The Exchange

The shop’s sign was gleaming green and pink. Its lettering had obviously received a fresh and meticulous new coat only recently.

‘What is it?’ Winnie asked, as he drew her attention to the shop before them.

‘Look,’ he grinned. ‘Read.’

She squinted up at the sign.

THE GREAT BIG BOOK EXCHANGE.

Thus begins a love affair with books and reading in a story about secrets, rediscovered friendship, revenge, life, and everything else in between.

Paul Magrs has created an enchanting little world in Exchange, which serves as a refuge for the main characters in the book. This is especially true for Simon, who has lost his parents in a tragic accident and now lives with his grandparents. He finds a kindred spirit in his grandmother, a fellow rabid reader, who joins him on a magical mystery tour that allows them to escape from the real world for moments of sheer bliss.

It is essentially a story about relationships - developing new friendships, rediscovering an old one, and destroying another in a firestorm. It is a story about growing up and finding one’s sense of identity. It explores the concept of human nature and the power of books and reading.

Magrs has weaved a marvelous story that brings his characters to life. As it draws to a close, we are comforted by the fact that these people are going to get on with their lives and make the best of whatever situation they find themselves in.

It is important to note that this very book is highly instrumental in the creation of this little corner of the world, which serves us our refuge and allows us to paint a picturescape with words and share our love for books and reading.

It smelled delicious inside. It was as if all those hundreds, thousands, millions of pages had spices crushed into their worn grain. What was it? Nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, saffron. As Simon and his gran moved hesitantly, almost shyly, into the Exchange, he was trying to identify the different scents. There was a homely feel to the place. It was like opening the cupboard where all the spices and ingredients for baking were kept. Smells leading to a million associations and sensations.

Hello stranger. Welcome to The Exchange.

This was a post by Hanna, who has eaten one too many miniature chocolate bars.

Lucy Knisley’s French Milk is an illustrated travel journal that chronicles her trip to Paris with her mother and her inevitable journey towards adulthood.

Leafing through its pages is like eavesdropping on a conversation or taking a peek at somebody’s diary. Knisley’s experiences are immortalized in sketches, photographs, and scribbles that make her readers feel as if they’re experiencing these moments with her.

She walks along the streets of Paris and buys chocolates and a baguette for lunch. She complains about homesickness. She contemplates about her future. She eats a lot of pastries and drinks a lot of milk.

This is a book that illustrates the sweetness of immaturity as a twenty-two-year-old Knisley clings to her childhood. It is a deeply personal account of her travels with astute observations and genuine thoughts. It is essentially about growing up and coming to terms with who she is and what she wants to do with her life.

French Milk is absolutely charming. It makes me want to curl up in bed with a glass of warm milk and dream of Paris and croissants and pain du chocolat. It is a delightful little book and I enjoyed it immensely.

This was a post by Hanna, who really does dream about Paris and croissants and pain du chocolat. Someday, her dreams will come to fruition. Someday.

At the close of Catching Fire, Katniss blows up the arena by shooting an arrow at a weakspot in the enclosing forcefield. She and Finnick are rescued by a hovercraft, but the rest - including Peeta - are left to the mercy of the Capitol. We learn that District 12 has been obliterated, but Gale and Katniss’ family are alive. It is in the charred remains of District 12 that Mockingjay begins.

I finished reading the book early this morning. For a while, I just lay there trying to figure out how I felt about it. Then the tears came quietly, squeezed out of my eyes by the heaviness in my chest. Mockingjay evoked a range of emotions from me, and for that, I applaud Suzanne Collins. Although, even hours later, I am still confused. I alternate between feelings of pain and disappointment.

The writing itself was superb. Even at the beginning of the book, which was a little slow-going, the atmosphere is immediately tense. Katniss is again caught in a decision that could turn the tide for the rebels. As in Catching Fire, she moves cautiously because any misstep could lead to dire consequences. Here, I felt the first stirrings of dissatisfaction. I was drawn to the Hunger Games because of the strength of its female protagonist. I liked that she was quick-thinking and decisive. Katniss’ conviction, drawn from a fierce need to protect her family, was a key element to her character. In Mockingjay, I kept waiting for the old fire to reappear, but there was barely a spark. Katniss was still a pawn, pushed around by greater forces. I wanted her to be a force herself. I wanted her to kick some ass.

Without giving too much away, the ending seemed a little abrupt. As Hanna puts it, it was as if Suzanne Collins realized that she’d already written 200 pages and had to quickly wrap things up. Because it was the final book, I expected closure. But it never came. I was left hanging, and honestly, I feel cheated. Characters were unceremoniously killed, and relationships were severed almost like an afterthought. The final pages of the book felt thrown together, and had no room to properly tie up loose ends.

The Hunger Games remains my and Hanna’s favorite book in the series. Catching Fire was impressive because of its emotional conflicts. Mockingjay, which was to bring the series full circle, was a little disappointing. On the other hand, I have to appreciate a book that can render me emotionally static for 12 hours.

This was a post by Kubi, with thoughts from a discussion with Hanna.