Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

It really is, folks. Yesterday I ran errands and then did things around the house, but I didn’t even really think about posting until it was too late in the day to realistically make it happen.

On the other hand, I did finish reading Audrey Meeker’s Swing last night, so I get to review that today. And that’s good, because while it hopped onto my radar first, my second girlie saw it on Sora (or somewhere) and asked about it as well.

Here’s the thing. Thematically, Swing has a lot to recommend it; its execution, however, is uneven. Both moms seem more like brief plot devices than real characters, and Ted reminds me of Gaston–consistently gratuitously mean. The idea of parental/family pressure and/or expectations should resonate with readers, though, and the mere mention of 8th grade is enough to make many (most? all?) of us wince in sympathy. Questioning traditional gender norms is a worthwhile theme, but there is an odd “too much or not enough” quality to its execution–for both main characters. The ending feels like quite the leap based on the rest of the novel, and in the same vein, I would have preferred Marcus to start making changes earlier on. (It was painful to read about too many of his interactions for too long.)

Most of that sounds pretty negative, and yet reluctant-soccer-star Marcus and edgy-loner Izzy are engaging protagonists. Izzy’s self-advocating with Marcus at the 3/4-ish point is well done, and while Ted’s and Marcus’s older brothers are barely there, their appearances are still appreciated. My guess is that Swing‘s intended audience is going to enjoy it, and if Meeker keeps writing, her execution will grow more deft. I’m not sure how many boys will be drawn to it, but I do anticipate my girlies to be fans.

In the meantime, my older girlies are flying home today, and I’m glad–we have missed them!