March was a "Great" reading month... hehe, pun intended.
After telling myself I would read it for years, and always knowing it's my BFF's favorite book of all time, I finally picked up Great Expectation by Charles Dickens in February... unfortunately, I did not become engrossed and between struggling a bit through the novel and a near-two week vacation, it took me until March to finish it.
Overall... not a super fan. It was just okay. I thought Pip, the main character, was kind of a douche and his Uncle Joe, the only character I liked, he treated like pooh. I also didn't really care if he got the girl or not... so, while I'm glad to say I read it, I can't say I'm a fan.
Next, I picked up The Great Santini by Pat Conroy. This novel was one of the very first books added to my goodreads.com 'to read' list. It had been chosen by Rutherford County as a One Book selection, probably in 2009. I really didn't have a good idea what it was about, but I put it on my list, ordered it from my site, and had it on the shelf. This one is about a Marine Corps family lead by a fighter pilot father in the early 60's. I can honestly say, the main character made me physically uncomfortable to read about. He's abusive, verbally and physically, but is a successful Marine... his family oscillates between loving and hating him... if representative of truth, the stories of how Marines behaved together were a bit disgusting...overall, I was interested and intrigued in the story, but wasn't comfortable with it - if that makes any sense at all? The novel made me think about my Dad, too. He's a former Marine and I remember him being very strict and harsh when I was young... and, now he's a giant softy. It really made me wonder how the Marine Corps influences people... and, it made me thankful that my Dad appears not to have bought completely into all of it.
Sometimes, you pick up exactly the book you're in the mood for and you end up with a quick, satisfying read that surprises you. After my last two books, I chose Sea Glass by Anita Shreve, looking for something a bit lighter and frankly easier. I was hooked within the first five pages... and, sped through the rest of the book in a matter of days. The novel is broken up and told from many different perspectives... a young bride, her oily new husband, a young and sympathetic mill worker, an 11-year-old mill worker, and a wealthy socialite. It opens up weeks before the stock market crash in 1929, and continues through most of the following year. The novel describes financial ruin and the developing unionization of the mill workers, culminating in a strike with disastrous consequences. The characters are wonderful and the feel so right one... exactly what I was in the mood for.
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