Traveling Light: A Novel
Posted by admin | Posted in Travel | Posted on 18-02-2010
Tags: Light, Novel, Traveling
5
- ISBN13: 9780061451379
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
“Travel light and you can sing in the robber’s face” was the best advice Summer Zwolenick ever received from her father, though she didn’t recognize it at the time. Three years after the accident that ended her career as a ballerina, she is back in the familiar suburbs of Dayton, Ohio, teaching at a local high school. But it wasn’t nostalgia that called Summer home. It was her need to spend quality time with her brother, Todd, and his devoted partner, Jacob. Todd, … More >>
i found parts of this book to be touching, the sister-brother relationship, and the lovers, yet, other parts seemed contrived, almost as if the writer was searching too hard for the absolutely correct descriptive phrase. all in all, a tender look at families, love, and forgiveness.
Rating: 3 / 5
This book was disappointing and annoying. Admittedly, I don’t love the genre and only read it for a class, but still I had high expectations for that class and wanted to like this book just because it had been assigned for it.
The protaganist/narrator was self-righteous and hard to relate to, even though she had lost her promising dance career because of an accident and was watching her favorite relative and brother die of aids.
The antagonists in this book are a bunch of one-dimensional homophobes who have no depth and read like cliches. The lack of respect for other viewpoints is not limited to homophobes, it also extends to all gay men who are not ‘out’ and are therefore miserable living a lie, and to principals who expect teachers to dress in a professional manner, act like adults and NOT quote the bible in class (the antagonist does this to show all the backwards homophobic children — who are apparently all devout but ignorant Christians— that the Bible is pro-homosexuality and no one seems to have a problem with her quoting the Bible in a public school).
Other than that, this book was a little over the top. The brother and his husband are movie stars; the protaganist walks in on them having sex to prove that gay sex can be tender too; all the gay men in it are gorgeous, and they chose their student nurse because of the panties she wore to a party (yes, really).
Rating: 1 / 5
This book is not only about a slow lingering death, it felt like a slow lingering death. I almost stopped reading it halfway through because it was so talky and very little happened. Worse, the main character was annoying and not very likable or believable, just whiney. I bought this book because I enjoyed Katrina Kittle’s “The Kindness of Strangers”, but this book didn’t come close. This entire book could have been written as a short story. Maybe it’s just me, but the subject matter seemed dated and less relevant to people’s current attitudes. Can’t say I’d recommend this one. Skip it.
Rating: 2 / 5
This book is really beautiful. I love the way Kittle writes, and I think she does a great job with character development. This book had me weeping on the subway this morning, but it ends in a satisfying and beautiful way. I highly suggest you read.
Rating: 5 / 5
“Traveling Light” is a book deserving of a class all its own. The story tells of a young man who is dying of AIDS, his loving family and the devotion of his life-time partner. Personally, I live with cancer each day; therefore, it is easy for me to relate to how important time and each day is. The simple things in life, a morning sunrise, the touch of a cat’s whiskers, the caring touch of someone you love are the solid things in life that make each day worth living. All the small things many take for granted become cherished moments and can be found in the pages of “Traveling Light”. This story brings all those simplistic details to light and evokes an overwhelming amount of emotion – love most of all, sorrow, laughter, kindness, caring, compassion, courage, understanding and the fact that no one’s life comes with guarantees.
This book will forever remain in my heart because of the lessons it teaches about real life, what is important, and what is trivial and insignificant. Kittle’s writing style is fresh, eloquent and deeply thought provoking. A million kudos for Kittle and this gut-wrenching but beautiful story. The book stays with you long after the pages have been read – a million stars would not be enough.
Rating: 5 / 5