Title: Fania's Heart
Author: Anne Renaud
Illustrator: Richard Rudnicki
Genre: Children's Illustrated Book
Rating: 5 out of 5
This is such a small book. One with only a few pages and no one page is filled with words. And yet it is filled with so much emotion; from sadness and despair to hope and freedom.
I read the main story and wondered to myself two things:
- How could I ever read this bittersweet story to a child? And at what age would I be okay reading it to them?
- Is it truly possible that a tiny heart was created in a concentration camp?
While I still perhaps unsure of the answer to the first item, the answer to the second one truly astonished me. This is a TRUE STORY. While I was a bit choked up reading the story itself (as it's very moving) when I moved on to read the last pages that outline that Fania's Heart is a true story. Fania's Heart is a relic of Auschwitz that is in a museum in Montreal and was owned by a Jewish woman of 20 years old imprisoned there during WWII. She eventually came to Canada following the war which is how it came to be at a museum in Montreal.
I'm not a crier most days but this is an unbelievably moving story. The simplicity of it as a children's illustrated book is part of what makes it so moving, in my opinion. You don't need a lot of words or pictures to tell a story like this. You only need some symbolism, context and genuine truth.
Upon writing this and reflecting upon Fania's Heart I have decided that I would read this story to any child, of any age if they asked. Because at it's core this is a story of hope, courage and love. All wonderful things to teach our children of from any age. I encourage everyone to look for this story, even if only to leaf through it at your library and experience the story of Fania's Heart.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Title: The Outcasts of Time
Author: Ian Mortimer
Genre: Historical Fiction, Religious, Time Travel
Rating: 1 out of 5 stars (DNF)
Did Not Finish (DNF) @ 40%
Let me start by saying I love historical books. Especially ones that teach me about things I may not have known or help to bring to light nuances that I had perhaps not thought of before. However, writers absolutely must bring me into the time period in a way that is interesting and intriguing. Telling me about tin mining, church/state representation, clothing and the food is just dull.
Plot
The Outcasts of Time starts during the time of the Black Plague with two travelling brothers. The conditions are deplorable and humanity is on high alert as the plague is understood to be contagious (even if they didn't know what that word was at the time). A number of factors puts the brothers in a situation where they accept a 'deal' from a higher (or lower) power of some sort and end up agreeing to live their last 6 days out one day every 99 years.
Sounds cool right?!
It really should be. Except that when you start in the 1300's it means you're next 6 years will take you only up to 1900's. I made it far enough in the book to get to 1500's and yet it barely felt like a change over the 200 years. Ian Mortimer restricts the changes into the viewpoint of types of clothing, religious buildings and other built up infrastructure. It's just not enough.
Church and State
Without a doubt you cannot discuss the 1300's or any time period up to the 1900's without talking about the drastic changes in religion, and the eventual division of church and state. From areas changing religions entirely, merging areas of Christianity and witch hunts of 1500-1600's there is a lot of change. Normally I would be all over learning about these changes but Mortimer takes the religious tone of this book (as our brothers are looking to 'redeem' themselves in their remaining 6 days) and makes it so dull I kept feeling like I was going to fall asleep. I really tried to understand and get into the heads of the brothers experiencing this religious shock; unfortunately I never felt connected or much emotion for either of them.
Characters
Perhaps had I felt some connection with the brothers I might have been able to better appreciate some of their shock from one time period to the next. The reality was that I couldn't seem to even feel badly for the one brother when he realizes he will never see his wife and kids again. The other brother just seems to be along for the ride with no purpose and the personality of a cardboard box.
Even a boring plot can still be interesting if the reader can connect with the characters and finds them interesting. These two brothers just didn't engage me at all on a mental or emotional level.
Overall
It's really unfortunate because the end of The Outcasts of Time might be very impactful; but at the 40% mark I just didn't care anymore. I was bored reading about tin mining, changes in length and colours of clothing, or the general shock of each day they wake up in a new time period. Maybe the length of one day per time is too short to really make an impression (although I did not want this book to be longer let me assure you); but somewhere along the way Mortimer just lost me and had me falling asleep.
If I'm missing out on an amazing resolution to this story I've come to terms with it. At least by DNFing at 40% I won't spend days trying to get through the pages of the story desperately trying to stay awake and engaged.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Title: Mandelbrot the Magnificent
Author: Liz Ziemska
Genre: Historical Fiction, Magic, Short Story
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
This is a short story There are some definite pros and cons in Liz Ziemska's short story about Mandelbrot, a real-life mathematician.
Pros
I really love how short and succulent this story is. It's primary focus is not necessarily on Mandelbrot learning difficult math concepts; as it is on his family's journey to avoid persecution as Jews during WWII.
The journey from Poland to France, while condensed into a few sentences, is intriguing if only because Mandelbrot's family was just ahead of the Nazi's the majority of the time. I enjoyed seeing the different, if difficult, options in front of them as the family was split up in order to try and keep everyone safe.
I was not familiar with the Sefirot and found the explanation in Mandelbrot the Magnificient sent me to Google to learn more. In historical pieces there are few things I love more than a drive to find out the 'truer than true' version of something. And yet I have to wonder where the Serifot fits into true mathematics (if at all) today.
Cons
Mathematics is a truly beautiful language all it's own. For those of us, like myself, that are intrigued by complex physics, chemistry and mathematics but unable to truly comprehend them it's always great to read a book that breaks concepts down or tries to teach you basic theories at a non-academic level.
In Mandelbrot the Magnificent there are two downfalls with this approach:
1) The imagery and concepts of complex mathematics are made into too much magic. As though you just be a magician to understand. While perhaps this isn't a bad comparison it made me wonder what was true in the story and what wasn't. How did Mandelbrot protect people? Obviously wasn't true magic as this is a true story and so something about his understanding of mathematics benefited his family when the Nazi's came knocking. But because the descriptions and explanation are so founded in some sort of magic I am at a loss to explain any part of the theories or ideas that were used.
2) There are lots of pretty mathematics graphics in this book but few actual descriptions of the complex problems. Now this might be because author Ziemska didn't want to focus too much on the math aspect and instead wanted us to feel math as a part of our organic existence. While I understand and get that it would have been nice to have maybe learned something new and a bit more complex instead of just naming theories I know of but still can't even begin to explain.
Overall
Given the small amount of time invested into reading Mandelbrot the Magnificent it's clear to me it's worth a read if you have any interest.
I could have skipped it and been content with my life knowing what I know now about this story. What I really want is someone to read an interesting, compelling and factually accurate story of Mandelbrot and his true contributions to the scientific community.
However, if Ziemska has given us the only insight currently available at a non-math reading level into Mandelbrot's tumultuous childhood and fractal theories than, without a doubt, Mandlebrot the Magnificent will at least whet any appetites that may lead you into the truly monstrous world of science.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Net Galley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
