June Book Review


So we all know I love Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist, but up until recently I hadn't yet read her debut book, Cold Tangerines. With Bittersweet, there were only a few of the essays that I had a hard time connecting with or appreciating, unfortunately in Cold Tangerines there were only a few of the essays that I really enjoyed.

There was nothing wrong with the quality of the writing, in fact, I like the writing. So I think it must have been the content. Maybe too much about motherhood? Maybe too cheery at times that it felt over the top? Maybe just too similar to Bittersweet that I was bored? I'm not quite sure, but I found myself majorly skimming and even skipping a lot of this book. A few select stories I absolutely loved and connected to, but the bottom line is that was the exception and not the rule.

I do really like the author though, so to end on a positive note, this is a passage from my favorite essay in this book, the one that made the book worth reading. Shauna speaks of a season of her life journeying away from the faith she grew up learning out and the journey back to find her own, personal faith. I really, really loved this one:

"I loved those years. Those years made me believe in the journey and respect it, the way you respect deep water if you've ever swam out too far and been surprised by the waves. I know what that journey can do in people. I know what it did in me, and I don't take it lightly. I have some very sobering scars and memories that I carry with me as reminders of that season. They remind me how dangerous that path is, and how beautiful.


I'm thankful for God's constant flickering and sparking flame inside me, planted in me years ago and fighting to keep burning. For a season, I didn't think it mattered much, but now I know that tiny flame is the most precious thing I have, and that it can ignite a forest fire inside my heart and can burn away a lifetime of apathy and regret and distance."

-"spark" in Cold Tangerines


Cold Tangerines
**









4 comments:

Betsy said...

شكراً و ممكن ما بأقره. (hee, hee) But really very interesting that you didn't like this one as much. Maybe b/c of your expectations being up from the bittersweet book?

T and M said...

i'm with ya. i thought cold tangerines was a little too "pollyanna-ish", whereas bittersweet seemed more true to life.

Anonymous said...

Bummer! I had high hopes for this book-- I guess I'll just have to keep reading bittersweet. :) Hope your vacation is going swimmingly! Love you!

leah said...

oh man. that is a bummer! but i did love the one that you posted! :)

love you and can't wait to see you this weekend!

great chatting w/ you tonight!