Everything Matters

This book was heartbreaking. I felt so sorry for the characters. Junior didn't know how to feel. It seemed that no matter what path he chose in life, it was the wrong one. I think this book raises some important questions, such as determining the meaning of life, determining what is important and what isn't, and finding out who you are and learning how to make every moment count. Many do not like stories that don't have happy endings, but I don't mind them at all. I feel that those stories are more true to life. I feel like this story's ending was as happy as it could have been, considering the world was coming to an end. The whole family had each other, and they had accepted their fate. Like Junior, I couldn't imagine living my whole life knowing that the exact date and time and circumstance in which the world was coming to an end. I believe that it is a blessing that we don't know these things. If we did, we would live in a constant state of fear, there would be no order in the world, and the world would be a very different place - one in which we wouldn't want to exist in the first place. Some would take on the attitude that nothing mattered at all anymore, while others would find, like Junior did, that everything matters. Everything in life that happens to us makes us who we are. It's like the author stated, even something as simple as stepping on a bee during one's childhood makes a difference in shaping not only who the individual is, but also what impact that bee might have had on the rest of the world. However small the event, however minuscule, he found that it did matter. It took his whole life to figure it out. Even though this book was heartwrenching throughout, I felt that this was the message (and a good one, in fact) that the author was trying to portray. Don't take anything for granted. Appreciate the trials and hardships that you experience - they make you who you are.

Everything Matters

What can I say about this book? First, the author's descriptive writing is amazing. Not only could I visualize the characters, their settings and the time period but I had a strange deja vu feeling at times. The setting was during my real teenage years i.e. shake 'n bake chicken, Oklahoma bombing, Reagan, Challenger, etc. So, a lot of feelings from that time came back to me. However, I thought the book jumped around a lot. It seemed he was a pretty smart guy by the time it jumped to Junior being in a prison cell for predicting the end of the world, but there was no build up to his all of a sudden being smart and figuring out a cure for his father. There also seemed to be a little too much substance abuse throughout the book. I know, he was living with the end of the world in his mind at all times and his mother and uncle were substance abusers, but I really wanted to see him clean up at some point. I liked the idea of getting a second chance and finally realizing what really matters. And, his characterization of his father brought tears to my eyes as I compared him to my own father, who is now in the early stages of alzheimers. I wondered, when I realized the book was dedicated to his father who had passed away, if he was characterizing his own father. It is interesting the sense of duty to work and provide for their families that the fathers from this time period possessed. I saw this with my own father. I also thought it was sad to see so many characters flawed by horrific incidents or situations from their childhoods. Amy and her crazy abusive mother and the camp counselor, Rodney and his cocaine habit from lack of parental attention, Debbie and her mean alcoholic father who almost drowned her, and John's mean father and his guilt from Vietnam. How much an abusive past can cause continued suffering in people. I think I was looking for more redemption for these characters but in real life, that doesn't always happen. However, I did put a book down on my "to read" list Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos. It is Gantos' true story of surviving drug abuse, possession, distribution and prison. He was able to turn his life around and he advocates not giving up on anyone. I guess the redemption in this book would be in the end when Junior finally realizes that everything that matters is in the bed with him when the world ends. I think I was looking for a little more help from the author in getting to this point.

Everything Matters!

I was not impressed by this book at all! I found myself struggling to read the last few chapters and was disappointed when I finally finished. A first the book seemed like it was going to be a good and interesting coming of age story but then the story just went out into left field somewhere. One good thing I can say about the book is it was really well written and the author did a good job bringing the characters to life. It was easy to see and imagine each one in there daily lives. The readability of this book is terrible because of how the book keeps jumping characters, time periods, and places. It was confusing most of the time trying to figure out how many years had passed between each chapter and where the chapter's character was at. And what was the deal with the numbers in certain chapters that I found had absolutely no purpose? The chapters were long, written in small font, and many served little purpose to the story. The plot was very twisted and almost seemed to be twisted just for the sake of being twisted. A guy blew up a Social Security building and after that it was not mentioned again. The main character somehow ended up in a post-Soviet rule prison in Bulgaria, but Why? I don't know. Honestly I would NEVER recommend this book to a young adult reader mainly because of the intense drug use and criminal activity. And it would be a far stretch for me to recommend this book to anyone. This is all just my opinion but I would be hard pressed to find the right person who would enjoy this book.

Everything Matters!

This was definitely not a book I would have read on my own.  It is one I probably would have read some of it, then skipped to the end to see what happens.  I did do that, then went back and read it all the way through.  The plot kept me going, though in some spots it was difficult, due to the dark nature of the story.  However, even though the story was dark and sad, I have to say the writing was good.  I liked the way the writer describes what is going on, and developed the characters.  I really felt like I knew who they were and what was going on in their heads.  I like time travel stories, and was glad that Junior had a second chance at life, BUT, I don't know why he didn't try to help his father, the second time through.  I sort of understand that he thinks things will go badly again if he tells anyone about "the voices", but I don't know, I think I would still do something.  The last part of the book really moved fast, and that worked only because we already knew the characters well enough.  The irony in the first part was overwhelming sometimes, the dad gets better, then dies in a car crash.  Maybe Junior didn't do anything the second time around because he felt fate would intervene again.  Amy decides to leave with Junior, then dies while in line to sign up to go.  I will say Junior's second life was happier than the first one, in my opinion, even with his father's illness and death.  He was with Amy, for longer this time,had a child, even with his ambiguous feelings about that, and generally enjoyed his last days.  He made a difference in the world, even though he didn't save the world's population this time, like he did the first time around.  He helped others, his daughter helped others, and he felt good about himself.  He wasn't a drug addict or alcoholic this time, which made me happy, and he tried to live a good life.  He seemed to know himself better this time around. 

Everything Matters!

When I started to read this book I was a little skeptical that I would enjoy it, but I have to say, although extremely depressing, I throughly enjoyed it. I got very caught up in the characters and the purpose of their existence. I like the way Currie introduced the characters in each part of the book. He also changed the point of view throughout the novel based on what character was talking. My favorite character was Rodney. Currie really twisted his character up. He went from being a coke-addicted 12 year old to a famous baseball player that had a disability. I loved each part of the story when it was Rodney's point of view. I felt a mixed array of emotions from anger to pity for him. The other characters were awesome too. Currie did a great job at painting a picture of them in my head. Each of the characters had such depth and gave so much to the story. Of course Junior was the main focus of the novel, but he could not have carried it without the help of Amy, his parents, Ralph, or even Sawyer.
The plot to this novel was very twisited. Since this story was about the end of the world I thought that it may be a drab plot of people preparing for the day without any interesting happenings, but boy was I wrong. It kept me on the edge of my seat. It went from happy to sad in just a paragraph or two over and over again. Once Currie made me smile and breathe a sigh of relief, he switched it and made me gasp as I read the next sentence. All of the character's lives twisted time after time as the plot progressed. Just when I thought the story was coming to an end and the characters had met their destiny, they switched to an alternate universe and the plot changed.
I think this novel would be well liked among YAs. It has all of the characterics of a novel that would attract and interest teenagers.

Everything Matters

I haven't finished the book yet but I'm almost there.
At the beginning of the book I wasn't so sure if I would like it or not. Turns out I did like the book. I think Junior wastes a lot of time when he tries to self-destriction. But what can I say he was broken hearted not only from being dumped by his high school sweetheart but he knew without a doubt that the world would be ending in 36 years from his birth.

This book is about how life's challenges continue even though the world is ending.
What I got from the book is that it doesn't matter if you have one day or a thousand years to live. Everything we do does matter!!

Everything Matters

Yes, everything matters in life, esp, family, love, friends etc., I get it. But what a depressing book! I must say I had a hard time getting through this one.

The plot was very dark and weird to me. I personally don't like reading about the world coming to an end, but what really got to me were the strange turn of events. Death, drugs, alcoholism and sex, were in every page turned in the book. Even when something good happened, something even worse happened. Why?? Could Jr. really not get a break? That's what made the last part of the book better when he chose to go back and re-live his same life and undo some of his mistakes. But what really got to me was Amy. Why oh why would you even consider killing your child? That just floored me!

The changing perspectives did help see the different views but did get hard to follow as I worked through the book. The characters were interesting to say the least. Like I said earlier, I didn't understand Amy at all. All of the characters had a personal demon to battle in themselves, drugs, alcohol, abuse, etc.

There are students who are very dark like these characters and I'm sure they would enjoy reading this book. I understand its place in the library. It's not just my taste.

Everything Ends and Everything Matters

No kidding. I get that everything matters. Really. I get it. I wanted to scream this at not one, but every character in the book. Everything ends. The book does a good job at ending everything. Not once, but twice. In multiple unviverses. Really?

This is quite possibly the most depressing book I've ever read. Just when things look up, someone dies, blows up a federal building, loses a finger, contemplates killing their child, and ruins the moment. What a long and painful journey for the characters, one that ultimately changes their essential being. I mostly understand the characters, except for Amy. She baffles me throughout the book. In both universes. Why would you skip a one way ticket to life? Why would you even CONSIDER killing your child? What is this Shakespeare? She was confusing, but believeable because she comes around. The character I had a hard time believing was Rodney. A child coke addict turned professional semi-retarded baseball player. While I liked his characer, he was the least believable.

The plot was a rollercoaster to say the least. It took you down to the depths of despair with not one, but three addicts (one who has battled addiction enough times to film an entire season of Intervention), and to the heights of wedded bliss and parenthood (which is tainted with a child who does not respond to her father, and only changes after his near death experience). Each Part of the novel was it's own ride and I was glad when it was over, so I knew it did not start again.

The most redeeming part of this book is that through the absurdity, we care for the characters and their well being. We want the best for them and are grateful for Junior's numerous second chances. Also, Currie is talented at describing a place to perfection and injecting tidbits of humor throughout the mostly dark novel.

While this was not my favorite book, I can see how it would earn a place on my library's shelves. It may not suit my needs, but could certainly fill anothers.

Everything Matters

What a strange book. I think that Junior is the darkest character I have ever read about. I can’t even imagine the things that happen to him and what he thinks about. I can see that teenagers might be inclined to think darker than me at times and may relate to Junior better. Sometimes in life things do seem pointless, even when they are very important to others such as parents etc. This book gives a solid purpose to the seemingly pointless things in Junior’s life.
The characters actions did have realistic consequences. I was disturbed by some of the things that went on in the story, but the consequences that came from the actions were appropriate I thought. Nothing was glamorized. Life can be kind of cold and harsh, and this book was as well. I did think that the end of the book helped bring some hope into it, but still not too much. Very strong characters throughout but I still had a hard time trying to complete it.
As I was rereading to find some of my quotes I noticed a great deal of foreshadowing. I missed most of it while I was reading, but enjoyed rereading and putting some of the pieces together.
I do not think this is a Young Adult book, but tend to think of it as for an adult audience. The content seemed to be more for mature readers. I think I do remember this being an adult book and then converted into a YA book.

Everything Matters!

I have to say this novel was a very interesting read! I have never read a book quite like this one. However, I do think that some teens would really enjoy reading this type of book. This novel shows the importance of joy, love and family. Also, to enjoy the opportunities in life and live life to the fulliest.
The plot of this story, I felt was a little slow throughout the book. The characters in this story were very well developed. Junior, the main character of the story, starts hearing voices in his mother's womb. He eventually finds out the earth will end in 36 years. The voices guide him throughout his life. However, Junior slips into a pattern of substance abuse. Junior is then left with the question to ask "Does Anything Matter?" Throughout his life Junior is constantly reminded of this question. Junior could have chosen any life to go back to but he chose to change himself. He chose to change his actions. At the end of the story, his brother, mother, daughter, wife, and Junior are in bed together waiting on the end to happen. This story allows the reader to examine his or her own life. We must enjoy the opportunities in life and to remember that life is important!

Rebecca Wilson

Everything Matters! (I get it)

Finally, I finished the book! This definitely not being one of my favorites; I found it to be slow reading with a predictable plot and downright depressing. The mood is set early on and you just know already by page 4 about choices and consequences likely being grave and realize this is not going to have a happy plot. A little hope in all the tragedies would’ve been nice. Also, the switching of characters narrating to the story was a bit confusing and only complicated the nature of what the book was all about. I did like the true love between Junior and Amy and his love for his family. I get it everything does matter but I believe the author could’ve easily proved that point in a less doom and gloom way to be more appealing to the reader. I will admit it was a bit amusing to reminisce back to the 80’s and will give the author literature merit of including historical events and creating vivid characters; none of which had led a content life. Yes, it’s important to realize reality and not sugar coat life but even the reviews on the back didn’t lend way to happy moments in the book. Despair and doom everywhere and even when given a chance to go back in time, no really happy endings there as well; to the extreme on trying to create a realistic world. While “Going Bovine” gets voted best book for most profanity, this book will win the prize to be a censor’s worst nightmare. After reading chapter 12 in the Donelson’s and Nielson’s textbook, it led me to conclude that this book entails basically every challenge for a banned book all in this one novel. His characters’ words and actions would not only discriminate against women, African Americans, gays, and the mentally challenged but in many other ways as well. It’s as if “God is Dead” wasn’t controversial enough so he wrote this book. I understand the First Amendment with people’s right to read and be exposed to controversial thoughts and language but this book is on overload. I am not saying to ban it but I would not recommend it; especially for one’s reading pleasure. Doom and gloom on my summer with characters who you think their lives couldn’t get worse, is not my favorite genre to bask myself in to read.

Everything Matters

I am trying to be positive about this post, but give my personal opinion on this book as well. So here goes. I personally disliked this book! Once I was finished I reading the book, I read the back cover. Someone makes the comment, " he makes you dread turning each page at the same time you can't help turning each page." That was so me the entire time I read.

The readability was very frustrating for me. I guess the point of view if third person...not sure, but it definitely wasn't first person. I think that is what made it difficult for me. I didn't like how the chapters were broken up by the characters. I was constantly getting confused because of this and had to remind myself what character had the first point of view for each chapter.

Another part that made it hard to read, was I just didn't understand the story line. I get that he's trying to make a statement that everything matters in life...but the story line just kept jumping around. I really didn't get the whole number count down thing either until read someone else's blog. I guess this type of genre is a little over my head! Everything was too far fetched for me. I like stories that could actually happen and sound more real!

The parts that I did like of course were reading about Amy and Junior. I kept wanting them to get together. And that did finally happen at the end when he chose to go back to being sixteen again.

I guess the author is mainly trying to get across to readers that everything does matter and we need to be careful in all of the choices that we make in life. All of choices lead to something else..whether it is good or bad.

Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith

This book was by far the hardest one to get through so far. I was hesitant to start it and once I did, I wasn't interested at all. It was a very hard book to get into. The plot of the story was extremely slow. Even though Emma and Charles met early in the book, the author seemed to drag out the connection they had, thus the purpose of this book. I think this part of the book will turn YAs away from this book. In my opinion, this book did not meet the criteria of a YA book. I am not a fan of biographies and this negative attitude might make me more biased against this book, but in general I do not think teenagers will be drawn to this book. This book seems to me to peak more of an interest in adults.
I was familiar with Charles Darwin before I began the book, but did learn alot more about him through this book. I can't imagine having to go through what he and Emma had to go through in their lives. They both had to be head over heels in love with each other to be able to overcome such differences. The parts of the book when their children died showed their love the most. I couldn't imagine being married to a man who didn't think that my child would go to heaven and still love him! WOW! That Emma was a stong woman.
I think this book could be considered controversial to some people. I like how the author wrote about a different part of the scientist, Charles Darwin's life. It shows a different side to him that most people had no clue about.

Charles and Emma

I really did not want to read this book. I was afraid that all it would talk about was evolution and the importance of Darwin's research. But I wrong. This book turned out to be a pretty good read. Charles was a likable person even though he did not believe God had anything do with creation (to me that was not a smart move on his part) but anyway. It was a good thing he convinenced himself to marry Emma. To me Emma was part of the reason Charles was able to be so successful. She was the one who took care of everyone and made Charles rethink his theory's and to be conscious of how people would receive his scientific ideas. Even thought Charles was a sickly man I believe him and Emma had a very good life together.

This would be a good book for middle schoolers to read when they are learning about Charles Darwin's envolution theory.

Charles and Emma

I did enjoy reading this book, but it took me awhile to get through it.  I didn't know what to expect when I started it, except that it would be more about Darwin's personal life.  I think the author did a good job of showing us how Charles and Emma felt, how they lived and what they thought about each other's views.  The way she mixed the personal details in with what was happening with Darwin's work was very interesting.  It made the story come to life for me, and I hadn't really ever given the whole thing much thought.  It was interesting to see the thought process that Darwin went through, and how hesitant he was to put his theories out there.  He was a real person, with real fears and insecurities, and we don't always think of historical figures that way.  I liked the quotes at the start of each chapters, and made a point to read them, as I tend to skip that sometimes.  The plot moved pretty well, for me, even though there were some parts that I had to read twice to understand what was happening, mainly due to the Victorian way of speaking.  I enjoyed reading about their family life, and the book gave insight into how Victorian England worked, and how people lived.  I liked the book overall, I don't know if the average teen would be as interested, or would stick with the whole book.  I could see them skipping around, which I did, some, to see how things ended up.  This is the kind of history I like, when there is a personal story that goes deeper than just the facts, that tells more about the people and what really went on.

Charles and Emma

I was completely unaware that Charles Darwin even gave Creationism a second thought. I knew nothing about his personal life other than his theory on natural selection. I learned a great deal about this in high school, and as an undergraduate obtaining my licensure to teach science to middle school students. However, they failed to mention that Charles was brought up in a Christian home, and that his wife was very religious, and that he spent the majority of his life going back and forth between what everyone believed to be true about the Bible and his theory. I was also surprised to learn that Charles and his family were so sickly their whole lives. Because of this, and the family's terrible loss (of children and other family members) throughout the years, this story just struck me as very depressing. While Charles made many accomplishments and contributions to the scientific community, it was not without cost to his health. She suffered severe anxiety and worry over his projects. He was often physically ill and weak because of this anxiety. His children were "subjects" to be studied, rather than just his children. He was a man who could become completely lost in his thoughts, and this often took a toll on not only his personal relationships with his family, but also on his overall health. I was disappointed to learn that toward the end of the story, Emma's convictions regarding her faith weren't as strong as they were in the beginning. I loved the fact that even though she was a very religious person, she was able to keep an open mind and listen to Charles' theories and offer her support with editing and revisions on his work.

Personally, I don't believe that the Bible is meant to be interpreted literally. I, like Charles, believe it to be allegorical. However, I do believe that there is a supreme Being simply because of the cosmological argument (design implies a designer) and I feel that Charles didn't give this argument enough thought. I don't understand why he was so dismissive of a supreme power. Sure, maybe only the strongest of a species survive and evolve, but wouldn't a higher power have to be involved in that original design, not only of species of animals and plants, but also in the design of the entire universe?