Review: Neverhome by Laird Hunt

NeverhomeNeverhome by Laird Hunt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. One of the best books I've read in a while.

A masterful historical novel about war, gender, memory and how we make sense of our lives and fears. Set during the Civil War, Constance Thompson leaves her farm and husband in Indiana to satisfy her urge to fight for the Union, where she is noted for her bravery, gallantry and good sense and shot (yes, disguised as a man). I know there is a body of powerful Civil War historical fiction--however, I am not familiar with it, so I can't make any comparisons for you.

The narrative becomes a phantasmagorical epic told from the first person perspective, with interlacing dreams, and evocative yet beautifully simple language. Meaty symbolism, adventure, suspense, and brief, simple and powerful meditations on meaning and memory make this an excellent choice for readers looking for a challenging and satisfying novel. In addition, the simple language, first person voice, and (mostly) linear structure make this a good gateway book to challenge readers who are *not* looking for a challenging read.




View all my reviews

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Research project reboot: Using Guided Inquiry Design

Image
Are you interested in trying a new instructional framework for your research projects? Have you wanted to collaborate with your librarian but weren't sure how? If you answer yes to either of these questions this post is for you. Before Thanksgiving, English teacher Mike Kelley invited me into the planning process for his 10th grade research project about migrant farm workers. We talked about his wish to make the project engaging and supportive during hybrid learning. I proposed trying Guided Inquiry Design, a framework I learned about a couple of years ago at a workshop sponsored by the Massachusetts Library System. The workshop was led by Dr. Leslie Maniotes, one of the authors of the framework, so I had a solid idea of how it worked and the research behind it.  Mike bravely said yes to Guided Inquiry Design and we worked together to figure out how to put the 8 step (!!) inquiry framework into practice and adapt it to his timeframe and learning goals. This was hours of grappling w
Read more

The Magnificent Makerspace

The Maker Lab at Brandeis University Why does a librarian care about makerspaces?  3d printers, laser cutters, and sewing machines? Isn’t that the province of engineering or the home ec department of old? All I can say is, the librarian’s job revolves around technology and inquiry. We spend lots of time helping students with the (sometimes dreaded) printer: Is the printer working? Why is it taking so long for my paper to print? How do I print this bizarre document in a weird format? So, it’s natural (and brave, considering the challenges we have with 2d printing) that librarians would think about 3D printing and makerspaces. Not sure what a makerspace is or why they are a thing? Makerspaces are learning labs in libraries, schools, universities, and shared commercial spaces where people of all ages make things. The things they make vary according to age of the maker and the equipment in the space. Elementary students experiment with rudimentary circuits using Little Bits
Read more