Glaciers a novel by Alexis M. Smith
I picked this book out for my Little Free Library. I picked it because I was thinking about representation. One of the things I’ve struggled with since being 20 or so, was feeling like I still identified with characters in books. Characters felt too young or too old… too put together or too shallow. There was little about their lives that I felt I could identify with. Along that vein, I thought it would at least be cool to find some books to read about people living here in the Portland area. My little library caters mostly to younger readers, as I’m located next door to a middle school. I grew up in a place almost nobody writes about and those who do weren’t writing things I wanted to read as a young person. So I went hunting for books that were about someone living here, hoping to give a little extra recognition for both local authors and the readers here.
Reading this book I felt like I identified with the main character in a way that I haven’t since reading Sarah Dessen books in early high school. A young women from a cold northern climate, living in Portland, both loving the city and missing home. The way Alexis Smith wrote Bells stream of consciousness, whimsically and honestly, reminded me of my own thoughts; particularly around the trinkets and treasures she encountered, and the stories she gave them. A day in the life. Beautifully written and a fairly quick read… ideal for sipping iced tea on a hot Saturday, reading, trying to stay cool.
****
Four stars
Coffee & Conundrums 