Going Bovine
by Libba Bray
Read for "Hero" Theme
For this week, I read Going Bovine by Libba Bray. Initially, I connected with the main character and narrator Cameron. Like Cameron, I was a little angsty with the world and the perceived hypocrisy surrounding me. I'll admit though that Cameron takes it a little farther than I did. I did have a lot of friends who shared his sentiments to a tee, though, so that brought me in right away just based on the fact that I understood Cameron so well. Once I understood who I was dealing with, I simply couldn't put the book down.
While it took a little while to get to the meat of the story and the main conflict with Cameron's Mad Cow disease, I appreciated Bray's patience in developing Cameron's character and the dynamics within his family. This seemed like a key aspect for me as a future teacher, as I know it provides students with the opportunity to connect with Cameron; even if students don't connect with Cameron's personality, they may relate to his personal/family life. My outlook on teaching literature is to always find a way for the student to connect to the material, whether it's personal connection to a character or understanding or previous knowledge of a subject. I really liked how there were so many opportunities for students to connect or find something engaging in this novel.
Another great aspect for drawing in readers are all the crazy different elements this story provides. At its core, it's an adventure story. But it is not limited to just that. It's also fantastical, comical, enlightening to others' struggles, and, at times, heart-breaking. This novel is an emotional and categorical roller coaster, and this novel is one of those that pulls off the roller coaster well; there were so many things happening so quickly, but I didn't get whiplash or need to take a break. It compelled me to finish.
Overall, two thumbs up and a commemorative toast to Balder from me!
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