Marianne Perry's Blog, page 4
December 28, 2016
Book Review: Death Finds A Way
A Sleuth Genealogist
Death Finds A Way
by Lorine McGinnis Schulze
The author is a Canadian genealogist and I am a fan of her blog, Olive Tree Genealogy. This novel, therefore, interested me. The opening chapter was set in 1878 and concerns an orphaned Irish sister and brother landing at Ellis Island, New York to begin new lives. The steamship experience and rigors of examination immigrants faced is vividly depicted. Janie Riley, a genealogist-sleuth, is the novel's protagonist and her endeavors to solve the mysterious death of a researcher she meets by chance while researching her own family mystery, drives the story line.
The book follows an intriguing plot of murder, deceit, forbidden love and contested inheritances and is populated by a coterie of scoundrels. I particularly enjoyed the author's description of the Family History Library and Temple Square in Salt Lake City as well as the detailed genealogical research pursuits of the main character. The tale unfolds back and forth from the 19th century to the modern time; a narrative technique the author manages well. The conclusion is logical and satisfying and this book, a good read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
Death Finds A Way
by Lorine McGinnis Schulze
The author is a Canadian genealogist and I am a fan of her blog, Olive Tree Genealogy. This novel, therefore, interested me. The opening chapter was set in 1878 and concerns an orphaned Irish sister and brother landing at Ellis Island, New York to begin new lives. The steamship experience and rigors of examination immigrants faced is vividly depicted. Janie Riley, a genealogist-sleuth, is the novel's protagonist and her endeavors to solve the mysterious death of a researcher she meets by chance while researching her own family mystery, drives the story line.
The book follows an intriguing plot of murder, deceit, forbidden love and contested inheritances and is populated by a coterie of scoundrels. I particularly enjoyed the author's description of the Family History Library and Temple Square in Salt Lake City as well as the detailed genealogical research pursuits of the main character. The tale unfolds back and forth from the 19th century to the modern time; a narrative technique the author manages well. The conclusion is logical and satisfying and this book, a good read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
November 29, 2016
How Many Families Do You Have?
How Many Families Do You Have?
Book Review: Lion/A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley.
Lion, previously published as A Long Way Home, is Saroo Brierley’s memoir. Saroo was born in 1981 in Ganesh Tilai, Madhya Pradesh, India. In 1986 while accompanying his older brother, Guddu on the train south to Burhanpur, the two became separated. Trapped in an empty rail car, Saroo wakes up at Howrah Station, Kolkata, later revealed approximately 1,500 kilometres east of his home. Adopted by an Australian couple, Sue and John Brierley, in 1987, he is raised in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Years later when an adult, he searches for his birth family utilizing Google Earth’s satellite images. A Facebook group also provides assistance. With only his memories to guide him and wrongly believing the name of his hometown, “Ginestlay,” it is a painstaking process.
His efforts showcase technology’s capabilities as well as Saroo’s commitment to achieve his goal. In 2012, he is reunited with his mother and siblings but learns Guddu dead. His birth and adoptive mothers eventually meet and though Saroo returns to Hobart, he maintains close ties with his Indian family.
Brierley begins his account with a Prologue set in India at the point he and his mother on the cusp of reunion. From there, thirteen chapters headed with titles intrinsic to theme chronicle his journey. An Epilogue speaks to the subject of family and how this experience has changed Saroo. A compilation of original photos and documents plus a detailed map of India provide visual aids.
The author conveys the harsh living conditions Saroo and his family endured in India to help readers envision the world from which he came. This excerpt from Chapter Two is particularly poignant.
“Hunger limits you because you are constantly thinking about getting food, keeping the food if you do get your hands on some, and not knowing when you are going to eat next. It is a vicious cycle….Hunger and poverty steal your childhood and take away your innocence and sense of security.”
There are many passages recording Saroo’s harrowing predicament with this sample from Chapter Two conveying his desperation.
“I can still feel the icy chill of panic that hit me when I realized that I was trapped….I couldn’t read any of the signs in the carriage….I called for my mother,…No one answered and the train didn’t stop….I was lost.”
Chapter Thirteen is noteworthy for its reference to modes of transportation in India. Brierley’s description of the rail system and his journey from Burhanpur to Kolkata as an adult is comprehensive and clear.
Though this is Brierley’s memoir, sayings threaded throughout address universal issues and, as such, make his tale relevant to all. This Hindu quote from Chapter Twelve sparks contemplation.
“Everything is written”: destiny takes its inevitable path.”
With regards the meaning of the title, Lion, Brierley informs us in Chapter Eleven that he was christened, Sheru Munshi Khan. Sheru is Hindi for “Lion” but he’d mispronounced it since lost and would be forever known as “Saroo.”
His birth mother, Kamla meets Sue Brierley face to face in Ganesh Talai; an incident reported in The Epilogue. Saroo’s reflection in the final pages sums his resolution of reconnecting with his birth family.
“I now have two families, not two identities. I am Saroo Brierley.”
Lion or A Long Way Home is an inspirational story of obstacles conquered, dreams realized and insights gained. A marvelous read for sure.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
Book Review: Lion/A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley.
Lion, previously published as A Long Way Home, is Saroo Brierley’s memoir. Saroo was born in 1981 in Ganesh Tilai, Madhya Pradesh, India. In 1986 while accompanying his older brother, Guddu on the train south to Burhanpur, the two became separated. Trapped in an empty rail car, Saroo wakes up at Howrah Station, Kolkata, later revealed approximately 1,500 kilometres east of his home. Adopted by an Australian couple, Sue and John Brierley, in 1987, he is raised in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Years later when an adult, he searches for his birth family utilizing Google Earth’s satellite images. A Facebook group also provides assistance. With only his memories to guide him and wrongly believing the name of his hometown, “Ginestlay,” it is a painstaking process.
His efforts showcase technology’s capabilities as well as Saroo’s commitment to achieve his goal. In 2012, he is reunited with his mother and siblings but learns Guddu dead. His birth and adoptive mothers eventually meet and though Saroo returns to Hobart, he maintains close ties with his Indian family.
Brierley begins his account with a Prologue set in India at the point he and his mother on the cusp of reunion. From there, thirteen chapters headed with titles intrinsic to theme chronicle his journey. An Epilogue speaks to the subject of family and how this experience has changed Saroo. A compilation of original photos and documents plus a detailed map of India provide visual aids.
The author conveys the harsh living conditions Saroo and his family endured in India to help readers envision the world from which he came. This excerpt from Chapter Two is particularly poignant.
“Hunger limits you because you are constantly thinking about getting food, keeping the food if you do get your hands on some, and not knowing when you are going to eat next. It is a vicious cycle….Hunger and poverty steal your childhood and take away your innocence and sense of security.”
There are many passages recording Saroo’s harrowing predicament with this sample from Chapter Two conveying his desperation.
“I can still feel the icy chill of panic that hit me when I realized that I was trapped….I couldn’t read any of the signs in the carriage….I called for my mother,…No one answered and the train didn’t stop….I was lost.”
Chapter Thirteen is noteworthy for its reference to modes of transportation in India. Brierley’s description of the rail system and his journey from Burhanpur to Kolkata as an adult is comprehensive and clear.
Though this is Brierley’s memoir, sayings threaded throughout address universal issues and, as such, make his tale relevant to all. This Hindu quote from Chapter Twelve sparks contemplation.
“Everything is written”: destiny takes its inevitable path.”
With regards the meaning of the title, Lion, Brierley informs us in Chapter Eleven that he was christened, Sheru Munshi Khan. Sheru is Hindi for “Lion” but he’d mispronounced it since lost and would be forever known as “Saroo.”
His birth mother, Kamla meets Sue Brierley face to face in Ganesh Talai; an incident reported in The Epilogue. Saroo’s reflection in the final pages sums his resolution of reconnecting with his birth family.
“I now have two families, not two identities. I am Saroo Brierley.”
Lion or A Long Way Home is an inspirational story of obstacles conquered, dreams realized and insights gained. A marvelous read for sure.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
November 15, 2016
The Illegal by Lawrence Hill
A Memorable Tale: The Illegal
Lawrence Hill has written a compelling book exploring a range of integral social and moral issues. The plight of refugees is at the core of this work.
Set in the two fictional countries of Zantoroland and Freedom State and populated by diverse characters voicing various viewpoints, he draws us into a well-imagined story challenging our views and understanding.
Keita Ali, a runner from Zantoroland, is the central character. Hill's novel begins with a Prologue set in Freedom State, 2018. Part One spans Zantoroland from 2004 to 2018. Part Two unfold in Freedom State, 2018. Part Three concludes in Freedom State, 2019. The plot though complex is satisfactorily resolved.
I was particularly drawn towards Ivernia Beech; a feisty eighty-five year old woman fighting for her independence, her efforts to ward off her venal sixty-something son's actions to have her declared "unfit" so that he might claim her assets and her own actions to assist those in need. She will long-remain with me.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
Lawrence Hill has written a compelling book exploring a range of integral social and moral issues. The plight of refugees is at the core of this work.
Set in the two fictional countries of Zantoroland and Freedom State and populated by diverse characters voicing various viewpoints, he draws us into a well-imagined story challenging our views and understanding.
Keita Ali, a runner from Zantoroland, is the central character. Hill's novel begins with a Prologue set in Freedom State, 2018. Part One spans Zantoroland from 2004 to 2018. Part Two unfold in Freedom State, 2018. Part Three concludes in Freedom State, 2019. The plot though complex is satisfactorily resolved.
I was particularly drawn towards Ivernia Beech; a feisty eighty-five year old woman fighting for her independence, her efforts to ward off her venal sixty-something son's actions to have her declared "unfit" so that he might claim her assets and her own actions to assist those in need. She will long-remain with me.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
November 8, 2016
A Book Worthy of a Good Read
The House of Kane by Barbara Casey
The House of Kane by Barbara Casey tells the story of Aislinn Marchant; an editor, teacher and author whom Kane Publishing hires to investigate rejected submissions subsequently published by other houses, most notably its competitor, Sheldon-Talbert. In chronicling this tale, Casey explores universal themes: sibling rivalry, parent-child relationships, marital breakdown, social norms, betrayal, ambition and the quest for personal and professional fulfillment.
Set in West Palm Beach, southern Florida and New York City, the novel begins with a Prologue. The nine chapters of Part One introduce characters, outline the situation and establish conflict. Casey builds suspense drawing readers into a compelling plot and the eight chapters of Part Two bring a satisfactory resolution.
The book explains the submission process and will appeal to authors as well as those keen to grasp a general understanding of a career in this area. Casey’s insight with respect a writer’s psyche is noteworthy. Aislinn’s internal musings from Chapter Four and the comments of a secretary intent on being a writer in Chapter Severn provide examples:
“It had passed. He would feel all right now. But Aislinn would feel it for the rest of her life. It was the way she was. It was why she was a writer. She not only empathized with people, she could literally feel their pain, ….”
“I want to be a writer. And the way I see it, in order to be a good writer I need to be observant of everything, especially the frailties of mankind.”
An astute observer of human nature, Casey creates complicated characters. Dr. Robert Marchant, Aislinn’s ex-husband with whom she maintains amiable and affectionate ties, is a neurosurgeon who, for several reasons, examines his life’s purpose. This Chapter Thirteen excerpt captures his sombre mood and Casey merits praise in her parsing.
“None of it brought him any pleasure….Whatever goal he accomplished for the hospital, whatever surgery he performed, it was just something to cross off his endless list….He didn’t feel the passion he had once felt for what he did….The sad thing was, he didn’t know what else he could do. Medicine had been his whole life. There was nothing else.”
Casey earns notice for imagining Snow Hendersen. Born and raised in the mountains of North Carolina with an eighth grade education, she pens a non-fiction work core to the conflict. A distinctive female, she acquires “gifts” after lightning strikes her including clairvoyance.
There are numerous well-crafted descriptions deserving mention. This partial passage from Chapter Four helps picture the home of Miss Lottie Howard in the El Cid area of West Palm Beach.
“The porch, anchored in gingerbread, spanned the entire front of the house. Groupings of wicker furniture, large green ferns, pots of white impatiens, and a couple of small palms were strategically placed around the area. Ceiling paddle fans quietly circulated the air above. Each side of the massive double front door revealed a bevelled glass window in which tall grasses and cranes or similar south Florida bird had been etched.”
In conclusion, Barbara Casey launches each chapter with writing-themed quotes. A clever engagement tool, James Bryce’s in Chapter Sixteen is particularly relevant to this book.
“The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it.”
The reader will reflect on The House of Kane long after finishing the last word and, as such, it is a good read.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
The House of Kane by Barbara Casey tells the story of Aislinn Marchant; an editor, teacher and author whom Kane Publishing hires to investigate rejected submissions subsequently published by other houses, most notably its competitor, Sheldon-Talbert. In chronicling this tale, Casey explores universal themes: sibling rivalry, parent-child relationships, marital breakdown, social norms, betrayal, ambition and the quest for personal and professional fulfillment.
Set in West Palm Beach, southern Florida and New York City, the novel begins with a Prologue. The nine chapters of Part One introduce characters, outline the situation and establish conflict. Casey builds suspense drawing readers into a compelling plot and the eight chapters of Part Two bring a satisfactory resolution.
The book explains the submission process and will appeal to authors as well as those keen to grasp a general understanding of a career in this area. Casey’s insight with respect a writer’s psyche is noteworthy. Aislinn’s internal musings from Chapter Four and the comments of a secretary intent on being a writer in Chapter Severn provide examples:
“It had passed. He would feel all right now. But Aislinn would feel it for the rest of her life. It was the way she was. It was why she was a writer. She not only empathized with people, she could literally feel their pain, ….”
“I want to be a writer. And the way I see it, in order to be a good writer I need to be observant of everything, especially the frailties of mankind.”
An astute observer of human nature, Casey creates complicated characters. Dr. Robert Marchant, Aislinn’s ex-husband with whom she maintains amiable and affectionate ties, is a neurosurgeon who, for several reasons, examines his life’s purpose. This Chapter Thirteen excerpt captures his sombre mood and Casey merits praise in her parsing.
“None of it brought him any pleasure….Whatever goal he accomplished for the hospital, whatever surgery he performed, it was just something to cross off his endless list….He didn’t feel the passion he had once felt for what he did….The sad thing was, he didn’t know what else he could do. Medicine had been his whole life. There was nothing else.”
Casey earns notice for imagining Snow Hendersen. Born and raised in the mountains of North Carolina with an eighth grade education, she pens a non-fiction work core to the conflict. A distinctive female, she acquires “gifts” after lightning strikes her including clairvoyance.
There are numerous well-crafted descriptions deserving mention. This partial passage from Chapter Four helps picture the home of Miss Lottie Howard in the El Cid area of West Palm Beach.
“The porch, anchored in gingerbread, spanned the entire front of the house. Groupings of wicker furniture, large green ferns, pots of white impatiens, and a couple of small palms were strategically placed around the area. Ceiling paddle fans quietly circulated the air above. Each side of the massive double front door revealed a bevelled glass window in which tall grasses and cranes or similar south Florida bird had been etched.”
In conclusion, Barbara Casey launches each chapter with writing-themed quotes. A clever engagement tool, James Bryce’s in Chapter Sixteen is particularly relevant to this book.
“The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it.”
The reader will reflect on The House of Kane long after finishing the last word and, as such, it is a good read.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
October 21, 2016
Book Review: Hiding the Past
Book Review:
Hiding the Past by Nathan Dylan Goodwin
Hiding the Past is about Morton Farrier, a forensic genealogist on the cusp of forty, and his investigation into his client’s death. Peter Coldrick lacks details about his deceased father, James Coldrick and he hires Farrier to research his father’s birth. Hours after they meet, he dies. Was it suicide or murder? And who was James Coldrick? Another storyline explores Farrier’s personal life. His mother passed away when him a teen and the author delves into his estranged relationship with his father and military brother, Jeremy plus that between him and his crime officer girlfriend, Juliette. Goodwin deals with adoption, the impact of family secrets once revealed and parental illness.
The two-hundred and fifteen page book is set in England and begins June 6, 1944 with a short Prologue. There are twenty-one chapters; seventeen in 2013 entitled with the day of the week and four dated spanning a period during World War Two from April 4, 1944 to June 6, 1944. The plot switches back and forth showing how the past instigated the current predicament. The passage of time vis-à-vis the present, however, is muddled and a clearer indication of such would have raised the stakes for Morton Farrier and heightened the novel’s tension.
Hiding the Past will appeal to those interested in solving family mysteries. With this regard, the author deserves credit for the various tools Morton Farrier utilizes to substantiate facts about James Coldrick. These include: photo analysis, document review, archives research, Google maps, internet searches, probate indexes, coat of arms study, memorabilia and DNA.
A clever tale, the following well-crafted descriptive phrases bear mention:
“He was a small, thin boy with dark hair, dark eyes and a neat pillow-scar than ran down his left cheek.” (Chapter Three: six year old Finlay Coldrick)
“The house was a ramshackle, wooden construction with a lopsided garage slumped to one side, having lost the will to live countless years ago.” (Chapter Nine)
There are verbal redundancies, however, where editing would improve writing. For example, “cursory glance,” “fat, swollen droplets of rain,” and “pulled his coat in tightly.”
Nathan Dylan Goodwin pens a satisfying conclusion; the mystery of James Coldrick’s identity is solved and the truth behind Peter Coldrick’s death, revealed. Morton Farrier also resolves his personal issues. Hiding the Past is an engaging read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
Hiding the Past by Nathan Dylan Goodwin
Hiding the Past is about Morton Farrier, a forensic genealogist on the cusp of forty, and his investigation into his client’s death. Peter Coldrick lacks details about his deceased father, James Coldrick and he hires Farrier to research his father’s birth. Hours after they meet, he dies. Was it suicide or murder? And who was James Coldrick? Another storyline explores Farrier’s personal life. His mother passed away when him a teen and the author delves into his estranged relationship with his father and military brother, Jeremy plus that between him and his crime officer girlfriend, Juliette. Goodwin deals with adoption, the impact of family secrets once revealed and parental illness.
The two-hundred and fifteen page book is set in England and begins June 6, 1944 with a short Prologue. There are twenty-one chapters; seventeen in 2013 entitled with the day of the week and four dated spanning a period during World War Two from April 4, 1944 to June 6, 1944. The plot switches back and forth showing how the past instigated the current predicament. The passage of time vis-à-vis the present, however, is muddled and a clearer indication of such would have raised the stakes for Morton Farrier and heightened the novel’s tension.
Hiding the Past will appeal to those interested in solving family mysteries. With this regard, the author deserves credit for the various tools Morton Farrier utilizes to substantiate facts about James Coldrick. These include: photo analysis, document review, archives research, Google maps, internet searches, probate indexes, coat of arms study, memorabilia and DNA.
A clever tale, the following well-crafted descriptive phrases bear mention:
“He was a small, thin boy with dark hair, dark eyes and a neat pillow-scar than ran down his left cheek.” (Chapter Three: six year old Finlay Coldrick)
“The house was a ramshackle, wooden construction with a lopsided garage slumped to one side, having lost the will to live countless years ago.” (Chapter Nine)
There are verbal redundancies, however, where editing would improve writing. For example, “cursory glance,” “fat, swollen droplets of rain,” and “pulled his coat in tightly.”
Nathan Dylan Goodwin pens a satisfying conclusion; the mystery of James Coldrick’s identity is solved and the truth behind Peter Coldrick’s death, revealed. Morton Farrier also resolves his personal issues. Hiding the Past is an engaging read.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
September 15, 2016
Why People Do Horrible Things.
Book Review: The Ex by Alafair Burke
Jackson (Jack) Harris, a successful literary writer, is accused of shooting Malcolm Neely, Clifton Hunter and Tracy Frankel in a New York City football field. Malcolm Neely is Todd’s father, the teen who’d killed Molly Harris, his teacher-wife in a mass killing referred to as the Penn Station Massacre. The fortyish Olivia Randall, his ex-fiancé and a criminal defence lawyer, becomes convinced Jack set-up. Though uncommitted initially, Jack’s sixteen-year old daughter, Buckley, protests and she alters her view. The book chronicles Olivia’s trials to prove him innocent.
The Ex begins June 17, 2015 three years after Molly Harris’ murder. It opens post the football field incident with a transcript of a recorded interview between NYPD Detective Jimmy Boyle and Jack Harris at a New York precinct. The tale then backtracks the month with the last of its twenty-four chapters taking place four years later on August 10th.
Alafair Burke pulls us into the drama by paralleling the Penn Station Massacre to horrors impacting previous generations that have forever changed us. This excerpt is from Chapter Three.
“Every generation of American’s had at least one day where they all could remember where they were when they heard the news. Pearl Harbour. The Kennedy assassination. Nine-eleven.
And then there were some dates that left the same kind of mark, but in a smaller and more regional way. Columbine in Colorado….A club fire in Rhode Island.”
As a result, Burke makes the triggering event relevant to each and every reader; a brilliant tool that breathes the fictional world to life.
The Ex rivets with twists and turns. Assumptions emerge erroneous, motivations surface false and whom we judge victim and culprit change. In addition to narration and dialogue, it unfolds through itemized lists, email exchanges, text messages, newspaper articles and interview transcripts; a clever mode of delivery that quickens the pace.
As well as an intriguing who dunnit, Burke engages us with an eclectic cast including: Jimmy Boyle, an Irish NYPD detective with a photographic memory; Don Ellison, Olivia’s law partner and “honorary dad;” and Charlotte Caperton, Jack and Olivia’s lesbian friend who operates a gossip website central to the plot.
The characters in The Ex are multi-dimensional. They have virtues and shortcomings with intentions both self-serving and altruistic. There are snippets of them in us bonding reader and story in a poignant manner. To achieve this dynamic, Burke sketches descriptions, draws visuals and sums vital information that provides insight into what has happened. The following are such examples:
In Chapter Three, she says of Todd Neeley, “Just a boy, 15 years old, all of five feet seven and 127 pounds.”
With respect to Jack Harris, she states in Chapter Four, “He was the poster child for hard knocks.”
The protagonist, Olivia Randall, deserves consideration. The daughter of an alcoholic abusive father and emotionally distant mother, she manifests a self-destructive streak, unsavoury record with males and a tempestuous relationship with Jack twenty years ago that had included an affair with his now-dead brother, Owen.
Olivia’s self-analysis in Chapter Six shows blunt awareness of her imperfections. She says, “I’m not good at everything. Or, to be more honest. I’m pretty bad on some fairly major metrics. I’m selfish. I feel entitled to things always going my way. I despise hearing about other people’s problems, because I don’t like most people, especially people who would be described as normal….”
Notwithstanding this criticism, however, she shows confidence and conviction in her abilities. Humans are creatures of contradictions; a dichotomy Burke captures well. Olivia’s quote from above continues and she says, “I am extremely good at one thing, though. I am good at tearing apart a prosecution….”
Given what we know about Olivia’s history, the reader empathizes with and roots for her while at the same time, vents frustration and anger at her choices. Burke has created a flawed and complex woman we can neither ignore or treat with indifference or, most likely, forget. She deserves kudos for this, too.
The legal process is integral to the framework within which The Ex is told and an offshoot of Burke’s experience as a Deputy District Attorney and professor of law. As per Chapter Seventeen, “The march towards a criminal trial is slow but never steady-fast and frenetic at the beginning, followed by a long period that would feel almost normal if not for the pending changes, followed by the ramp-up toward trial.”
An explanation of computer spying methods, the parlay of technical terms, the definition and relevance of GSR (Gun Shot Residue), the meaning of Brady material and the rules of discovery add gravitas to the novel plus authenticity as to the conflict’s resolution.
The conclusion is surprising albeit plausible but, that being said, Olivia’s predicament appears a bit of a stretch. Olivia’s quote in this part re defending Jack in Chapter Twenty posits reflection. She says, “Like every circumstantial case, every piece of evidence had two sides.” This prompts one to ponder the ministering of justice, I’m certain.
In the final pages of The Ex, Olivia says, “When you’re a criminal defense lawyer, you get used to trying to understand why people do horrible things.” Sans disclosing Jack Harris’ fate, the significance of her words is clear. Whoever was responsible for the three football field murders, the reader will understand why they did a horrible thing. And sadly, this awareness will also reveal more victims than those who lost their life.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
Jackson (Jack) Harris, a successful literary writer, is accused of shooting Malcolm Neely, Clifton Hunter and Tracy Frankel in a New York City football field. Malcolm Neely is Todd’s father, the teen who’d killed Molly Harris, his teacher-wife in a mass killing referred to as the Penn Station Massacre. The fortyish Olivia Randall, his ex-fiancé and a criminal defence lawyer, becomes convinced Jack set-up. Though uncommitted initially, Jack’s sixteen-year old daughter, Buckley, protests and she alters her view. The book chronicles Olivia’s trials to prove him innocent.
The Ex begins June 17, 2015 three years after Molly Harris’ murder. It opens post the football field incident with a transcript of a recorded interview between NYPD Detective Jimmy Boyle and Jack Harris at a New York precinct. The tale then backtracks the month with the last of its twenty-four chapters taking place four years later on August 10th.
Alafair Burke pulls us into the drama by paralleling the Penn Station Massacre to horrors impacting previous generations that have forever changed us. This excerpt is from Chapter Three.
“Every generation of American’s had at least one day where they all could remember where they were when they heard the news. Pearl Harbour. The Kennedy assassination. Nine-eleven.
And then there were some dates that left the same kind of mark, but in a smaller and more regional way. Columbine in Colorado….A club fire in Rhode Island.”
As a result, Burke makes the triggering event relevant to each and every reader; a brilliant tool that breathes the fictional world to life.
The Ex rivets with twists and turns. Assumptions emerge erroneous, motivations surface false and whom we judge victim and culprit change. In addition to narration and dialogue, it unfolds through itemized lists, email exchanges, text messages, newspaper articles and interview transcripts; a clever mode of delivery that quickens the pace.
As well as an intriguing who dunnit, Burke engages us with an eclectic cast including: Jimmy Boyle, an Irish NYPD detective with a photographic memory; Don Ellison, Olivia’s law partner and “honorary dad;” and Charlotte Caperton, Jack and Olivia’s lesbian friend who operates a gossip website central to the plot.
The characters in The Ex are multi-dimensional. They have virtues and shortcomings with intentions both self-serving and altruistic. There are snippets of them in us bonding reader and story in a poignant manner. To achieve this dynamic, Burke sketches descriptions, draws visuals and sums vital information that provides insight into what has happened. The following are such examples:
In Chapter Three, she says of Todd Neeley, “Just a boy, 15 years old, all of five feet seven and 127 pounds.”
With respect to Jack Harris, she states in Chapter Four, “He was the poster child for hard knocks.”
The protagonist, Olivia Randall, deserves consideration. The daughter of an alcoholic abusive father and emotionally distant mother, she manifests a self-destructive streak, unsavoury record with males and a tempestuous relationship with Jack twenty years ago that had included an affair with his now-dead brother, Owen.
Olivia’s self-analysis in Chapter Six shows blunt awareness of her imperfections. She says, “I’m not good at everything. Or, to be more honest. I’m pretty bad on some fairly major metrics. I’m selfish. I feel entitled to things always going my way. I despise hearing about other people’s problems, because I don’t like most people, especially people who would be described as normal….”
Notwithstanding this criticism, however, she shows confidence and conviction in her abilities. Humans are creatures of contradictions; a dichotomy Burke captures well. Olivia’s quote from above continues and she says, “I am extremely good at one thing, though. I am good at tearing apart a prosecution….”
Given what we know about Olivia’s history, the reader empathizes with and roots for her while at the same time, vents frustration and anger at her choices. Burke has created a flawed and complex woman we can neither ignore or treat with indifference or, most likely, forget. She deserves kudos for this, too.
The legal process is integral to the framework within which The Ex is told and an offshoot of Burke’s experience as a Deputy District Attorney and professor of law. As per Chapter Seventeen, “The march towards a criminal trial is slow but never steady-fast and frenetic at the beginning, followed by a long period that would feel almost normal if not for the pending changes, followed by the ramp-up toward trial.”
An explanation of computer spying methods, the parlay of technical terms, the definition and relevance of GSR (Gun Shot Residue), the meaning of Brady material and the rules of discovery add gravitas to the novel plus authenticity as to the conflict’s resolution.
The conclusion is surprising albeit plausible but, that being said, Olivia’s predicament appears a bit of a stretch. Olivia’s quote in this part re defending Jack in Chapter Twenty posits reflection. She says, “Like every circumstantial case, every piece of evidence had two sides.” This prompts one to ponder the ministering of justice, I’m certain.
In the final pages of The Ex, Olivia says, “When you’re a criminal defense lawyer, you get used to trying to understand why people do horrible things.” Sans disclosing Jack Harris’ fate, the significance of her words is clear. Whoever was responsible for the three football field murders, the reader will understand why they did a horrible thing. And sadly, this awareness will also reveal more victims than those who lost their life.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
August 10, 2016
An Insight Into Japan.
An Insight Into Japan
Book Review: Thousand Cranes by Yasunari Kawabata
Travelling influences what I read and a recent trip through Japan made me keen to familiarize myself with Japanese writers. Yasunari Kawabata was the first Japanese author to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature and, as a result, I selected his1959 published book, Thousand Cranes.
The one hundred forty-seven page novel is set post World War Two. It is divided into five chapters with a black and white sketch pertinent to the theme of each at the start. The titles are: “Thousand Cranes”, “The Grove in the Evening Sun”, “Figured Shino”, “Her Mother’s Lipstick”, and “Double Star”.
The tea ceremony is fundamental to the story and an introduction at the beginning of the book establishes its significance in Japanese history. With thirteenth century origins, every detail is pre-determined and adherence to an exacting process required. This information heightens the reader experience and its inclusion is valuable.
Kikuji Mitani, a twenty-five year old bachelor with deceased parents, is the main character. Contrary to cultural beliefs, he is indifferent to marriage and wavers in his conviction to honouring traditions. The plot centers on Kikuji’s relationships with his late father’s former mistresses, Kurimoto Chikako and Mrs. Ota, and the chain of events they trigger.
Kurimoto had a brief liaison with his father. A meddlesome woman derided for an unsightly birthmark on her chest, she sustains a livelihood by offering tea lessons. She invites the unsuspecting Kikuji to his father’s tea cottage under the guise of having tea when in reality she has organized a miai; an opportunity for him to view a prospective bride named Yukiko Inamura.
Anticipating a tea ceremony, Mrs. Ota and her daughter, Fumiko are also present. In contrast to Kurimoto, her relationship with Kikuji’s father was long-standing plus she enjoyed camaraderie with his wife. Kikuji finds Yukiko and Fumiko attractive but remains uncommitted to marriage.
As shown in this excerpt from “The Grove in the Evening Sun”, he also demonstrates a lack of respect for the tea ceremony.
“Kikuji absent-mindedly arranged the charcoal and put on the kettle. Keeping his father company, he had often been through the tea ceremony. He had never been tempted to take up the hobby himself, however, and his father had never pressed him. Even with the water boiling, he only pushed the lid open a little and sat staring at it.”
Kikuji’s attitudes offend Kurimoto and the resulting dynamics illustrate intergenerational conflict as well as the tension implicit in conflicting values.
Events occur and Kikuji and Mrs. Ota have an affair. In the aftermath, Mrs. Ota commits suicide. Kikuji had told her about Kurimoto’s intention vis-à-vis Yukiko and he suspects she killed herself so that based on her relationship with his father, he’d automatically inherit responsibility for Fumiko.
Given her displeasure with Kikuji, Kurimoto lies and tells him Yukiko and Fumiko have wed and his behaviour, therefore, has bereft him of two potential wives. He and Fumiko, however, reconnect. She did not marry but the ending is ambiguous as to whether or not they spend their lives together.
Thousand Cranes explores the issues of grief, forgiveness and sorrow with regards Mrs. Ota’s death. There are poignant passages of dialogue between Kikuji and Fumiko and the following excerpts from “Figured Shino” testify to the author’s skill at his craft.
“…But it only makes her death seem dirty, when we start feeling responsible and having regrets. Regrets and second thoughts only make the burden heavier for the one who has died.”
“Worrying oneself over the dead-was it in most cases a mistake, not unlike berating them? The dead did not press moral considerations upon the living.”
“…I thought that no matter how she had been misunderstood, death could not be her answer. Death only cuts off understanding….”
Yasunari Kawabata’s prose is sparse and controlled; nevertheless, he pens evocative descriptions as this sample from “The Grove in the Evening Sun” shows.
“As the train approached Tokyo Central Station, he looked down upon a tree-lined avenue. It ran east and west, almost at right angles to the railroad. The western sun poured into it, and the street glittered like a sheet of metal. The trees, with the sun behind them, were darkened almost black. The shadows were cool, the branches wide, the leaves thick. Solid western buildings lined the street.”
On a final note, the title is derived from chapter one and the thousand-crane pattern design on Yukiko Inamura’s kerchief Kikuji notices the first time he sees her. Impressed with her beauty, he has yet to learn her identity or the impact she will have on his world.
Thousand Cranes is a compelling book. It provides insight into Japanese culture post World War Two; highlights the tug between the past and present; invites reflection as to the standing of cultural traditions today; and prompts reflection as to what the future might hold.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
Book Review: Thousand Cranes by Yasunari Kawabata
Travelling influences what I read and a recent trip through Japan made me keen to familiarize myself with Japanese writers. Yasunari Kawabata was the first Japanese author to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature and, as a result, I selected his1959 published book, Thousand Cranes.
The one hundred forty-seven page novel is set post World War Two. It is divided into five chapters with a black and white sketch pertinent to the theme of each at the start. The titles are: “Thousand Cranes”, “The Grove in the Evening Sun”, “Figured Shino”, “Her Mother’s Lipstick”, and “Double Star”.
The tea ceremony is fundamental to the story and an introduction at the beginning of the book establishes its significance in Japanese history. With thirteenth century origins, every detail is pre-determined and adherence to an exacting process required. This information heightens the reader experience and its inclusion is valuable.
Kikuji Mitani, a twenty-five year old bachelor with deceased parents, is the main character. Contrary to cultural beliefs, he is indifferent to marriage and wavers in his conviction to honouring traditions. The plot centers on Kikuji’s relationships with his late father’s former mistresses, Kurimoto Chikako and Mrs. Ota, and the chain of events they trigger.
Kurimoto had a brief liaison with his father. A meddlesome woman derided for an unsightly birthmark on her chest, she sustains a livelihood by offering tea lessons. She invites the unsuspecting Kikuji to his father’s tea cottage under the guise of having tea when in reality she has organized a miai; an opportunity for him to view a prospective bride named Yukiko Inamura.
Anticipating a tea ceremony, Mrs. Ota and her daughter, Fumiko are also present. In contrast to Kurimoto, her relationship with Kikuji’s father was long-standing plus she enjoyed camaraderie with his wife. Kikuji finds Yukiko and Fumiko attractive but remains uncommitted to marriage.
As shown in this excerpt from “The Grove in the Evening Sun”, he also demonstrates a lack of respect for the tea ceremony.
“Kikuji absent-mindedly arranged the charcoal and put on the kettle. Keeping his father company, he had often been through the tea ceremony. He had never been tempted to take up the hobby himself, however, and his father had never pressed him. Even with the water boiling, he only pushed the lid open a little and sat staring at it.”
Kikuji’s attitudes offend Kurimoto and the resulting dynamics illustrate intergenerational conflict as well as the tension implicit in conflicting values.
Events occur and Kikuji and Mrs. Ota have an affair. In the aftermath, Mrs. Ota commits suicide. Kikuji had told her about Kurimoto’s intention vis-à-vis Yukiko and he suspects she killed herself so that based on her relationship with his father, he’d automatically inherit responsibility for Fumiko.
Given her displeasure with Kikuji, Kurimoto lies and tells him Yukiko and Fumiko have wed and his behaviour, therefore, has bereft him of two potential wives. He and Fumiko, however, reconnect. She did not marry but the ending is ambiguous as to whether or not they spend their lives together.
Thousand Cranes explores the issues of grief, forgiveness and sorrow with regards Mrs. Ota’s death. There are poignant passages of dialogue between Kikuji and Fumiko and the following excerpts from “Figured Shino” testify to the author’s skill at his craft.
“…But it only makes her death seem dirty, when we start feeling responsible and having regrets. Regrets and second thoughts only make the burden heavier for the one who has died.”
“Worrying oneself over the dead-was it in most cases a mistake, not unlike berating them? The dead did not press moral considerations upon the living.”
“…I thought that no matter how she had been misunderstood, death could not be her answer. Death only cuts off understanding….”
Yasunari Kawabata’s prose is sparse and controlled; nevertheless, he pens evocative descriptions as this sample from “The Grove in the Evening Sun” shows.
“As the train approached Tokyo Central Station, he looked down upon a tree-lined avenue. It ran east and west, almost at right angles to the railroad. The western sun poured into it, and the street glittered like a sheet of metal. The trees, with the sun behind them, were darkened almost black. The shadows were cool, the branches wide, the leaves thick. Solid western buildings lined the street.”
On a final note, the title is derived from chapter one and the thousand-crane pattern design on Yukiko Inamura’s kerchief Kikuji notices the first time he sees her. Impressed with her beauty, he has yet to learn her identity or the impact she will have on his world.
Thousand Cranes is a compelling book. It provides insight into Japanese culture post World War Two; highlights the tug between the past and present; invites reflection as to the standing of cultural traditions today; and prompts reflection as to what the future might hold.
Marianne Perry
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
www.marianneperry.ca
July 23, 2016
Would You Like To Visit Venice For A Few Days?
Book Review: Falling In Love by Donna Leon
Falling In Love is book number twenty-four in Donna Leon’s crime series set in Venice, Italy featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti. It is about a mysterious stalker who threatens Flavia Petrelli, a fortyish opera singer performing the lead role in Tosca at Teatro La Fenice, and Brunetti’s attempts to catch the culprit before she is murdered. The author explores the love-hate relationship between a star and her admirers giving us an intriguing tale of obsessive fans, sibling rivalry, illicit affairs and lustrous jewels.
The novel unfolds in twenty-eight chapters and prior to the first, there is a black and white aerial map of Venice. Marked with clear text and directional arrows, it identifies the six sestieri, major canals, location vis-à-vis the mainland and some of the other islands in the Venetian Lagoon. Donna Leon, however, uses the map as more than a tool to define place. Sites where pivotal action occurs are also noted. By providing the opportunity to track developments, therefore, she draws readers into the story.
Opera is a complicated art form and Donna Leon fosters our understanding of it through many means. In Chapter 26, for example, Commissario Brunetti and Inspector Vianello observe Flavia Petrelli perform so they might guard her. In this instance, she weaves technical and staging details necessary to mount the production without interrupting flow.
As the following sentence evidences, she articulates the musical score beautifully. “Although there was only death to come, the scene opened with soft flutes and horns and church bells and the utter tranquility of night’s slow mellowing into day.”
Donna Leon excels at creating complex characters. Guido Brunetti is a methodical detective committed to his duties as a Venetian detective. This passage from Chapter 23, however, demonstrates he is also a man of passion with tenderness for his wife, Paola Falier. His definition of love is especially poignant.
“Perhaps life had been too generous to him, for the only woman he had ever desired to the point of pain at the thought of not having was Paola, the woman he had married and who was now part of himself. For her, and for his children with her, he willed the good: he couldn’t remember which philosopher had defined love this way, but he thought it was as perfect a definition he had ever heard.”
Related to this talent is her deftness at character description. I cite Flavia Petrelli’s comments in Chapter 3 with regards Guido Brunetti and Paola Falier to elucidate this point.
“She noticed, in the midst of the remaining people, a middle-aged man at the back of the group: brown-haired, head lowered to listen to something the woman next to him was saying. The woman was more interesting; natural blonde, powerful nose, light eyes, probably older than she looked.”
The author also captures the minutiae of everyday life with precision often referencing food and meal interactions to illustrate family dynamics. In a Chapter 12 lunch scene, Brunetti and Paola have a “frittata with zucchini and stuffed turkey breast” with their children, Raffi and Chiara.
She writes, “The meal passed quietly, with the idle chat of people who were at ease with one another.” This parsing testifies to Donna Leon’s keen powers of observation as well as her skill as a wordsmith.
And a final thought. Venice, Italy is a popular tourist venue but Brunetti’s reflections challenge the reader to view it from a resident’s perspective.
In Chapter 17, he ruminates, “Since the city illumination had been changed about a decade ago, Brunetti had grumbled about how bright the night had become: some of his friends complained that they could read in bed with the light that came in the windows.”
Whenever I yen to spend a few days in Venice to escape my current reality, I reach for a Donna Leon book. I have enjoyed the visit Falling In Love has afforded me and encourage you to travel with this author, too.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
http://www.marianneperry.ca
Falling In Love is book number twenty-four in Donna Leon’s crime series set in Venice, Italy featuring Commissario Guido Brunetti. It is about a mysterious stalker who threatens Flavia Petrelli, a fortyish opera singer performing the lead role in Tosca at Teatro La Fenice, and Brunetti’s attempts to catch the culprit before she is murdered. The author explores the love-hate relationship between a star and her admirers giving us an intriguing tale of obsessive fans, sibling rivalry, illicit affairs and lustrous jewels.
The novel unfolds in twenty-eight chapters and prior to the first, there is a black and white aerial map of Venice. Marked with clear text and directional arrows, it identifies the six sestieri, major canals, location vis-à-vis the mainland and some of the other islands in the Venetian Lagoon. Donna Leon, however, uses the map as more than a tool to define place. Sites where pivotal action occurs are also noted. By providing the opportunity to track developments, therefore, she draws readers into the story.
Opera is a complicated art form and Donna Leon fosters our understanding of it through many means. In Chapter 26, for example, Commissario Brunetti and Inspector Vianello observe Flavia Petrelli perform so they might guard her. In this instance, she weaves technical and staging details necessary to mount the production without interrupting flow.
As the following sentence evidences, she articulates the musical score beautifully. “Although there was only death to come, the scene opened with soft flutes and horns and church bells and the utter tranquility of night’s slow mellowing into day.”
Donna Leon excels at creating complex characters. Guido Brunetti is a methodical detective committed to his duties as a Venetian detective. This passage from Chapter 23, however, demonstrates he is also a man of passion with tenderness for his wife, Paola Falier. His definition of love is especially poignant.
“Perhaps life had been too generous to him, for the only woman he had ever desired to the point of pain at the thought of not having was Paola, the woman he had married and who was now part of himself. For her, and for his children with her, he willed the good: he couldn’t remember which philosopher had defined love this way, but he thought it was as perfect a definition he had ever heard.”
Related to this talent is her deftness at character description. I cite Flavia Petrelli’s comments in Chapter 3 with regards Guido Brunetti and Paola Falier to elucidate this point.
“She noticed, in the midst of the remaining people, a middle-aged man at the back of the group: brown-haired, head lowered to listen to something the woman next to him was saying. The woman was more interesting; natural blonde, powerful nose, light eyes, probably older than she looked.”
The author also captures the minutiae of everyday life with precision often referencing food and meal interactions to illustrate family dynamics. In a Chapter 12 lunch scene, Brunetti and Paola have a “frittata with zucchini and stuffed turkey breast” with their children, Raffi and Chiara.
She writes, “The meal passed quietly, with the idle chat of people who were at ease with one another.” This parsing testifies to Donna Leon’s keen powers of observation as well as her skill as a wordsmith.
And a final thought. Venice, Italy is a popular tourist venue but Brunetti’s reflections challenge the reader to view it from a resident’s perspective.
In Chapter 17, he ruminates, “Since the city illumination had been changed about a decade ago, Brunetti had grumbled about how bright the night had become: some of his friends complained that they could read in bed with the light that came in the windows.”
Whenever I yen to spend a few days in Venice to escape my current reality, I reach for a Donna Leon book. I have enjoyed the visit Falling In Love has afforded me and encourage you to travel with this author, too.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
http://www.marianneperry.ca
June 26, 2016
Is There Life After Loss?
Is There Life After Loss?
Book Review:
Two If By Sea by Jacquelyn Mitchard
A tsunamii claims the life of Frank Mercy’s wife and unborn child Christmas Eve on Bribie Island, north of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. Frank, a retired police officer and volunteer fireman, attempts to rescue the occupants of a sinking van. The older lad trapped inside insists he save the younger one first. He does but the woman and other boy slip away. Frank is compelled to keep the child. He confirms him the son of a deceased relative, calls him Ian and moves to his family’s horse farm in Wisconsin. Ian manifests an extraordinary mind able to change people’s behaviour. The boy assumed drown survives. He is revealed Ian’s older brother, Colin whom Frank adopts as well. Colin has telepathic ability and thugs keen to employ the sibling’s gifts for nefarious purposes attempt to abduct them. Frank does whatever necessary to hold them safe and, as such, a riveting conflict drives Two If By Sea. Jacquelyn Mitchard’s novel, however, also explores the human response to grief, the many kinds of love and our capacity to heal, move past tragedy and begin anew.
The four-hundred page book is organized into thirty-three chapters with Frank’s chilling account of the approaching tsunami on the second page drawing the reader into the looming horror and the consequences it will precipitate at the start.
“He saw the wave as a gleaming dam, built of stainless steel, standing upright in the misty moonlight, fifty feet tall and extending for half a mile in either direction.”
From this point, the story spans a two year period set in Australia then Wisconsin, North Carolina and finally, Yorkshire, England. The author creates a vivid sense of locale with this Chapter Thirty excerpt describing the village of Stead, England as testament.
“Houses and stores bumped up against the thoroughfare, with no front yard or parkway except a scrap of tufty grass tucked behind ancient dry stone walls-their slabs stacked like shrunken books. At the back of buildings that clustered together like a toy village, there were small yards, with play structures, tumbles of wild roses and balls of shrub, that rose up to the curved and clefted hills,.…”
The threading of local language throughout the text also strengthens authenticity. Weaving Australian terms such as lamingtons, a popular Brisbane dessert and jackaroo, a young man working on a cattle ranch are apt examples.
A meticulous work, Mitchard’s depiction of the equestrian world serving as a backdrop merits note. A jockey and Olympic hopeful are among the characters that provide technical details. Their various perspectives shed insight as do incidents involving injuries to horses, skill clinics for novice riders and competitive events.
There are two recommendations for improvement. The inclusion of a map would have aided the reader in locating Bribie Island thereby enhancing understanding of the devastating impact of the tsunami. Julia Madigral, an acquaintance of Frank’s new girlfriend, Claudia is presented as a mysterious woman. An adult with ability similar to Ian’s; Frank is perplexed with a youthful appearance inconsistent her chronological age. His comments raise intrigue but as an explanation is lacking, the reader is left an incomplete profile.
The book is a worthy read especially since the author is deft with dialogue. The Chapter Fifteen exchange between Frank and Claudia who is also a psychiatrist with regards Ian and how children express grief is penned with thought-provoking brilliance.
“She (Claudia) described it as “taking bites.” Little children, who didn’t have the large vocabulary necessary for ritual mourning, were sad in small “bites,” but then rushed away to play….Kids just didn’t look the way we think people look when they’ve suffered a tremendous loss.”
At the end of Two If By Sea, conflicts are resolved satisfactorily and a reasonable scenario crafted for the future. The final chapter reassures us magic exists in our everyday world. Jacquelyn Mitchard has written an inspirational tale celebrating the possibility of life after loss.
Please note that I received a free copy of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
http://www.marianneperry.ca
Book Review:
Two If By Sea by Jacquelyn Mitchard
A tsunamii claims the life of Frank Mercy’s wife and unborn child Christmas Eve on Bribie Island, north of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. Frank, a retired police officer and volunteer fireman, attempts to rescue the occupants of a sinking van. The older lad trapped inside insists he save the younger one first. He does but the woman and other boy slip away. Frank is compelled to keep the child. He confirms him the son of a deceased relative, calls him Ian and moves to his family’s horse farm in Wisconsin. Ian manifests an extraordinary mind able to change people’s behaviour. The boy assumed drown survives. He is revealed Ian’s older brother, Colin whom Frank adopts as well. Colin has telepathic ability and thugs keen to employ the sibling’s gifts for nefarious purposes attempt to abduct them. Frank does whatever necessary to hold them safe and, as such, a riveting conflict drives Two If By Sea. Jacquelyn Mitchard’s novel, however, also explores the human response to grief, the many kinds of love and our capacity to heal, move past tragedy and begin anew.
The four-hundred page book is organized into thirty-three chapters with Frank’s chilling account of the approaching tsunami on the second page drawing the reader into the looming horror and the consequences it will precipitate at the start.
“He saw the wave as a gleaming dam, built of stainless steel, standing upright in the misty moonlight, fifty feet tall and extending for half a mile in either direction.”
From this point, the story spans a two year period set in Australia then Wisconsin, North Carolina and finally, Yorkshire, England. The author creates a vivid sense of locale with this Chapter Thirty excerpt describing the village of Stead, England as testament.
“Houses and stores bumped up against the thoroughfare, with no front yard or parkway except a scrap of tufty grass tucked behind ancient dry stone walls-their slabs stacked like shrunken books. At the back of buildings that clustered together like a toy village, there were small yards, with play structures, tumbles of wild roses and balls of shrub, that rose up to the curved and clefted hills,.…”
The threading of local language throughout the text also strengthens authenticity. Weaving Australian terms such as lamingtons, a popular Brisbane dessert and jackaroo, a young man working on a cattle ranch are apt examples.
A meticulous work, Mitchard’s depiction of the equestrian world serving as a backdrop merits note. A jockey and Olympic hopeful are among the characters that provide technical details. Their various perspectives shed insight as do incidents involving injuries to horses, skill clinics for novice riders and competitive events.
There are two recommendations for improvement. The inclusion of a map would have aided the reader in locating Bribie Island thereby enhancing understanding of the devastating impact of the tsunami. Julia Madigral, an acquaintance of Frank’s new girlfriend, Claudia is presented as a mysterious woman. An adult with ability similar to Ian’s; Frank is perplexed with a youthful appearance inconsistent her chronological age. His comments raise intrigue but as an explanation is lacking, the reader is left an incomplete profile.
The book is a worthy read especially since the author is deft with dialogue. The Chapter Fifteen exchange between Frank and Claudia who is also a psychiatrist with regards Ian and how children express grief is penned with thought-provoking brilliance.
“She (Claudia) described it as “taking bites.” Little children, who didn’t have the large vocabulary necessary for ritual mourning, were sad in small “bites,” but then rushed away to play….Kids just didn’t look the way we think people look when they’ve suffered a tremendous loss.”
At the end of Two If By Sea, conflicts are resolved satisfactorily and a reasonable scenario crafted for the future. The final chapter reassures us magic exists in our everyday world. Jacquelyn Mitchard has written an inspirational tale celebrating the possibility of life after loss.
Please note that I received a free copy of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
http://www.marianneperry.ca
May 11, 2016
Book Review: All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
What do you see with your eyes closed?
Book Review:
All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The recipient of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is set in France and Germany during World War Two. It recounts the interlinking story of Marie-Laure LeBlanc, a blind French girl and Werner Pfennig, a German orphan who becomes a Hitler Youth. Marie-Laure’s father, Daniel, a locksmith at Paris’ Museum of Natural History, constructs models of Paris and Saint-Malo, France where they lived to teach his daughter how to manoeuvre throughout the cities independently. The allegedly cursed Sea of Flames diamond, the Nazi’s quest to secure the treasure, Werner’s aptitude for radio technology, the plight of families and their resistance efforts in occupied France are core to this book.
The five-hundred page novel begins August 7, 1944 when the Americans bombed Saint-Malo believing it a German stronghold. Thirteen sections spanning the years 1934 to 2014 follow. The story moves back and forth with a compelling range of characters providing a comprehensive view of all that happens. These include: Frau Elena who operates the German orphanage; Marie-Laure’s Great-Uncle Etienne; Werner’s Hitler Youth Friend, Frederick and his technical teacher, Dr. Hauptmann; and Sergeant Major Reinhold, a German gemologist tasked with finding the precious stone.
The tale is relayed in short chapters; their brief length eases the reader’s processing of some rather difficult material as well as mimics the turbulent war period. Clever and often single-word titles signal issues, themes and/or topics to be explored. “Jungmanner” meaning young men for the four page chapter outlining the fourteen year old Werner’s training as a Hitler Youth serves an apt example. The exchange of letters between Werner and his sister, Jutta is noteworthy. With the salutation, My Dear Sister Jutta and signature, Sieg heil, the correspondence advances plot while revealing internal conflict. Blacked out comments represent a stark method of showing German censuring of communication and merit comment.
Technically brilliant, each word in All The Light We Cannot See is selected with deliberation and every image, crafted with precision. I suspect Doerr decided extirpation to convey destruction in the chapter “Saint-Malo” when he described the bombing because of its harsh phonetics. In a similar vein, by penning the phrase“…an amber beam wandering the dust” in the chapter “Trapped”, he elevated an ordinary scene to the remarkable.
Meticulously researched, Doerr informs the reader of weighty facts without assuming a didactic tone or distracting attention from the human element. The interjection of French and German vocabulary adds authenticity, and I cite the inclusion of caviste, the person in charge of a wine cellar in the chapter, “The Boches” as testament.
The provision of a map locating significant places, however, would have enriched the reader’s experience. The Zollverein Coal Mine Complex in Essex, Germany was integral to Werner’s life as well as Schulpforta, Berlin and Munich and could have been marked. Tracing Marie-Laure and Daniel’s trek from Paris to Evreux to Saint-Malo would have heightened the emotional poignancy of their situation.
In sum, Doerr has written a visceral account of a period in time that has shaped the history of our lives. An extraordinary book, he excels at expressing Marie-Laure’s perception of the environment by accessing her sense of smell, touch, taste and hearing is brilliant. I offer excerpts from the chapter “Plage du Mole” depicting her visit to this southerly beach as proof of his literary achievement.
“When she raises her face to the sky, she can feel the thousand tiny spines of raindrops melt onto her cheeks, her forehead. She hears Madame Manec’s raspy breathing, and the deep sounding of the sea among the rocks, and the calls of someone down the beach echoing off the high walls…..Marie-Laure unwinds her scarf and Madame Manec takes it. Briny, weedy, pewter-colored air slips down her collar……She walks. Now there are cold round pebbles beneath her feet…It’s like cold silk….The sand pulls the heat from her fingertips, from the soles of her feet.”
What do you see with your eyes closed? All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr leaves us with an impression of what is possible.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
http://www.marianneperry.ca
May 2016
Book Review:
All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The recipient of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is set in France and Germany during World War Two. It recounts the interlinking story of Marie-Laure LeBlanc, a blind French girl and Werner Pfennig, a German orphan who becomes a Hitler Youth. Marie-Laure’s father, Daniel, a locksmith at Paris’ Museum of Natural History, constructs models of Paris and Saint-Malo, France where they lived to teach his daughter how to manoeuvre throughout the cities independently. The allegedly cursed Sea of Flames diamond, the Nazi’s quest to secure the treasure, Werner’s aptitude for radio technology, the plight of families and their resistance efforts in occupied France are core to this book.
The five-hundred page novel begins August 7, 1944 when the Americans bombed Saint-Malo believing it a German stronghold. Thirteen sections spanning the years 1934 to 2014 follow. The story moves back and forth with a compelling range of characters providing a comprehensive view of all that happens. These include: Frau Elena who operates the German orphanage; Marie-Laure’s Great-Uncle Etienne; Werner’s Hitler Youth Friend, Frederick and his technical teacher, Dr. Hauptmann; and Sergeant Major Reinhold, a German gemologist tasked with finding the precious stone.
The tale is relayed in short chapters; their brief length eases the reader’s processing of some rather difficult material as well as mimics the turbulent war period. Clever and often single-word titles signal issues, themes and/or topics to be explored. “Jungmanner” meaning young men for the four page chapter outlining the fourteen year old Werner’s training as a Hitler Youth serves an apt example. The exchange of letters between Werner and his sister, Jutta is noteworthy. With the salutation, My Dear Sister Jutta and signature, Sieg heil, the correspondence advances plot while revealing internal conflict. Blacked out comments represent a stark method of showing German censuring of communication and merit comment.
Technically brilliant, each word in All The Light We Cannot See is selected with deliberation and every image, crafted with precision. I suspect Doerr decided extirpation to convey destruction in the chapter “Saint-Malo” when he described the bombing because of its harsh phonetics. In a similar vein, by penning the phrase“…an amber beam wandering the dust” in the chapter “Trapped”, he elevated an ordinary scene to the remarkable.
Meticulously researched, Doerr informs the reader of weighty facts without assuming a didactic tone or distracting attention from the human element. The interjection of French and German vocabulary adds authenticity, and I cite the inclusion of caviste, the person in charge of a wine cellar in the chapter, “The Boches” as testament.
The provision of a map locating significant places, however, would have enriched the reader’s experience. The Zollverein Coal Mine Complex in Essex, Germany was integral to Werner’s life as well as Schulpforta, Berlin and Munich and could have been marked. Tracing Marie-Laure and Daniel’s trek from Paris to Evreux to Saint-Malo would have heightened the emotional poignancy of their situation.
In sum, Doerr has written a visceral account of a period in time that has shaped the history of our lives. An extraordinary book, he excels at expressing Marie-Laure’s perception of the environment by accessing her sense of smell, touch, taste and hearing is brilliant. I offer excerpts from the chapter “Plage du Mole” depicting her visit to this southerly beach as proof of his literary achievement.
“When she raises her face to the sky, she can feel the thousand tiny spines of raindrops melt onto her cheeks, her forehead. She hears Madame Manec’s raspy breathing, and the deep sounding of the sea among the rocks, and the calls of someone down the beach echoing off the high walls…..Marie-Laure unwinds her scarf and Madame Manec takes it. Briny, weedy, pewter-colored air slips down her collar……She walks. Now there are cold round pebbles beneath her feet…It’s like cold silk….The sand pulls the heat from her fingertips, from the soles of her feet.”
What do you see with your eyes closed? All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr leaves us with an impression of what is possible.
Marianne Perry
Author of The Inheritance
Writing inspired by genealogical research to solve family mysteries.
http://www.marianneperry.ca
May 2016
