In California, trees grow in shopping carts. For real, I found this near a park in San Jose: a little plant growing out of an abandoned shopping cart. I'm finally back from California, where I majorly de-stressed myself by hanging out with my fair-haired boyfriend Ender and finishing up "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" which I.... didn't hate. I didn't love it like Claire did, either.
I think Betty Smith is a decent writer with better ideas than her writing allows. The style is easy to read but not exciting. There's a lot of family history revealed, lots of telling rather than showing, which would be all right except for the pacing. Time lapses, darts and finds itself in strange places in this book. I almost think the way the book is compiled is a bit sloppy. There are a few things that seem out of place and even awkward, coming off as more plot device to set the scene and era properly in the reader's mind rather than to propel the story forward.
Still, there is something about "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" that is very comforting. I like the intimacy that Smith has with Brooklyn: the street descriptions and attitude of the people, the pride someone can take in one's neighborhood. It's an easy read, and especially nice when you're in California feeling like you'd like a lite-version of Brooklyn.
My boyfriend practicing yoga. He's got that downward dog pose down pat!
xoxo, t
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