not sure.  Anyway, I am only three chapters in but am already excited about it.  The memoir is told by Leslie, the granddaughter of Howard Garis, the man who wrote Uncle Wiggily (a popular children's series in the early 20th century).  Though that plays a part, it seems to be focusing on how her father, Roger Garis, dealt with his parents successes.  Roger Garis was also a writer but, while celebrated, he felt he couldn't live up to his father's greatness.  Right now in the book there is only a lot of hinting towards this but it is written so well that I am intrigued.

 

What is also really interesting is that Leslie's grandfather not only wrote Uncle Wiggily, but that he was also a ghost writer for several other children's books like Tom Swift, Judy Jordan, and The Bobbsey Twins books.  As a young child my mother read these to me and then as I became able, I read them to myself.  I have quite a collection of them, though they are old and fragile.  This adds another compelling part to the story as we are told Leslie's father and grandmother also wrote for these series.  If you have read those books I think this book is very interesting, though I am not sure many people have.  Though my parents were "with the times," they also valued the past greatly.  As children, my brother, sister, and I were just as excited about The Little Rascals (and I am talking the originals in black and white) and Shirley Temple as we were The Lion King and Aladdin.  I would read a Bobbsey Twin book one day and a Baby-Sitters Club book the next.