April Wrap-Up + Quirk

How are we a third of the way through 2022 already? (Okay, also, the first time I typed it, I typed "how are we halfway through 2020 already", and if that doesn't tell you a little something about the amount of pressure I've been under lately (finals will do that to ya) or maybe my relationship with time, I don't know what will.

1. My April has been absolutely insane and will probably continue to be so...from Easter to trying to find a summer job to dealing with final presentations and papers to just keeping up with school...I'm a little frazzled.

BUT it's finally spring, which is super nice! So, there is that. 

Some highlights of April:

-Going on a seven-church mini-pilgrimage on Holy Thursday with a bunch of friends.
-Singing for Good Friday service--we got to do the Reproaches, which were Absolutely Gorgeous.
-Attending a pre-1955 ICKSP Easter Vigil, which was FOUR HOURS LONG. 
-Getting McDonalds with the two friends I went with at midnight after the Vigil, all cramming into one of the cars we took to stuff burgers, nuggets, and fries down our gullets, all a little punchy, all very happy that it was Easter.
-Getting to sing at a 10 AM Easter Mass in the Tridentine rite the next morning.
-(Suffice it to say that Easter weekend was really beautiful and joyful. Even if it was HARD to be away from home. Majorly hard. I actually cried during Triduum about not getting to be home, which is VERY atypical for me.)
-My Cow Evaluation professor taking us out to the dairy farm and then just assigning us to "play with the heifers". (Heifers are fun, guys. It was a good day.) I got to see one of the calves who had been just born when I was at the dairy farm for my Fall Semester Animal Science class...she had gotten so big! 
-Randomly going to a horn recital by a masters student on a Saturday and getting ice cream afterwards. 
-The cafeteria serving focaccia (it's the little things, guys).

2. In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden was the second most requested book for me to review in the April Book Review Poll (sorry there won't be one for May, because of bullet point #7 (see below, in other words), but it should be back in June!) so I thought I'd talk about it a bit in the wrap-up! 

In This House of Brede is one of those books that I'd been hearing about for years before I actually read it--from my own mother! It's one of her Favorite Books Of All Time, and she recommends it to Absolutely Everyone, even to the point where she has at least four copies, so that she can always have lent it to three or four people. (Actually, she might have more like six copies. Or maybe more. Her copies get around. I believe there's one at a Dominican priory on the East Coast, at this point. XD) So, needless to say, I'd been hearing about it as she recommended it to people for years, and I'd been hearing rave reviews from many of the people she'd recommended it to for years, as well. (Fr. DD loved it, for instance, so did Fr. J, who hates fiction. A glowing recommendation, I think.)

Me reading it this month was actually my second time reading it--I think the first time was at some point last year, but I don't know for sure, and I'm too lazy to check, at the moment. I wanted something to read over Holy Week that was a little more in line with the season than, say, Brisingr by Christopher Paolini, which was what I was in the middle of at the beginning of Holy Week. 

And it was the PERFECT Holy Week read. One of the things that I love most about In This House of Brede is the internal quietude. It's a really beautiful, peaceful book, with vivid imagery and rhythms. I love how the seasons wheel and change within the book, and how each of the feasts of the Church is emphasized. I just about cried when I came across the chapter that starts with the description of Tenebrae...that's the part of Holy Week that I missed most at our home parish, and I was so happy that the nuns did it. There's something incredibly soothing and lovely about reading about a community of nuns just going about their lives, with all of the little dramas and sorrows and joys...and some of the big dramas and sorrows and joys, too. 

It's weirdly character-focused, but still hangs together as a book most impressively. It primarily focuses on Sister/Dame Philippa, who enters the convent as an older woman, having already had a career, and her adjustment to life in the cloister. I love her very much and seeing the convent through her eyes--sort of, Rumer Godden's writing style is quite something, and it's never quite sure whose eyes are being seen through--is a wonderful experience. And each of the nuns has her own personality and feels quite real. My mom observed that she's glad she didn't know Rumer Godden, because she'd find herself in the pages of one of Godden's books, for sure. It seems Godden was an astute studier of human nature and personality. 

In a very strange way, the world almost felt more real within the pages of ITHoB than it did outside of it. It was a good escape, for a little while. 

Oh, I will say, one warning: the first time I read it, it made me seriously consider skipping college and directly entering a convent. This second time, it made me think my vocation was to married life. Time will tell, I suppose. But the way it approaches the spirituality of the religious is fascinating, and somewhat of a litmus test of which direction one is leaning at that moment, if that makes sense.

3. So, I have realized that I have three books I want to talk about, and since I'm not planning any reviews for next month (see bullet #7, below), I'm going to end up devoting three consecutive bullets on books. #sorrynotsorry #thisisabookblogafterall

But how could I leave those of you who I know have read and loved it in the dark about what I thought about Liesl & Po?

Everyone who told me that I should read Liesl & Po was 100% correct. It was so worth it! I loved everything about it--the setting, the characters, the plot, the themes, the writing style, everything!

I loved how it was almost an allegory, but not quite...there was just enough of an allegorical "edge" to make one look at it twice, but not so much that one got irritated at it. Almost George MacDonald-esque. Which is a compliment, I promise. ;)

The setting--pseudo-Victorian-England-but-more-gloomy was perfect for the story, and reminded me a little bit of Sweep by Jonathan Auxier (I linked to an OLD review there, so, at your own risk, lol). And the plot was definitely at a middle-grade level of complexity, but it wasn't simplistic, and I thought it was well-crafted.

THE CHARACTERS, THOUGH. The adult characters were Dickens-esque in their caracaturishness, which was clever, but it was the child (and ghost) characters who stole my heart. Liesl, with her quiet determination, and love of her father, and Not Being Fazed By Ghosts, and really everything about her...I loved her! And Po, who doesn't know what he's doing, but he loves Liesl's drawings, and somehow got roped into this crazy thing, but really, he shouldn't care...I loved him, too. And Bundle, who I pictured as a floppy-eared bunch of shadow, which I think is pretty accurate, was sweet as well. I loved the way the ghosts were described, and interacted with the world. I liked Will as well, just not as much as the titular characters. :)

Oh, and Liesl's parents! We don't get to see much of their relationship, but that of it that we do see is SO SWEET, GAH.

I would definitely recommend this one to middle-grade readers of my acquaintance...and even adult readers. :)

(Also, the author's note about why she wrote the book? <3)

4. Third book, at the request of my sometimes irritating but generally lovable brother Eomer...Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson! (He was being a bit of a brat when he asked me to talk about it, but I will humor him, because I think other people might want to hear my thoughts, too.)

Anywho. This was a book that both my dad and Legolas (and apparently Eomer, though I wasn't aware of it) really enjoyed and had recommended, and it's been on my list for probably far too long, because I thought it would be really long. (But it really wasn't. My copy was only 660 pages. Okay, that is kind of long. It only took me a few days to read, how about that?)

It took me a little while to get into it, for whatever reason. It felt like it was going really slowly at the beginning. But then things picked up and I started to REALLY enjoy it. It's somewhat of an understated book, if that makes sense? It's not in-your-face with things about itself to love, it doesn't state them out loud, but if you look at it hard, you'll realize, "oh, there's totally a found family, even though no one ever says that out loud", or "character backstory is woven in totally beautifully", or "oh, the MC is shown to be a slightly unreliable narrator, but in a super subtle way", or "oh, that was hilarious, but it took me a second". It's very clever, but not in a way that's obvious. It's cleverly subtle, and subtly clever. From people raving about it, I somewhat expected it to be clever in a more MWT sort of way, so I was a bit disappointed in the intrigue layers (because no one can compare to MWT in intrigue), but the rest of the cleverness was quite satisfactory, thank you.

The "magic" system was really clever; the burning of various metals gives various Very Well-Defined Powers, so it was really almost a science system? Win! And the fact that the user(s) thereof have to actually PRACTICE throughout the book, rather than being Immediately Proficient At Everything? Most excellent. 

I loved the characters, too! Vin's journey and development and arc were so well done, and I loved riding along "on her shoulder", so to speak, through all of the adventures. The way the world is seen through her eyes sometimes and through others' eyes other times, so the reader can see her from inside and outside, is extremely clever and made me like her much more, I think. 

But my heart was stolen by Kelsier. It's rare for me to immediately LOVE an SC more than the MC, but here...oh, it was all Kelsier. Remember how I said no one can compare to MWT in intrigue? Well, it's true, but Kelsier did remind me of Gen, in retrospect, with all of his cunning plans and hubris and dash and so on, with his slightly dark and slightly tragic side underneath, and I loved that. His character is so well done, and I just want to give him a hug and read about him for five more books.

Also, for some reason, Dockson? He's the responsible one to Kelsier's dashing daring ridiculousness, trying to figure out how the heck everyone is going to get paid and fed and so on. (Or at least, that was what I gathered.) But he also has a reason to be fighting, and backstory that makes me want to hug him, and I liked him muchly.

And Sazed! And Elend! And...and...and...

By a third of the way through the book, I didn't understand why everyone loved Sanderson so much. Now, I think I do.

5. Now that I've glutted you with books, on to a movie, for some variety...I watched In The Heights this month! (To be fair...technically I watched a lot of it in March. But it was after midnight on April 1 when we finished, so...that counts as watching it this month, right? Great, cuz I want to talk about it. (That was a fun watching session, too. Eleven girls, two pizzas, two-and-a-half hours, and a good time was had by all.))

Initial thoughts? Oh man, I loved it!! It totally caught the feeling of living in the city and having that be your place. I don't live in a neighborhood that's quite that dynamic and special, but oh my word, the overall feeling of the city, being a native of the city, knowing what you're doing in the city... And also, the love of place, even though it's broken, but it's yours. It almost made me cry. I don't know how Lin-Manuel Miranda did that. It was incredibly impressive, and also, as you can tell, incredibly hard to describe. But the wonder and love with which he wrote the city...

And the music! Definitely Lin-Manuel Miranda, and with his trademark word-jamming, the way he can write a rap so tight that it's ridiculous. But there were so many poignant moments, too. Especially "Alabanza". That one also made me almost cry. Dang. And even, "In the Heights/I hang my flag up on display", that lyric? Love. I also loved how Spanish was worked into many of the songs! Two of the people I was watching with speak fluent Spanish, which made it that much better.

The characters! I loved them, and all of their suenitos. Especially Usnavi, Nina, and Benny. Those ones are obviously the most lovable characters, and I did love them. I especially loved Benny's commitment to his work, even when he wasn't appreciated, and Nina's fear of disappointing her block.
Some of the people I was watching with thought that Vanessa was whiny and annoying, but I didn't. I somehow can sympathize with her feeling that she's trapped in her life (even though I don't really feel like that), but she also knows it so well, too... They kept making fun of how she talked about the elevated train going by her apartment, but I know how that feels, somewhat. The sound of the buses going by my house is one of the refrains of my days at home, and here at school, I often fall asleep to the whistles of the freight trains. And I love it. It's rhythm. And it could bother others, but not me. 

I will say, I could tell it was his first musical. The pacing felt a tiny bit off at times. And I didn't like the ending quite as much. I was glad that Usnavi did what he did ultimately, but I think he did it for rather the wrong reason. And what Vanessa did felt rather manipulative. I think it turned out right, but as T. S. Eliot would say, "the last sin, the greatest treason...to do the right thing for the wrong reason." So, that wasn't my favorite. That's okay, though, because Iris was my favorite. :)

Overall? I'd watch it again! And I'm listening to the music CONSTANTLY. And I read the book that Lin wrote about it as soon as I could get my hands on it. And I made Legolas watch it. It's been a great obsessive time. XD

6. So, I was thinking this Quirk (linking up with Jem Jones again!) would be two teenagers sitting in the grass thinking about deep things...and suddenly, it went in a completely different direction! I'm not complaining, though...I like the twist, and I hope you do, too! 

"You're wearing sneakers and jeans...and a fancy necklace."
She waits for him to continue, and when he doesn't, she realizes that maybe it was a question. "Yes?"
"That makes no sense."
She rolls her eyes. "I am under no obligation to make sense to you, human child."
The boy crosses his arms. "I'm not a child. I'm nine years old."
"Until you're at least three hundred, you're still a child, human child."
He laughs, wrinkling up his noise. "No one lives that long, silly."
She lifts an eyebrow--there's no other word for it. She doesn't 'raise' the eyebrow. That implies effort. Her eyebrow floats up her face as if she's not even thinking about it. "I am nine hundred and seventy-three this year, human child." 
It's the boy's turn to roll his eyes. "Liar. And why do you keep calling me 'human child'? What other kind of child is there?"
She looks at him blankly. "Human child is simply what we call human children."
He frowns. "Who's 'we'? No one else has ever called me 'human child'."
"I should imagine not. You don't run across many fae in your difficult human world."
His eyes widen. "Fae? Like, fairies?"
Her mouth twists. "Like...fairies," she says, the word sour in her mouth, "yes. If you must."

He nods sagely. "That's why you're dressed so weirdly." He reaches out as if to touch her sleeve, see if she's real. "What are you doing here?" he asks.
"Kidnapping you."
He jerks back, looks up warily. "Really?"
"No, idiot. I just needed to get you away from my sleeve. It would serve you right for being such an annoyance, though."
"I was just playing out here when you came and asked me how to get to the mall. You started it. Why does a fairy need to get to the mall, anyway?"
"Because that's how I get back to fairyland from this disgusting outpost of reality."
He snickers. "The mall? Really?"
She purses her lips, trying to look dignified. Her face does a certain amount to make her look dignified even in her outfit, but high-tops, jeans, and a flowing shirt with a mother-of-pearl necklace as a combination really aren't all that conducive to dignity. "The mall. Really."
He shrugs. "I guess if this is how you dress when you're here, I'm not surprised. The mall's ten minutes away by car. It'll take you forever to walk. But I guess if you're already nine hundred and thirty-seven--"
"--seventy-three--" she interjects.
"--whatever, you have plenty of forevers to spend on walking to the mall."
"I'd appreciate conveyance of some kind."
He snickers again. "I can't drive, idiot. I'm only nine."
"Don't call me idiot, human child. You are the idiotic one."
"I'm not the one expecting a nine-year-old to drive me around. You'll have to catch the bus."
"How do I 'catch the bus', as you so vulgarly put it?"
"It's just what you say," he mutters. "It's not vulgar."
"Whatever, human child. How?"
"Walk to the corner, wait until the bus comes, get on, get off at Main & Walnut."
"Thank you, human child."
She turns and walks off, almost floating, almost regal despite her odd outfit choice.

The boy looks after her, shrugs, and goes back to playing with his trucks on front lawn.

7. The seventh bullet point being the traditional spot for announcements, here goes for another announcement this month: I'm taking a partial hiatus. I have three finals, a major paper, a part-time job that has fairly intensive requirements in the same time-frame, plus I need to pack up my dorm room and figure out how to store everything in my dorm room before I move out...which is 24 hours after my last final. 

Hence, hiatus. I just don't have the bandwidth to juggle all of those things, plus read (which is important because it's how I relax), plus blog. I'll be gone(ish) from today until definitely at least May 15, but we'll see...I may need to take the entire month of May. I don't think I'm going to be reading other peoples' posts, nor respond to comments, nor do anything except probably for the Papal Documents Linkup, which will happen, come hell or high water. But! I will be back, do not fear, and I will be happy to see you after all of my finals. :)

What excellent books did you read this month? Have you seen In The Heights? What's your most recent musical obsession?