Witness

Witness: A Novel by Karen Hesse

This book is not a traditional narrative. Rather, it is a collection of stories and reflections upon events that are related to the reader from the characters' differing perspectives. The setting is a small, 1924 Vermont town that has recently begun to see an influx of KKK members. The storyline follows a number of community members as they take various roles in dealing with the Klan. While some resist involvement completely, some join its ranks and still others are found somewhere in the middle.

The reading of this book was a breeze. As each character shares only a short stanza of their story at a time, it goes rather quickly. I managed to read this story in its entirety in a sitting of just over an hour. The only thing that slows it down is that the reader must constantly refer back to the character description page at the beginning of the book to keep the characters straight.

Overall, I would consider this book to resemble more a short story than anything else. Although I didn't necessarily find the storyline to be ultra-engaging (a lack of character and/or storyline development keeps the reader from becoming too attached), it is a quick and enjoyable read.

Appearance: 4/5 The cover makes you wonder who these people are and what their role is. I like that.

Readability: 4/5 As I said, this book can easily be read in an hour or two. The only hold up is having to flip to the character page.

My Points: 8/10 Overall I liked it, but I wouldn't necessarily put it on my must-read list.

Total Points: 16/20

A Mapmaker's Dream

This story contains a number of elements that I usually enjoy. It intertwines historical fact and fiction, which I generally find exhilarating. It is fairly academic, which I like to think keeps me sharp. It is divided into short chapters, which generally make a story seem to flow more quickly. Somehow, though, this story just never capitalizes on these elements.

Ultimately, the story never really seems to go anywhere. Each chapter is the same as the previous one, without the narrative moving forward. Most of the text is made up of Fra Mauro's reflections on the experiences that are shared with him. These reflections also appear to go nowhere. I found some solace in the fact that Fra Mauro is able to finish his map in the end, although I'm not really sure if he was happy about it or not (it was hard to tell!)

Appearance: 5/5 The appearance of the book is what originally drew me in. The background picture works well. The inside of the dust jacket  really draws the reader in, describing things like Fra Mauro experiencing the "adventure of a lifetime" and such. Unfortunately, the story doesn't fulfill these claims.

Readability: 1/5 It was just downright difficult to power through, despite the short chapters.

My Points: 3/10 Overall I have to give the author James Cowan props for originality. I can't say I've ever read a book quite like this one. Unfortunately I can't say that it was an exceptionally enjoyable experience.

Total Points: 9/20