Father Anthony Fowler is on a mission: to find a candle stolen from a Jewish family that contains an ancient map of where the Ten Commandments are loc...moreFather Anthony Fowler is on a mission: to find a candle stolen from a Jewish family that contains an ancient map of where the Ten Commandments are located. No sooner does he find it than he is swept up in an archeological expedition to find the lost Ark of the Covenant, and finds himself surrounded by archeologists, an out-of-work journalist whose life he once saved, a reclusive billionaire and bloodthirsty soldiers guarding the group while they work in a remote Jordanian valley. Among them is a traitor with ties to a terrorist group in the United States, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to destroy them all.
The book is intriguing, peopled with diverse people at war with one another, and the plot is fairly face paced. At points, it was difficult to remember who was who on the doomed expedition because of the large cast of characters. Fortunately, the author provided a cast listing in the back of the book, which helped immensely.
I also found some of the storytelling clunky. For example, after certain characters are introduced, there are large chunks of backstory given that seem unnecessary (though interesting) and slow the pace of the main plot. (I don't know if this is more standard in European thrillers than American ones; if so, that explains the issue.) I also found some of the prose to be awkward. However, this is a translation, which may explain some of the awkward wording.
Even with these weaknesses, I was engrossed in the story. Gomez-Jurado uses the thriller genre to portray the brutal face of prejudice, racism, and bigotry, deftly showing how humans create enemies. We strip others of their humanity, place our own inner evils upon them, and create a non-person that we can kill without reservation or remorse. He quotes Sam Keen's poem "How to Create an Enemy":
When your icon of the enemy is complete you will be able to kill without guilt, slaughter without shame.
The thing you destroy will have become merely an enemy of God, an impediment to the sacred dialectic of history.
Something to ponder when we hear news of wars, terrorist attacks, and the slaughter of innocent people. Something to ponder, too, when we find ourselves hating others and considering them to be the enemy. (less)
1870. Charles Dickens is dead. He leaves behind a struggling publisher, a bereaved public, and an unfinished novel. The Mystery of Edwin Drood promise...more1870. Charles Dickens is dead. He leaves behind a struggling publisher, a bereaved public, and an unfinished novel. The Mystery of Edwin Drood promised to be Dickens' masterpiece, equally adored and misunderstood, and revolved around the question of whether the young hero was murdered or in hiding. Now the mystery will never be solved; the novel is only half written.
Or is it?
It falls to James Osgood, Dickens' American publisher, to find out the truth. Along the way, he must fight opiate dealers, cutthroat publishers, and Dickens' close friends' diverging opinions about the possible endings to Drood. What he discovers is intriguing: could Drood's missing ending hold the key to a real-life murder mystery?
The novel is intriguing, a literary thriller written by a master of suspense. Pearl does an excellent job of incorporating period details without ever slowing the pace. There were facts that I didn't know. Did you know that Dickens offered to tell Queen Victoria the ending of Drood? Or that Dickens was stalked by a female admirer? Or that an American tax collector blackmailed the Dickens staff?
The book is divided into six installments (the same number of installments as Drood had at the time of Dickens' death) and they flip from the present (after his death) and past (while Dickens is on a book tour in America). At times, the structure can be confusing; after one or two of the flashbacks, I had difficulty remembering exactly what had happened in the previous section regarding the present day action. Overall, though, that structure heightened the suspense and revealed Dickens the man and how much the public craved his writings.
I enjoyed the characters, especially Dickens' publisher James Osgood (a historical figure) and Tom Branagan (a fictional character) who acts as Dickens porter on his last American tour. Most of all, I enjoyed learning more about the time period and exploring the possibility of what might have been the ending of the author's last novel. Edwin Drood may be an unsolved mystery, but The Last Dickens' ending is satisfying. (less)
In this historical novel, Miss July tells her story of being raised as a slave on a Jamaican sugar plantation. The story switches between 1898, when J...moreIn this historical novel, Miss July tells her story of being raised as a slave on a Jamaican sugar plantation. The story switches between 1898, when July's son urges her to write her story, and the past, starting with her mother's undesired encounter with her slave overseer, progressing to her upbringing as a field slave, then her role as house slave to the dizzy and pretentious Mrs. Caroline Mortimer.
She is mischievous and manipulative, and often takes advantage of her "Missus". Slavery is brutal; the end of slavery after the Baptist War is tumultuous and sometimes worse, as the freed slaves have no education, few rights, and no resources apart from their former masters. A young overseer, Robert, is in favor of treating the slaves "right" yet he still deems them inferior to the whites. Ultimately, he is the one who pits July against her mistress and his actions lead to the final tragedy.
At times, the novel is funny. Miss July's interactions with her son and his family are humorous; her voice is unmistakable and beguiling. I was drawn immediately to her. I was likewise intrigued by July as a young girl, even when she is unsympathetic in her immaturity.
The story is disturbing in its portrayal of slavery. One senses the authenticity of the racist attitudes (even among the slaves, who rank each other according to the lightness of their skin color), the brutal nature of slavery and the historical details of the bloody war that both freed the slaves and left them enslaved in a different type of bondage. Emotionally difficult, yet compelling and believable.
I recommend the book for anyone who enjoys historical or literary fiction. (less)
"George Washington Crosby began to hallucinate eight days before he died." So opens Paul Harding's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Tinkers. As George die...more"George Washington Crosby began to hallucinate eight days before he died." So opens Paul Harding's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Tinkers. As George dies, he remembers his conflicted relationship with his father, an epileptic who abandoned the family when George was young.
The book gives us both George's and Howard (his father)'s points of view, and the pair are surrounded by a colorful (and sometimes funny, sometimes heart-breaking) cast. There are also meditations upon nature and life and clocks, courtesy of the fictional Rev. Kenner Davenport in The Reasonable Horologist, 1783.
It feels strange to criticize a book that won the Pulitzer, and I'm hesitant to do so. I enjoyed the characters; the family dynamics between Howard and his first, cold and calculating wife, his son, and his second, chatty and fluffy-headed second wife are well portrayed. The side characters are also enjoyable in the scenes where they appear.
However, the frequent digressions into philosophically-inclined descriptions and meditations became boring to me. I wanted more plot and more time with the characters and less time ploughing through descriptions of nature and horology. (Oddly enough, I don't always feel this way about similar books; for example, Moby-Dick, which is more of a philosophical adventure than anything else, is one of my favorite novels. This left me scratching my head in bewilderment as to why this novel didn't wow me the way Melville's did.)
A critic noted that "the real star is Harding's language". The language is dazzling, though I frequently got stuck half-way through some of the longer sentences; I imagine that many other readers would, too. Personally, I have nothing against beautiful prose. But for the language to take precedence above plot and character leaves me dissatisfied. (Sometimes I wonder if literary writers are writing for other literary writers or for the rest of us. )
As I wrote earlier, I did enjoy much of the book. But it was a slow read. I kept wondering why I was bored: Did I not identify with the characters? Have I become a plot-junkie reader, unable to appreciate and savor subtly nuanced prose? Did I read this at the wrong time in my life, before I could fully appreciate a dying man's thoughts? I kept reading in hopes of seeing the secondary characters again and in anticipation of what George's final thoughts will be as he dies. Those didn't disappoint me at all. (less)
1) Something or someone who astounds, amazes, inspires wonder within another.
2)The Lover’s Dictionary, by David Levithan
Levithan tells the story of an unnamed couple in love, their moments of joy, the moments of breathtaking wonder and devastation following a betrayal, and the things that keep them together and drive them apart.. An ordinary story, one that many, including myself, have lived, yet his approach is radically different. The story is told through dictionary entries, each word followed by a vignette or meditation on what it means to be in love in our postmodern world. Commitment and trust are broken by the beloved, though how often is not readily apparent.
The story isn’t told in a linear fashion; instead, the storyline circles around the climax, the entries prompting freewheeling associations of past, present and future. If this seems convoluted, it’s because it is. If it appears that the ending is inconclusive, it’s because it is, too. Yet that’s exactly what makes this compelling: this is how love is. Sometimes it’s confusing; sometimes relationships end without seeming to end or before they actually end or seem to officially end long before the couple is ready to let go of their feelings.
One entry acknowledges this.
Circuitous, adj.
We do not divulge our histories chronologically. It’s not like we can sit each other down and say, “Tell me what happened,” and then rise from that conversation knowing everything. Most of the time, we don’t even realize that we’re dividing ourselves into clues.
The book itself is divided into clues, and as we piece together what must be happening, the heartache in this relationship becomes all the more real.
What made this compelling to me may be exactly the thing that’s a turn off to other readers. It can be frustrating (particularly on the first reading) to know what’s going on: did that happen first or later? What gender is the beloved? (It’s never revealed, and I can imagine this as either a homosexual or a heterosexual couple.) Whether you like this book probably will depend on your preference for literary works or more conventional stories. (Neither are bad, by the way.)
It was a quick read. (I read it in less than an hour-and-a-half.) It absorbed my attention and I found this satisfying. Recommended to those who enjoy literary works.
When the endorsements for a book include the adjectives brutal, fearless and dark, don't expect a cheery read. And when the topic is Huckleberry Finn'...moreWhen the endorsements for a book include the adjectives brutal, fearless and dark, don't expect a cheery read. And when the topic is Huckleberry Finn's father, don't expect a sympathetic protagonist. I didn't expect either of these things, but I also didn't expect to not finish a novel by an author I've previously enjoyed. I just couldn't.
Clinch delves into the life of Finn, deep into a twisted and sick soul. The story takes place after the main action of Twain's novel, with some characters reappearing here (Huck, Widow Douglas and Judge Thatcher) and new ones introduced (Finn's mistress, a stolen slave; his father and brother; a moonshiner). Finn himself is central, though (thank goodness) the story isn't told from his point of view; Clinch chose omniscient POV, which allows the reader a respite from Finn's grotesque views.
It opens with a murdered body floating down the river, stripped of its flesh and its identity, and the story only becomes more violent as the plot progresses. I can handle some violence in my book choices, but some of the acts in Finn—cannibalism, child rape, graphic depictions of blood being drained from a dead body—are simply too much for me.
I also found myself without sympathy toward any of the characters. This struck me as odd, given how sympathetic I found virtually every character in Kings of the World, Clinch's second novel. Here, there's no kindly neighbor or kooky brothers that made me laugh at their naive view of the world. I don't know if my reactions to Finn's characters was what Clinch intended—is it colored by Finn's prejudiced and hateful views of others?—or not. But I really do need at least one character to love in a book; I didn't find one.
It's really a shame that I had to stop reading. Clinch's prose is beautiful and I love his authorial voice. It's powerful and amazing, just as it was in Kings of the World. He's gifted, willing to handle controversial subject matter, and can create a realistic world and people it with characters that are vivid; he proved in his second novel that he can make me laugh and stir my soul. I hope to read more from him in the future. But the graphic content of this novel left me squeamish, and I couldn't keep reading.
It's four stars because the prose was beautiful and from what I read of it, Clinch did a great job; but it can't be five stars because I really couldn't stomach it, and to give it three or below would seem to me to insult how good the writing is. (less)
In 1386, young Rose is apprenticed to the town healer. Despite her uneasiness at the sight of blood and her deep-rooted conviction that she'll never m...moreIn 1386, young Rose is apprenticed to the town healer. Despite her uneasiness at the sight of blood and her deep-rooted conviction that she'll never make an excellent healer, she feels that this is far better than marrying the disgusting merchant her mother has picked for her. Then when Lord Hamlin, the future duke, is injured, Rose cares for his wounds and grows to care for the man as well. He might return her feelings. Yet Lord Hamlin is betrothed to a woman he's never met before, and he must capture the evil Moncore who has vowed to hurt Hamlin's fiancee-in-hiding.
In this charming debut novel, Dickerson uses the story of Sleeping Beauty as a backdrop for her story of true love. It's listed as teen fiction but I'm (insert number here) years out of my teens and I still enjoyed it; even if it wasn't as heavy on the historical facts/details as many adult historical novels are, I still got a good taste of the setting and how different and yet similar Rose's time is from mine.
Rose and Lord Hamlin are easy to sympathize with. I understood Rose's confusion over her emotions, especially when Lord Hamlin's brother, the roguish Lord Rupert, pursues her, and Lord Hamlin acts like a hard-hearted, prejudiced jerk. Any teenager can identify with her confused emotions. People are still the same deep down, no matter if they lived in 1300's Germany or 2011 America.
A fun read. I recommend it for anyone who likes historical romance or Christian fiction. I'll add this: it's far cleaner than anything else I've reviewed, so those who are concerned about sex or language won't have anything to fear. There are discussion questions in the back, as well as an interview with the author. If you enjoy this, you'll be happy to hear that Dickerson's next historical novel will soon be published. (less)
One stormy night, Meg, her young and brilliant brother Charles Wallace, and their equally brilliant physicist mother are having a midnight snack when...moreOne stormy night, Meg, her young and brilliant brother Charles Wallace, and their equally brilliant physicist mother are having a midnight snack when they are interrupted by an unearthly being. It's none other than Mrs. Whatsit, who casually announces, "By the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract."
A tesseract is a wrinkle in time, and it is through tessering that Mrs. Whatsit (along with her friends Mrs. Which and Mrs. Who) have arrived on earth and that Mr. Murry has disappeared. Now he is behind a great black shadow, fighting an enemy known only as IT. Along with their new friend Calvin, the children are tessered to a world that has succumbed to IT and its ruthless desire to force alikeness upon its slaves.
This book won the Newbery Award for excellence in children's literature, and I can see why. The characters are interesting. Meg is a grumpy adolescent, frustrated with school because she can't do math her way (and not the method the teachers force upon her), forced to defend her young brother, awkward and slightly jealous of her beautiful mother. Charles Wallace is intriguing. He's not just a precocious five-year-old; he's something other than that, a person who might just be able to fight IT and win. The siblings are bound by a fierce love for each other and their family.
I enjoyed how the plot unfolded. It was intriguing to watch the stakes increase with each plot twist.
There's a lot of depth here regarding themes of love and loyalty and what it means to be human. It made me think, which is something that many novels (even those for adults) don't. (less)
**spoiler alert** A senior devil, Screwtape, writes a series of letters to his nephew Wormwood, a junior devil, with the intent of instructing the you...more**spoiler alert** A senior devil, Screwtape, writes a series of letters to his nephew Wormwood, a junior devil, with the intent of instructing the younger devil in the art of temptation. Wormwood's subject, a young man, is a recent convert to Christianity, but Screwtape is certain that there are definite ways to work around this unfortunate fact. Friends, his relationship with his mother, the bombings on London during WWII, the young woman he loves, fellow church members, even prayer—there are ways to divert the unnamed man's attention from the "Enemy" (God) and onto himself.
Increasingly, though, Screwtape reveals impatience with his protege. Wormwood is failing. The man is giving himself more and more to the Enemy until the most disastrous thing happens: he dies. "You have let a soul slip through your fingers," Screwtape writes, calling him a "defeated, outmanoeuvred fool!" to let this happen.
If you're looking for a page-turner in the thriller/suspense vein or even something similar to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe plot-wise, you'll need to look elsewhere. This is a deep book, more philosophical than most. (Yes, the Narnia series is deep, but there's more of a story to it.) I often had to stop and think about Screwtape's words and ponder whether this devil was lying or imparting truth through his lying nature (talk about an unreliable narrator!) and how this might apply to me.
As usual, Lewis is creative and thought-provoking. It's interesting to read how a devil might think about people and events and spiritual disciplines. Consider these thoughts:
There is no good at all in inflaming his hatred of Germans if, at the same time, a pernicious habit of charity is growing up between him and his mother, his employer, and the man he meets in the train.
Screwtape's advice? Exploit the man's inevitable disappointment in his fellow churchgoers, his belief that he is "better" than them, and any of the annoying habits people have that drive their family members and roomates crazy. This made me think of how easily I am disappointed with people around me and allow that disappointment to drive a wedge between us. I've seen this happen in churches, leading to rifts between church members that may lead to bitterness or church splits, and I've seen this when two Christians disagree on trivial, disputable matters.
Lewis makes good use of irony. Screwtape has no sense of humor, as Lewis notes in the preface, so actual laugh aloud moments don't happen. But there's plenty of irony in Screwtape's nastiness, his inability to see what the Enemy sees, and his despair at the devils' inability to produce anything but negative traits. Everything is upside down in Screwtape's thinking, and Lewis is able to write so the reader sees how Screwtape's very thoughts are lies and sees the truth behind the hateful words.
Thought-provoking. Intelligent. A book to read in bits and pieces, allowing plenty of time to think about what has been said. (less)
It's hard to write a review for this novel. I feel that I ought to be singing this. Music rings from every page, infuses each word with power that riv...moreIt's hard to write a review for this novel. I feel that I ought to be singing this. Music rings from every page, infuses each word with power that rivals the narrator's soprano voice.
A celebrated opera singer of the 1700s, Moses Froben finds his beautiful voice both a blessing and a curse. After being cast out of his native village, he is rescued by two traveling monks and taken to the Abbey of St. Gall. There he finds his purpose: music. He becomes the protegé of the brilliant and disgusting choirmaster, Ulrich.
Ulrich fears the time when Moses' soprano voice changes and castrates him. Castration is illegal in the Swiss Confederation; he is now an unnatural creature, neither male nor female, unfit to "pollute" the Abbey. He tries to hide his condition from his friends and, later, the woman he loves. It cannot be done and when the abbot finds out, he is repulsed. He recognizes, though, that this act is not Moses' fault and allows him to stay at the abbey on one condition: he can never sing again. Yet music possesses his very soul. He cannot be silenced.
This is a lyrical, beautifully written novel. The characters are well-developed; the plot is compelling; the rhythm of the prose is musical and beautiful. Most literary novels tend to feel more focused on beautiful prose than a good plot, more interested in making the characters "deep" than sympathetic. Not here. Moses and his friends have depth and they had my sympathy; I understood their motivations. I also understood Ulrich and the abbot's motivations, though both disgusted me. The plot is character driven and never felt forced.
Harvell's debut novel is incredible. Well worth reading. (less)
The Hollows is the small town where everyone knows everyone. The knowledge spans generations, with high school rivalries and conflict passed down to c...moreThe Hollows is the small town where everyone knows everyone. The knowledge spans generations, with high school rivalries and conflict passed down to children, with people longing to leave and yet unable to, drawn back by family or memories that they cannot escape.
So when a young woman disappears, the town remembers the disappearance and murder of another teenage girl many years before. Those who know what happened the night Sarah died are also those closest to the young woman now missing: Jones, the lead detective and father of the teen's boyfriend; Melody, the former sexy girl turned burnout and mother of the teen; and Travis, a crude and violent son of the former police chief, ex-cop, and father of a troubled teenage son. Their lives intersected for a moment years ago and each has lived with the consequences of their decisions and become who they are as a result.
Maggie, Jones' wife, doesn't know what happened. Yet she sees the eery parallels between Charlene's disappearance and Sarah's murder, and is disturbed by her husband's suspicions of their teenage son. But who is really to blame for Charlene's disappearance? How well does she know those around her? And though The Hollows' citizens believe that they know the history of everyone else there, do they really?
At first, I had difficulty keeping all the characters and their relationships (past and present) straight in my mind. There are simply so many people to remember, and keeping the old high school dynamics, their present situations, and who is aligned with who may frustrate a few readers. But I did finally get a grip on it.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed the book. I felt sympathy for many of the characters and disdain for others. I was particularly charmed by the kindly exterminator Charlie. He's a minor character but one who shows up frequently enough to make a positive impression on me.
I found the dynamics between the characters realistic.As anyone who has attended a high school reunion can attest, the teenage roles are hard to shake when you're confronted with former friends and enemies. No matter how far you run, the moment you return, you're still pegged with your label: nerd, jock, slut, loser. All the adults in the novel realize this; the teenagers will soon enough find out this truth. I nodded my head at several points, thankful that someone realized just how hard it is to live in your hometown and be confronted with that past almost every day.
The second reason I enjoyed this book is how the characters deal with the past. Jones in particular is haunted by "what ifs". If he hadn't made this decision, and that person hadn't made that one, and still another hadn't had this or that happen to them, where would they be? Would Sarah still be dead? Would Charlene have disappeared? As I've written about in a blog post, the "what ifs" waste our time. In the end, Jones realizes that the past cannot be undone and the only thing to do is to move forward and embrace the present moment. (less)
Okay, I probably should have read this book years ago. Recently, I felt that I should go back and read some books that a good English major would've r...moreOkay, I probably should have read this book years ago. Recently, I felt that I should go back and read some books that a good English major would've read. Shame on me for not reading Virginia Woolf or J.D. Salinger or The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, right?
I once took a Facebook quiz called "Which famous literary character are you?" I was none other than Holden Caulfield. After the first few pages of the book, I can see why this might be partially accurate: we're both slightly cynical, have difficulty making close friendships, and feel disappointed when other people don't meet our (admittedly unrealistic) expectations. I don't use "goddamn" as an adjective, though, nor do I smoke or drink alcohol. I also never flunked school.
It was the constant use of "goddamn" that got on my nerves. I'm not particular about language in the books that I read as long as it doesn't become excessive. Holden uses goddamn as his adjective of choice, and I became annoyed with him. If he was standing in front of me, I would smack him and say, "Stop it! At least use it as an adverb or conjunction once in a while, will ya?"
I don't finish books with annoying characters. So I didn't finish this one. We'll see how I do with Virginia Woolf. (I'm afraid, very afraid.)(less)
For years, I was intimidated by the very thought of Virginia Woolf. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the reputation of the Woolf-specialist professor at...moreFor years, I was intimidated by the very thought of Virginia Woolf. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the reputation of the Woolf-specialist professor at my university; maybe it was the play entitled "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" At any rate, I never read one.
I started To the Lighthouse a while ago and was bored. Then I read Michael Cunningham's The Hours, which has Woolf and a Mrs. Dalloway-type character in it; sometimes you have to see someone else love something before you can learn to love it. So I started the book again.
To my surprise, I enjoyed it. I was sucked in by Woolf's prose, the stream-of-consciousness and ever-shifting point of view fascinated me, and though the plot was minimal, the characters were deep enough, understandable enough, for me to keep reading. It's hard to describe exactly what happens; in a word, nothing. The question is, will the children ever reach the lighthouse? What will happen when they do?
Woolf, I sense, is more interested in exploring the spaces between people, the difference between how a person perceives oneself and others versus how other people perceive them, and what it takes to reach across the void that separates all of us from others.
Probably many readers would be bored. Many others would be lost in the lengthy sentences filled with asides and parentheticals. The majority of people will be reminded of books they were forced to read in English class, grow impatient with the lack of plot, and throw this aside. The middle section describing time passing may be enough to exasperate. (I'll admit that this part wasn't my favorite.) It doesn't make for good carpool lane reading.
But if you have the patience and love prose and enjoy the deep exploration of characters, then you might enjoy this. Try it and see. It's worth the effort. (less)
Belle Prater has disappeared. Everyone in Coal Station, Virginia, has a theory about what happened, but no one knows for certain. Her young son Woodro...moreBelle Prater has disappeared. Everyone in Coal Station, Virginia, has a theory about what happened, but no one knows for certain. Her young son Woodrow comes to live with his grandparents and becomes friends with his cousin Gypsy.
Twelve-year-old Gypsy is the town beauty, but she holds a dark secret about her late father. She has never gotten over his death and finds it strange that Woodrow has accepted his mother's disappearance so readily. As she struggles toward acknowledging the truth about her beloved father's death, she must also become her own person, not one defined by her beauty.
The book is very well written. I read it when it was first released, enjoyed it, and decided to revisit it again. I found Gypsy and Woodrow realistic young people: stuck between childhood and adulthood; working to become people of their own, not defined by their parents; by turns funny and moody.
This novel won the Newberry Honor Award for excellence in children's literature, but the contents can be dark at times, particularly when it is revealed how Gypsy's father died. It's more for the YA set. That said, it's a great read. (less)
Emmett Conn, a WWI veteran, is close to death and suffers from memory loss. Past and present have blurred in his mind. Through dreams, he takes a jour...moreEmmett Conn, a WWI veteran, is close to death and suffers from memory loss. Past and present have blurred in his mind. Through dreams, he takes a journey into his past, where he was the Turkish gendarme Ahmet Kahn. In the decades between WWI and his present-day life in America, he has suppressed these memories; he doesn't remember what happened until a magazine article about the Armenian genocide triggers the dreams. He begins to remember his role in the forced deportation of Armenians from Turkey, his indifference to their suffering, his justification of his actions, and how this death march decimated the Armenian population. Most of all, he remembers Araxie, a young woman who fascinates him. Now as he is dying, he seeks to ask Araxie's forgiveness.
The narrative slips effortlessly from the present to the past and back until finally they collide at the end. This could be potentially confusing to readers. But Mustian does a good job of orienting us to a time period change within a sentence or two. (We're probably less confused than Emmett!)
I found him to be a compelling character. Though he's not always sympathetic (and shouldn't be sympathetic at certain points), his reasons, motivations and desires are understandable. He is, by turns, indifferent, compassionate, willful, ruthless, and penitent. The first person narrative forces me to see what he sees and how he sees it. That frightens me: how easily would I have taken part in a genocide if I had been born in a certain place and time? How indifferent would I be to others' suffering?
This novel hooked me within the first two paragraphs and didn't let go until the end. I'm not sure it has let go even now, a week after I finished it. Compelling and thought-provoking. (less)
Anya Whitson is a cold woman. She has never loved her daughters, or so they believe. Meredith and Nina are devastated when their beloved father dies,...moreAnya Whitson is a cold woman. She has never loved her daughters, or so they believe. Meredith and Nina are devastated when their beloved father dies, leaving them with the unwelcome task of caring for their aged, withdrawn and disapproving mother. Yet one thing intrigues Nina: their father's deathbed plea for Anya to continue the fairy tale story she began to tell her daughters long ago, the story of a peasant girl who loves a prince, long ago in the magical Snow Kingdom where a Dark Knight threatens to destroy all that is good.
As the plot unfolds, it is apparent that Anya's fairy tale is anything but fiction. For Meredith and Nina, it holds clues to their mother's past in war-torn Soviet Russia, where she was caught in the siege of Leningrad. This is obvious to the reader from the start, but I anticipated when the daughters would realize the truth and wondered how the two women would react when they learn the truth of their mother's tragic background. (Anticipation is often better than surprise, Roger Rosenblatt claims, and here is a great example.)
I've read several novels about the siege of Leningrad, and Anya's story rings true: the coldest winter on record for the city, the thousands of people who starve to death, the rumors of sausages made of human body parts being sold in the market. Her descriptions of pre-war Leningrad seem accurate, too: the fear of speaking one's mind, the knowledge that anyone might betray you, the disappearance of the free-thinkers and poets and intellectuals.
One thing I particularly enjoyed was the dynamics between Meredith and Nina and their arguments over the what-to-do-about-mom question. When Anya breaks her ankle and seems to be losing her mind, Meredith, the one who stayed at home to run the family business, thinks that putting their mother in a nursing home will ease the burden of her overloaded life.
Nina has left town long ago to pursue her passion—photojournalism—and rarely takes a break from shooting war zones, tribal people in Africa, and other places in order to return home. She of course doesn't have to care for mom on a daily basis and is horrified by Meredith's decision. I never had siblings, so the relationship between sisters fascinates me; the conflict over caring for an aged parent gave me insight into my own family as my mother and her siblings decide how to care for my grandfather.
There are a few discrepancies in the story, but mostly minor things about Meredith's past. Did she get married because she was pregnant, or had she and Jeff married young and then she unexpectedly became pregnant? I seemed to get both impressions at different points in the novel. Tiny quibble. Some of the writing could have been better (not so many adjectives or adverbs, that sort of thing).
But the family dynamics are just as intriguing and true to life as Anya's story of her tragic life in the brutal war. Definitely worth reading. For my more conservative readers: there is some cursing and implied sexual content. Considering the subject matter, the violence is surprisingly low-key. (less)
In the late 1800s, Henry Oades takes an accountancy post in New Zealand, taking along his wife Margaret and their children. One night, the native Maor...moreIn the late 1800s, Henry Oades takes an accountancy post in New Zealand, taking along his wife Margaret and their children. One night, the native Maori kidnap Margaret and the children; they are presumed dead.
The grieving Henry leaves the country and goes to California, where he marries Nancy. He is happy—until Margaret and the children arrive. They've escaped captivity. But now a moral and legal dilemma ensues: if the three (and the children) live in the same household, they can and are prosecuted for bigamy.
This book never quite captured my attention and I didn't really finish it. (I did flip to the back and reading the end, the author interview and the book club questions.) Part of it is the set-up: the blurb states the entire premise, but it takes almost 200 pages to get to the Henry-Margaret-Nancy dilemma. So there's no element of surprise, only irony and anticipation of what will happen when the first wife returns. That would be fine, except I never became totally interested in the characters. I'm not sure why. That's not Moran's fault; other people will find her portrayal of the wives slowly bonding to be moving.
(After reading the book, I realized that I've never particularly cared for novels set in New Zealand or Australia during this time period. So maybe that had something to do with my wandering attention.)
Still, it's a good debut novel. Moran is a good writer. I wish I had enjoyed it more. When she comes out with a new book, I'll read it. (less)
I have a confession: I feel mean writing the review I'm about to write.
I have a feeling that Delinsky is one of those bestselling authors who is bound...moreI have a confession: I feel mean writing the review I'm about to write.
I have a feeling that Delinsky is one of those bestselling authors who is bound by contract to produce a book every year (or at least every other year). The books sell because the fans are loyal, but the quality of the writing suffers.
The premise is compelling. Three teenage girls, best friends since childhood, have become pregnant. They have taken a pact to get pregnant and raise their children themselves, sans the fathers. One of the girls is the daughter of their small town high school principal, herself a never married single mother. Coincidentally, the principal was the same age as her daughter when she became pregnant. The pregnancies begin rumors, and the principal's detractors accuse her of not being a good mother and perhaps not the right role model for the teenagers. Timely, provocative, thought-provoking topics.
Here's the rub. The writing quality isn't very good. Maybe it's my pickiness as a writer, but the prose seemed second rate. Too much backstory dumped in the first few pages, too much telling rather than showing, that sort of thing. On the first page, I wanted to begin rewriting the story. After a few pages, I started skimming, not reading the words so much as picking up the pieces of the plot. After fifty pages, I skipped to the back, read the book club discussion questions (those always tell a great deal about the plot) and the ending.
It's a shame because I think the author is probably capable of better work than this. I had a similar experience with another novel of Delinsky's and didn't finish it either. Disappointing. (less)
Danny is obsessed with being connected to the world via technology. His cousin Howard is the once-disdained, now wealthy-beyond-measure man who is tra...moreDanny is obsessed with being connected to the world via technology. His cousin Howard is the once-disdained, now wealthy-beyond-measure man who is transforming an ancient European castle into a hotel where (he dreams) people will leave behind technology. Danny is reluctantly roped into this scenario, joined by Howard's wife, students, and Number Two Man, Mick. Their mission is threatened by the old woman living in the keep, the part of a castle where its inhabitants run to during a siege; it's also threatened by the tensions between Danny and Howard, who had an altercation as children that changed both forever. Now they are doomed to repeat that childhood situation with more disastrous results.
A compelling plotline. Yet Egan throws in one thing more: a narrator named Ray, a prisoner for an unnamed crime. Under the tutelage of his troubled writing teacher, Ray writes the story of Danny and Howard in a way that is disturbing, relentless and compelling.
I devoured this novel in one day. It straddles the line between the suspense genre and literary easily: pages turn, ideas spin, characters are unsympathetic, realistic and yet compelling. After spending four days without electricity, I sympathize a great deal with Danny's panic when he realizes that he has no cell phone signal, no antenna, no Internet access, nothing.
There are points when the novel is confusing. For example, when Ray is introduced, it's jolting, though not necessarily in a bad way. Also, Egan doesn't use quotation marks and sometimes uses a script style format for dialogue; sometimes it was unclear whether a character said a line or simply thought it. Are thoughts and spoken words really that different? The confusion pointed me to the theme about whether technology is really just a different form of what ancients considered "magic": when we turn on a radio (or TV or computer or cell phone) are we really just tapping into some supernatural aspect of the universe, and hearing others' thoughts and spoken words? If that doesn't quite make sense, I think it's because explaining it would require exegesis and close reading of the text, something I'm loathe to do in a review.
(I'd love to chat about it with other readers, though, preferably with a cup of hot tea in one hand and the book in the other.)
If Egan's Pulitzer-prize winning novel is anything like The Keep, I want to read it. If you're squeamish about language, be aware that the "f" word is used often. (less)
Picking up an Alexander McCall Smith novel makes me want to curl up in a chair with a cup of hot tea. Considering the temperature here in the Southeas...morePicking up an Alexander McCall Smith novel makes me want to curl up in a chair with a cup of hot tea. Considering the temperature here in the Southeast, I'll pass on the hot tea. But I have enjoyed the Isabel Dalhousie "mysteries" a great deal. Isabel is a philosopher, given to musings that are thought-provoking for me and that tie in with the novel's themes and plots more than you'd think at first glance.
In Book 3 of the series, Isabel is her usual inquisitive self. She has her American cousins visiting her and through them, she meets Tom Bruce (a Texas bigwig) and his fiance, who is all-too-obviously more interested in Isabel's love interest than in the man whose ring she wears. The philosopher's interest is raised: why is she marrying him? For his money? Why does Tom put up with this? Should Isabel intervene?
In the meantime, her niece's former boyfriend Jamie and Isabel are venturing closer to love. But can they overcome the fourteen year age difference and her niece's anger?
The "mystery" aspect is downplayed in favor of the relationships. The plot is slow--Isabel's philosophical musings tend to do that--but I'm okay with that. He's a fine writer with an excellent grasp on ethical issues and penetrating insights into human relationship dynamics. Even when I don't agree with Isabel's conclusions, they still make me think.
Another plus for me: the lack of offensive language. (Thank God. An intelligent novel that doesn't resort to using the "f" word. I get tired of that.)
A worth while read. Don't expect a page turner, though. (less)
A teenage girl finds the diary of another girl from two centuries before and it changes her life. Clichéd scenario, right? (It makes me want to write...moreA teenage girl finds the diary of another girl from two centuries before and it changes her life. Clichéd scenario, right? (It makes me want to write a book about an 18th century girl finding the diary of a 21st century girl.) But Donnelly cooks up a story that is vivid, gripping and relevant; characters that are unique; a plot that moved almost faster than I could read. And did I mention that it's an intelligent book, filled with allusions to music (from Bach to Zeppelin) and classic literature (Dante's The Divine Comedy) and philosophical questions.
Andi lives in Brooklyn. She's angry: at her father, at her mother, at the world because she's lost her younger brother. She's about to flunk out of her prep school. Her brilliant father lays down an ultimatum: you must finish an outline of your senior thesis while you come with me to Paris.
While she's there, she finds the diary of Alexandrine Paradis, a teenager living during the French Revolution, and Alex's story starts to influence Andi's until past becomes present one night during a journey through the catacombs.
I read this in two days. It would've been one, except that I couldn't stay awake another minute on Saturday evening. I really enjoyed the characters and the slow revelation of what happened to Andi's brother and the mystery of the lost prince that had been in Alex's care before his parents were guillotined. The relationships between Andi and her father (who deserted the family in favor of his work and new girlfriend); Andi and her mother (who copes with her son's death through obsessive painting); Andi and Alex; and Andi and her feelings for a young man she meets in Paris: all of them strike me as realistic and compelling. Andi's guilt for her brother's death drives her rebellion; again, realistic. Some reviewers have complained that Andi is unsympathetic and whiny; um, hello? Her brother died. Her reaction seems realistic to me.
I can't think of anything that distracted me in the text. It's well-written. I learned a lot about music and a lot that I didn't know about Louis XVII's life. (That's the son of Louis XVI, who was the husband of Marie Antoinette.) I enjoyed this. (less)
Meg Moseley tackles the often overlooked subject of spiritual abuse in her debut novel, When Sparrows Fall. She also takes on the ideas of patriarchy...moreMeg Moseley tackles the often overlooked subject of spiritual abuse in her debut novel, When Sparrows Fall. She also takes on the ideas of patriarchy that leave women trapped in their marriages and powerless to act without a male authority's consent. Tough subjects, but Moseley does a great job.
Miranda Hanford is a widow and homeschooling mother of six. She has secrets that haunt her, memories of a controlling husband, and an incredibly secluded life. She's also desperate to free herself and her children from the control freak pastor of her church—who unfortunately knows her secrets, ones that might allow the state to take her children from her. They have butted heads before—she calls it a cold war—and when he commands his church flock to leave their town for a smaller one, she resolves to rebel. But before she can make her first move, she suffers a serious injury and must call for the help of her husband's step brother, whom (unbeknownst to him) she has named the children's legal guardian. The Hanford household's orderly, sheltered life is turned upside down.
The characterizations are excellent. The characters are sympathetic, right down to the precocious four-year-old. (The pastor, of course, isn't.) The tensions and budding romance between Miranda and Jack (her brother-in-law) are well-developed. Moseley makes great use of the different points of view: we see Miranda's POV and her reasons, and then see Jack's POV and his misinterpretations of her reasons. It helps move the plot along well as we wonder whether Jack will unwittingly make trouble for Miranda as she rebels against her pastor.
One thing I would've wished for was a little more buildup of a particular story thread. It comes as a surprise at the end, and since it's important for the "will Miranda lose her children if she tells the truth?" question, I wish I'd had more of a hint of it when I first met the character.
Other than that, I don't have any complaints. It was a great read, deep and thought-provoking and non-preachy. Moseley's not out to push an agenda. Instead, she raises questions and offers hope to those like Miranda, and opens our eyes to see beyond outward appearances and see those who are trapped by spiritual abuse. (less)
Kim is a spoiled but well-intentioned Christian teenager. She sets off to Mexico, planning to do street evangelism; instead, she winds up in rural (an...moreKim is a spoiled but well-intentioned Christian teenager. She sets off to Mexico, planning to do street evangelism; instead, she winds up in rural (and we are talking off-the-map, findable only by GPS type of rural) Mexico doing construction work for a village devastated by a natural disaster. Construction work? So much for the manicure she got at the airport before realizing that she was several hours late for her flight. No electricity? Farewell to the special hairdryer she packed in one of her three suitcases. Evangelism? No villager speaks English; no team member speaks Spanish. Oops.
In spite of her spoiled nature, Kim is likeable. She’s funny and thoughtful and earnestly desires to help the people of the village. She struggles with swearing and verbal clumsiness, which endeared her to me, a verbally clumsy person who manages to put both feet in my mouth far too often. As the two-week trip progresses, Kim changes and learns to trust God in new ways. The ending left me teary-eyed.
The book is targeted to YA Christian teens and there’s a lot of “God-talk”, so if you’re not a Christian, this probably isn’t the book for you. But if you’re a Christian teen girl, then you might enjoy reading about Kim. If you’ve ever been on a mission trip (especially one that took an expected turn), check this out. This is what really endeared me to Kim. My one mission trip, taken while I was 7 weeks pregnant with my first child (and struck by horrible morning sickness), was a disaster, so I completely sympathized with her emotional ups-and-downs on her journey.
Bruner was inspired by a mission trip his daughter took in her teenage years. (She’s listed as co-author.) The second book in the series will come out in Fall 2011. Check out his website at http://www.rogerbruner.com/ (less)
I'll admit it; I'm a sucker for historical fiction, especially when the book has fabulous writing, vivid characters and manages to surprise me even wh...moreI'll admit it; I'm a sucker for historical fiction, especially when the book has fabulous writing, vivid characters and manages to surprise me even when I know the ending. Such is the case with Naslund's Abundance, a novel of Marie Antoinette.
We all know her fate. There's no need to put spoiler alerts on a book when we know that the protagonist will be executed by the guillotine by blood-thirsty revolutionaries during the Reign of Terror. And most of us know her as the cruel and callous queen who said, "Let them eat cake." Actually, she didn't say this. (It was Louis XIV's wife who did.) She is sympathetic, really, because she wants to identify with the French people. She often says that she wants to live a simple life, like the common people, though she doesn't truly understand what drives the people to embrace the revolutionaries.
Naslund plays with the concept of abundance so subtly that it might be easy to miss. I didn't catch on until halfway through the novel. She has included actual letters between Marie Antoinette and her mother, the empress of Austria, which include her mother's admonishment to please the king, consummate her long-unconsummated marriage, stop gambling and choose wise companions. A fascinating look at how politics influenced marriages between royals.
A beautifully written book. Well worth reading for people interested in the time period and who don't mind 500+ page novels. (less)
Gaius Petreius Ruso serves as a military doctor during the Roman occupation of Britannia, dealing with his over-meticulous hospital administrator, his...moreGaius Petreius Ruso serves as a military doctor during the Roman occupation of Britannia, dealing with his over-meticulous hospital administrator, his wounded and mangled patients, and an unclaimed dead body washed to shore. And not just a dead body but a murdered body. During a moment of sleep-deprived vulnerability, he manages to pick up a half-dead slave girl who won't talk and can't cook, and winds up investigating the mysterious deaths of several prostitutes.
Ruso is a grumpy, tactless and utterly likeable sleuth. The banter between he and his roommate/rival/fellow doctor is funny, as are his encounters with the hospital administrator, who believes that protocol must be followed even when it makes no sense whatsoever. (Anyone who has dealt with these types of officials will understand Ruso's desire to throttle the man.) I often found myself laughing aloud. Not the usual sort of murder mystery fare. Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this. (less)
Deliverance from Evil revolves around George Burroughs, a minister who is swept up in the Salem witchcraft trials. I've read several books, fiction an...moreDeliverance from Evil revolves around George Burroughs, a minister who is swept up in the Salem witchcraft trials. I've read several books, fiction and non-fiction, about the trials, and was interested in what Hill had to say. She's written scholarly works about the trials. Unfortunately, I just couldn't finish the novel.
First, though, it's obvious that Hill is an expert on the subject. The period details are wonderful and I did get a great sense of what was going on with the young women who began the accusations of witchcraft. (I had never heard what happened to certain of them, so this was interesting.) I also learned about the political climate of the time, which was fascinating.
But I never fully engaged with Burroughs or any of the other characters, and I really don't know why. I also never really figured out why the other ministers/political authorities didn't like Burroughs, aside from his unpuritan stances and behavior, and friendships with Indians. Was that really motivation enough for their actions? In real life, I guess so; in fiction, I want something more (even if it goes against the historical record). I wondered if Hill's expertise started to work against the story; too much adherence to historical fact might hamper the author's ability to flesh out characters and such.
I stopped mid-way through the book and flipped to the end. After the sensational drama of the trials and hysteria, the epilogue felt anticlimactic and flat.
Still, if you like historical novels, try this one and see what you think. The writing is very good and you may have a different response to the novel than I did. (less)
O’Connor is not for the faint of heart. Her stories delve into the ugly side of life, exploring faith and human nature in a variety of often bizarre s...moreO’Connor is not for the faint of heart. Her stories delve into the ugly side of life, exploring faith and human nature in a variety of often bizarre scenarios. They can be violent, disconcerting and hard to understand, and please, don’t read the entire set of short stories in one sitting.
The characters are often unsympathetic. When I finish one of her stories, I feel gutted, as if someone took out my insides and showed me the ugliness in my heart and how I am no so different from the murderers and misfits in her tales. But I also sense that I now have something to grapple with, that she has explored my religion (Christianity) in a penetrating way that I can’t ignore.
It’s impossible to say that this is an enjoyable short story collection. But if you’re willing to wrestle with the questions and imagery and ideas in it, read it. (less)
In the late 15th century, a wealthy nobleman commissions a set of woven tapestries for his home. The designer, a portraitist known for his miniatures...moreIn the late 15th century, a wealthy nobleman commissions a set of woven tapestries for his home. The designer, a portraitist known for his miniatures of court ladies and his seductions of the aforesaid ladies, creates designs of a lady seducing a unicorn. He also wreaks havoc among the female members of the household. Once the designs are approved, he moves north to supervise the weaving of the tapestries, where he also manages to wreak havoc of a different sort.
The book is well written. Chevalier, best known for Girl with a Pearl Earring, has recreated the 15th century and created memorable characters. She uses several different viewpoints to tell the story: the designer, the daughter and wife of the nobleman, the weaver, his wife and his daughter, and the cartoonist who works for the weaver.
I was especially moved by Alienor, the blind daughter of the weaver, who is trapped by the choice of a detestable husband and being dependant on the charity of her father and her brother. This is a character-driven novel, and though the seven different first person point of views could be confusing, it wasn’t, IMO.
Definitely an imaginative and memorable work that interprets these famous tapestries in a new way. (less)
Lia and Cassie were best friends, bonded by the secrets of their eating disorders. Now Cassie has died. Lia is left alone, descending ever more surely...moreLia and Cassie were best friends, bonded by the secrets of their eating disorders. Now Cassie has died. Lia is left alone, descending ever more surely into the clutches of anorexia. Her divorced parents fight over how to help her, her stepmother is well-intentioned but clueless, and no one seems to understand the mental anguish in Lia’s head. Will she die, just like her former best friend?
Wintergirls was a difficult read for me. As a college student, I was bulimic and borderline anorexic. Being in Lia’s head reminded me of my own thought patterns during that time, sometimes too much. (One scene two-thirds of the way through the book made me tear up because I did exactly what Lia did.) For that reason, I wouldn’t recommend that people strugging with eating disorders read this book; it’s too likely to be a trigger.
However, for their parents, friends and other loved ones, this is a great resource for beginning to understand what is going on in an eating disordered person’s mind. I stress “beginning” because no two ED people are exactly alike. For example, I was never hooked on a number on the scale like Lia is. It’s worth wading through some of the stylistic quirks of the text to understand. (less)
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