The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly wasn't a bad book. Though the subject matter didn't naturally fall to my taste, hey, it's a Newberry Honor book, so I'd figure I would give it a shot.
Calpurnia is an 11/12 year old (she has a birthday in the book) in 1899 (and a tad bit of 1900). As the only girl in the middle of six boys, she's well outnumbered, yet she is still expected to behave as a normal girl would of the time. Yet, she is not interested in how to embroider or bake; she bonds with her naturalist Grandfather and yearns to spend her time studying nature.
I enjoyed the characterization, for the most part. Kelly was able to impart a unique character to everyone, whether or not you were meant to sympathize with them or even like them. And as for liking, Kelly let you have your own opinion.
There were two things I did not like about this book:
1) My copy, purchased from a Scholastic warehouse sale, is missing pages 313 and 314. The page wasn't torn out; it's just missing.
2) Calpurnia. (And here be spoilers, maybe) I thought she was a brat. She belongs to one of the most privileged families in her county, and she takes advantage of that, perhaps as all children take advantage of their circumstances to some extent. She needs to learn to sew and cook (her mother's dictum, not mine) and since she dislikes those activities, she avoids them, even after her grandfather tells her that during the Civil War, he and his men had to do those activities to survive. Now, Kelly emphasizes that Callie Vee, as she is called, is made to learn these things because she is a girl, not because they are useful to know; perhaps she might find these activities more useful if her brothers were made to learn them as well. But! One of her reasons for not needing to learn them is because her family employs a cook and a maid. Well. What if her mother died? What if Viola left or died? What if their family lost their fortune and could not afford the help? Callie doesn't want to be made to marry in the future either; she'd like to be a scientist. Unless her family gives her substantial monetary help, for at least the first few years, who else but her would cook and clean? Granted, she'd twelve. But part of me would like to strangle her, and the other part would like to see her spanked. And then made to cook dinner for the entire family for a month all by herself because she doesn't seem to appreciate any work that she doesn't enjoy (and then her brothers could each take a turn so that their mother wouldn't have to do it all, either).
[3) Because I realized that I loathe this character as well, not that he's poorly written, just that I don't like him. Grandfather. Old, rude, and can't be bothered to learn the names of his grandchildren. Gives an 11 year old alcohol (alcohol that he's trying to make out of distilled pecans, an experiment). At the end, praises his only "grandchild", Calpurnia. After taking a drink, he amends that with "granddaughter", but I think he truly meant it. Of his seven grandchildren, Calpurnia is the only one who shares his interests, not because he shared his interest with her, but because she found the interest all on her own and sought information with him. He's rude. He's a jerk. I was really hoping for him to die. Gruesomely.]
Conclusion: Well-written book with excellent characterization. Did I like it? Oh, go read it. But check to see that you have all the pages first.
Blue
Calpurnia is an 11/12 year old (she has a birthday in the book) in 1899 (and a tad bit of 1900). As the only girl in the middle of six boys, she's well outnumbered, yet she is still expected to behave as a normal girl would of the time. Yet, she is not interested in how to embroider or bake; she bonds with her naturalist Grandfather and yearns to spend her time studying nature.
I enjoyed the characterization, for the most part. Kelly was able to impart a unique character to everyone, whether or not you were meant to sympathize with them or even like them. And as for liking, Kelly let you have your own opinion.
There were two things I did not like about this book:
1) My copy, purchased from a Scholastic warehouse sale, is missing pages 313 and 314. The page wasn't torn out; it's just missing.
2) Calpurnia. (And here be spoilers, maybe) I thought she was a brat. She belongs to one of the most privileged families in her county, and she takes advantage of that, perhaps as all children take advantage of their circumstances to some extent. She needs to learn to sew and cook (her mother's dictum, not mine) and since she dislikes those activities, she avoids them, even after her grandfather tells her that during the Civil War, he and his men had to do those activities to survive. Now, Kelly emphasizes that Callie Vee, as she is called, is made to learn these things because she is a girl, not because they are useful to know; perhaps she might find these activities more useful if her brothers were made to learn them as well. But! One of her reasons for not needing to learn them is because her family employs a cook and a maid. Well. What if her mother died? What if Viola left or died? What if their family lost their fortune and could not afford the help? Callie doesn't want to be made to marry in the future either; she'd like to be a scientist. Unless her family gives her substantial monetary help, for at least the first few years, who else but her would cook and clean? Granted, she'd twelve. But part of me would like to strangle her, and the other part would like to see her spanked. And then made to cook dinner for the entire family for a month all by herself because she doesn't seem to appreciate any work that she doesn't enjoy (and then her brothers could each take a turn so that their mother wouldn't have to do it all, either).
[3) Because I realized that I loathe this character as well, not that he's poorly written, just that I don't like him. Grandfather. Old, rude, and can't be bothered to learn the names of his grandchildren. Gives an 11 year old alcohol (alcohol that he's trying to make out of distilled pecans, an experiment). At the end, praises his only "grandchild", Calpurnia. After taking a drink, he amends that with "granddaughter", but I think he truly meant it. Of his seven grandchildren, Calpurnia is the only one who shares his interests, not because he shared his interest with her, but because she found the interest all on her own and sought information with him. He's rude. He's a jerk. I was really hoping for him to die. Gruesomely.]
Conclusion: Well-written book with excellent characterization. Did I like it? Oh, go read it. But check to see that you have all the pages first.
Blue
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