October 2023 Book Bracket

I started or sampled tons of books this month, but finished comparatively few. I also had an unusually high number of books going at once, especially at the end of month. I didn't finish as many books as I would have liked, but I expect many of my ships to come in in the next month.

The City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau**

Lina and Doon have lived in Ember all their lives, but with food running low and the lights in danger of going out, they join forces to try to save the city - or find a way out.

Why I picked it up: This book has come up over the years as a work to look into, and I finally decided to give the library audiobook a listen.

My impressions: I loved this book all the way until the last chapter. Then the post-apocalyptic events that were hinted at before became more evident, and it didn't make me feel too great. The story up until then was a great sort of treasure-hunt and slow uncovering of corruption in the city of Ember. It was a well-built world, in more than one sense, and I appreciated that a culture and traditions had been developed to help fill this underground city. I think this would be a great read for any reader that would read at this level, upper elementary and older. I hope to read the remaining three books in the series sometime, but I'm not sure that I'm in the right place for that right now.

The Face of God: The Rediscovery of the True Face of Jesus, by Paul Badde**

A German journalist investigates a mysterious cloth in the out-of-the-way Italian town of Manoppello and concludes it is the original image depicting the face of Jesus.

Why I picked it up: I was looking for an audiobook to listen to and I guess I checked the Formed app in the absence of other things to listen to through the public library system.

My impressions: This is a true-story account of one man's discovery and sharing of what he believes to be the original Veronica veil, arguing that it was stolen when the current St. Peter basilica was built and somehow transported to the town of Manoppello. The first chapter was perhaps the most exciting one, because it contained in summary the essence of what would unfold in the rest of the work. It did drag at times, but it was interesting to learn about and reflect on. The image at Manoppello is an item that, much like the Shroud of Turin, a Catholic may choose to honor as having had contact with Jesus, but in the case of this image, this is based on personal deductions and some (perhaps) circumstantial evidence. It was interesting to learn about for another reason: I heard a talk at the Midwest Catholic family conference in which the speaker recommended a devotion to the Holy Face. I don't think I'd necessarily recommend this book to others to read, but it's good for is someone is interested in learning about the subject.

Mara, Daughter of the Nile, by Eloise Jarvis McGraw**

A plucky slave plays a dangerous game as she navigates multiple intrigues playing out at the highest levels of ancient Egypt's kingdom.

Why I picked it up: This audiobook was available on Audible and not as easily available in other places; my sister-in-law mentioned how much she loved it and I looked forward to listening to it.

My impressions: The part of this book that stood out to me the most was the vitality of the characters. Mara was memorable and such a fun kind of feisty, but she was not the only one who was easy to remember. I thought that the political intrigues were interesting and forwarded the plot well, probably because it tied in so closely with the personal motivations of the characters. I personally thought the romance - which was clean - was still a little too much for me, at least when I listened to it this time around - too much description of grabbing of wrists, power imbalances, and thinking of a handsome fellow or lovely eyes. I would say that, if I were more easily able to skim some of parts I wasn't feeling as much, this would definitely have been a hands-down more enjoyable book than the author's other work I listened too earlier this year, The Golden Goblet. I think girls would probably enjoy this book more than boys, but I think there's a great political intrigue plot that boys would enjoy.

Searching For and Maintaining Peace, by Father Jacques Philippe

A Catholic priest outlines in a short work why peace of heart is necessary in the spiritual life and how to try to achieve it.

Why I picked it up: It was time to reread it. This is a regular reread for me, usually making an appearance on this blog several times a year.

My impressions: Excellent, as always. I won't have it compete in the bracket just because it's competed before and it would have won if I'd put it in play this time.

Bracket Play

The bracket was a bit unbalanced this month, but I couldn't let Searching For and Maintaining Peace compete because it would have easily won...again. This is another month where I feel guilty that the religious book (The Face of God) didn't win...in fact, it didn't make it past the first round. I just felt that The City of Ember was a book I'd be more likely to recommend to others, and it was, overall, a more pleasurable listening experience. I decided it was good enough to beat Mara, Daughter of the Nile, because there were some elements (namely, the romantic bits) that I didn't appreciate as much. I can't say that this month's winner is a stellar read, but I'm hoping I'll have some books of higher caliber to compete next month.

Books Attempted and Put Down

Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt**

An octopus in an aquarium befriends a worker and helps her get to the bottom of an emotional mystery (I think?)

Why I picked it up: I saw the title was a book club pick for a local group and one of my friends said she really enjoyed it. It sounded interesting to me.

Why I put it down: I could tell pretty early on that one of the characters struggled with pain from losing a child and, this month, I just didn't need that sort of book.

Sundry Other Audiobooks

There were at least two or three audiobooks that I sampled and started and then stopped. Some of it was because I didn't need that sort of heaviness in my life, and others were because I was initially curious but not willing to pay for a credit for an audiobook that I wasn't that invested in.