(Cue Wicked Witch Theme From The Wizard of Oz)

 (#2) Read 25 books

1. Room by Emma Donohue
2. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
4. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
5. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
6. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
7. A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
8. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
9. The Shack by William Young
10.The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
11. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
12. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
13. Skippy Dies by Paul Murray
14. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
15. Wicked by Gregory Maguire 

I'll admit that a large majority of my enjoyment in this book came from reminiscing about The Wizard of Oz, which is one of my top 5 favorite movies of all time. I became fascinated by the thought that the Wicked Witch of the West, who literally used to make me turn away from the television in terror when she appeared in a puff of orange smoke, could actually be a real person and not that wicked at all. Mind blown.  Also I should mention that every time Ronnie saw me reading he did the wicked witch theme (den di den di den diiii diiii) so now it is stuck in my head for the rest of my life.

For the record, I have read L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Wicked stays closer to that storyline in a lot of cases. But I prefer the movie.  This has happened maybe three times in my life (The Notebook, and The Help come to mind).

To Nicholas Sparks' credit, it is pretty hard for words to compete with this.

Anyway a lot of the humor in the book also comes from comparing the story to movie, such as Elphaba's skin being green due to a rare skin condition (not to her witch-dom), Nessa wearing the famed silver shoes (aka ruby slippers) to keep her from toppling over because of the unknown fact that she is armless (a fact hidden from us by Dorothy's house being on top of her), and Elphaba and Glinda starting out as enemies then becoming friends then becoming frenemies. The winged monkeys are actually created by one of the Wicked Witch's crazed animal experiments.

My reaction to all of this was something like "Imagine that! I guess that could have been the case all along..." Thereby getting my gears turning and increasing my interest level throughout. Since I'm guessing this was by Maguire's design, I'll still give him credit for producing some interesting writing.

I also love that no one is really evil or good in the novel. While we do come to sympathize more with Elphaba than we do with the original Wicked Witch of the West, she certainly isn't a traditional "hero" in this novel. She make some very questionable choices and considers herself to be literally soulless.

Conversely, Glinda is not quite the picture of goodness we expect from her, nor is she traditionally evil. Both are just women making their way in the Land of Oz, sometimes doing what is right and sometimes just doing what is easy, just like most real women.

Nessa (the Witch of the East) seems to be the most evil, but that could be because we don't get to know her as well. Dorothy without Judy Garland is just kind of annoying.

The book was a bit of a struggle to get through at parts- there was a lot of made up politics and impossible science. I do think I might enjoy the show though. Anyone out there have any feedback on it?

My Yoga Pants Aren't Just a Fashion Statement

(#4) Take a yoga class

Check!

I love yoga. There, I said it. Yoga is my "thing."

Running makes me wheeze. I'm not competitive enough to enjoy sports. I never thought I would find a workout that I actually enjoyed. Not like, I enjoy-that-I-feel-accomplished-because-I-worked-out enjoyed. Like, actually enjoy doing it while I am doing it. Enjoy learning about it. Enjoy improving. Look forward to doing it.

Do it every day? No. But working on that part.

I have dabbled in yoga since college, mostly through fitness videos and Wii Fit games. But I had never taken a class, so I wanted to experience that to truly test my yogi-dom.

My favorite yoga instructor, Bethenny Frankel: Body By Bethenny

Taking a yoga class is different from doing a yoga DVD for one main reason- the focus. The focus of the yoga DVDs I had been working from was fitness. The focus of a yoga class (the one I took anyway), conversely, is yoga. Fitness comes as a bonus. This has been one of the most beneficial lessons I learned by taking a class. Because working out to lose weight or stay fit can be an overwhelming goal. But doing yoga is just something that I like to do.

Yoga instructors can also be a little more eccentric than your average fitness instructors. But in a good way.

I took a class with a small company called YourCore Pilates. I found this class through a Groupon. At $5 a class I had no excuse not to go (and the expiration date was also a good motivator).

The class took place first in a karate studio and later in a child's daycare center. With a children's music class next door, we learned a lot about focus and about gratitude while trying to do poses to the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus."

In fact there were a lot of humorous juxtapositions throughout the class. It is hard to be at peace and connect with yourself while you are drenched in sweat and holding one leg over your head. I tend to connect more with not falling on my face. Maybe more skilled yogis do not experience this issue.

Along with a whole repertoire of new poses, another thing I learned from yoga class that I did not learn from DVDs was taking time for savasana. When yoga is a workout, you don't really see the value in laying on your back for five minutes. But final relaxation pose is actually very important because it gives you the time to  reconnect with your body and realize, "Hey, I just did something really good for myself, and I feel really good about it." I was amazed at how much I was actually transported, even in a room with a bunch of strangers and with kids singing in the background.

As an asthmatic, it also allowed me to concentrate on expanding my breathing, and I surprised myself with how deeply I was able to inhale when I really tried.

Though I only took five classes, I was able to apply the lessons I learned to my daily (well...semi-daily) practice. I realized that I had probably earned yogi status when I noticed that my mat was so worn that pieces were coming off and sticking to my yoga pants.

You've served me well, but I think I have earned a new mat. 

Really anyone can handle yoga, because you are working with the weight and strength of your own body, and at your own pace. You can even handle taking a class. Most will have a note like "beginner" or "advanced," and I'm sure every instructor (like mine) will tell you to do only what you feel you can do. But also challenge yourself, just a little.

Of course, just because you can do it doesn't mean you will enjoy it like I did. So my advice is: give it a try, and if you don't like it try something else.

Then when you're done, write about it!

My Name Is Inigo Montoya. Prepare to Fall in Love with Me.

(#17) Watch 25 Classic Movies

1. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
2. A Streetcar Named Desire
3. It's a Wonderful Life
4. Some Like it Hot
5. The Terminator
6.  Terminator 2: Judgement Day
7. The Princess Bride

Some movies are so beloved by others that if you haven't seen them you come to hate the incessant quoting of them. The Princess Bride was one of those movies for me. I wasn't able to fall in love with it this late in life, but I did discover why people enjoy it.

First of all, I didn't realize that the premise was a boy being read a book which contained the actual movie (a la The NeverEnding Story) and quite enjoyed that the little boy was home sick from school just as I was home sick from work and watching. I also enjoy the irony of a movie which attempts to get kids exited about reading.

Throughout the movie I had a nagging feeling of deja vu, that perhaps I had already seen it. I'm sure I've seen clips here and there, but I think the feeling was coming from the prevalence of quotes that the movie has injected into pop culture.

For example: "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means." Which is also ironic because I think I may have actually used that quote before without knowing what it meant.

Also in general there are some excellent one-liners throughout the movie. Such as: "Please consider me as an alternative to suicide."

Other than punchy and quotable language, the real star of the movie is of course Inigo Montoya. I honestly could have cared less what happened to Buttercup and Westley. She was weak and a little bitchy, and he was in love with a woman who spent years treating him poorly. Also of course he only comes back from pirating when he hears that she has moved on. Typical man.

But Inigo Montoya, now there is a hero. Strong and masculine while still being soft spoken, sensitive, and passionate. Wholly dedicated to his honorable mission of avenging his father, but willing to help a few others along the way. A skilled swordsman, yet secure enough in himself to appreciate the talent in others. Rocking an epic mullet.

 

 This was the only storyline that I was truly invested in. So I couldn't have been happier with the epic conclusion to his quest.


I'd consider watching it again if we could only edit out all those gross kissing parts.

 

A Macaroni & Cheese Recipe That Will Never Fail

(#10) Master 25 New Recipes

1. Stuffed Peppers
2. Risotto
3. Polenta
4. Beef Brisket
5. French Onion Soup
6. Chocolate Chip Cookies
7. Lentil Soup
8. Macaroni & Cheese

The great thing about cooking is getting to a point where you get a recipe, and learn it enough that you feel comfortable improvising with it. After two attempts at macaroni and cheese, I wasn't quite at that point. But on this, my third attempt, I finally get it. There is a formula to making the perfect mac and cheese, and no matter what kinds of pasta or cheese or toppings you like you can make it creamy and delicious every time.

I will include the full recipe below. But here, in a nutshell, is how you make macaroni and cheese using your own improvised recipe:

1. Make a roux.

This involves melting butter and then slowly incorporating flour into it. This is to thicken your cheese sauce. Which leads me to:

2. Make a cheese sauce. 

You cannot make good mac and cheese by sprinkling shredded cheese over pasta. You need a nice thick, cheesy sauce. For this recipe, I used 2% milk, slowly incorporating it into the roux, and then adding shredded cheddar cheese. The beauty is, you can basically add any kind of cheese you want.

3. Add pasta to cheese sauce. Again, use any pasta you like. We use whole wheat elbow noodles. Stir until well incorporated.

4. Pour pasta mixture into a baking dish.

Not all macaroni and cheese recipes require baking it. However, I highly recommend it.

5. Add a topping. Again, not required but highly recommended. This recipe used Ritz crackers which I found to add a delicious buttery and salty flavor to the dish.

6. Bake. Until the cheese sauce is solidified and the topping is golden brown. If you get some crispy edges around the outside, that is just a bonus.

I've been eating this for the past two days, and the sight of it still makes my mouth water!

7. Enjoy! I highly recommend serving a healthy side-dish to curb your appetite and keep you from devouring the entire pan of your delicious concoction. We went for roasted broccoli this time and it was a great compliment.

Trust me, you will soon be able to handle this without a recipe. And in doing so you will feel like a creative genius.

But, until you're ready for that, here's the recipe I used. 

Ingredients:

1 lb whole wheat elbow noodles
1 lb shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk (2%)
1/2 sleeve Ritz crackers

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start cooking the pasta.
2. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large pot over low heat. Once the butter is melted, slowly whisk in the flour until it is completely dissolved, whisking constantly.
3. Slowly add the 3 cups of milk, whisking into the flour mixture until there are no lumps.
4. Melt the cheese into milk mixture. Drain the cooked pasta and add to the cheese sauce. Stir until well coated.
5. Add the macaroni and cheese to a greased casserole dish.
6. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in another pan (or, I reused my empty pasta pot). Crumble the Ritz crackers, leaving some larger pieces, and mix in with the melted butter. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the pasta pan.
7. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, until the cheese is solidified and the crackers are golden brown.

Dragon Fruit: Beauty is Only Skin Deep

(#13) Taste 25 Foods I've Never Tasted Before

1. Pattypan Squash
2. Beets
3. Eel
4.Wahoo
5.Lychee
6.Quinoa
7. Raw Oyster
8. Octopus
9. Duck
10. Daikon
11. Authentic French Food

12. Dragon Fruit

Many of you may be familiar with dragon fruit (also called pitaya) as bonus points on "Fruit Ninja." But it actually does exist in real life. And it looks like this:

You can tell this one is ripe because the color is bright and fairly consistent- no blotches. 

Dragon fruit is fairly soft and you can cut it right in half to get to the edible portion inside. If the exotic skin didn't already freak you out, the insides are quite unexpected as well. 

This is a white dragon fruit. Some have red insides. 

To eat it, you can run a spoon along the edges and basically scoop the fruit out whole- like you might with an avocado:

Then you can dice up the edible portion into bite-sized pieces and eat. 

After the dramatically beautiful appearance of the dragon fruit (not to mention the cool name), the taste was kind of a let-down. Because of the edible seeds throughout, you get a soft texture and then a crunch somewhat like a kiwi. But not quite as flavorful as a kiwi. 

And not quite as flavorful as anything, really. Not particularly sweet or sour. The smell reminded me more of a vegetable than a fruit- also bland, somewhat celery-like.

Ronnie didn't want to admit it, but I could tell he was put off by the randomly-placed seeds. Which sort of look like fruit flies that have infested your fruit before you even cut into it. 

Also considering that it cost $6 a pound, I think we'll be sticking with more traditional fruits in the future. 

The Original Hunger Games- Sort of

 (#2) Read 25 books

1. Room by Emma Donohue
2. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
4. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
5. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
6. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
7. A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
8. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
9. The Shack by William Young
10.The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
11. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
12. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
13. Skippy Dies by Paul Murray
14. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Okay so this book doesn't actually have children fighting to the death. But it did sort of remind me of The Hunger Games. And not just because it has the word "game" in the title. Let me explain.

Ender's Game is about a futuristic world in which an alien species known as "buggers" have already attacked twice and nearly decimated the human population. Earth is preparing for an inevitable "third invasion" by training the world's smartest children (assuming the invasion won't come until they are grown) in an orbiting "Battle School" where they learn combat techniques.

So the premise centers around the idea that the fate of the world falls on these children who must grow up fast and think like soldiers to succeed. That's basically where the Hunger Games comparisons end.

Ender Wiggin is the best of the best. He is chosen for Battle School after his older brother Peter (too violent) and his older sister Valentine (not violent enough) are both rejected. He shows promise and they believe he will not only be a great soldier but he could be the commander they are looking for to command their entire spaceship fleet.

Ender is a genius at strategy, and though he is small he is smart enough to physically compete with enemies much larger than him. When he is forced to harm bullies at school to protect himself, he confronts his greatest fear- that deep down he is as malicious as his older brother and enjoys hurting people.

I don't personally read a ton of sci-fi, but this one was pretty easy to follow and doesn't delve too deeply into physics-nerd territory. Ender is a likable and interesting character and the story moves pretty quickly.

SPOILERS BELOW!

By far my favorite part of the book was the end, where Ender finally comes to understand the buggers. He realizes they have been communicating with him telepathically all this time- he was more special than anyone could have guessed. He speaks to the last bugger queen when he discovers her, and she makes him realize that they are very like humans, and they made the same tragic errors of judgement.

Just as humans assumed that creatures who did not speak or write had no intelligence, so did the buggers assume that creatures who could not read each other's thoughts were not intelligent. The phrase that stuck with me was, "...never did we dream that thought could arise from the lonely animals who cannot dream each other's dreams.”

How different would our world be if we could understand each other on such a cellular level?

I know several people for whom this is one of their favorites, and maybe it could become the same for you. For me, the first 300 pages were enjoyable if somewhat forgettable, leading to a dramatic conclusion that made the lead-up worth the read.

Why the Title of "Skippy Dies" Actually Spoils Nothing

(#2) Read 25 books

1. Room by Emma Donohue
2. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
4. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
5. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
6. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
7. A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
8. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
9. The Shack by William Young
10.The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
11. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
12. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
13. Skippy Dies by Paul Murray

"Skippy and Ruprecht are having a doughnut-eating race one evening when Skippy turns purple and falls off his chair."

Opening sentence. Skippy is dead by page 5.

But how? How did he choke on a doughnut when all his doughnuts are still in their box, unbitten? And if he wasn't choking on a doughnut, what killed him?

Why did he write "TELL LORI" in jelly on the shop floor? Tell Lori what?

Far from the story being spoiled, the details get more and more cryptic as the story goes on. Each page brings more and more questions.

With Skippy Dies Murray creates a cast of characters that are both relatable and memorable. He creates a story with just enough mystery- causing just the slightest bit of frustration for the reader and making you turn the pages all the more quickly.

It's easy to fall in love with fourteen-year-old Irish schoolboy Daniel "Skippy" Juster, making it all the more devastating to know that he will be dead by the end of the book. It's just as easy to believe that Skippy's roommate, the overweight genius Ruprecht Van Doren, may actually discover a bridge to another universe with his science experiments. It's easy to sympathize with Skippy's teacher "Howard the Coward," who will forever be branded by a mistake he made when he was a teenager.

Skippy Dies, in the end, is about finding out who you are in a world that constantly wants to define you. It's about finding a connection- a bridge- between the hand life has dealt you and the life you actually want to lead. It's about finding truth when all everyone wants to tell you are lies.

Of course there is also going to be some humor along the way. I mean, the boy dies in a doughnut shop and writes his final words in raspberry syrup. So I wouldn't recommend it if you don't have a bit of a warped sense of humor.

Otherwise I say go for it.

French for a Day

(#13) Taste 25 Foods I've Never Tasted Before

1. Pattypan Squash
2. Beets
3. Eel
4.Wahoo
5.Lychee
6.Quinoa
7. Raw Oyster
8. Octopus

9. Duck
10. Daikon
11. Authentic French Food

I was hoping to be writing to you about the wonderful taste sensation I discovered today in coq au vin. We made reservations for Bistro Bis looking at the lunch menu, only to get there and find out they were only serving brunch.

While I didn't technically try a new food, we had a unique dining experience that I figured it had to count for something. And while I've certainly had French food (I'm sure we all have whether we're aware of it or not) I've never actually eaten at a French restaurant.

This week was DC's Restaurant Week, which is basically a bunch of restaurants offering tasting menus at a lower price to get you to come in and try them. The object for the restaurant of course is to snag new customers. But the object of the diner is to try things you wouldn't normally get to try.

Such as, for us, a French restaurant with a dress code.

We realized we wanted to participate kind of late, so a lot of restaurants had filled up, but I was pretty happy that we wound up with Bistro Bis (unclear menu options aside).

If you're a frequent reader you may know that I love French onion soup, and blogged about my own attempts at mastering it. So cliche or not, I HAD to get the French onion soup for my first course at a French restaurant. Specifically, it was Onion Soup Les Halles, meaning from a certain area of France (couldn't find online whether all "French onion soup" is from Les Halles, but I'd welcome an education on that subject!).

Not surprisingly, it was delicious. Though I have to say my own came pretty close. This version was a bit sweeter, less beefy and more buttery. Apparently the French do not like to skimp on richness.

Ronnie had an endive salad which was also delicious. It had pear slices, blue cheese, and walnuts.

For my entree I had the Duck Hash Landaise. I tried duck for the first time this year and was underwhelmed. This time it was duck confit, which basically means duck cooked in its own fat. Incredibly savory and succulent. So yeah, this time I liked it.

It was mixed in with super-crispy potatoes, caramelized onions, a honey-thyme sauce, and topped with a lusciously poached egg and Hollandaise sauce. The duck was also crispy, almost like fat pieces of bacon. Only better. It was really sweet and savory and delicious and I nearly ate myself into a food coma.

Ronnie had trout with capers and haircot vert. He said he liked his better, but I liked mine. So it worked out.

It was a three-course tasting menu, so I somehow had to save some room for dessert. I had a cherry and apricot bread pudding with a spiced ice cream. It looked so good I forgot to take a picture before diving in.

 
Ronnie had a ginger creme brulee, which again he loved but I didn't really care for.

After brunch we decided to take a walk around the city, since we were so full and were close to the National Mall. We wound up at the National Gallery of Art which coincidentally had an exhibit of "Small French Paintings." Of course we had to go in and continue our French experience. It was there that we found this painting  by Antoine Vollon that perfect expressed the way we were feeling after our decadent French meal:

It's called "Mound of Butter."

Luckily for our health it was a fairly long walk back to the Metro station.

These Missionaries are Ruining Everything!

(#2) Read 25 books

1. Room by Emma Donohue
2. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
4.A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
   A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
   A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
   A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
5. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
6. The Shack by William Young
7. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
8. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
9. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe 

I'll be honest (you deserve as much, loyal readers) and say that I chose this book in part because it was so short and I am getting down to reading crunch-time. However it is still a "classic" and I still wanted to read it at some point, so it all works out.

Things Fall Apart is the story of the fictional Nigerian village of Umuofia and specifically of the respected tribesman Okonkwo. It centers around the clash of native culture and Western colonialism.

We first learn about the people of Umuofia and their life and customs. The people live in small villages that form larger groups. The entire economy is based around yams. Okonkwo has three wives who live in three separate huts behind his own, larger hut. Everyone seems relatively happy with this state of affairs (although Okonkwo beats his wives a little too much for the taste of the Umuofia people).

After some ill-omens fall on Okonkwo's family and he accidentally commits a crime, the whole family is exiled for seven years. When they return to Umuofia they find that white missionaries have moved in to spread Christianity. Okonkwo is shocked and horrified to find that they are being relatively well-received.

This book had very simple, almost allegorical language that seemed to be reflective of the language of the Umuofia people, who often explain life problems by relating a story about a snake and a crocodile. I would say that the story seems a bit derivative, but the more I read about it I realize that it is actually viewed as an archetype of the African/English colonialism novel. So I guess the fact that I've heard this story before should be viewed as a compliment to Achebe.

While parables aren't necessarily going to get me excited, what I did like about this story was the even-handed way in which the ideas were presented. Sure, colonialism ruins the original culture and shows the nature of white greed and supremacy. We get it. But the simple language of the book presents the ideas to us plainly and allows us to come to our own conclusions.

Achebe also presents the idea that some people are happier after the missionaries come in. Okonkwo's own son feels unhappy about some of the village customs that the Christians eliminate, such as leaving newborn twins out in the forest to die because they are bad luck.

And in some ways, though Okonkwo is the protagonist of the novel, we are left feeling like his attitude is the most rigid of all. He clings to old ideas even when the rest of his tribe has abandoned them. 

I guess it all comes down to personal choice and mutual respect of different cultures. What a novel idea.

 

The Battle of Who is Crazier

(#2) Read 25 books

1. Room by Emma Donohue
2. Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
3. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
4.A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
   A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
   A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin

   A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
5. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
6. The Shack by William Young
7. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
8. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

I needed a nice palate cleanser after A Feast for Crows, and this book turned out to be a great choice. It has action, the plot lines are all resolved, and there are only about four characters to remember. Perfect. 

Gone Girl details the decay of a once loving relationship between Nick and Amy Dunne and the mystery around Amy's sudden disappearance. Flynn tells the tale using both Nick and Amy as narrators, exploring the differences in the way men and women view a relationship and the irreconcilable disparity between what they expect from one another and what they are each able to give. 

In the beginning of the novel, what drew me in was how relatable the two characters and their relationship really was. They love each other but they just can't seem to be on the same page at the same time. 

For example, every year on their anniversary Amy designs an elaborate scavenger hunt for Nick to find his present. She sees it as a way to celebrate their love and directs him to what she feels are all of their favorite places. He sees it as an impossible test requiring him to remember every minute detail of Amy's life. She feels he doesn't appreciate her effort. He feels she is deliberately torturing him.

How hilariously unfortunate love can be. 

Then, later in the novel as things started to get crazy, I remembered how much I identified with these two characters. And that makes me feel a little bad about myself. Because seriously- these people are crazy.     

As the story progressed, I found myself first siding with Amy, then with Nick, then with Amy and so on until I realized these lunatics are actually perfectly matched. I like an author who can make me question my own ideas and actually trick me into believing exactly what she wants me to believe. I'm not easily fooled, so kudos to Gillian Flynn.  

I also thought this novel was the perfect blend of exciting story line and actual good writing. Nick and Amy are both writers, which can be tricky to pull off. But their narration was original and interesting. Take this delightful metaphor for example, where Nick is talking about his father's temper: "...he turned our family life into an endless road trip with bad directions and a rage-clenched driver, a vacation that never got a chance to be fun" (60). A common emotion expressed clearly but in a way that I've never heard before. That's what good writing is supposed to be. 

I would recommend this to anyone looking for an exciting read. Maybe save it for summer- it's one of those rare beach reads that you don't have to be embarrassed about.