24. Harrison, Kim. White Witch, Black Curse. 504 pages. 3.2.09.

Not as entertaining as her previous novels.

25. Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. 284 pages. 3.10.09.

As part of my reading list this year I have decided to return to some of the classics I read in grade school, and To Kill a Mockingbird was at the top of my list. At this point I'm not quite sure how I feel about the novel - I neither liked it, nor disliked it. The choice of narrator was brilliant on Lee's part, and I greatly appreciated seeing such poignant events through the eyes of children. Lee's writing style itself gives much to be admired, and is a wonderful example of a marriage between creativity and craftsmanship. However, the novel has left me with a feeling of melancholy that is keeping me from joyous praise.

My husband (who has never read the novel) insists that if we ever have a daughter he wants to name her Harper Lee. While the novel itself gave me no reason to reject the idea (as I originally thought it would), I still don't think I can agree. I recognize Lee's rightful place as a literary great, but didn't appreciate the novel enough to spend my life with her namesake.