Tomorrow, September 8, 2015, is the United Nations’ International Literacy Day; its purpose is “to raise people's awareness of and concern for literacy issues in the world.”
“Whether
it’s reading or writing, literacy is an outlet to an untouchable world – your
imagination. Not only is literacy a basic human right, it is a fundamental
building block for learning as well as a personal empowerment tool. It is the
catalyst for social and global progress” (http://internationalliteracyday.org/).
In
preparation for the day, I read a novella which was published as part of the
British “Quick Reads,” a series of short books by bestselling authors and
celebrities “designed to encourage adults who do not read often, or find
reading tough, to discover the joy of books” (http://www.quickreads.org.uk/).
Review of Chickenfeed
by Minette Walters
3
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Minette
Walters has written over a dozen crime novels.
Her “Quick Reads” novella is based on the real life case of Elsie
Cameron, a young pregnant woman who was supposedly killed by her boyfriend,
chicken farmer Norman Thorne who was hanged for the murder in 1924. Walters recreates the events leading up to
the crime.
This
novella, like the other “Quick Reads” books, focuses on a fast moving plot. Interestingly
however, Walters manages to develop strong characters. Because the reader is given the perspective
of both Elsie and Norman, he/she comes to know both people in the relationship. We can sympathize with both Elsie’s fear of “being
left on the shelf – unwanted and unloved” and the feelings of Norman, “a
church-going boy of nineteen who was both flattered and trapped by Elsie’s
devotion.”
Though the
vocabulary is relatively simple, the book does not insult the reader’s
intelligence. It raises some interesting
and important issues: Would Elsie have
been diagnosed with a mental illness if she had lived today? Would the case have had a different outcome
if it were tried today? Was the death
penalty appropriate?
This book
may have been intended to appeal to reluctant readers, but I think it would be
appropriate for anyone who has only a little time to devote to reading.
***************
In Canada,
Orca Book Publishers has its own series of similar books called “Rapid Reads.” On the publisher’s website, the purpose of
these novellas is explained: “Author Ian
McEwan once wrote that ‘the novella is the perfect form of prose fiction.’ In our increasingly fast-paced world we
believe there is a need for well-written, well-told books that can be read in
one sitting. Rapid Reads are short books for adult readers. They are intended
for a diverse audience, including ESL students, reluctant readers, adults who
struggle with literacy and anyone who wants a high-interest quick read” (http://orcabook.com/rapid-reads.com/).
I have read
one of these “Rapid Reads”:
Review of A Woman Scorned by James Heneghan.
3
Stars
George
Hamilton Nash, a Vancouver councilor, is found dead and police initially rule
the death a suicide; Sebastian Casey, a city hall and police beat reporter, is
unconvinced and sets out to investigate. Soon the suicide is deemed a homicide.
This
novella is intended for ESL or reluctant/struggling adult readers. As a former
English teacher/teacher-librarian, I am familiar with the need for high
interest fiction for these readers. The language level is appropriate and the
book includes a contemporary Canadian setting and adult themes, all necessary
elements for this niche market.
My problem
with the book is that Casey seems more like a police investigator than a
reporter. People often express reluctance to speak to a reporter, but Casey has
no difficulty getting people to talk to him; no one ever turns him away and a
business partner of the deceased even says, “’I’m glad you’re here.’” His
questioning certainly sounds like that of a police officer; he even ends his
interviews by saying, “’If you think of anything, please give me a call.’”
The
ineptitude of the police is also problematic. The police immediately conclude
the death is a suicide, an “open-and-shut case . . . [n]o signs of monkey
business,” and don’t even check whether the victim was left- or right-handed
though that detail is something that bears directly on the case. Casey emerges
as the true investigator and provides the police with crucial information. It
is doubtful that an investigation into a death, especially that of a prominent
community leader, would be conducted so shoddily.
There is an
attempt to provide the reader with more than one possible guilty party. In
fact, so many characters are introduced that readers may have difficulty
remembering them all. Several people have motives, but the identity of the
murderer can be quite easily surmised because of rather obvious clues.
I found
myself becoming frustrated because of what is missing in the book. Casey’s
relationship with Emma lacks development; the entire relationship is reduced to
his waiting for her once weekly calls from Ireland. He also seems
insufficiently affected by something Emma tells him she has done. Since this
book is intended more as a mystery, perhaps it might have been best to omit
this romance interest since it really does not add much to the book as a whole.
What I did
enjoy is the references to the politics of Vancouver city council. There are
references to urban farming, the Olympic Village financial crisis, and the
Falun Gong protests outside the Chinese consulate – all actual topics discussed
at Vancouver city council meetings. The discussion of backyard chickens is
hilarious and the turns of phrase and puns like “ruffled feathers” and cries of
“Fowl” and “eggstrordinary” provide developing readers with an interesting
aspect of the English language.
This book
needs to be approached as a fast read. It
lacks the character development I look for in a book, but it fulfills a need –
providing interesting reading for adults wanting to improve their literacy
skills. If it encourages someone to read for enjoyment, then it belongs in all
public/school libraries.
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