I know I disappeared from my weekly book reviews for a while, but now I'm back!
This week I am reviewing a classic of modern literature. Inspired by last week's "Banned Books Week", I want to look at one of my all-time favourite books, To Kill a Mockingbird.
Like pretty much everyone else I know, I first read this book in high school. A teacher had it on a list of options for an individual novel study. Me being me, I read them all to choose which one I wanted to work with. (This was the first time I read Lord of the Flies too).
Lord of the Flies didn't stand a chance.
“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.”
Yes, I know the novel is slightly idyllic. It is, after all, seen through the rose-coloured glasses of a remembered childhood. Scout is the misfit that we all were at some point. Jem is the young man struggling to grow up in a world that he knows is not fair. And Atticus; Atticus is a warm lap to crawl into, a vest to cry against when reality is just too awful, or when we are confused and afraid. He is a calm, wise voice, whispering steady, quieting every storm of childhood.
Atticus is this book. He is not the narrator, but he personifies it. Just as Atticus is a mug of hot chocolate on a cold, rainy day, or a blanket wrapped around your shoulders when you are shivering (yes, I know Atticus didn't actually do that one), there is something innately comforting about this book.
Problematic in places, sure, but also lovely and heart-moving and something that makes me feel like there might actually be some good in the world, so long as there are people out there willing to teach it to others.
I am currently teaching this book to my grade 10 class, as I do every year. Last year, after completing this novel, these are some of the comments that my students left in their reviews on their last test for the unit:
"Oh wow. Just wow."
"I don't want to return this book. I just want to hold on to it."
"I'm so sad we finished and now I can never read it again for the first time."
"I feel like I've been set on fire. It's overwhelming."
"I want to buy this book so I can keep it. Keep it on my shelf by my bed, so it's never far from me."
"Does it make me a huge nerd to say a book changed me? Don't tell anyone."
Well I didn't tell anyone who said that one.
Basically, in my world, any book that can make fifteen-year-olds have that reaction, is going to be some kind of awesome.
There are certain books that take hold of my heart, that move me every single time I read them, that I haven't gotten tired of reading no matter how many times I've read them. Those are the books that still make me pause after reading certain lines, still make the hairs on my arms stand up, still make me smile or sigh or nod.
This is one of those books.
Have you read this classic? What do you think of it? Are you as in love with it as I am? Or has it not quite lived up to its hype for you?
I would love to hear (okay, read) your comments, below, or via my contact page, here. And be sure to subscribe to my site to receive my monthly newsletters, sent out on the first Tuesday of every month.