A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a masterpiece, a tapestry woven by Holly Jackson, a New York Times bestselling author. This book is relatively tranquil in the early beginning, with odd evidence that doesn’t really seem to relate and a growing list of suspects. However, as the evidence trail continues, uncovering darker and darker secrets about seemingly ordinary people in the town, the suspense and action quickly ramps up. As Pip realizes that she might actually be right about the murder case, and she joins up with Sal Singh’s brother to pursue this case even farther, it becomes more than just Pip’s senior project. It branches out to every aspect of her daily life—secrets from close friends, confessions, and then… it gets completely personal. Death threats are sent. They go after her dog. This is where the story really ramps up. One thing I liked a lot about this book is the suspense that affects not just you, but the characters and also the realistic feelings of guilt, fear and anger that hang all around the story, setting the mood. In the end, Pip and the other characters have to deal with both their past and present actions as truths and secrets are spilled. The center of the story revolves around the murder five years ago, as the murderers come back to haunt Pip, and the stakes grow higher and higher. In the end, Pip has to choose between potentially closing the case once and for all, or hopefully protecting her family and friends. This makes the book stand out as a unique, extraordinary murder mystery. Additionally, the switching between the case files and the real time story is balanced, with each coming in at just the right time. The story builds in a magnificent way, showing Pip and Ravi’s findings first as they sift through the evidence, and then showing the conclusions that the Pip comes to based on that evidence. This is not always common in this genre, but I personally like it, because it gives everybody a chance to actually guess who the murderer is based on the data. I am not a very good detective myself, so it made me happy that in this book, before the big reveal, I actually (almost) got it right! Finally, this book is great, because like all good mystery books, the killer’s motives are relatable and not far-fetched. Andie Bell’s murder is more like a series of unfortunate events leading up to her death. Objects in the story are things that we use in our everyday lives. In this way, you cannot put this stellar book down because everything, everyone and the entire setup fits YOU. You become immersed in this other world that is not at all that far away. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is a great book that everyone should enjoy, although it is not suitable for younger readers. The plot and details involve crimes that delve in the darker side of things. However, for those who can read it, this book is good for fans of books such as Sherlock Holmes or Murder on the Orient Express. Action book fans might like the ending, and the suspense is all around. This book dives very deep into the personal lives of the fictional characters, and was a New York Times bestseller for 77 weeks. So what are you waiting for? Go read this book! A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. Ember, 2021. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Young Bloggers
The One and Only Ivan: Take it … Or Toss it?
“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” – Katherine Applegate, The One and Only Ivan Ivan is a gorilla, and, as he lets us know pretty early on in the story, it’s not as easy as it looks. He has been living in a metal, glass, and concrete cage for 9,861 days. He has not seen another gorilla in decades. And, he has a past he would rather forget. Ivan’s only friends are Stella, a wise old elephant with a passion for stories and a love of the moon; Bob, a stray mutt, with a love of anything edible and a deep distrust of humans; and Julia, the janitor’s daughter, with a passion for art, just like Ivan. Ivan tries to ignore the way Mack, the owner of the mall and the man who raised Ivan in his own home, treats them all. Especially when a new baby elephant arrives to bring more crowds to the shopping mall and its small circus. When tragedy strikes and Ivan is left with a promise that will be impossible to keep, he begins to remember everything, and with his memories comes hope that maybe, there is a safer place beyond the bars of his cage, beyond Mack, beyond the billboard that brings people to the mall… beyond his wildest dreams. He made a promise, and a silverback never breaks their promises. But it will take all his friends to get there. It will take perseverance, passion, and… paint. Lots and lots of paints. This story is so well crafted, and every word seems to matter. It is such a reflection of the longing for freedom, with beautiful descriptions and clever lines that will instantly become your new favorite quotes. The novel is written entirely in verse, which only heightens the experience. This is a truly life-changing book. It is entrancing, magical. It is a must-read for everyone, young and old. So, as Ivan says, “Humans waste words. They toss them like banana peels and leave them to rot. Everyone knows the peels are the best part.” So, without further ado, and without wasting any more words, I give you the verdict. (You probably already knew where this was heading, but….) Take It … Or Toss It? TAKE IT!! This book, winner of the John Newbery award in 2013, is a must-read for kids of all ages, young and old, children and adults alike. Take Ivan’s advice: Don’t waste words. Or, in this case, time! Put The One and Only Ivan at the top of your reading list and find your next favorite book! And, if you love this, be sure to check out Katherine Applegate’s other books! The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. HarperCollins, 2012. Buy the book here and help support Stone Soup in the process!
Poetry Soup Ep. 11 – “A Painter’s Thoughts (1)” by John Yau
Poetry Soup – Ep. 11: “A Painter’s Thoughts (1)” by John Yau Transcript: Hello, and welcome to Poetry Soup! I’m your host, Emma Catherine Hoff. Today I’ll be talking about the poem, “A Painter’s Thoughts (1),” one of many poems of the same title by the American poet John Yau. John Yau was born on June 5, 1950, in Lynn, Massachusetts. His parents emigrated from China, and Yau’s Chinese heritage is a constant theme in his poetry, especially in his O Pin Yin sonnets, featured in his book of poetry, Genghis Chan on Drums. This book was published in 2021, and includes the poem I’ll be reading today. In addition to being a poet, Yau is a critic, and writes a lot about art. He also teaches art history. He is a recipient of the Academy of American Poets Lavan Award and the Guggenheim Fellowship. He was once the arts editor of the publication The Brooklyn Rail, but now he is an editor at Hyperallergic. He also runs a publishing press called Black Square Editions. As well as speaking about “A Painter’s Thoughts (1),” I will also comment on Yau’s poem “The Philosopher (1).” Yau also has many poems by the name of “The Philosopher.” After William Bailey (1930-2020) I want to paint in a way that the “I” disappears into the sky and trees The idea of a slowed down, slowly unfolding image held my attention Variations on a theme are of no interest. A bowl and cup are not ideas. I want my painting to be what it contains: it should speak, not me The idea of a slowed down, slowly unfolding image held my attention I paint things made of clay, just as the pigments I use come from the earth I want my painting to be what it contains: it should speak, not me Brown and ochre stoneware bowls beside a white porcelain pitcher I paint things made of clay, just as the pigments I use come from the earth I place the pale eggs on a dark, unadorned tabletop and let them roll into place Brown and ochre stoneware bowls beside a white porcelain pitcher The dusky red wall is not meant to symbolize anything but itself I place the pale eggs on a dark, unadorned tabletop and let them roll into place I want to paint in a way that the “I” disappears into the sky and trees The dusky red wall is not meant to symbolize anything but itself Variations on a theme are of no interest. A bowl and cup are not ideas. “A Painter’s Thoughts (1)” is after William H. Bailey, a realist artist. Bailey’s art often features still lifes, which Yau shows in his poem by saying, “I paint things made of clay…” Yau also says that Bailey’s art is not meant to symbolize anything, it is simply meant to convey the beauty of ordinary things ( “a bowl and cup are not ideas”). In a way, his art shows that things don’t have to have meaning in order to be wondrous. This is also shown when Yau says, “The dusky red wall is not meant to symbolize anything but itself.” Bailey’s “thoughts” also show that every viewer should be able to interpret art in their own way, based on what the painting tells them, not the artist (“I want my painting to be what it contains: it should speak, not me”). Something that stands out about this poem is the form. First of all, each stanza is two lines, and there is lots of interlocking repetition. The last line of the first stanza is the first line of the third stanza, the last line of the second stanza is the first line of the fourth stanza, etc. Because each stanza is very brief, the lines are long, showing the reader how a painter thinks. I wrote my own poem based on “The Painter’s Thoughts,” My poem is called “The Lecturer,” about one of the characters in one of my favorite movies, “Karnavalnaya Noch,” or “Carnival Night.” The movie makes fun of the lecturer, as it is a Soviet movie making fun of such bureaucratic figures as himself. It goes like this: Lecture notes crisp in his pocket, he is given the choice to enjoy the party or ruin it. He becomes drunk on good intentions – this is the man we all know. He is given the choice to enjoy the party or ruin it. He calls out from backstage for signs of life. This is the man we all know, pointing to the stars. He calls out from backstage for signs of life, both in the crowd and on Mars. Pointing to the stars, he finds nothing but another glass of wine. Both in the crowd and on Mars, organisms cannot resist parties. He finds nothing but another glass of wine, lecture notes crumpled in his fist. Organisms cannot resist parties, he becomes drunk on his happiness. My poem has the same structure as John Yau’s poem. However, it describes the lecturer as an outside viewer might, which is not what Yau does. In his series of poems, every one modeled after a different painter, Yau is brave enough to enter the painter’s mind just by looking at their work. This is a very unique form of ekphrasis. Rather than describing the art, it uses it to show what the painter was thinking when making it. This, I think, can be done even with poetry. Because the narrator in John Yau’s poem is the painter, it manages to convey much more feeling, makes the reader wonder what the painter was really thinking about when creating their paintings, and almost combines the poet and the painter as one person – one artist. John Yau does something similar in his series of poems, “The Philosopher.” The point of both series of poems is to
