One Amazing Thing -- Part 2

 You can tell a writer is worth her weight in words if you have to remind yourself that you are not part of the story. I had to look up from this book every now and again and remind myself to breathe... I was not trapped with the characters trying to conserve oxygen. But lest you think this book is only a stressful and sad version of an earthquake disaster, I need to tell you that part of the reason I was holding my breath was because I was listening to the stories. As each story started I would hesitate, thinking that this next story is probably going to be boring (don't ask me why I thought this, there was no truth to it or past experience to build on) and then before I knew it the story was over and while I was wanting to know more I was preparing myself for the next story to be boring. But it never was. In fact, each story was so transfixing that the very last page snuck up on me and then shocked me with it's appearance. 

I have no idea if there will be a sequel, but I do warn you that this book finishes without us getting a tidily wrapped up ending. At first I was dismayed, but then I started to realize that the book really wasn't about the earthquake, or what happened to the characters in the unwritten pages. Because inevitably they will all die, just as all people do (sorry to be morbid here), and it doesn't fully matter when that happened for them. What matters is that they all (we all) have a story to share. And each of us wants to be heard and to have our story told while we still have the chance. 

Maybe what this book is really about is reminding yourself to not only articulate your story, but  also hear the stories of those around you while you still can.
Four Coconuts

xo,
The Coconut Librarian

"One Amazing Thing is one powerful and beautifully written book." -- Lisa See (author of Shanghai Girls)

"One Amazing Thing collapses the walls of dividing characters and cultures; what endures is a chorus of voices in one single room." Jhumpa Lahiri (author of Interpreter of Maladies)

"An incredible and highly original premise in the hands of a gifted storyteller has resulted in this jewel of a story. It is, to paraphrase the book's title, an amazing thing." -- Abraham Verghese (author of Cutting for Stone)

Comments

[Toni Stephenson]

Your review encourages me to buy and read this book immediately. I can't wait for it to arrive.

[Coconut Library]

Oh, I'll be very interested to hear what you think when you are finished!