Inga Karlson was a one novel wonder, her novel All Has An End being adored by generations of readers. Unfortunately, she perished in a fire in the3.5
Inga Karlson was a one novel wonder, her novel All Has An End being adored by generations of readers. Unfortunately, she perished in a fire in the warehouse where the copies of her sophomore novel were being kept before publishing in 1939. Only a few fragments remained. These fragments and other objects related and belonging to Inga Karlson are part of an exhibition that opened in 1986 at the Art Galery in Brisbane, Australia.
Caddie Walker is a twenty-something bookseller in Brisbane. She's obsessed with Inga Karlson's novel, knows the book by heart and has read everything and anything on the famous writer. While waiting in line to enter the exhibition, she meets an older lady, who was feeling unsteady. When the lady says a line that seemed to sound like it belonged to Inga Karlson, Caddie is puzzled. The old woman's name is Rachel Leiher.
The Fragments is told in alternate chapters and points of view - one is Caddie's in 1986 Brisbane, the other POV belongs to Rachel Leiher, in the 1930s New York and Pennsylvania. Caddie is on a quest to find out the old lady and to discover the cause of the fire Inga Karlson perished in. I'll leave it at that, for fear of spoilers.
This was enjoyable enough, even though at times I thought Caddie was too gullible, I guess those flaws led to the novel's main conflict. Unfortunately, Inga Karlson is just a fictional character, as you can imagine I googled her name.
This was a cosy mystery/historical novel. Caroline Lee's delivery was good, although I did have to increase the speed to 1.25x to make her delivery/the novel more enjoyable....more
Saint Maybe has at its core the Bedloes, a Baltimorean middle-class family. They are the nicest people, kind and unassuming, living the American3.5
Saint Maybe has at its core the Bedloes, a Baltimorean middle-class family. They are the nicest people, kind and unassuming, living the American dream in the 1960s. Their two sons and daughter are nice people as well. When tragedy strikes and the eldest son Danny dies, his younger brother, Ian, blames himself. Depression and guilt entrap him. His saving grace is the Church of the Second Chance, which shows him that he should atone in practical ways, not just with meaningless words. So he drops out of college and becomes the carer and guardian of his two nieces and one nephew, who had become orphans.
As always, Anne Tyler crafts very realistic characters. I admire her ability to write stories that are uplifting, without avoiding life's downs such as death, illness, ageing, loneliness....more
I've done a lot of cooking and cleaning today so I've finished this audiobook in one go. It's true, it was under 6 hrs, but at least it made time passI've done a lot of cooking and cleaning today so I've finished this audiobook in one go. It's true, it was under 6 hrs, but at least it made time pass quicker.
This was narrated by Meryl Streep. The Meryl Streep. She did an OK job, although it wasn't the kind of delivery I was expecting - fast-talking Jewish New Yorker, that kind of accent.
Despite a few funny remarks and observations, a la, men want praise for clearing the table once, hoping never to have to do it again - which felt dated - there wasn't that much to laugh about and with good reason, as it's the upbeat story of a marriage breakdown, a second marriage breakdown at that. The narrator is seven months pregnant with her/their second baby when she discoveres her husband was cheating on her with a friend.
Besides my automatic sympathy for anyone in the sisterhood who's been wronged, it was difficult to take it too seriously - it was all upper-middle-class, superficial, mostly happening in the gossipy Washington circles or in New York.
This novel hasn't aged that well - there are a few swipes at feminists as if it were an insult to be one, and people with mental health issues are called crazy.
Three stars is a perfectly adequate rating for this....more
The Female Persuasion was a decent book. It failed to make a strong impression on me, despite its main theme - feminism through the eyes of3.5 stars
The Female Persuasion was a decent book. It failed to make a strong impression on me, despite its main theme - feminism through the eyes of the older and the younger generation.
Faith Frank is the distinguished, feminist figure who's in her sixties. Hearing her speak at university left a strong impression on young Greer Kadetsky. After finishing college, Greer ends up working for the new foundation Faith Frank had started with the help of a Venture capital investment firm. Greer is devoted to Faith Frank, she admires her energy, her kindness, poise and sense of justice.
I appreciated several aspects in this novel: - the juxtaposition of different kinds of feminism; - the fact that nobody is perfect, even with the best intentions, outside forces, be it financial, personal, social, affect everyone. - it's important for the older feminists/women to inspire and propel the younger generations. - The Sisterhood is essential.
I didn't object to any ideas, characters in this novel. The novel's structure and the way it was written contributed to my somewhat diminished appreciation. There was a bit too much back-story, unnecessarily long at times.
This is yet another novel that should have resonated much more than it did. In saying all that, I'm not sorry I read it.
The Keeper of Lost Things is Hogan's debut. I love the title and the idea behind it. I'm not a personThis is the Ruth Hogan's novel I read since June.
The Keeper of Lost Things is Hogan's debut. I love the title and the idea behind it. I'm not a person who appreciates things beyond their utilitarian function. I liked how Hogan connected lost objects such an umbrella, a flower hair tie, a glove, a puzzle piece to snippets from somebody's life. All these things and many others are collected by Anthony Perdew, who lives by himself in a nice house and has a whole room filled with found objects. Not having any relatives, he leaves his house to his kind, middle-aged helper, Laura, who's a bit lost herself, having wasted her best years married to someone unsuitable. Laura inherits the house but she's also tasked with trying to find as many owners of the lost things as possible. Sunshine, a nineteen-year-old girl with Down Syndrome, and Freddy, the gardener, become Laura's allies and friends.
Eunice and Bomber's story is interspersed with Laura's and Anthony's. These are stories of love, of devotion and friendships, including unlikely ones. Loss and grief feature greatly. Dogs are main characters are well, as it's the case in every Ruth Hogan novel.
The Keeper of Lost Things is a bit sentimental, but I didn't mind it. Not even the ghost presence affected my enjoyment of this novel, which is a testament to Hogan's talent and ability to write touching stories....more
After reading this, I'm adamant Heather Rose and I should be friends. I felt that way when I was reading her excellent The Museum of Modern Love andAfter reading this, I'm adamant Heather Rose and I should be friends. I felt that way when I was reading her excellent The Museum of Modern Love and even more so after hearing her speak a couple of times at the Perth Writers Festival.
When I picked up the brand new copy of Bruny, I was kind of put off by the Crime label on its spine but remembered it wasn't the first time I noticed books mislabelled, more importantly, it was written by Heather Rose so that was what mattered the most.
So, here are a few random thoughts, unedited and unpolished (like most of my reviews), especially, since I haven't fully made up my mind about this book: - Bruny is about a small island in the South East of Tasmania - the smallest state in Australia, which happens to be an island off the SE coast of Australia. I wasn't aware of it, so now I'll add it to my Must-See List if/when I visit Tasmania (in other words, I'll be another pesky tourist, something Heather Rose was, directly and indirectly, complaining about. Sorry. :-)) - this novel was topical, polemical, factual, in a way, it's an Idiot's Guide to Tasmania's, and Australia's, social, economic, environmental and political landscape. There are micro and macro facts and observations on Tasmania and Australia, and broader ones on global geopolitics. I remember reading somewhere that only about 15% of the population is paying attention to what happens in politics, I dare conclude that this will be very informative and maybe give you some food for thought. - feminist and environmental themes feature as well. There's no such thing as the perfect marriage or family, so there's plenty of conflict in those departments to keep things interesting. - the views and opinions expressed here matched mine uncannily. Despite that, at times it felt a bit heavy-handed or spoon-fed. - there is a bit of romance in the novel, I didn't care for it, but it adds a bit of lightness.
Bruny is an audacious novel that doesn't hold back. Kudos to Allen & Unwin for publishing it. It's an easy read that also manages to be informative and enlightening....more
What's happening? Why was I bored by a book so many loved, especially since its subject should have affected me a great deal? The introduction wasWhat's happening? Why was I bored by a book so many loved, especially since its subject should have affected me a great deal? The introduction was promising. The novel itself left me disconnected and detached, not to mention I had this nagging feeling that I'd read this story before. The writing was straight forward if I'm being honest, I expected it to be a bit more literary. The story is important, kudos to Whitehead for bringing it to our attention. My brain was, of course, horrified, but my heart was only half melted.
Another book I feel I should have loved but didn't.
I picked up Hitch after reading a favourable review and because I liked the cover. :-) It's Kathryn Hind's debut novel. It's about a young woman,I picked up Hitch after reading a favourable review and because I liked the cover. :-) It's Kathryn Hind's debut novel. It's about a young woman, Amelia, who stricken by grief and past trauma, takes her dog and runs away, without any direction, hitching her way around Australia. Not the safest, smartest thing to do.
She comes across all sort of people, some nice, some not so nice. I read this in two sittings, it was that readable - true, it's not very long.
I've read novels like this before and I've always liked them. This novel had similar vibes to Tim Winton's Sheperd's Hut and it also made me think of Michael Farris Smith's Desperation Road.
The writing is precise and concise, but effective - I liked it a lot.
I'm glad I picked this book up. I'll be keeping my eyes open for Hind's sophomore novel.
The thing is this novel enthralled and surprised me in unexpected ways.
Gravity Is The Thing (love the title) is about many things, beautifully4.5
The thing is this novel enthralled and surprised me in unexpected ways.
Gravity Is The Thing (love the title) is about many things, beautifully pulled together in this first adult novel from Jaclyn Moriarty.
Abigail Sorensen began receiving the "Guidebook" twenty years prior, the year her fifteen-year-old brother, Robert, disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again.
Abi's now a thirty-six-year-old single mother of a boy and the part-owner of the Happiness Cafe in Sydney. Her life revolves around her child and work. She gets an opportunity to attend a free retreat organised by the son of the people who had been sending the Guidebook. There she meets a mix of people, although only a few of them will be chosen to attend a special seminar back in Sydney. Is that some kind of pyramid scheme, a cult?
This novel is about finding your way and moving on when grief, heartbreak over a failed marriage and the day-to-day struggles seem to cage you. Despite the above, the tone of the novel is very light, with some amusing episodes. I had a good chuckle at Abi's analysis of many very popular self-help books, such as The Secret, The Celestine Profecy, He's Just Not That Into You to name just a few.
I'm not doing this novel justice, so I'll just sum it up by saying that it was surprising, intelligent, relatable, touching, uplifting and I loved every minute of the twelve hours plus I spent in its company. I hope Jaclyn Moriarty will write more novels for grown-ups. She's got a fan in me.
A huge shout out to Aimee Horne who was absolutely magnificent.
So now I've read novels by all the Moriarty sisters, who write books (three out of five are published writers). They're a talented bunch....more
I don't know why, but it took me a long time to finish this novel. I didn't hate it, but I never felt compelled to get back to it.
As3.5 rounded up
I don't know why, but it took me a long time to finish this novel. I didn't hate it, but I never felt compelled to get back to it.
As with Ordinary Grace, which I enjoyed very much, I had the feeling that I'd read this type of story before. There have been quite a few books addressing the horrible events when white people deemed it necessary to remove indigenous kids from their families in order to "integrate" them. Australia's own history is riddled with such events, the trauma of the kids taken away is still felt today and passed on to the new generations.
Oddie, twelve and his brother, Albert, sixteen, are the only white kids in a school for Indigenous (Indian) children are sent to be "educated". It's the 1930s, the Depression is at its peak. The poor kids are left in the care of violent, abusive adults, who do as they wish. They're pretty much slaves, being sent away to work for farmers or around the school. Oddie's best friend is Mose, a mute Sioux boy, who communicates with Obbie and Albert via sign language. The three boys and Emmy, the orphan little girl of one of the nicest teachers in school, run away. They have a canoe which they use to escape. Over the course of several months, the four of them have all sort of adventures or misadventures. They encounter all sort of people, some nicer than others. These adventures reminded me about Huckleberry Finn and other similar stories.
The last fifty pages or so really lifted this novel to another level. There were some interesting twists.
To conclude my ramblings - this wasn't bad, the writing is good, Oddie's voice is compelling enough. Cutting out some parts or making them shorter would have given this novel a smoother flow. I enjoyed reading Kent Kruger's notes....more
I was at the library picking some books I had on hold when I spotted this book prominently displayed. I felt compelled to grab it, as I adored TheI was at the library picking some books I had on hold when I spotted this book prominently displayed. I felt compelled to grab it, as I adored The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes.
I love the worlds and characters that Ruth Hogan creates. Her writing is infused with beautiful descriptions, complex characters with rich inner worlds. Throw in a bit of whimsy and a dusting of magical realism and we've got ourselves a charming novel.
Told in two alternate timelines, one of Tilly a seven-year-old girl and Tilda, the adult who'd just buried her mother, Queenie Malon's Paradise Hotel is a slow, nostalgia-filled novel that dwells on how little we know those closest to us and how easy it is even for good people to do bad things that have negative consequences for those they love.
Upon discovering her mother's diaries, Tilda rediscovers herself and her mother, and she can begin to put together the puzzle of her life. Coincidences and the right people in the right place at the right time move this story along.
I don't think this is as well realised as The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes - with which is tied-in in certain ways- but it was nevertheless still a very enjoyable read.
I'm looking forward to reading Ruth Hogan's fourth novel....more
The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes charmed the pants off of me. Ruth Hogan’s writing is beautifully descriptive, making the settings come to life. She4.5
The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes charmed the pants off of me. Ruth Hogan’s writing is beautifully descriptive, making the settings come to life. She builds the story slowly, allowing us to know the main characters, via their parallel points of view. Masha is a grieving mother, unable to move on with her life, even though it’s been twelve years since her son died. Alice is a single mother to Michael, now a changing teenager. He’s the apple of her eyes.
Masha is fascinated with the Victorian graveyard in her neighbourhood, where she spends countless hours, either by herself or in the company of her adorable wolfhound, Haizum. Besides her job as a psychotherapist, she enjoys swimming in an outdoor pool, no matter how cold it gets.
As they say, the devil is in the details. This is the case here as well. The settings and their descriptions are beautiful. There’s a large cast of quirky and interesting characters. I enjoyed the “word of the day” that popped up now and then and, incredibly enough, learning about the Victorian era ‘death business’, and a few other bits and pieces.
Although there’s death, pain and grief, The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes ends up being a feel-good, life-affirming kind of novel, which I savoured and found satisfying.
Highly recommended
I’ve received this novel via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review....more
In Every Moment We Are Still Alive is a sad, grief-filled novel.
This novel is based on real-life events, which makes my review a bit more difficultIn Every Moment We Are Still Alive is a sad, grief-filled novel.
This novel is based on real-life events, which makes my review a bit more difficult to write. I don't know if it's the writing style and/or the translation, but I felt unusually detached, even though the subject matter should have made sob uncontrollably. The writing is very matter-of-fact, in fact, too matter of fact - the hospital scenes were way too descriptive even for me (for a while, I wanted to become a doctor).
For me, this novel was similar to reading a movie's captions for the hearing impaired, without seeing the images on the screen. Malmquist takes pared-down writing to another level. Does it make it literary or a novel? Not so sure.
As with everything else, it's a matter of taste.
I've received this galley from the publishers via Edelweiss.
Mrs. Everything is the first Jennifer Weiner novel I read.
This novel is all about women. Women as daughters, girlfriends, wives, single mothers,Mrs. Everything is the first Jennifer Weiner novel I read.
This novel is all about women. Women as daughters, girlfriends, wives, single mothers, stay-at-home mothers, working mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and friends.
This novel spans decades, from the 1950s to the contemporary era. Jo and Bethie Kaufman are American Jewish. They couldn't be more different - Jo is the academic, sporty, tomboy, who also happens to like girls. Her younger sister, Bethie, is her exact opposite, demure and very girly, she's her mother's favourite. Nobody knows what paths their life will take. Will it be the beaten path, will they forge their own? Are there many options for girls and women? It's a historical time of great change, from the post-war new-found prosperity and the rise of the middle class to the 60s and 70s, a period of great social change and upheaval to the present - this novel covers lots of ground through the two sisters' lives, with all their ups and downs.
This was a very satisfying read, as you can tell it's only taken me just over two days to finish it, despite its 460 pages.
Mrs. Everything was engaging, relatable and touching.
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is about a young woman, Cussie Mary Carter, also named Bluet, who worked for the Pack Horse Library Project ofThe Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is about a young woman, Cussie Mary Carter, also named Bluet, who worked for the Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky, delivering books and other reading materials to people up in the hills and mountains around Troublesome Creek in the 1930s.
Cussie is a special young woman, in mmany ways - her skin is blue, her blood is like chocolate. She and her father are the last people with this condition, a rare genetic disorder. Her father is a miner and they barely scrape by. The area is quite poor, with many illiterate people and high mortality rates. Cussie is very dedicated and loves her patrons, she loves to facilitate the education of people who otherwise wouldn't have had any opportunities to get reading material. Her kindness and devotion break through some people's prejudices. Of course, that's not always the case and she encounters oppression, derision and abuse on many occasions.
I had never heard of the Blue people of Kentucky, so I appreciated learning about them. The Pack Horse Library Project was a wonderful outreach initiative I had no knowledge of.
While these two aspects anchored the novel, a few issues prevented my full immersion into the story. Cussie is the narrator of this novel. Nothing wrong with it, except that her voice was inconsistent - sometimes the dialogue sounded more authentic, with dialect, especially from people sounding uneducated, as they were supposed to be, but it waned and then came back as if the author suddenly remembered who her characters were so she'd throw in some colloquialisms.
Cussie was too saintly. She sounded way too sophisticated for someone so young and uneducated.
As the story progressed, the middle part that involved Mary's tracking to her patrons was quite repetitive.
The last chapters turn into a full-blown soap opera, way too melodramatic for my liking.
In conclusion, this had the makings of a great historical novel, but its incongruences and the melodrama made it just an okay read for me.
I've received this novel via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. ...more
I was a bit apprehensive to get into this novel as I read several less than glowing reviews of Nine Perfect Strangers, but, of course, I4.5 stars
I was a bit apprehensive to get into this novel as I read several less than glowing reviews of Nine Perfect Strangers, but, of course, I couldn't Not read it, after all, I read everything else by Liane Moriarty. So I waited for my wonderful library to make the audiobook available, as I had developed a great fondness for Moriarty's novels narrated by Carline Lee. I grumbled a bit at the 16 hr duration, then remembered all Moriarty's books were pretty long and it never stopped me from loving them.
Without giving away spoilers, when one of the bigger plot twists came about I thought "you, naughty woman, Liane Moriarty, how awesomely modern are you!" It surprised me, but it shouldn't have, because, really, Liane Moriarty is one talented writer. I always think very fondly of her and feel like we could be friends - yes, I know authors are not their characters or their books blah blah, but really, in many ways, they are. It's obvious that Moriarty is an incredible people observer and her commentary on society is underestimated, but she's spot on.
There's a very thin line between a cliche, cartoonish character and a realistic, well realised one. I am guilty of calling, thinking certain plots, characters were cliche and/or cartoonish. I've never felt that way about any of Liane Moriarty's characters. My Eastern European self grumbled slightly at the portrayal of the Russian Masha - the owner of the spa resort - but then recognised certain opinions and views I held when I first moved to Australia - such as the strange habit of inviting you to a party and expecting you bring your own drinks/meat. For those of you unfamiliar with the ways of Communist block people - I generalise here, but it seems to apply to most Eastern European countries - even during basic food shortages, when meat was rare, coffee was a luxury etc, when you had guests over you offered them the best of the best you were able to provide, on the best china you owned, while wearing your best clothes when having a dinner party etc. I still fret and stress when people come over, but nowhere near as much as I did when I moved here. If that's not a sign of integrating, I don't know what is ;-). And damn it, I still can't get my head around that we all sound the same - although my native tongue is of Latin origin, doesn't sound like any of the Slavic languages or Hungarian, nevertheless, we all sound the same when speaking English, probably other foreign languages as well. Anyway, I digress, again ...
So, yeah, this was a very satisfying read. I wish I could go to a spa resort - I wouldn't mind some pampering massages...
Thanks for reading my ramblings. It's Liane Moriarty's fault. :-)
Under the guise of a courtroom drama, Miracle Creek is a complex, character-driven novel about life's randomness - luck and bad fortune, unfairnessUnder the guise of a courtroom drama, Miracle Creek is a complex, character-driven novel about life's randomness - luck and bad fortune, unfairness and the human’s complexities. Angie Kim has devised an incredible story that covers relationships, disability and autism, the many facets of motherhood and female friendships, immigration, some aspects of Korean culture and many other things.
I was a bit apprehensive to read this as I thought it might hit too close to home. I was right. The autism aspects of this novel are familiar to me. We’ve been on the " autism journey" for over 10 years (*I cringe using these words), I do remember the fervour I experienced in the beginning, reading everything, researching, attending million and one parents' groups, seminars etc., therapies, albeit they were the run-of-the-mill kind. I do get why some people would go the non-kosher way, hoping for miracles. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is one of those unorthodox therapies, which caused the deaths of two people when the fire entered the HBO chamber. Who caused the fire and why is the novel's main story arc.
Angie Kim did a wonderful job showing us the many aspects of caring for someone with a disability and for kids on the spectrum. The guilt, the exhaustion, the driving to this or that doctor and/or therapy, the advocating, researching, implementing strategies, administering treatments, the damned if you do, damned if you don’t and the constant questioning. Of course, you've got those with fewer needs than others. Autism is a spectrum, where some could be put in the "just quirky" category, while at the other end, you have those who will never be able to live independent lives. Elizabeth's son was in the "just a quirky boy category". Her story broke my heart in a million pieces.
Each character's story, their motivations are gradually revealed to keep us fully engaged to the bitter-sweet end.
I could go on about this novel, but I won’t, I’ll just encourage you to read it.
This was a very impressive novel, even more so as it's a debut.
I’ve received the galley from the publishers, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review....more
I almost didn't want to read this hyped novel, especially since lately, I haven't had much luck with very popular books. But since my libraryI almost didn't want to read this hyped novel, especially since lately, I haven't had much luck with very popular books. But since my library purchased it because I requested it, I felt I had to read it.
Besides, I'm kind of obsessed with music, and I've always had crushes on musicians - not that I would want to be with one, especially not a famous one. I'm in the don't-meet-your-heroes camp because they'll be disappointing. Speaking of this camp, I mistakenly googled things early into this novel, as I was trying to find out if characters and the band were real. That opened Pandora's box alright, as I stumbled upon groupies, famous groupies. Of course, I've heard of groupies, but I had no idea they were so young, babies really, some as young as 12. And then you read about all these famous, much-loved musicians such as David Bowie, the Rolling Stones guys, the Led Zeppelin guys, Jim Morrison and many others, sleeping indiscriminately with these young girls. Paedophiles, but nobody calls them that. Slimy, disgusting worms. I got so angry. I've got so many conflicting feelings, but I cannot listen to favourite songs the same way anymore, so I'm furious.
So yeah, it's fair to say I went into this novel a bit riled up. :-) I knew early on it wasn't going to be a 5-star read. It took me much longer than anticipated to finish it, despite being so easy to read. Around the halfway point, I got a bit bored. The ending was pretty good though. More than anything, this novel is about memory, how people can experience the same things, but come up with different narratives and observations. I find it both fascinating and depressing at the same time.
I appreciated the original, clever format of this novel. I can't remember reading any other novels based on and about the music scene before, so it was refreshing to have something different to read about.
Given the success of this novel, I predict a new publishing trend.
Now that I've got acquainted with Taylor Jenkins Reid's writing, I'm open to reading her other books....more
A short book about Gail Gideon, a famous radio personality, and her fourteen-year-old daughter, Nic. Told via the alternate povs of the two femaleA short book about Gail Gideon, a famous radio personality, and her fourteen-year-old daughter, Nic. Told via the alternate povs of the two female protagonists, this was relatively enjoyable, albeit a bit mundane.
My favourite bit was the mother's obsession with music, probably because I'm a middle-aged, music obsessed woman as well (although I'm listening to newer artists, not just the classics). I've been overdoing the concert-going in the past two months - an explanation for my relative lower reading accomplishments.
Every Wild Hearth was extremely easy to digest, albeit not very memorable....more
Fast-paced and easy to read, Talk To Me was utterly compelling, extremely contemporary and deeply human.
The fact that I felt compassion for4+ stars
Fast-paced and easy to read, Talk To Me was utterly compelling, extremely contemporary and deeply human.
The fact that I felt compassion for Ted, a multi-millionaire, older TV news anchor, is due to Kenney's ability to lay bare Ted's regrets and vulnerability. On his 59th birthday, Ted commits a huge faux-pas, caught on video. That sees his life spiral out of control. Without his job, who's Ted? His wife is leaving him for another man, his only daughter is estranged. Time to reassess?
Talk to Me takes a candid look at our fast-paced society, where outrage, hashtags, the obsession with celebrities and the negative news spin are constant and numbing. It also looks at familial relationships and the bonds that are easily breakable due to resentments, brought on by misconstrued words and actions, absences and distancing both physical and mental.
I'm glad I persevered and borrowed this again, as the first time I was too busy and couldn't get into it.
Now I need to get my hands on Truth in Advertising....more
Everything Here is Beautiful is a good debut novel, exploring mental illness and how it affects both the sufferers and those close to them.3-3.5 stars
Everything Here is Beautiful is a good debut novel, exploring mental illness and how it affects both the sufferers and those close to them.
It's wonderful that mental illnesses are no longer taboo. I don't know if it's because we're getting more enlightened or because so many people have mental health issues. I'm guessing it's a mix of the two.
I enjoyed the very multicultural aspects of this novel that added another dimension and layer of complexity to the story. This story is mainly about Lucia and her sister Miranda. Their Chinese mother was pregnant with Lucia when she immigrated to the USA. Miranda was seven years old. The beautiful Lucia was the unlucky one, as she suffered from schizophrenia or bipolar disease or something in between. When not medicated, her behaviour became erratic and uncontrollable - as you'd imagine. Miranda tries to help as much as possible, although she's got her own life to live. Another immigrant's perspective is added when Lucia marries Yonah, a much older Jewish man who seeks a new life in the USA. Manny, Lucia's baby daddy, provides us with insights into an undocumented Ecuadorian young man's life in the US, doing all sort of jobs in construction and kitchens.
I appreciated this novel, but I never fully got into it. I understand why Mira T Lee chose the multiple points of views, but I thought some of them were better executed than others. For instance, sometimes, Manny's perspective wasn't fully believable - he sounded way too eloquent, which was inconsistent with his less educated, culturally different background and upbringing.
Despite not being fully engaged and a few small quibbles, I don't regret spending the time in its company. It was good enough for me to be interested in reading Lee's sophomore novel. ...more
I finally finished Where the Crawdads Sing. I don't think it's my reading slump that prevented me from going ga-ga over this novel. I didn't hate itI finally finished Where the Crawdads Sing. I don't think it's my reading slump that prevented me from going ga-ga over this novel. I didn't hate it but wasn't wowed by it.
It's not a bad debut novel, but I found it uneven, the childhood period taking way too many pages. The main plot point - involving the abandonment of a seven-year-old in a shack in the North Carolina marshes and her surviving by herself - was a bit far-fetched. The jumping of timelines was jarring and unnecessary. The pacing had problems, the first half was very slow and a bit redundant, while in the second half, the author threw lots of things into the mix. The main problem for me was that the characters didn't feel authentic or fully formed. I did enjoy the descriptions of the environment.
Generally speaking, Where the Crawdads Sing was too melodramatic for my liking. ...more
Delightful - that's the word that best describes how I felt about this novel.
I'm always struck by the writers' ability to come up with crazy plots,Delightful - that's the word that best describes how I felt about this novel.
I'm always struck by the writers' ability to come up with crazy plots, including secrets with all sort of twists and turns. Those books are exciting. I'm even more impressed by authors who write stories about ordinary people, doing everyday, average people things. I guess I take comfort from other people's ordinariness? I'm not quite sure what it is that makes me appreciate these quaint, domestic novels so much, it must be the characters, as regardless of the genre, I always like novels with well-developed characters, people who are nuanced and flawed.
It's been established long ago that Anne Tyler is brilliant at creating very realistic characters. Her latest offering is a great example of what an astute people observer she is. I ended up loving Willa Drake, the heroine of this novel. Deep down I wished I had more of her looking through rose-glasses personality. She may have come across as a bit of a push-over, with her cheerful disposition, willingness to please, making sure never to ruffle any feathers. She's a kind person, interesting in a non-showy way, but like many women, she put her kids and husband(s) ahead of her needs and dreams.
Despite some sad moments, Clock Dance is an upbeat novel. Its tone and the story itself are optimistic. The cast of characters warmed my heart....more
The Rosie Result is the third and last novel in the Don Tillman series. In the previous novel, The Rosie Effect, Don and his wife, Rosie,4.5 stars
The Rosie Result is the third and last novel in the Don Tillman series. In the previous novel, The Rosie Effect, Don and his wife, Rosie, were living in New York and were preparing to become parents.
Fast forward eleven years and the Tillmans have just moved back to Melbourne, Australia, where Don takes a position as a genetics professor at a university and Rosie becomes the lead researcher for a mental health project. Their son, Hudson, now eleven, has a hard time settling in in the new school. Meltdowns occur, problems at school, issues with making friends, irritating the teacher etc. The Tillmans are summoned to school to discuss Hudson's behaviour issues. In no uncertain terms, it's recommended they seek a professional assessment for autism. It wouldn't be the first time parents don't notice the obvious, no matter how educated they are. Both parents are conflicted. Due to a kerfuffle at the university, Don takes one year off without pay. That allows him to embark on the Hudson Project.
The Hudson Project is made up of issues that need addressing, in order to guarantee Hudson's acceptance in high school and general wellbeing. Some of those include: helping Hudson making friends; increasing his competency with regards to catching a ball and other useful skills; and so on. Over the years, Don has learnt the importance of a good support system and he makes the most of his friends' skills and expertise. Don Tillman is one hell of a problem solver. I loved his methodical and logical approach to obtaining results. He's a very involved father. And a businessman, and a cocktail maker. He excels in many other areas. Who said that people on the spectrum are one horse ponies? If I have one criticism is that Don is better than most men I've come across, neurotypical or otherwise - but I'll let it pass, as this is a novel, not a non-fiction account.
Graeme Simsion is one clever cookie. He addresses quite complex issues regarding Autism spectrum diagnosis that comes with the "added benefit" of being labelled as autistic and people making assumptions. Of course, the flipside is that by having a diagnostic one can excuse/explain certain behaviours. We are introduced to a couple of opposing views when it comes to interventions, even to Autism activists. Other issues touched upon are the double standards working mothers encounter, the ingrained sexism; anti-vaxing and anti-doctors attitudes ("Thanks", America!). While this is a light read, there's a lot to ponder and learn.
In conclusion, it was a joy to see what Don Tillman was up to now that he was a father. Without a doubt, he is one of my favourite literary male characters.
We need more Don Tillmans in this world.
Many thanks to Text Publishing for sending me a copy of this novel. And congratulations to the cover designer(s)....more
The shy and somewhat recluse Grace Atherton is a luthier, who loves to make and repair string instruments. She herself is an accomplished celloThe shy and somewhat recluse Grace Atherton is a luthier, who loves to make and repair string instruments. She herself is an accomplished cello player, not that anyone close to her has heard her play. Not even her lover of eight years, the charming David, who happens to have a wife and kids in Paris. Grace is always ready to drop whatever she's doing to meet with David whenever and wherever he's available. The crumbs he's offering are delicious. He was in many ways almost perfect - good-looking, generous, knew her very well and made her feel special. When David commits a bravery act, their lives turn upside down. It appears things were not as they seemed. Grace's devastated.
Luckily, she has two unlikely friends to help her through her heartbreak: an eighty-something year old gentleman, who comes by her shop for coffee and a chat and her spirited, angst-ridden teenage assistant, who's becoming a very good violin player herself.
While the story itself has been done before, what made it special, for me anyway, were all the details about playing music, instrument making, Cremona and its string instrument awards. (I looked it up, it's quite interesting).
This could be summed up as when life gives you broken string instruments, make a winning cello.
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster Australia for sending me a copy of this beautiful book. I love the cover....more
While it's true that sometimes it feels that women are their own and each others' worst enemies, it's also women, be it mothers and grandmothers,While it's true that sometimes it feels that women are their own and each others' worst enemies, it's also women, be it mothers and grandmothers, friends or acquaintances, who help in meaningful ways, for longer periods. So, yeah, we are a complex, crazy bunch, sometimes we feel "too much", give too much, expect too much, and definitely do too much. We are also extremely apt at splitting hairs and dwelling on things and agonising over what others might perceive as unimportant things etc. Details matter to us; we have insecurities that we take on others, usually other women, whom we judge, sometimes harshly. Some say it's got an anthropological explanation, including the damn patriarchy. Anyway, things are complicated and complex, something that Nicola Moriarty manages to convey brilliantly in this novel. Social media is a conduit for connectivity but also for causing trouble. It offers women a way of connecting, but then cliques are formed and they can get nasty. Mothers vs non-mothers, criticising each other, not really seeing each others' points of view or merits. Mothers who fantasize not being mothers, not having to make a million and one decisions, not having to put up with the constant demands of little people, the demands of work, school, home - feeling that there's nothing left of themselves. The non-mothers, having to defend constantly their choice not to be mothers - because, there are women who choose not to become mothers - but society still has an issue with that. Go figure! They don't care much if a man chooses not to become a father, but should a woman be childless, is she still a woman, is she still whole etc. It's funny how we expect everyone to be like us, is it so that they reinforce the fact that we made the right choice? Why do we care if someone doesn't toe the line? Anyway, I'm going on a tangent, again ...
This was my first Nicola Moriarty novel and it was well worth my time. In case you're wondering, Nicola and Liane are sisters. If I remember correctly, there's another sister who's a writer. That's one good gene pool!
The messages I took away from this novel are universal: we all have crap in our lives, we all think the grass is greener on the other side, and ... don't post anything on social media when you're angry and/or under the influence - things can go crrraaazzzzy.
Anyway, I'll make sure to read more by Nicola Moriarty as I found this relatable and quite enjoyable.
3.5 stars (still can't decide if I round up or down)
Many of my friends loved this novel, so I was happy to get my hands on it.
First of all, The3.5 stars (still can't decide if I round up or down)
Many of my friends loved this novel, so I was happy to get my hands on it.
First of all, The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox wasn't as literary as I expected it to be. That's not that important, but after reading O'Farrell's memoir, I thought this would belong in the literary fiction category. It's a page-turner and around page eighty, I was invested in the story.
Why was Esme Lennox in an institution for the mentally ill for over sixty years and how come nobody in the family ever mentioned her name? These are questions that Iris Lockard is trying to find the answers to as she finds herself the guardian of this unknown woman who turns out to be her great-aunt.
Esme Lennox's story is a tragic one and it brings up how easily men, and families, disposed of the women who didn't conform, who were different. I thought to myself, this novel is going to gut me and leave me emotionally deplete. Incredibly enough, it didn't happen. It had many ingredients that made it very readable, some confusing paragraphs, side romances and a brusque, vague ending, which was anti-climatic.
While the premise of this novel was excellent, I wasn't as affected by the story, some of the characters weren't fully fleshed out, so in the end, I felt dissatisfied. ...more
The Helpline is the kind of novel that I enjoy a great deal - contemporary, with outlier main characters; people finding each other, overcomingThe Helpline is the kind of novel that I enjoy a great deal - contemporary, with outlier main characters; people finding each other, overcoming prejudice, misunderstandings and becoming good friends to form a community etc. This novel had all those elements. In some ways, it was similar to Eleonor Oliphant Is Completely Fine or the The Rosie Project novels which I loved. So I can't quite explain why I'm not in love with it. The writing was decent. The characters and situations were believable. The novel was very easy to read. Despite all these positives, I never really warmed up to it.
I'll guess I'll put it in the "it's not you, it's me" category.
This goes towards my Aussie Author Challenge on www. bookloverbookreviews.com ...more
This was a fun read, with a good dose of smut - a reverse Pretty Woman, where the heroine, Stella, has high functioning autism, and the hero, Michael,This was a fun read, with a good dose of smut - a reverse Pretty Woman, where the heroine, Stella, has high functioning autism, and the hero, Michael, is a mixed Vietnamese/Caucasian escort/clothes designer, whom Stella hires to improve her skills in the bedroom.
I liked the reversal of roles, including the fact that Stella was very intelligent and much richer than Michael. The fact that Michael was a mixed race man made for a nice change (I may be biased a little bit ;-)); of course, he was hot and a nice guy, who was trying to help his sick mum.
I expected sex scenes, given the premise of the novel. But after a while, they became a bit too repetitive and way too descriptive, a sort of how-to guide, which in my view was overdone and unnecessary. ...more
What Alice Forgot completes the list of Liane Moriarty novels to read. I'll have to wait until September for a new novel to be published.
To beWhat Alice Forgot completes the list of Liane Moriarty novels to read. I'll have to wait until September for a new novel to be published.
To be honest, I've been tired of that old memory loss trope, but I got over it very quickly, because of Moriarty's brilliant writing, relatable characters and thought-provoking situations.
Imagine hitting your head and not remembering the last ten years of your life. I doubt it's possible, but we'll let it slide, as it's a brilliant plot device, aptly used by Moriarty. That's what happened to Alice Love. She wakes up and thinks she's still 29, pregnant with her first child and married to Nick. She's about to turn 40, has three children and is separated from Nick. She's now a highly motivated, very organised, gym crazed, busy mother of three, not the shy, happy-go-lucky Alice of ten years ago. When her sister, Elizabeth, tells her that she's separated from Nick and that she's a mother of three she's flabbergasted. As she finds out things about the "new" Alice, she's taken aback by some of her new personality traits. There are things that she admires about the new her, of course, like her slim fit body and the very elegant wardrobe and very organised home. The situation with Nick, her husband, is strained, there's a lot of animosities, that Alice can't remember or comprehend. Nick was sweet, she always needed Nick's opinions on everything, they had so much fun together. Who's this middle-aged, defensive and bitter man? What's happened to them? Well, I dare say many of us, married with children, will recognise the scenario, at least some aspects of it.
As always, Moriarty puts up a huge mirror and you'll see either your reflection or the reflections of people you know. Her characters and their stories are hugely relatable.
Through Alice's sister, Elizabeth, Moriarty brings to the forefront the issue of infertility and what a mental, physical and financial toll it has on those struggling to have a biological child.
There's also a very interesting honorary grandmother, Frannie, who lives in a retirement home and is keeping a blog.
The ending was a bit surprising. I'll leave it at that for fear of spoilers.
This was another satisfying, engaging, relatable read from the sublime Ms Moriarty. I'm so looking forward to Nine Perfect Strangers.
Loading...
