Book Column
Written by Sarah Wagner
The Blueberry Review is the Interlochen Times’ book review column, where students share their thoughts on their latest reads. To select students for these interviews, a Google Form was sent out in the Provost News asking students about memorable books they’ve read recently. The form also asked students what genres they are most interested in. Fiction, realistic fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, and romance were the most popular genres, though students read everything from non-fiction environmental books to Russian classics.
Fill out the book interview Google Form when it appears in an upcoming Provost News for a chance to be featured in our next issue. And be aware: reviews may include mild spoilers.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
The Interlochen Times spoke with Sufia Rahman, a senior majoring in Classical Voice, about A Thousand Splendid Suns by Afghan-American novelist Khaled Hosseini. Published in 2007, this book tells the stories of two young women in Afghanistan. Mariam was born in the 1950s and grew up scorned for being an illegitimate child before being forced to marry a man almost 30 years older than her. Laila was born in the 1970s and lived a more privileged life that was eventually shattered by the turmoil of the country around her.
A Thousand Splendid Suns is a great book for anyone looking to read a powerful story about the struggles and resilience of women in Afghanistan and learn about Afghanistan’s history in the process.
Sarah Wagner: What would you say A Thousand Splendid Suns is about, in a few sentences?
Sufia Rahman: It’s about telling the story of Afghanistan from a domestic and a political perspective and beautifully weaving that into a story.
SW: What did you like most about the book?
SR: I really liked how when Laila and Mariam are in the household together, they come together and create their own bond. I found their relationship really beautiful—you can feel their love through the pages.
SW: What were your main takeaways from the book, or parts that were most impactful?
SR: Every time it snows here, I think of what Mariam’s mother said in the very beginning of the book—that every snowflake is a woman’s sigh.
SW: What do you think is the biggest message the author is trying to convey?
SR: I think the biggest message the author wants to convey is sharing the experiences of women multi-dimensionally.
SW: What are your thoughts on the writing style?
SR: Just the way Hosseini leaves things off-screen was really captivating.
SW: Was there a particular moment or moments in the book that stood out to you?
SR: Jalil’s letter at the end. His letter was about his regrets and things he wished he’d done throughout his life for [his daughter] Mariam, but she never read it.
Sufia’s rating: 5/5 stars
Grief is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter
The Interlochen Times is excited to share this interview with Aanya Khairari, a junior majoring in Creative Writing, on Grief is the Thing with Feathers, a 2015 book by English author Max Porter. Though physically small and light, this book is a deep, emotionally complex exploration of a family’s experience with grief. After a father and his two young sons living in a London flat suddenly lose their wife and mother, a bird, simply named Crow, arrives. Crow seeks to help the family heal from grief and gives the reader a unique window into their lives. Grief is the Thing with Feathers is also unique in that it is written as a prose poem.
Sarah Wagner: Whose perspective is the story told from?
Aanya Khairari: Three perspectives: Crow, the father, and his sons. It’s like each character is writing little diary entries in the book.
SW: What is Crow’s purpose?
AK: Crow wants to help the family get through their grief and eventually accept what has happened – to remember their mother and the time they spent with her.
SW: Are the other characters aware of Crow?
AK: No. Crow is a silent force in the book.
SW: What were your initial impressions of the book, and did they change as you read?
AK: It was really minimalistic and there was a lot of white space on the pages. I didn’t like it at the start because it didn’t feel like there was much of a storyline, but as I continued reading, I saw more emotional depth and what grief was doing to the characters.
SW: What are your thoughts on the writing style?
AK: It’s written like a prose poem. We don’t get so many words, but we get so much compression, which I really loved about this book because there’s so much meaning and depth to it. Also, you don’t have to start reading from the first page for it to make sense.
SW: Was there a particular moment in the book that stood out to you?
AK: When the crow leaves. Throughout the book, we understand Crow’s intentions, strength, and perseverance, and once Crow is no longer needed, the readers feel this distance. It made me take note of the ambiguity as to whether the family truly healed.
SW: Did you learn anything unexpected from this book?
AK: I learned that different people experience grief differently. Some people hide what they’re feeling; they don’t want other people to try to help because that can make things worse. Keeping things to yourself can create isolation, like what happened with the father. Also, you don’t have to write a lot of words to create a lot of meaning.
SW: What are your recommendations for getting the most out of this book?
AK: Annotating, and having someone to talk to as it’s such an emotional book.
SW: What do you think is the biggest message that the author is trying to convey?
AK: I think the message was the process of healing, and how grief can create distance between family members but also bring people together.
Aanya’s rating: 5/5 stars
The Interlochen Times looks forward to continuing the Blueberry Review in our next issue. Be sure to complete the book interview Google Form when it appears in an upcoming Provost News for a chance to be featured in our next issue. We can’t wait to see what’s being read next!