KN Reads: Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard

Goodreads rating: 4.10

Something you’ve probably noticed about me: I have a soft spot for stories where teenagers try to work out where they belong in the world. In Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard we follow the difficult transitional period from child to adult of Pen, a masculine girl who struggles with her gender identity and romantic interests. Despite what might seem like a complex subject, the story is a simple coming-of-age tale that resonates across its genre.

Pen wears her brother’s clothes and spends her days hanging out with a group of guys who pretty much forget that she’s a girl. This, in times past, would probably signal a romantic comedy where one of the guys realises that Pen is a girl when she takes off her glasses/goes to prom/etc and they live happily ever after, but that tired old trope is flipped on its head here. As Pen begins falling for another girl she fights to find her place among her friends, and even deciding if they were her friends after all.

I can’t imagine a book being published like this ten years ago. Maybe not even five years ago, honestly. As our attitude toward gender opens up as much in the mainstream as it has in LGBTQ groups, stories like this come out and give a wider range of kids the chance to see themselves reflected in fiction.

One day I’ll write about why that’s so important.

For now, we’ll stick to the book itself. Pen is a lovable character, brittle and sullen a she is (after all, she is a teenager). The supporting cast feel realistic and layered rather than standing as a backdrop for Pen’s adventures, and that gives the story richness. It is a quick, easy read, but there’s a lot of emotion packed into those pages.

Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard was one of my favourite reads in 2016. If you’re a fan of queer YA books or a generally good story, keep an eye out for the striking cover at your bookstore.

KN Reads: The House at the End of Hope Street by Menna van Praag

On Goodreads (rating 3.81).

There is a house that calls to women who have lost all hope in their lives and gives them the space and the time (99 days) to rediscover themselves. This house is in Cambridge, and is currently home to three troubled women and their landlady. The House at the End of Hope Street gives little away on its blurb, but the magic held within is worth a read.

I mean that literally, by the way. The magic realism is the most appealing thing about the book beside the cast of bizarre characters. The house gives its occupants handy quotes and life advice, and sometimes sewing machines. It does its best to guide the women to what they need rather than what they want, all under the watchful gazes of hundreds of women who have stayed there over the years who speak to them right from their frames like something out of Harry Potter. What I wouldn’t give to have a little chat with Agatha Christie.

The story starts when Alba turns up after the worst day of her life. As the youngest PhD student ever, she has had a lot of pressure, and now she discovers she made a huge mistake that has taken away her dreams. She moves into the house and starts a reluctant search for a new path built on dignity and honesty instead of the lie she had been living before.

Alba is a great character. She develops across the course of the novel away from the wet blanket she is at the beginning, and her growth is worth the time. Her housemates, a singer and a failed actress, are interesting in their own rights but it was Alba that drew me in.

The reason I justify so much that this book is worth the time and energy to read it is that the writing quality is not great. It’s not unreadable, but the sentences can be stilted, and it’s in need of a good editor. The ending didn’t thrill me (there are at least two giant plot holes, one of which destroys the integrity of an entire long-running side plot) but it was not unsatisfying. There are a few twists and turns that I predicted, but many that I did not.

The House at the End of Hope Street is not a perfect book. It is flawed, just like the inhabitants of the magical house. Yet I’m glad I read it; it’s a light read, easy to swallow in a couple of sittings, and I loved Alba enough to make her a good enough reason to enjoy it.

What are you reading?

This year I set myself a goal to read 75 books. Last year my goal was 50 and I ended at 61, so I figured 75 was reachable. It’s easy to track through Goodreads, so I signed up.

(My challenge is here. I’m not 100% sure that link will take you to it, but let’s hope. If not, search for Polo Lonergan and add me. I’ll steal all your books. I mean… take your recommendations…)

Why did I do it? It’s crazy, right? I should read as much as I want to feel like I’m reading enough. It shouldn’t be a chore. Thing is, even with a challenge like this, nothing about it feels forced. It is a way to remind myself how many good books are out there and how much time I have in between things where I can pick up a good book and enjoy it.

I get a bus to work and home again in the evening. That’s 45 minutes right there altogether. I have an hour’s worth of breaks at work, though I can’t always spend it reading. Sometimes I can, and this challenge makes me want to do so.

It also gives me an excuse to run a hot bubble bath once a week or so and enjoy without guilt, which is something that stops me doing a lot of relaxing, pointless activities. I’m not very good at stopping without worrying about what I should be doing, but reading with a point makes me feel justified. It’s the same reason I knit so much to relax. I can be productive and unproductive all at once.

On top of all of those excellent reasons to do this challenge, I also find I actively seek out new books far more than I was doing before. I would wait for books to fall into my lap. I wouldn’t ask people what they were reading unless it came up naturally in conversation. Now I’m aggressive about it. TELL ME YOUR BOOKS, STRANGER. I NEED NEW ONES.

As it stands I am on my 54th book of the year. That’s 2 ahead of schedule (thank you Goodreads). So I’m going to get aggressive with you guys.

What books are you reading? Why should I read it too? Do you have a challenge you like to follow like this one?

KN Reads: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

In 2015 my goal is to read 52 books: that’s one book for every week of the year. I have done this before and it’s not too much of a stretch considering the fact I tend to spend a lot of my time with a nose in a book, but this year I have been even more book-obsessed than usual.

That’s saying something, believe me.

I’ve already finished the goal and I’m on my 54th book at the time of writing, so I thought it would be fun to start of my regular weekly book post with a review of one of those. You’ll see me share a book every week now, and the first one is the best I’ve read out of all those 54 creations.

From Goodreads.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

It is difficult to review a book I love as much as this one because it is tempting to fill the screen with key-smashes and gifs, but I will do my best.

Station Eleven is a rare story indeed. It is haunting and ethereal yet firmly rooted in the world around us. The characters are complex and their morality is not black and white. The world is falling to pieces and yet Emily St. John Mandel paints it as a spectacular place, somewhere you wouldn’t want to be but maybe you would want to spend a dream or two there.

An influenza virus of startling strength and speed kills almost all of the world’s population. We see the story from three main points: before the virus, during the worst of the virus, and a couple of decades after it. In the future we see a band of travelling performers bringing music and theatre to the destitute remains of the human population, all pushed on by a Star Trek Voyager quote: survival is insufficient. What a beautiful concept in its tragedy, because nothing is easy for those left behind and they still try to create a better world.

Station Eleven refers to a graphic novel mentioned many times throughout the story, though I won’t tell you much about that. The way that story weaves into the book itself adds even more layers to an already sublime tale.

Yes, this book jumps from one time to another and back again with little regard for linear progression, but it works. It really does. Every time a chapter jumps into a different time, the scene pushes the entire plot forward and gives you a new understanding of that which you’ve read before. By the end I had goose-bumps and tears in my eyes.

It doesn’t matter if you like apocalyptic fiction or hints of science fiction (though it is fiction too within the book’s universe), you should give this book a go. It is a true delight.

Learning to Read Your Knitting

When I started this blog it was with the intention of tracking my progress in becoming a better knitter – or, back at that time, a knitter at all. I found the biggest hurdle in the early stages is learning to read your knitting.

What do I mean by that?

Back when I started knitting and crocheting I had real problems if I made a mistake. I would stare down at the scrap of fabric and have no idea what I’d done or why there weren’t the right amount of stitches in place.

It was infuriating. For a long time I didn’t like knitting at all, preferring instead to stick to my hooks. A big part of that is the fact it was much easier to see the difference in the stitches with crochet, at least for me.

Now when I make a mistake in my knitting I can see where I went wrong by reading the stitches along the row. I don’t think there’s a trick to it – it’s something that comes with making a whole bunch of mistakes! I have seen plenty of images on Pinterest showing different types of stitches and what they look like but unless you’re checking them throughout the process, they’re not as useful as experience. I don’t know about you but I struggle to remember what I saw in an image some time a few months ago!

I guess what I’m saying here is that it’s heartening after all this time to realise how far I’ve come. I don’t look at my lace knitting and burst into tears (most days). I don’t want to throw my crochet out of the moving bus (usually). It’s satisfying to realise that I can read the stitches on my needle or hook.

Can you read your knitting? How did you get to that point? Sheer luck like me or did you study hard to get all that knowledge together?

Pattern Gathering: Bookmarks

As often happens when you’re in the middle of something big that should be taking up all your time, I spent a lot of time reading as a good escape from worrying about going through immigration in Canada. There are so many things I want to read at the moment that I can’t swallow books quickly enough.

In case you’re wondering, immigration was surprisingly easy.

In honour of reading, my first and most long-running love, I’ve collected a few awesome patterns to show you guys. Go check them out and all the others, too, since Ravelry is full of amazing ones.

Squashed Rat Knitted Bookmark

I have a sick sense of humour. This has tickled me greatly even though I love rats.

It is by Amalia Samios and is a $3.50 USD over here.

And it’s not even the only one of its ilk.

Flat Rat Knitted Bookmark

This one is by the designer Susan Glinert Stevens.

This one’s free! I love the little pokey noses.

If you’re not such a fan of the rodents, how are you with snakes? Look at the face on this mister and tell me that you can resist him. Go on, I dare you.

Crochet Snake Bookmark

By Little Owl’s Hut on Ravelry, $3.75 USD. You can try the first page free.

I think that’s a really lovely idea if you’re not sure on a pattern. It will reel people in.

This designer has all sorts of fabulous patterns. I’d recommend looking them up.

Crocheted Granny Bookmark

Now here’s something a little more traditional. Granny squares are classy (in moderation) and they’re easy, too.

Look how cute this one is in a variegated yarn. AND it’s free!

That should get you started. I’d recommend having a look at all the cute bookmarks you can find on the Ravelry pages; just think how perfect they would be for quick gifts. Most of these I plan on making for myself, though. Selfish knitting and all that.

Of course 90% of the time I try knitting something for myself and it ends up being for someone…

Finishing Things

Since the start of the year I have been finishing things.

I finished the blue granny-square blanket for the apartment. A vast and snuggly expanse of crochet for our new apartment.

I finished a pair of socks made from Tosh Sock in the colourway ‘Fjord’. It really does look like little fjords, the way the yarn plays out its colour.

I finished a small green bracelet with a simple cable design.

I finished a tiny pair of handwarmers whilst watching Supernatural from the rest of the Tosh Sock since I was loath not to use it.

I finished a pair of socks with Cascade 220 yarn (my first time with it!) for a good friend. No pictures because she must see them first.

And it’s not just knitting/crochet that I’ve been finishing. I’ve read books:

• The Hunger Games Trilogy (again),
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte,
• The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss,
• Changeless by Gail Carrigan,
• Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire,
• Stories, a book of short stories compiled by Neil Gaiman,
• KnitLits One and Two by Linda Roghaar and Molly Wolf,
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald,
• Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, and
• Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.

More than a book a week since the year started alongside all that knitting. And I’ve loved all of them, since I’ve decided to stop finishing books I don’t like.

I finished a short story about an angel and I’m pleased with it. This may not seem like much but I have been suffering from crippling self doubt/writers’ block for the past two years and have been unhappy with anything I’ve dared to write.

Despite rarely having internet, I finished a few coherent blog posts.

And now I’m finishing this one.