Movie Review: Bakhita: From Slave to Saint

Date: 2009

Director: Giacamo Campiotti

Summary: Bakhita has a good life in Sudan until she is captured by slave traders.  She grows to womanhood in captivity until her life changes again when Federico Marin – a Venetian merchant – brings her home to Italy.  Though legally free, Bakhita works as a slave in Marin’s household, suffering physical and verbal abuse from her “master” and superstitious hatred from the other villagers.  But she finds joy in Marin’s daughter, Aurora, and in the Christian faith she has never heard of before.  When Bakhita decides to claim the freedom she deserves – the freedom to shape her own life and to serve God as she chooses – she challenges her neighbors and her adopted family to open their hearts to God and to the dignity of all humanity.

Review: This film is based on the story of St. Josephine Bakhita, who lived during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000.  Though many of the basic facts of the saint’s life are present in the movie, the filmmakers were not attempting to make a biography and they took a considerable amount of creative license.  The result is a truly moving film that captures the heart of Bakhita’s story.

The movie addresses several meaningful themes.  The more prominent ones are racism and slavery, but there is a larger social justice aspect that involves a money-minded Marin and his struggling tenant farmers.  Just as powerful is the story of the parish priest, who finally finds his courage to be a true disciple of Christ when he chooses to fight for Bakhita.

Bakhita is the true center of the story, however.  One of the most remarkable features of her character is her sense of joy.  Even when she has no friends, no kind words from anyone, she is the only one singing.  She is the one who cares for Aurora out of love, and not duty.  She has a quiet confidence that seems impossible to shake.  She is so used to people abusing her that she is no longer afraid of it.  She doesn’t exactly accept that she’s a slave – since she does eventually fight for her freedom – but she is clearly unimpressed by threats.  When she hears the story of Christ’s sacrifice and love for the first time, she silently challenges the rest of us to see it as clearly and as simply, and to follow his example as powerfully as she did.

Note: The audio for this film is in Italian.  English subtitles are available. 

The Quest for Shakespeare by Joseph Pearce

Goodreads: The Quest for Shakespeare: The Bard of Avon and the Church of Rome

Source: Library

Published: 2008

Summary: Pearce collects historical evidence to argue that Shakespeare was not only raised in a recusant Catholic household, but also remained a faithful Catholic throughout his life.

Review: Pearce joins a not insignificant list of authors and critics who have either felt or argued that William Shakespeare was a practicing Catholic.  Seemingly gleaning what proved most helpful from many of them, he lays out a case arguing that the playwright, now admitted by many to have at least been raised in a recusant household, continued to embrace the “old faith” throughout his life and died in it.  Pearce admits that the historical record will probably always remain too sparse for anyone to prove that Shakespeare was Catholic (though he even uses the historical silence in his defense—recusant Catholics would not have wanted to leave traces of their illegal activities), but maintains that all the signs we have point toward just this conclusion.

Pearce offers a lot of compelling evidence for his argument—evidence best summed up in a lengthy quotation by Shakespeare scholar Hugh Ross Willamson at the end of the book when he lists, almost in a bulletpoint manner, all the things we definitely know about Shakespeare’s associations with Catholicism and all the things we might know about Shakespeare’s associations.  Pearce’s arguments are strongest when he sticks to those things we know.  We know, for example, that Shakepeare’s parents were recusant Catholics, that his daughter Susanna was listed as a recusant Catholic, and so forth.  Again, none of this proves that Shakespeare himself embraced Catholicism, but it is provocative.

Pearce steps onto more uncertain ground when he begins to draw conclusions from some of the things we know.  For instance, he provides long lists of people who lived in Shakespeare’s town, who were Shakepeare’s relatives, or who were associated with Shakespeare in London and were Catholic, because, apparently, the more Catholics who live in your vicinity, the more likely you are to be Catholic, too.  He also sometimes waxes eloquently on what might have happened if Shakespeare had been present when Jesuit priest Edmund Campion arrived in England, if Shakespeare had met Jesuit priest Robert Southwell and been mentored by him, if Shakespeare had seen Southwell hanged, and so forth.  These assumptions typically rest on further assumptions—that Shakespeare was in the neighborhood when Campion arrived, that he really is that elusive William Shakeshafte who tutored in the countryside, etc.  Pearce repeatedly acknowledges that much of this is speculation, but that does not stop him from engaging in it.

The other notable weakness in the book is a marked antagonism toward many of the critics who promote philosophies with which Pearce disagrees.  Queer theorists, deconstructionists, postmodernists, and more are all at the receiving end of the author’s somewhat vitriolic wit.  Spirited debate is a staple of many academic works, but often the attacks seem to tend toward the personal.  Pearce repeatedly asserts that such critics misunderstand Shakespeare because they want to make him into their own image—an image he insinuates is warped and ugly.  While one understands that Pearce desperately wants critics to understand Shakespeare in the context of his own times and his own personality, it seems that the point could sometimes have been made more charitably.

Notwithstanding some of the speculations, The Quest for Shakespeare remains a compelling and provocative read.  Its greatest strength perhaps lies in its refutations of all the arguments against Shakespeare’s being Catholic—the main ones seemingly being that he must have been atheist/agnostic or that a Catholic writer would have never received royal favor.   Furthermore, in collecting so much historical evidence (it contains a lot more than people who studied Shakespeare in school were probably aware of existing), the book does a great service toward bringing the Bard to life.  Any interested in Shakepeare’s links to Catholicism should give it a try.

Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge

Goodreads: Page by Paige

Source: Library

Published: 2011

Summary: After moving to Brooklyn, sixteen-year-old Paige Turner draws in her sketchbook to cope with the difficulty of making new friends and finding her voice.

Review: Page by Paige is a heartwarming look inside the mind of an introverted teen, one who feels something must be wrong with her because she lives inside her head and has a tendency toward privacy.  Initially, some readers may find themselves put off by her self-deprecating comments—Paige has the ability to turn every event into a huge ordeal, worrying that her friends secretly dislike her, that her mother masks her emotions, and that everyone thinks she is self-centered or burdensome.  Her issues are, however, ones with which many others will relate.  Watching Paige find her voice as she becomes more confident both in her relationships and her artwork is even inspirational.

Admittedly, one or two of the episodes in the book actually contribute to the impression that Paige really does have some issues with selfishness.  While a teenager’s troubled relationship with her parents, formed under the impression that they “don’t understand” proves realistic enough, Paige’s response may raise eyebrows.  As part of a series of episodes in which Paige leaves her comfort zone to showcase her artwork and assert herself, the girl chooses to, in her words, “stand up for herself” by refusing to clean her room before company calls.  Paige seems to think that her mother, in making the request, is attempting to form a false image of how they live and does not consider that cleaning for guests may be considered a sign of respect.  Subsequent events do not clarify whether the author really meant this moment to show off Paige’s new strength or if it remains the one ugly incident in a series of otherwise positive steps forward for the girl.

Perhaps the real strength of the book lies not in its slightly shy, but adorably quirky protagonist, but in the artwork.  Scenes of real imagination and real beauty fill the book, making Paige’s thoughts about family, friends, and herself come alive through an intricate interplay of emotion and symbolism.  While some of the images, such as freckles forming constellations across one’s cheeks, may seem cliché, the author still manages to breathe new life into them; she seems to channel the earnestness her young protagonist would have felt in drawing out the scenes.

Page by Paige stands out because it justifies its existence as a graphic novel.  The images do not merely illustrate the events of the story, but act as part of the story itself, drawing readers in to understand more than what Paige tells them in words.  Even more provocatively, many of the panels are meant to be understood as not only part of the book but also as part of Paige’s personal sketchbook.  The result is an intelligent, challenging read that still manages to exude heart and humor.

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

Goodreads: Strands of Bronze and Gold

Series: Strands of Bronze and Gold #1

Source: Purchased

Published: 2013

Summary: After the death of her father, seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram goes to live with her godfather, a mysterious man who keeps to himself in his abbey in Mississippi.  Initially, Sophia delights in the fantastic world he has created—one where she lives surrounded by beauty, art, and luxury, and can break all the social taboos.  Her godfather, however, keeps her isolated and soon Sophia begins to fear both his violent temper and the veil that lies over his past.  The discovery of his four former wives, all with hair as red as her own, sets into motion a series of events that may leave her a prisoner in the abbey forever.

Review: Nickerson makes the Bluebeard fairy tale her own, setting it in antebellum Mississippi where she can not only play with the details of the original story but also reimagine them in the context of a society preoccupied with class codes and the ideal of the proper woman.  Much of the allure surrounding Sophia’s godfather lies in his encouragement for her to break the social taboos, to dress more exotically, to lower her inhibitions.  In succumbing to his manipulations, Sophia starts to lose both her sense of morality and her sense of self.  Her journey back to find her moral center makes this book stand out from other contemporary retellings that often focus on the darkness of fairy tales, but sometimes forget to let in the light.

Of course, setting forth a moral in any tale proves tricky ground.  In Bronze and Gold, Nickerson does not avoid the common trap of assigning modern sensibilities and philosophies to her protagonist.  Thus, Sophia (somewhat suddenly) shows herself an ardent abolitionist once she steps foot on her godfather’s plantation.  While authors understandably want readers to relate to their protagonists, imposing contemporary beliefs onto historical characters does a disservice to both the past and to readers.  A more provocative and believable story might have shown a sheltered girl who never thought much of slavery (Sophia has enough naivety and even foolishness to find herself lured into Bluebeard’s trap, so it is not such a stretch to imagine she never thought about the hot button issues of her day) until she witnesses it.  Watching Sophia learn to appreciate the humanity of those around her would have been great development for her.  Instead, readers are treated to a girl who randomly spouts off offers to serve on the Underground Railroad to anyone who seems like they might be abolitionists--her only motivation apparently being that doing so will make her a superior moral force in the eyes of the readers.  Perhaps wisely, none of the characters takes up her offer.  (She is, after all, essentially a prisoner in the house of a man who owns slaves.  One wonders what exactly Sophia plans to do for the Underground Railroad.)

Sophia's actions, in fact, often seem written solely because they fit the needs of the plot and not because they form an integral part of her character.  None of the other characters, barring perhaps her godfather, who exudes a mixture of sensuality and danger that should have had the girl running for the door as soon as she arrived, ever rise about mere stock types.  The standard rebellious and handsome youth makes an appearance, as does his pretty and more cautious lover.  The old and wise conductor on the Underground Railroad, the handsome and bookish minister, the leering groom—they are all included.  Arguably, the status of the book as a retold fairy tale might allow for or even call for flat characters, but it still seems odd to focus the story around the premise of the characters’ humanity and then portray them as one-dimensional.

If the characters lack something, however, the atmosphere of the book proves suitably creepy.  Readers will experience the same sense of wonder and danger as Sophia as they explore her godfather’s abbey and his past.  Nickerson has all the ingredients she needs to create an exciting and compelling story.  Perhaps the second in the trilogy will show what she is truly capable of doing. 

Note: The darkness of the plot and some of the themes addressed, such as sexuality, make this book more appropriate for older readers.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Goodreads: Quiet

Source: Borrowed

Published: 2012

Review: Cain offers an interesting and informative look at the ways in which America has cultivated what she calls the “Extrovert Ideal”—a belief that the talkative and outgoing possess more intelligence and generate better ideas than those who prefer quiet and solitude.  In response, she argues that introverts have contributed valuable art, literature, and research to the world, all through utilizing their own unique skills.  To support her claims, she offers the results of studies indicating that solitude is requisite for the deep studying needed for success in many fields, that introverts have an edge in university, and more.  Her conclusions will not surprise those introverts aware of their own abilities, but may provide encouragement to those who have been conditioned by well-intentioned family, friends, or even educators to believe that there is something inherently wrong with them for preferring small group settings to large parties or for choosing silence over speech.

Because Quiet tries to address so many issues, however, it often seems to address no audience in particular.  Cain encourages her readers to take away only those parts which pertain to them, so, for example, those introverts who are not shy (the distinction will be welcome to many) need not worry about the chapters pertaining to those who are.  Still, the leaps from sensitivity to shyness to cultural expectations about extroversion and introversion (focused mainly on Asian Americans) make the read a little disjointed.  One topic will just start to prove particularly engrossing when another replaces it.

Despite the seeming disjointedness, however, Quiet remains a valuable resource for many—educators, business leaders, parents, and extroverts seeking to understand the introverts in their lives.  Those introverts who feel judged for not speaking up in class or meetings, or who are tired of seeing their good ideas passed over because they could not outtalk the other members in their groups will have the information they need not only to boost their confidence but also to educate others about the value of their skills.  But perhaps the best advice Quiet offers is that the book should not be read as an affirmation of introversion over extroversion.  Rather, Cain, posits, both extroverts and introverts are needed to make the world work.

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 2 by Naoko Takeuchi

Translated by William Flanagan

Goodreads: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 2

Series: Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition #2

Source: Gift

Summary: The search for the Legendary Silver Crystal continues, but Luna fears that Sailor Moon’s feelings for Tuxedo Mask may threaten the mission.  Is Tuxedo Mask friend or foe and why does he want the crystal for himself?

Review: The second volume of the Sailor Moon manga focuses on the developing relationship between Usagi and Mamoru which, I suspect, is a big draw for many fans of the series.  Though the acts are rather episodic and the plot progresses surprisingly quickly, Takeuchi still manages to add a little bit of suspense and tension to the romance.  Any prior knowledge readers may have of how things develop matters not at all; watching Usagi and Mamoru shyly interact and secretly struggle with their attraction makes their relationship seem as if it is happening for the first time.  And, though the volume functions mainly to deliver backstory, Takeuchi does not allow her readers to get comfortable in the knowledge that everything will work out.

Despite the generous amount of backstory, however, I still feel as if I am missing key information about the characters. This, coupled with the expectation that readers will accept various plot devices without question, marred my enjoyment of the story somewhat.  I can't help but wonder why the villains are defeated in the ways they are, where all the magical items keep coming from, and why the guardians feel so threatened by the enemy when they seem to triumph so easily.  The manga consistently threatens my suspension of disbelief.

Even with its flaws, however, Sailor Moon still provides an exciting adventure driven by strong female characters.  The other four scouts may not have played a main role in this installment, but they were still present to support their leader, each in her own unique way.  I look forward to continuing the series and watching all of the scouts develop.  

Spellbinder by Helen Stringer

Goodreads: Spellbinder

Series: Spellbinder #1

Published: 2009

Source: Purchased

Summary: The gift to see ghosts runs in twelve-year-old Belladonna Johnson’s family, but she never appreciated it until the day the ghosts disappear.  Knowing only that she has to find someone called the Spellbinder, Belladonna and her friend Steve will travel to the Other World and face down a formidable foe in the hopes of preventing the spirits of the dead from vanishing forever.

Review: Armed with a unique premise and a sympathetic heroine, Stringer presents an adventure sure to keep readers flipping pages long after bedtime.  A generous helping of cryptic messages and secret explorations keeps the plot moving along while references to myth and history give the story a enough to ground it in the real world.  Stringer makes it seem quite plausible that readers can encounter dragons and their treasure on the corner, or a passageway to another world in an old, forgotten building.

The subject of the story may initially seem macabre, but the book manages to present seeing ghosts as quite a normal event.  Belladonna interacts with them as she would living people, treating them with respect and developing friendships with them.  Her gift proves especially useful as she can interact with her parents, victims of a fatal car crash.  Readers who dislike scary stories (such as myself) or who feel uncomfortable spending time with books that have an unhealthy fascination with death should therefore not fear to pick up Spellbinder.  Talking with ghosts proves simply a springboard for an otherwise not untypical fantasy adventure.

Though readers will recognize elements of standard fantasy plots—an ancient evil awakened, an alchemist with more to him than meets the eye—Stringer adds enough action and mystery to keep the story moving along.  The main characters, Belladonna and Steve, also help as their normality makes them relatable and their intelligence and good humor makes them likeable. 

The other characters, unfortunately, could use a little more originality.  The majority of the book seems populated by women, most of them strong personalities who command respect through their coldness or severity.  For awhile, it seemed as if I were reading about various projections of the same character.  Belladonna proves that females can be strong without trying to be intimidating or without adopting a sarcastic attitude; why don’t more of the adult characters follow her lead?

The lack of diversified femininity was the one flaw that stuck out to while reading.  Otherwise, I found myself completely engrossed by the mystery and magic of Spellbinder.  It ends conclusively enough that I will feel satisfied if I never find the sequel; however, I would like to enter Belladonna’s unique world sometime again.  

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 1 by Naoko Takeuchi

Translated by William Flanagan

Goodreads: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 1

Series: Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Renewal Edition #1

Published: 1992

Source: Gift

Summary: Usagi Tsukino lives the life of a normal fourteen-year-old until the day a talking cat named Luna informs her that her true identity is Sailor Moon, a guardian whose mission is to find the Legendary Silver Crystal and the long-lost Moon Princess.  Fighting evil is not easy, however, and Sailor Moon will need to find all the allies she can.

Review: Years ago I watched the anime Sailor Moon and loved it, although now I realize it is sometimes rather cheesy.  Thus, I found myself opening the manga with a sense of nostalgia.  Reading manga is still rather new to me (my first foray into manga was Habemus Papam!), but immediately I found myself transported back into a magical world where girls have the power to save the day--and usually do it in style.

Now that I have the chance the revisit the series, it seems clear to me that the characters are its real strength.  Takeuchi takes care to present each of the sailor scouts as normal girls who have interests, flaws, and talents with which readers can relate.  They portray different types of femininity, but the series never presents one as superior to the other.  Athletic girls, bookish girls, pretty girls, and girls who just like to eat sweets and sleep in--they're all valuable and they all have something to contribute.  Together, they're simply unstoppable.

A really good story needs good presentation, however, and the manga does not disappoint.  It is filled with gorgeous illustrations and I would stop to savor a particularly stunning panel or sometimes flip back just to admire some really great artwork.  The plot is episodic enough that it wants to keep drawing readers through the action (really, I had no idea the anime added so many extra episodes--Sailor Moon meets three of the scouts just in the first volume), so I think it's notable I would sometimes stop.  The translation is sometimes a little funny as characters say things in a more casual or more stilted way than I would have imagined the situation would warrant.  However, it never jarred me out of the story.

I'm not sure the manga has reignited my old love for Sailor Moon, but I'm interested enough that I hope I can continue through the series.  The anime diverges in some places from the manga, so I'm looking forward to discovering the author's original story.

Looking for...A Book on Tolkien

The Company They Keep: C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien as Writers in Community by Diana Pavlac Glyer

Glyer debunks the myth of the solitary writer by demonstrating that the Inklings, a literary group that included Lewis, Tolkien, Charles Williams, Owen Barfield and others, exerted more influence on each other's work than previously thought.  Glyer approaches her argument systematically, first defining types of influence and then demonstrating how members of the Inklings practiced each.  Her work challenges the idea that artists must work in isolation in order to achieve greatness.


J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century by Tom Shippey

Shippey examines the ways in which language shaped Tolkien's Middle-earth and helped Tolkien create a new mythology.  He also explores historical, political, and religious influences on Tolkien's work, focusing in particular on the nature of evil in Tolkien's worldview.  A must-read for any fan of the professor.


The Philosophy of Tolkien by Peter Kreeft

Kreeft explores the ways in which Tolkien's Catholicism provides the philosophical underpinning of Middle-earth through a question-and-answer format.  Each of Kreeft's questions receives a three-fold answer: a quote from one of Tolkien's works exemplifying his philosophy, a quote from Tolkien's letters expanding upon it, and a quote from C. S. Lewis clarifying it.  An easy and accessible book, perfect for lengthy reading or for browsing.

 

Preparing for Tolkien Reading Day

Since 2003, the Tolkien Society has hosted Tolkien Reading Day on March 25 as a way to encourage readers to celebrate, discover, and enjoy (what else?) J. R. R. Tolkien's books. Why March 25?  The Tolkien Society explains that this is the date of the Fall of Sauron.  However, as a devout Catholic, Tolkien would have associated this date with the Annunciation, thus making an explicit connection between Mary's Fiat and the downfall of evil.  This year's theme is Tolkien's Landscapes.  So, on Monday, be sure to pick up a book by Tolkien and, if you write a review, feel free to link it in the comments!

Movie Review: Brother Sun, Sister Moon

Date: 1972
Director: Franco Zeffirelli

Summary: Francis returns to his home of Assisi after contracting a fever in the army.  He experiences a religious conversion that inspires him to reject the lavish lifestyle of his family and attempt to draw closer to God through nature and poverty.    His newfound joy attracts many of the city's youth to him, but the powerful of Assisi resent the rebuke to their materialism and vow to stop Francis at any cost.

Review: Brother Sun, Sister Moon is a cinematic masterpiece that attempts to transfer to the viewers some of the quiet joy St. Francis experienced through God's presence in nature.  Gorgeous photography, sweeping scenes of fields of flowers and snowy mountains, moments of silence and moments of song all combine to present the story of St. Francis with a beauty so powerful that it can touch hearts even if some find it a little hokey.

I admit that when the film began, I did not react favorably.  Some factors such as costuming or even the soundtrack may prove jarring to a more modern audience.  We are, after all, accustomed to art that makes us forget it is art and invites us to live within its story line.  Here, however, the gaudy outfits never let viewers forget their nature as costumes and the soundtrack seems like it belongs on a flashback to the 60s CD.  Initially I had expected the type of music St. Francis might have heard, but clearly Zeffirelli's concerns lie less in maintaining historical accuracy than in using art to make a statement about his culture: the music draws parallels between St. Francis's love of nature and the environmental movement of the 60s.

I might have accepted these issues, but the portrayal of St. Francis also surprised me.  I have always imagined St. Francis as a fearless man of action, a man whose deciveness and passion shocked a nation.  This is after, all the man who tore off his clothes before the bishop and the town in order to announce his desire to live in poverty for the glory of the Lord.  Zeffirelli's interpretation, however, shows a quieter, more introspective man.  Perhaps he wanted audiences to feel like the inhabitants of Assisi.  Perhaps he wanted audiences to question, like the characters, whether St. Francis wasn't quite simply made.  Ultimately, however,  I think some of the problems I had with the portrayal lies in the impossibility of expressing or illustrating the presence of God.

Every saint movie I have ever seen relies on silence to convey the presence of God within a person.  And why not?  God's presence is ineffable. However, when I think on the people in my life in whom I have distinctly felt the presence of God,  I don't recall them serenely staring off into the distance smiling to themselves or looking past me when I talk because they're just so in love with the Lord they can't see me.  I think that when a person is in tune with God, they become more present to those around them--not less so.  Thus, I had trouble accepting a portrayal of St. Francis in which he ignored people when they spoke to him.  I accepted him only when I saw the camaraderie he had with his brothers and the service he extended to the poor and afflicted.  St. Francis only became real when he connected with the world around him.

The heart of the film lies in that--lies in the presence of St. Francis in Italy.  He was a real man who walked on real soil and managed to transform the way people understood religion and spirituality.  He continues to inspire countless people today.  And why?  Because if an ordinary man like him could do something so extraordinary, it means that all of us have the potential to become saints.  Brother Sun, Sister Moon shines brightest when it shows St. Francis looking into the eyes of the people around him and reminding them that God desires them.

Dante's Daughter by Kimberley Heuston

Goodreads: Dante’s Daughter

Series: None

Published: 2004

Source: Library

Summary: Antonia Alighieri’s world turns upside down when the Black Guelfs invade Florence and force her family into exile.  Separated from her mother and her brothers, Antonia travels with her father, the famous poet Dante, through Italy and France.  The people she meets and the places she experiences will help her find her own place in the world and give her the courage to follow her dreams.

Review: Heuston paints a vivid picture of pre-Renaissance Italy, taking the few known facts about Antonia’s life and transforming them into a story sure to inspire readers and warm their hearts.  Though she writes about the daughter of a man who will one day be recognized as one of the world’s greatest poets, Heuston does not allow Dante—or the political forces surrounding him—to overshadow her protagonist.  Anotonia has her own life, her own needs, and her own vision.  Her navigation through adolescence and young adulthood in a male-dominated world will resonate with readers long after they close the book.

Since historians know so little about Dante’s family, Heuston had a liberal amount of poetic license with which to work while writing Dante’s Daughter.  My limited understanding of Dante suggests, however, that Heuston stayed remarkably true to those facts even while she used them to make assumptions about the way in which events may have unfolded.  Thus, Heuston utilizes speculations about an unhappy marriage between Dante and his wife Gemma (in part due to his poetry about another woman—Beatrice) to create a fully three-dimensional woman who feels hurt by her husband’s emotional betrayal yet still provides for her family and their interests.  The dynamic between them drives a lot of the story and provides for some interesting speculations about the how a man so preoccupied by intellectual pursuits may have related to others.

Dante springs to life as a complex man who loves his family, but whose idealism and divine inspiration sometimes cause him to neglect the worldly sorts of tasks that might keep them fed and clothed.  Antonia loves her father in return and craves his affection and protection, but finds that he has difficulty relating to her.  In part, the book suggests, Dante lived too much on his own to understand the needs of others, especially children.  However, Dante does not only experience difficulty in speaking to Antonia simply because she is a child, but also because she is a woman.  She, like him, possesses a quick wit and a keen sensitivity for beauty, but she lacks his education.  There exists between them a fundamental inability to communicate because Dante thinks in terms of the great poets and philosophers who came before him—and Antonia does not yet know them all.

Dante’s attitude toward his family—particularly his wife and daughter—thus serves as a springboard for reflections on gender roles.  As the daughter of a great poet, Antonia will learn Latin, hear the stories from Virgil, and even learn to paint.  However, she remains a woman, and society expects her not to create great art like her father, but to make a home and care for a family.  She does not deny this calling, or even its validity (Antonia’s aunt in fact provides a lively defense of the occupation of women in her society, asserting that men can accomplish so much intellectual work only because the woman take care of their practical needs).  However, she does recognize her need to find her own calling, rather than to follow the path laid out for her by others.

Heuston’s nuanced and varied depiction of woman is completely refreshing.  She presents a wide spectrum of strong women, from Antonia’s aunt who loves being a wife and mother to the Beguines, a group of lay Christian women who lived apart from men and could earn their own livelihood.  All of these women have different gifts and different strengths; Heuston does not assert the primacy of one vocation over another, but illustrates the various ways women can serve God and others.  Antonia ultimately takes the best from all these women, forging her own destiny where she can love freely and be true to herself.

Dante's Daughter possesses a rare beauty, bringing to life a fascinating woman who chose to accept her struggles and use them to make herself stronger.  This book will leave readers feeling refreshed and inspired.

C. S. Lewis Read-Along at Pages Unbound

Check out the C. S. Lewis Read-Along taking place during the month of February at book blog Pages Unbound.  You can read any book by or about C. S. Lewis during February and your review will be added to the Master List.  Other fun posts so far have included discussion posts, a cover poll, and a personality quiz.

Habemus Papam!: Pope Benedict XVI by Regina Doman, Illustrated by Sean Lam

Goodreads: Habemus Papam!

Series: None

Published: 2012

Source: Borrowed

Summary: Growing up in Bavaria, Josef Ratzinger finds his faith tested daily as the Nazis shut down schools, force the young men into the army, and persecute Christians and Jews.  However, he places his trust in God and fulfills his dream of becoming a priest.  Josef enjoys his new life teaching and longs to spend his days as a scholar, but God still calls and His plan is larger than anything Josef could have imagined.

Review: Doman and Lam’s manga presents a biography of the pope in a manner both fun and accessible.  Benedict  XVI, or, as he was known before receiving the call to lead the Catholic Church as the Vicar of Christ, Josef Ratzinger, comes to life on the page, no distant figure waving from a balcony, but a flesh-and-blood man who faced terrible opposition in  his journey to become a priest but never lost his faith.  Readers will not only learn interesting facts about the pope (for instance, he loves cats) but will also feel themselves inspired by the example of man who placed all his trust in God, even when he feared the road God might set him on.

I have never read manga before, so I can only judge Habemus Papam! on its own merits.  I thought the illustrations were very well done.  Some beautiful Catholic architecture made appearances and the level of detail (for example, a glimpse of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel) gave the story a sense of realism.  The range of emotion exhibited by the characters also helped draw me into the story.  I especially enjoyed the young Josef—there is an adorable picture of him sitting with his teddy bear—and found myself marveling that the pope was ever a child who got into trouble and fought with his siblings.  The fact that the pope likes cats became a sort of recurring theme, so it was fun to pick out all the cats in the pictures. 

Enjoyable as the illustrations were, however, I never felt that they were integral to the telling of the story.  I got the impression that the creators of the book designed it more as a marketing tool to reach young people and make the faith seem cool.  Doman conceivably could have written the same story, fleshed out with some description, and made it into a short biography.  Enough action and suspense occurs that readers will keep the pages turning.  

Despite this criticism, I do not mean to suggest that the book seems didactic.  Rather, it presents itself a a loving portrayal of a man whose dedication to God and desire to spread His message cannot fail to move readers.  The struggles he faces as he tries to accept God's will for him make him seem so delightfully human, but the fearlessness he exhibits as he searches out truth makes him seem like the obvious pick to lead the Church in the modern era.  Readers should close the book with one message: those who seek the truth will always find it.

Looking For...A Valentine's Day Read

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

After discovering that she is the last of her kind, a unicorn sets off a journey to find the others.  Rumor says that the dreaded Red Bull has captured all the unicorns and holds them captive in his castle by the sea.  Added by an inept magician and a bandit's wife, the unicorn will confront the bull, but she cannot return home unchanged.

Confessions by Saint Augustine

In chronicling the story of his conversion to Christianity, Augustine famously wrote, "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you."  His book actively reflects on his life explores the process of memory in understanding a life in context of a divine plan.  His works would inspire countless other writers.

The Four Loves by C. S. Lewis

Lewis explores the nature of love in four of its forms: affection, friendship, eros, and charity.  His insights on friendship are especially relevant in a world that seems to place romantic love about all other loves; he suggests that modern people have difficulty appreciating friendship because they have never experienced a true one.

The Lion and the Land of Narnia Compiled by Robert Cording

Goodreads: The Lion and the Land of Narnia
Series: None
Published: 2008
Source: Purchased

Summary: Cording compiles testimonials from authors, professors, children, and more about the effects C. S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia have had on their lives and their faith.  Illustrated by Cording.

Review: The Lion and the Land of Narnia functions sort of as a coffee table book--something which readers can flip through, admiring Cording's paintings and occasionally pausing to read a letter from Lewis or a testimony from one of his readers that looks particularly interesting.  The testimonials cover largely the same ground, so readers need not feel obligated to go through them all at once.  However, the book does contain some gems, notably writings from such people as Michael Ward (author of Planet Narnia) and Walter Hooper (personal secretary to Lewis). The range of writers emphasizes the impact Lewis's Chronicles have had on generations of readers, from those who grew up with Narnia to those who discovered it only late in life.

Cording does a nice job of compiling the contributions to his book, interspersing deeper reflections with fun letters from Lewis to his readers or cute writings from children.  The book covers a lot of ground, with contributors variously discussing Lewis's role in their conversions or faith, their understanding of how Lewis's writing works to convey truth and beauty, or simply their emotional and intellectual reactions to Narnia.  Some of the younger contributors prove especially eloquent, explaining how much they love Narnia and why.  Anyone who has entered through the wardrobe with Lucy will respond to the musings of these contributors and feel that they have found kindred spirits.

Though only about 60 pages, The Lion and the Land of Narnia provides a lot to think about in regards to Narnia and the ways in which stories speak to us and transform us.  It is a heartwarming look at the way in which one man's imaginary world changed the lives of countless readers.

Dante in Love by A. N. Wilson

Goodreads: Dantein Love

Series: None

Published: 2011

Source: Purchased

Summary: Wilson provides an account of the social and cultural forces that shaped Dante’s world while also exploring Dante’s concept of love and how it inspired his Divine Comedy.

Review: By summarizing the cultural, political, and religious forces at work in Renaissance Italy, Wilson works to expel some of the fear that approaching Dante’s Divine Comedy may inspire in his readers.  The work is so rife with allusions to the events and people of Dante’s day that readers can find themselves feeling as lost as Dante in that dark wood.  Do they need to understand all the allusions?  Are they missing out on some of complex layers of the work if they merely follow the main plot?  Wilson takes these concerns and, in answer, writes the book that just about every Dante novice wishes they had.

Wilson’s explanation of the confusion he felt when reading the Divine Comedy should make readers feel immediately at ease with him as their guide through Dante’s world.  He knows personally the difficulties readers will encounter and does not suggest these difficulties are the fault of the readers.  Rather, he notes that the Divine Comedy is a complex work—but an approachable one, if readers have the right tools.  He thus jumps right in to explaining the pertinent background information, and does not bog down his readers with more facts than he thinks necessary.

Despite Wilson’s desire to make an extremely complex subject simpler, however, he sometimes seems to impede his own efforts.  The book does not progress in a strictly chronological manner, but jumps around so the author can explain the effect events will have in the future or note the differences between works written by Dante at different times.  Wilson also interjects his historical account with a small amount of literary criticism, occasionally diverging from the subject at hand to expound upon some facet of the nature of love.  I would not have minded these digressions if I felt that Wilson ever truly clarified where he wanted to go with them. 

Wilson also intersperses his book with some personal references.  Some of these are fruitful, such as the ones where he explains his own journey through Dante and thus encourages his readers to take the plunge and experience their own transformative reading.  Others are mere asides about his personal opinions on the current state of society and the Catholic Church.  These are really the weakest points of the book.  It is easy for Wilson to criticize the Church for such things as the opposition to artificial birth control, but he provides no arguments for his beliefs, and they are unlikely to resonate with anyone familiar with the lengthy, nuanced answer of the Church as explained in Pope John Paul II’s theology of the body.  Since this is a book about Dante and not a forum to discuss the merits of birth control, such commentary seems out of place.

Despite its flaws, Wilson’s book is an invaluable guide to the world of Dante and his Divine Comedy.  If it does nothing more than let readers know that they are not alone in feeling intimidated by Dante, it will have done good.  I firmly recommend this book to anyone about to read the Divine Comedy.    

Content Reviews: YA Contemporary [1]

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Goodreads: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Series: Companion book to Anna and the French Kiss

Publication Date: September 29, 2011

Source: Gifted

Summary:  Seventeen-year-old Lola Nola thinks herself nearly perfectly happy.  She has a great best friend, a super-cool older rock star boyfriend, and lots of talent sewing original clothing.  Her world is shattered, however, when the Bells, specifically eighteen-year-old Cricket Bell, move back next door.  Two years of hating him, and how he left her, cannot stop her from secretly wanting him back in her life.

Conclusions:  Lola and the Boy Next Door is a sweet, uplifting book that has fantastic messages about being true to oneself, learning to forgive, and living up to potential.  Although Lola faces many challenges in her life, including complicated relationships with boys and her own family, she always manages to find her way back to herself and to some type of truth about how to live a good and fulfilling life.  

On the romance front, there is some underage, premarital sex.  It is not treated casually, but neither is it condemned as immoral.  Beyond this, however, the messages Lola and the Boy Next Door sends are sound.  Friends and family caution against Lola's relationship with a much-older boy (He's 22).  Ultimately, Lola learns that good relationships are based on honesty and respect, and that they should inspire the individuals in them to be the best versions of themselves they can be.

On the familial front, Lola learns from the bad example of her mother that drinking, drugs, and teen pregnancy are all bad ideas.   She has, however, been raised by her uncle Nathan and his partner Andy in a loving household.  So although she encounters pot and alcohol within the book, she does not herself participate.

Overall, this is just as inspirational a read as it is an adorable romance.

Tempestuous by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes

Goodreads: Tempestuous

Series: Twisted Lit #1

Publication Date: December 18, 2012

Source: Borrowed

Summary: A modern day retelling of The Tempest by William Shakespeare.  

Conclusions:  The story is based on Shakespeare, so a bit of cursing and vulgarity is to be expected.  The book is appropriately YA, however, and nothing gets out of hand.

The romance is very sweet and, like Lola, Miranda discovers that being in a relationship is just about "being loved for who you are" but about aspiring to be better.  Of course a significant other should accept you and love you, and not enter a relationship with the intention of changing you, but that does not mean you never need to grow or improve yourself.  Good boyfriends and girlfriends help you in your personal journey to become a kinder or more patient or more confident.  Tempestuous is a rare YA book that points this out.

Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Goodreads: Lock and Key

Series: None

Publication Date: April 22, 2008

Source: Gifted  

Summary:  After Ruby's mother disappears, Ruby is sent to live with her older sister Cora, whom she has not seen in years.  Cora has a new, upscale life that Ruby never knew about, and she is certain she does not want to become a part of it now.  The cute boy next door is only making matters more complicated.

Conclusions:  Lock and Key features a clean romance.  Here, the story is mainly about Ruby finding herself and interacting/flirting with a guy, rather than about their romantic relationship.  The main character does deal with minor drinking and drug problems, but they are portrayed as problems, and not either normal or acceptable actions.  She also struggles with family problems, as her mother seems unwilling to take responsibility for her children, but Ruby does ultimately start working on building stable relationships.  The message is that you can be who you want in life, and that the mistakes of your parents do not need to define you.

Angels and Demons by Peter Kreeft

Goodreads: Angels and Demons: What Do We Really Know about Them?

Series: none

Publication Date: December 12, 1995

Source: Purchased

Summary:  A book of questions and answers about the nature of angels and demons. Categories include: Our Fascination with Angels, How We Know Anything about Angels, The Nature of Angels, and Demons.

Review:   Peter Kreeft asks and answers a large variety of questions (100 of them) about the importance, nature, and powers of angels, all with his characteristic humor and thoughtfulness.  Readers will come away both knowledgeable and cheered.

The book opens by addressing why its own existence matters at all.  Question 1 is: O.K., so I’m browsing through this book and wondering: why should I buy it?  What can you tell me about angels in one page?  And Kreeft gives twelve concise answers as to why angels matter at all and why they are fascinating.  Readers who were honestly wondering will find themselves with great answers.  Readers who have no doubt as to why they are reading/buying the book can skip this question, and this whole section, with ease and delve right into questions about the nature of angels.  The book is made to be browsed.

Kreeft’s cover a wide variety of topics.  Many are “obvious” questions, ones that need to be asked.  Others, such as Do angels have a special connection with the sea?, seem random, but they are all questions Kreeft has actually been asked, often by students in his college courses.  Although Kreeft is often funny, for example joking in answer to the question Are there ever angels in the outfield? that only Red Sox demons would influence baseball games, he still eventually takes every question seriously and offers great insight, based on Catholic teaching and his own reading.  He often quotes C. S. Lewis and Tolkien.

Angels and Demons is thus a complete, compelling work that offers concise answers to important questions.  Its quality is characteristic of all Kreeft’s work.

Looking for...Explorations of The Hobbit

The History of the Hobbit by John D. Rateliff

Rateliff chronicles Tolkien's process in writing his 1938 work The Hobbit by providing early manuscript versions and noting the changes made.  He also includes an account of the revision of the famous chapter "Riddles in the Dark" in 1949 to reflect the new information about the One Ring as given in The Lord of the Rings, and an account of Tolkien's attempt to rewrite The Hobbit in the 1960s so the that tone of the book would better match that of The Lord of the Rings.  Also of interest are drawings and unpublished maps by Tolkien.  The work comes in two parts: Mr. Baggins and Return to Bag-End.

Exploring J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit by Corey Olsen

Olsen offers a critical look at The Hobbit as a work in its own right and not only as a prequel to The Lord of Rings by going through the book chapter-by-chapter.  He pays particular attention to the poetry of the work.

The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkied ed. by Humphrey Carpenter and Christopher Tolkien

Tolkien describes his progress through Middle-earth in his own words, addressing such subjects as the meaning behind The Lord of the Rings, the significance of certain characters, and the surprising turns his writing took.  Readers will learn how Middle-earth took shape in Tolkien's mind through the years as well as the author's thoughts on extra-literary matters.

The Clown of God Told and Illustrated by Tomie dePaola

Goodreads: The Clown of God

Series: None

Published: 1978

Source: Library

Summary: As an old man, a former juggler finds his audiences have dissipated and his livelihood disappeared.  He thinks he has nothing to offer the Christ child for his birthday, but then remembers the one thing he still possesses—the talent to make others happy.

Review: DePaola takes an old French legend and makes it his own, setting it at the beginning of the Renaissance in Italy and meticulously researching that time period to depict accurate clothing and settings.  The result is a visually stunning work of art that takes readers on a journey through the past and captures their imaginations.  The tale, though simple, is a heartwarming one with a great lesson—perfect for young readers.

DePaola uses his words effectively, writing in short phrases and sentences that create a sort of leisurely feeling.  I wanted to pause after each bit, savoring the words and the story.  The simplicity of the writing almost makes it seem as if the titular character himself narrates his life.  The tone has a childlike quality especially evident in such statements as “But he was happy, and he could do something wonderful” or “It was a very good arrangement.”  The words have a sort of finality about them that would stem from a child confident that his story would be believed and understood.  What does it matter if Giovanni the juggler is poor and a beggar?  He says life is good, and so it must be.

Bringing the story further to life are dePaola’s striking illustrations.  Full of bold colors and simple lines, they provide enough detail to make it seem as if readers are looking at scenes of Renaissance Italy, but they also leave room for the imagination.  The characters stand out from their backgrounds, usually blank or bare, so that the action stays focused on Giovanni and his travels.  Later illustrations, however, give glimpses of the majesty of the Italian churches and suggest something of the great intellectual and artistic revolution about to take place.

The Clown of God is a touching story that reminds readers that each person has something special to offer the world.  Its message of love will surely being a smile to the faces of its readers.