Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain: I am an introvert and was intrigued by title and concept of the book. I’ve never really thought about how my being an introvert affected my experience in school, college, relationships, work, etc. I’ve thought about how individual components of my personality affect things, and often that contemplation begins when something doesn’t go quite right and I start thinking “Why do I always do XYZ?” However, looking at my behavior, actions and responses as those of an introvert everything makes sense. Even though I have always known myself to be an introvert, I never thought about it as an explanation or to rationalize my actions, and so behaviors that I know I like (i.e. staying in on a Friday or Saturday night), aren’t signs of me being antisocial or having something wrong with me – that’s just right for me.
Cain, an introvert herself, discusses how introverts have helped shape society, how they function in the high-power, fast-talking business worlds and how they function and learn in school environments. All of which is both surprising and unsurprising. She writes about how some of the most innovative artists and business people alike are introverts, and it’s the desire to work alone, uninterrupted, unhindered, and free from prying or judgmental eyes that can lead to wonderful creations and creativity. We’ve all been in that college or professional seminar where discussion is dominated by the loudest or most aggressive, and often the most knowledgeable are ignored for being too quiet. She writes about introverts who adopt and extrovert exterior in order to better fit in, especially those in environments, like business or finance, that seem to demand that persona. Also important are the learning styles of different personality types. Most striking to me was a study showing that extroverts seem to work just as well if not better when there is some noise or activity going on while introverts prefer a quiet atmosphere. Immediately I recalled the kids who always swore to their parents that they worked better with the radio on – maybe they really do! She examines the traits that each type prefers and how these can change when interacting with many personality types – small talk vs. intimate talk, going to a party vs. dinner with a friend.
There are so many fascinating studies and anecdotes that Cain brings into Quiet. She never pushes to say one personality type is better than the other, but rather they compliment one another. Both types are equally important and, when working together, can become quite effective. This is a really well written and well researched work, that would be useful for educators and leaders to examine as well as anyone looking for insight into their introverted friend or themselves.
The Clash of the Demons, by Joseph Delaney: Tom’s Mam has come home, only to take him to Greece. Going with her to Greece are many of the Pendle witches, Alice and another Spook, Bill Arkwright. She intends to take down the Ordeen and needs the help of anyone who can assist, whether they serve the light or the dark. Mr. Gregory, firmly against ever using the dark, even for good, must reevaluate his principles for the sake of defeating the Ordeen and weakening The Fiend, who is still at large and after Tom.
Overall Assessment: Another solid installment of the series. The incorporation of Greek mythology was a lovely added element, as was the return of Tom’s Mam. The series continues to become a bit darker with each installment, but there is always the strong emphasis on hope and staying strong in defense of the light.
Will I Continue? Somethings gotta go crazy for me to stop reading them this far in!
The Last Princess, by Galexy Craze: This was actually my new book group’s first pick – at my suggestion – and it was not a good one. Eliza is Princess of England in the not so distant future, and there were seventeen days when the Earth went nuts. After that England has been cut off, people died, crops are hard to grow, former prisoners roam around eating people, food is scarce and of course rebellion grows. Six years after the 17 days, the King is killed and her family is taken hostage. Eliza makes some dumb decisions (i.e. enrolling in the rebel army with the intent of killing their leader on the first day, only to chicken out and train with the army for weeks or months, time was hard to grasp…or maybe it felt long). Then she decides to waltz into the Tower and rescue her siblings, and apparently it’s easy to sneak into the tower. Then ride to Scotland bareback while on death’s bed. Then almost die of TETANUS. Then have a Braveheart moment speech. All while falling in love, only to (*spoiler alert*) be betrayed….or not? It was just too much of everything – cliche, plot, storyline, plausibility, etc. The timing felt like it was going so fast, but in reality I would think things take longer.
Overall Assessment: 
Will I Read the Sequel? No.
The Longings of Wayward Girls, by Karen Brown: This is a quiet novel that examines the lingering effects of of one particular summer. Sadie is set to pass another summer in her idyllic small town in Connecticut, only it is still shadowed by the disappearance of Laura Loomis a few years prior. However, a summer prank gone wrong and the lingering sadness and confusion of her mother turn the summer of 1979 into one that Sadie is still reeling from over 20 years later.
Brown’s writing is beautiful and the main characters well drawn, all adding to the mystery of that summer. Some of the secondary, side characters feel slightly flat, but that’s also how they are in Sadie’s life. The pacing did drag a bit in parts, but the overall mystery and changing atmosphere are enough to pull you through to the end.
Overall Assessment: Quietly engaging, this would be a nice one to curl up with and knock out on a plane ride (plus it’s in paperback – less weight!).
Lexicon, by Max Berry: Preface – when I attempted to describe this book to Husband, he told me to stop, because my description wasn’t selling it. Let’s see if I can to better here…. Imagine a school where students went to learn psychology, sociology, neuroscience and linguistics all to learn the art of persuasion. Students learn to diagnose a personality end employ the proper persuasion techniques to get what they need. And imagine there are certain words create a series a misfires in the brain, leaving it totally open to persuasion and being under the control of another. This is the premise of Lexicon. Told in dual narratives, we meet Emily, a street rat recruited by the Poets (those who run the persuasion school) and Will, who has been kidnapped by Elliot, a poet, who claims that Will is the key to a destroyed town Will has no memory of.
Obviously, there is a lot going on here, but Berry juggled the complex story lines and intricacies of the Poets marvelously. The writing and pacing are taught and engaging to the end. Berry keeps the twists and complexity moving to the end, and just when you think you know who the bad guy is and how things will turn out, you get another surprise. The only negative, was some of the audio. The story has two narrators, male and female, which was nice, but the female reader’s Australian accents sounded a bit off, almost Irish at times. When she wasn’t doing the accents though, she was great and the male reader was spot on the whole time.
Overall Assessment: Fun read for anyone who likes mysterious societies, action books or complex mind games.
Book Challenge Update: I’m falling behind – eep! I’ve read 109 books so far, but Goodreads is telling me that I am 1%, 2 books, behind schedule. I’m not worried….
Backbends and Bookends 