Hey there Buddy!

How are you? Fine, you say, well isn't that swell.

I am not sure why I did that but I feel like that could happen in Buddy Willard's life. Why is it that I am more interested in him than any other character, including Esther? I know why, because he is odd. More, his relationship with Esther is. First, she says she loved him, that was when he wanted nothing to do with her. Then, they liked each other at the same time, that was cool. Well, then he loved her and she thinks he is a hypocrite. However, I am not exactly sure he is. I think she is just being a bit mental about the situation.

Okay, I have seen a pattern with Esther and her need for purity. This goes from just wanting to be in a steaming hot bath, to wanting the person you sort of love to have never been seduced ever. I understand that she was hurt when she found out Buddy wasn't pure, but that doesn't make him a hypocrite. He never went around flaunting that he is pure. Esther lived in this small delusion and she wanted her delusions to line up with reality.

Esther says the weirdest things when she talks about Buddy. i.e. 'If you expect nothing from somebody you are never disappointed" (59). It seems that she loves him, she should, just because he is a little strange and constantly feels the need to occupy his time doesn't make him some kind of leper. I mean for God's sake he wanted to marry her. That was even after she explained that she was neurotic and that she wants too many different things. All he could say to her was that he wanted to be a part of that.

Her and Buddy definitely have some type of bond that she will never get from the Russian guy or the South American guy. I mean how many people do you know are willing to go to a hospital and watch a baby being born? Or for that matter, see dead babies in jars. (That was so gross).

This reminds me of the movie Running On Empty where River Phoenix's character tells his girlfriend Martha Plimpton's character that he isn't really who he says he is and that he is running from the FBI with his family. She accepts him and it is all good.

I guess in some way I wish that was how the conversation in the book went because Esther asked Buddy and she didn't get the response she wanted, about his purity. She felt the need to know, where as River Phoenix felt the need to tell. Hmm... now that I think of it, I guess the end result is pretty much the same because Esther still tolerates (well in her mind) Buddy. I believe she still loves him. Even if he isn't pure.

Zee Bell Jar

I like the beginning about the electrocution. I kind of makes me wonder if the entire family is getting killed. Whenever I hear about the Electric Chair I think of the movie Monster's Ball because there is a prisoner that gets executed that way, I think the movie was set in Texas. It was good, Halle Berry won an Oscar for it. She wasn't the one getting killed, that was P. Diddy...or wait maybe just Diddy...Puff Daddy?

Anyway, back to the actual book. This book also reminds me of Girl, Interrupted. I never read the book but the movie was awesome. McLean Hospital. I have researched it in my years of being alive, out of plain curiosity. That is where Susanna Kaysen was treated, as well as Ray Charles, James Taylor, and yes, Sylvia Plath.

Now back to the story?

Yes, let us begin shall we.

I am not trying to procrastinate this, it is just that this book reminds me of many things, that actually getting through it takes a while, but not because it is not good. It is really interesting, a good book gets you to think.

This Doreen character somewhat annoys me. I am not sure exactly what it is, but it is just something. I like Esther a lot. She is good at narrating. Though, I have noticed quite a few things bother her. She doesn't like the snotty girls she is staying with, but she said that was partially out of jealousy. She doesn't like short men, because she feels awkward considering she is very tall and lanky. She also doesn't like the smoke in her room, from Doreen's cigarettes.

I have not read much. However, the part I have seem good. I am interested to know how her life is going to pan out because she mentioned that she is given a lot of free stuff, and that now she gave something, a decoration from an item, to her baby. I wonder how far into this future this will be for her.

This is also supposed to be a semi-autobiography of Sylvia Plath, so I am sort of scared for how it will end...

Well, anyway, I guess I will find out this weekend.

High Hopes

I really did have high hopes for this book. As my first blog stated, I hate this book. Now, this is my second blog meaning, I have read more this time! Okay, so it got better. Missy aka Taylor is an alright narrator. She seems to have a lot of spunk about her, which is almost always amusing to read. She comes up with weird one-liners. Such as when a man asked if she was from Kentucky after reading her license plate.

I feel as if I should get to the issue of Turtle. No, not the guy from Entourage. I am talking about the little Native American (yes, I am going to be politically correct) baby that is just given to Taylor. That seems odd, I am not sure how often that happens. So I Googled it. I was not exactly sure what to Google, because I am not sure on how to word it... Woman gives other woman baby, is this frequently happening in America? That search did me no good. But, this one did. I wondered how single parents, like Taylor would take care of a baby. Also, another single mother. Lou Ann! How do you not love her? She is adorable!!!! She definitely has birdie- with- a- broken- wing syndrome. Plus, I am falling right into the trap. She is incredibly insecure and wants a family, not the one she was given, Ivy and Grandmother. Ugh, they are annoying. Oh and Angel, his name is ironic to the story. I hate him. He is gross and I am glad he is gone.

I do have one question. Whenever the book speaks about Lou Ann (well at least in the beginning) it was third person narration. Then all of a sudden they used 'my'. I am not gunna lie that threw me wayy off.

The down point. Around page 105 the book got dull again. I am not exactly sure why but it did. I still have to finish this book, but as for now I am going to hang out with another baby (baby cousin).

Bean Trees, The

Don't:

Judge a book by it's cover.

(Well, I did because I thought this book was set in Mexico, it's not. It's in Kentucky, but please how off was I really???)

Do:

Have a plot

(This book does not)

Hate...

That seems a bit harsh, but I cannot get myself through the FIRST chapter. That is just sad. I do like some elements of this book. For instance:

Newt Hardbine- I can really picture this guy in my head. I feel as if I know this person. Son of many kids, has no future whatsoever, has been held back. I pity him more than Missy does, but at the same time I want more bad events to happen to him because he is just so interesting.

Oh but wait, Barbara Kingsolver, author, KILLED HIM!

Therefore, I no longer feel the need to read the rest of this book.

I don't really know what is going on so far, plot wise. Newt died. His wife was shot. They have a baby. Hmm...but how is Missy our narrator involved in this.

I gotta say I am not a big fan of Missy and that isn't good because I assume she is going to be around the rest of the book. Unless, it changes narrators which with my luck will not happen.

I feel like this book is going back from past to future. Unfortunately, I really cannot tell. UGH! This book is too frustrating!!!!!!!!!!

Will I really be reading all of this next Monday? Cram session. Please, get interesting book. Thank you.